Top 5 common audio problems with your podcast
Podcasts are an excellent communication tool. Because you can listen to them while doing other activities, such as exercising, washing dishes, or waxing your car, many people appreciate them because they feel they are not wasting valuable time in exchange for entertainment. Just when we thought radio was dead, in an era when video and photography seemed to be the absolute protagonists, this system has shown us that the power of sound and words is still alive and sharp. On the other hand, fewer tools are needed to produce podcasts than to create audiovisual content. This has triggered a boom on the internet. However, it is not simply a matter of speaking into a microphone and uploading your file to Spotify. There are common problems that you can learn to solve in simple ways.
So, if you are interested in producing podcasts like a pro, Enhanced Media style, try to avoid the following problems and pay attention to their respective solutions.
1. Background noise issues
The audience doesn't need to hear your dog, or the building under construction next to yours, or the airplane flying over your area. The audience wants to hear you. Although you can eliminate background sounds with editing tools, it is key that you set up the recording space to absorb as much sound as possible. Use thick curtains, sound panels on walls, carpeting on the floor, and so on. All this, not only to reduce the presence of external noise but also to prevent your voice from bouncing around the room and causing unwanted reverberation. This brings us to a second problem.
2. Lack of a good recording setup
Before finding the right recording gear, first ask yourself about the space where you'll be recording. A good sound experience starts with a harmonious relationship between the room and the equipment you use to record.
The first thing is to forget about using a headphone mic set, or EarPods. Do it right, invest in good equipment. You don’t need to buy the most expensive gear, and are they are affordable podcast bundles out there.
Secondly, you should know in advance whether you are doing your podcast solo, or with other people. On the market, you can find one-person setups, as well as two, three, or four.
3. Improper software
Just as you should pay attention to buying good recording equipment, you should also consider that you will need good software to record and edit. Avoid the easy ways. Recording on your phone and using editing apps for Social Media content is not the way to go. If you really want a good sound experience to get that differentiating factor of your product, you should look for good software. Many people start using Audacity, mainly because it is free and open-source. It is not a professional tool, but it has a basic set of elements that will allow you to produce a decent product.
You can also work with GarageBand in case you use an Apple computer, and you can download it for free. Hindenburg can also be a good option. Although it is not free (it costs $US 95), it will give you all the tools you need to produce a high-quality podcast.
If you are looking to interview people in different locations, start with platforms like Zoom, which will not only allow you to record the entire session, but you can easily extract the individual audio tracks and thus edit it as required.
4. Misuse of the microphone
It won't do you any good to have the best equipment if you don't know how to use it. Don't place the microphone too far or too close to your mouth. Adjust the off-axis of the mic so that it is placed to the side and towards your mouth, at a distance of no less than two, and no more than four inches. This will prevent bursts of air and give you a much cleaner sound. In any case, look for different angles and rehearse before recording or streaming. Find a comfortable speaking position where you can naturally project your voice, and don’t forget to drink enough water to keep your mouth from getting dry and sticky.
5. Lack of good content
Offer good content, and work on production quality as much as you can. The more unique your podcast, the more guests you have, and the more episodes you create, will help expand your audience exponentially. That may be the difference between a successful podcast and one with just a few plays.
*The images used on this post are taken from Pexels.com