Here are the 7 most needed essentials to host a successful podcast

Either you’re a podcaster, podcast producer or both, your goal is to create quality content for your audience. You need to follow certain tips that will work great for you by trial and error and make your podcast reach out to a wide audience. The tools you use (including workplace design for where you will be recording) in achieving this are quite important, hence the need for this article.

1.   Good Microphones

A mic is an equipment that you cannot live with as a podcaster. When starting out, you may be tempted to use the built-in mic on your computer or phone. Isn’t it?

The built-in mics in your phone or laptop are designed to capture audio quality at the bare minimum; just enough to hear what’s being said. For podcasting, you need a dedicated microphone.

Choosing a good podcasting mic will depend on how the podcast content is structured. For instance, if you’re the only speaker on your podcast, a cardioid condenser or dynamic mic will be a good fit. You can also consider other variations of cardioid like the wide cardioid and supercardioid as per your needs.

2.   Pop Filter

This is what you use to prevent too much air from hitting the mic’s capsule. If that happens, your audio will be distorted anytime, the speaker uses plosive sounds like ‘p’ and ‘b’. The best way to use a pop filter is to place it in front of the mic.

Although some microphones have built-in internal pop filters, most times, they don’t do a hundred percent job. For some speakers, you may have to use two external pop filters to eliminate those pop sounds.

3.   Soundproofing Materials

If you want a clean recording, you must prevent unwanted sound from outside the studio from getting in. If there are sound leaks, it’s possible that you hear them in your recorded podcast.

What you use to soundproof your room depends on the style of soundproofing you’re going for; mass or damping.

Mass involves laying the material over or under your wall to stop the sound from coming in. You can use mass loaded vinyl for this.

Damping is the use of chemical compounds to turn the sound energy into heat before it gets out. It can also be effective but must be done by pros.

4.   Headphones

This is another necessary piece of equipment for podcasting. Headphones are useful both during and after recording the podcast. During the podcast, you can use headphones to monitor the recording levels in real-time.

You can also use headphones to listen to playback while editing. Make sure you get decent headphones at least; especially low impedance ones, so you don’t have to use a preamp to drive them.

If you’re using headphones to monitor your recording in real-time, make sure they’re closed-back headphones so that your mic doesn’t capture what’s coming from the headphones.

5.   Editing Software

Editing software, also known as Digital Audio Workstation DAW is the computer platform that you use to record and edit your podcasts. The most popular ones include Logic, Adobe Audition, Cubase and Pro Tools.

For starters, you can use Audacity, which is a free recording and editing software for audio. However, you must have it in mind to upgrade as time goes on for more flexible editing options.

Also, other DAWs give you the option of trying out a demo version before you buy it. You can use these demos to test them and see which one will work for you best.

Also, keep in mind that most audio software is only as good as your recording or editing skills.

They won’t do any magic on a poor recording, but they can make good podcasts sound great. Audio is the most important thing needed to make your podcast highly impactful.

6.   Shock Mounts

Most of the time, podcasts are recorded with the speaker in a sitting position. This exposes the mic on the table to vibrations from tapping the table or accidental bumps.

With a good shock mount, you can be sure that any vibration will not reach the mic through the stand or tripod.

7.   Sound Absorbing Material

It’s different from soundproofing. It involves reducing or eliminating the reflections inside your recording room from getting into the mic. There are ready-made acoustic panels that are designed for this. Make sure you use these materials inside your podcasting room to avoid any reflections.

Conclusion

While this list is not exhaustive, it gives an insight into the most important things you should have if you wish to produce quality podcasts.

Make sure you follow this list and get the essentials to make your podcast loved by your audience.

Also, keep in mind that you are not committing a mistake by just choosing low-quality equipment. There are good pieces of equipment available even at a low budget. Just a proper research is needed from your end.

I hope you guys found this post helpful.

Ruben Roel

Ruben Roel is a Marketing Professional based out of Dallas, TX. He is the Executive Editor for Vtrep. Fluently speaks digital media, small business development, and search engine marketing. Ruben can be reached via email: editor@vtrep.com



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