Pro-Podding: Bringing Home the Mysteries of the Studio
In this column, I will reveal to you tips and tricks used by professional producers which will give your podcast a more professional and polished sound. I will not comment on content, as that is up to you, nor will I touch on posting your podcast or anything web-related. It is merely my intention to help you achieve more a professional sound in your podcast and by this I mean getting the most out of your gear and making it easier on the listener.
Some of the tips that I show you will do nothing more than make your podcast more listenable. Some of the tricks will amaze you as you listen back to the new and improved sound quality. And some things will blow you away as you begin to achieve an insight into how the pros make those records sound so amazing. But first you will need to spend a bit of cash on some necessary tools of the trade.
Microphone - I use the AKG C1000S condenser mic for recording. The thing about this microphone and others like it is that I can use it in the studio and on location even though it requires phantom power because it can use a 9-volt battery to provide the necessary 48volt boost to make it work.
Condenser microphones rule over standard capacitor mics because they reproduce a "bigger" sound. The quality is amazing and the cost is reasonable considering what you get for it. The C1000S retails for between $150 and $200 and sometimes cheaper if you find it on sale. Look for it at stores that carry professional audio gear. Then factor the cost over the number of times you will use it for podcasting and you will see that for pennies a podcast you have much better sound already! Buy it Now>
Headphones - I use the Sony MDR V600 variety. Soft leather ear pads, totally enclosed to eliminate outside sounds, fully adjustable for any size of head, and not all that expensive. I bought mine years ago for just over $100. Again, factored over the number of times I’ve used them - pennies. After all, if you are going to use a good microphone, you may as well hear the difference. Buy it Now>
Recording/edit programs - I use Pro-Tools
mac) and provides the user with non-destructible effects (more on this in subsequent columns). I have also used Adobe Audition which I think is an amazing program even though it uses destructible effects. In addition to these programs I have tried a number of others. One that I see around a lot these days is Audacity. From where I stand it works well for podcasting and it gives you some advanced tools that will come in very handy as you learn to use them. Pro-Tools cost? Around $300 for the pc/mac MBox LE version (without midi interface). Adobe Audition? $300. Audacity? Free!
Mini-disc - This is a tool that I find very, very useful. Battery powered, each disc holds 74 minutes of stereo sound and double that for mono recording. If you are into gathering interviews, sounds of the world, or just want to record your thoughts on the road, this device will give you the best sound in the unplugged world. It is small, convenient and for $140-$400 makes you a dangerous roving audio collector when used with the AKG C1000S (battery powered). I bought a cable that plugs into the mic (3-pin XLR) straight into the mini-disc (1/8" mono jack) thus giving me the maximum flexibility when on the go. The mini-disc also comes with ear buds so you have a choice between them and the headphones. I wear one ear bud when recording interviews or sounds so that I can monitor the recording while still having one ear free for the real sound. This is my personal preference as having only the recording in both ears removes me too far from the subject and can hamper my ability to be spontaneous. Buy Now>
Optional - Flat response reference monitors. I bought the demo set for $160 each. They are small enough to sit on a small table, have multiple inputs, full control over volume, and look pleasant enough. Unfortunately they are powered separately making them desktop usable only. Buy Now>
These tools will provide you with all that you will need to get the best sound for your podcast. Buy them slowly over a period of time, or go for it all at once. Regardless of what you already have, intend to buy or end up with, the tips and tricks in this column will be tool-specific free. But if you pay attention to where I am at and what I am suggesting, you will see how these tools help me on a project to project basis.
Next column: Working the mic - how to control your recording environment.
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You can email Michael at michael@podfly.com
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