How To Record Your Podcast Like A Pro (2023)

Launching a successful podcast isn’t just about celebrity guests or flashy marketing; it also requires a focus on producing high-quality audio to attract and retain your audience. ‍

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The last thing you want is poor audio quality that will distract from your message or alienate listeners. That's why it’s crucial to invest in the right kit for professional level audio production for your studio.

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Stay tuned, and I’ll go over the essentials to achieve exceptional audio quality in your content. From microphones to audio interfaces, headphones to audio processing, I’ll cover the kit you need to improve your podcast audio production. 

Optimising your sound quality not only improves your listening experience, but sets you apart from the competition. With the right gear, and some know-how, you can create movie trailer vocals, cut out background noise, and captivate your audience. Let’s jump into the world of podcast gear basics and discover the tools to take your audio journey to the next level. 

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1. What Microphones Do You Need For Podcasting?

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Ok, this one is obvious. You need great microphones to capture great vocal tracks. But what makes a microphone great, and which one should you purchase? Here are the basics:

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Polar pattern - this refers to the area that the microphone picks up sound from. Ideally, you don’t need next door’s construction or the person across the table being picked up on every microphone. The general rule here is to go for a cardioid pattern mic, as it’ll minimise unwanted noise while still being easy to set up and use without constant adjustment.

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Connection - From a practical standpoint, you should think about how you’re going to take the signal from your microphones into the computer, and what sort of connector you’d like it to utilise. In the Reel Studios, we use a mixing console, which takes XLR connections. If you’re recording straight into a laptop, you might want to look at a microphone that has a USB connection. If you’re planning to scale and upgrade as you go, the best of both worlds is a microphone with both USB and XLR outputs.

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Here at Reel Creative we use the Shure MV7 (amazon.co.uk) and we love them. They have both USB and XLR connections, a cardioid polar pattern, and they’re built to last and look great on camera (a nice bonus!) .

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2. What Audio Interfaces and Mixers Do You Need for Podcasting?

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Now that you’ve captured the sound coming out of you and your podcast guests, it has to go somewhere right? You can record directly into a computer, but a better way to record is via an audio interface or a mixer. This gives you more control over the sound quality and more flexibility in post, as well as generally higher fidelity files. Mixers let you control the volume levels of multiple audio inputs, which can be useful if you're recording with multiple people, or using different microphones. An audio interface converts between analogue and digital audio signals - so that you can run XLR audio into or out of your PC. If you’re planning on having lots of people around the podcast table, some mixers can automatically mix the vocals for you, which is a massive help in reducing echo and keeping the total volume consistent. If you don’t mix your audio properly, you could end up deafening your listeners when all four of your guests laugh at once!

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We run our microphones into a rack mounted Behringer X32 Digital Mixer, which is an absolute beast. With up to 40 inputs, auto-mix, and multi-track recording, this stunning bit of kit has really taken our podcasting pedigree to a whole new level. 

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If you don’t need Ferrari levels of audio horsepower, you can get fantastic results by recording through a high-quality audio interface like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, which is significantly more affordable, but packs a punch (and has loads of aftermarket support, educational material, and is very easy to use).

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3. What Headphones Do You Need for Podcasting?

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While recording a podcast, especially if you’re mixing live, you’re going to want a quality pair of headphones! There are a few factors to take into account here, so let’s take a look.

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Sound Isolation - Mixing audio is quite tricky, but it’s much easier when you can hear what you’re doing. Having good sound isolation will help by cutting out the live sounds so that you’re only hearing your mix. 

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Comfort - Some of us here at Reel Creative prefer in-ear monitors, others prefer over-ear “cans”. This is largely down to personal preference, but when you’re recording for hours at a time, you should really make sure your ears aren’t going to turn blue and fall off! I personally use in-ears, as I wear glasses and find it hard to get good isolation with over-ears. 

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Frequency Response - Ideally you’d like to hear as “true” a sound as possible from your monitors, without their built in EQ or bass boosting/pop music improving/surround sound effects clouding your judgement while you’re making decisions on how things should sound. You don’t need to get a PhD in audio engineering for this, just aim to get reasonably flat response monitors.

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Personally, I use Shure SE215 Pros - they’re affordable, have a reasonably flat sound, and I can wear them all day long without looking like Van Gogh. They sound great! Micah prefers cans, and uses the Audio Technica ATH-M50Xs. These are great for all the same reasons, but they definitely win Micah a few more style points.

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4. What Else Do You Need To Produce A Podcast?

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There are some other bits and pieces you may want to consider when kitting out a podcast! To ensure tip top sound quality, a pop filter and a shock mount is always a good idea, to prevent unwanted microphonics and plosives (that’s sound-tech-speak for microphone noise and harsh “p” sounds). 

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It’s also a good idea to consider the space you’re recording in - if you’re in a smaller room with hard walls, your vocals can sound “boxy” or echo. The best way to avoid this is often overlooked - acoustic treatment. We use foam bass traps in all corners of our studios, and on all of the walls that aren’t in shot, and it makes a huge difference.

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Bonus round: TAPE! Don’t forget a surplus of gaffer tape to secure all of your cables. If you spend all that money on audio equipment and then somebody trips on a cable and it all comes crashing down, you will regret not buying tape. We love tape. Can you tell?

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