Castos is a participant within the Amazon Companies LLC Associates Program. We might earn commissions out of your purchases on Amazon.com, although for gratis to you.
It’s no shock {that a} podcasting microphone is among the most necessary items of apparatus you should buy in your present. However simply because you’ve gotten an costly, top quality microphone doesn’t assure you’ll produce crystal clear audio.
The way you use the microphone can also be necessary. That features the place you document, the way you place your gear, and the opposite items of apparatus you utilize alongside it. So on this article, we train you some good podcast microphone setup methods to get the very best audio in your present.
Step 1: Purchase a Excessive High quality Podcast Microphone
Whereas it’s true you could document a podcast with any microphone, even the built-in mic in your laptop computer or earbuds, that’s hardly ever the only option. Your first step is to choose up a microphone that your viewers deserves.
Our favourite choice for a podcast microphone setup is the Samson Q2U. It’s reliable and reasonably priced. Most significantly, it sounds nice. Take a look at our full Samson Q2U overview for extra data.
If that mic doesn’t give you the results you want, take a look at the Audio Technica ART2100x. It’s one other in style and reasonably priced choice for newbie podcasters. Should you’re keen to spend some cash and need probably the most frequent podcasting mics, we strongly suggest the Shure SM7B.
When selecting a mic, you’ll must make two choices:
USB vs. XLR microphone
First, you’ll want to decide on whether or not to purchase a USB or XLR microphone.
- XLR mics use a reference to three pins (constructive, destructive, and floor terminals). They sound the very best, however don’t hook up with your pc. They sound the very best, however solely hook up with audio interfaces or mixers.
- USB mics are tremendous easy to make use of as a result of they plug into any USB slot, however their audio high quality is decrease than an XLR mic.
Dynamic vs. condenser
- Dynamic mids are sturdy and nice for loud sounds. They don’t require any exterior energy, in order that they’re greatest for individuals who podcast on-the-go who document in unpredictable environments.
- Condenser mics are extra delicate. This implies they’re audio high quality is best, however they require a managed surroundings. In addition they require an exterior energy supply, comparable to an interface or mixer with phantom energy.
Step 2: Set Up in a Good Recording House
The following step for a very good podcast microphone setup is to position your microphone in a recording area that’s designed for good audio. The kind of room you document in can have an effect on what the microphone picks up.
It’s necessary to document in a spot with none background noise. Meaning no visitors exterior your window, barking canine, kids enjoying, or perhaps a neighbor coughing. Your mic will choose up these sounds and also you’ll wrestle to take away them throughout modifying.
To keep away from this noise, discover a area in your workplace or dwelling that’s distant from sounds. Select a room with a variety of comfortable surfaces, like upholstered sofas and chairs, curtains, and pillows. These will soak up exterior sound so it by no means makes it to your recording. They will even soak up inside sound so your voice doesn’t echo again to the mic.
Moreover, contemplate the scale of the room. A big room makes your voice sound larger than it’s. Go for a small area the place your voice doesn’t carry. Draping a blanket close by is a good way to make a recording area smaller.
Step 3: Place Your Mic Correctly
The perfect microphone placement for a podcast recording can range relying on a number of components, together with the kind of microphone you’re utilizing, the acoustics of your recording area, and your private preferences.
Nonetheless, right here’s a basic information for putting a typical cardioid or dynamic microphone:
Microphone Place
- Place the microphone on a secure stand or mount it on a increase arm. Keep away from handheld operation to forestall noise from dealing with it. Increase arms are nice as a result of they preserve the mic away out of your keyboard and desk noises.
- Place the microphone roughly 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 centimeters) away out of your mouth. This distance helps seize your voice clearly whereas decreasing plosive sounds and breath noise. You might have to experiment to seek out the right distance, however as soon as you discover it, don’t transfer something.
- Angle the microphone barely upward towards your mouth at a few 45-degree angle. This helps stop plosives (e.g., “p” and “b” sounds) from hitting the microphone immediately.
- Be certain that nothing will impede the microphone throughout your recording, comparable to your clothes or different gear in your podcasting desk.
Microphone Directionality
Should you’re utilizing a cardioid microphone (which is frequent for podcasting), converse immediately into the entrance of the microphone. Cardioid microphones are most delicate to sound coming from the entrance and reject sound from the perimeters and rear.
When you’ve got an omnidirectional microphone, it captures sound equally from all instructions, so that you don’t want to fret about talking immediately into it.
Step 4: Put on Headphones Every time You Use a Mic
Utilizing headphones when working with a microphone is important for podcasting. Firstly, headphones allow real-time audio monitoring, guaranteeing that the recorded sound is obvious, freed from distortion, and devoid of undesirable background noise.
Headphones present instantaneous suggestions and permit for rapid changes if any points come up throughout recording. By listening to your individual voice whereas recording, you’ll be able to management quantity, tone, and pronunciation for improved vocal efficiency and readability. In addition they assist determine and handle problematic feels like plosives and sibilance.
Moreover, headphones assist stop suggestions, a standard drawback when microphones and audio system are used collectively. By carrying headphones, you’ll be able to keep away from the microphone choosing up and amplifying the sound from the audio system, stopping disagreeable squealing or howling noises.
With regards to shopping for headphones, you’ve gotten a variety of choices. It principally comes right down to price and luxury. Take a look at our information on the very best podcast headphones.
Step 5: Set up a Pop Filter on Your Mic
Sound is simply air molecules transferring forwards and backwards that microphones detect. Some sounds we make produce an particularly highly effective burst of air that find yourself sounding louder than they need to within the recording.
These sounds are known as plosives. Plosives happen after we purse our lips and launch sudden bouts of air, like we use “Ok,” “T,” “P,” “G,” “D,” and “B” sounds. Plosives are irritating and distracting, particularly over lengthy intervals of time.
Right here’s what a plosive seems to be like in an audio modifying device like Adobe Audition. That massive spike is a plosive. It’s considerably louder than different components of the recording.
You possibly can decrease your plosives with the assistance of a pop filter. Pop filters are mesh screens that connect to your microphone. They create a barrier between your mic and your mouth to dampen bursts of air, thereby sustaining a fair sound.
Pop filters are low-cost, straightforward to put in, and produce a outstanding impact in your audio high quality. Should you’re critical about your sound, it’s best to positively have one.
Our favourite pop filter is the Nady MPF Clamp On Pop Filter. It comes with a versatile gooseneck and metallic stabilizing arm. You possibly can see extra choices in our information on the very best pop filters.
Step 6: Use a Noise Canceling Software program
In case your recording area has some unavoidable background noise, it’s possible you’ll discover it useful to make use of recording/modifying software program with noise discount options.
Noise canceling is when your software program identifies the noises in your audio that aren’t your voice and slices it out of the recording. Usually, these instruments offer you some management over what counts as noise within the file.
That mentioned, noise canceling isn’t excellent. Some issues will slip by the cracks and the software program might affiliate your voice with noise in some circumstances. So the very best answer is to all the time document in a quiet place that absorbs echoes.
Step 7: Regulate Your Mic’s Settings as Essential
Microphones and audio recording software program usually have tons of settings and choices you could play with with the intention to optimize the captured audio in your surroundings. Should you’re utilizing an audio mixer or interface, this system can have settings as properly.
Quantity stage
In case your quantity is just too excessive, it’s possible you’ll get distortion or clipping. In case your quantity is just too low, voices will sound muffled and incomprehensible. Play with these three parameter:
- Preserve your peak stage beneath -6dB.
- Preserve your loudness meter within the “inexperienced” or “protected” vary.
- Preserve your common stage between -12dB and -15dB.
- Play with the Equalization (EQ) till you discover a setting that works for you.
Recording parameters
- Use WAV or AIFF file codecs for podcasts.
- Use 16-bit or 24-bit for bit depth.
- Select mono or stereo recording relying in your wants.
- Use a bit price of 128kbps.
- Use a pattern price of 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz.
Achieve / enter stage
Communicate into your mic as you propose to throughout a recording. Regulate the acquire till you see peaks in your meter within the -10dB vary. This could stop clipping. A straightforward option to discover this spot is to show up the acquire till you hear buzzing in your headphones, then flip it down barely.
Step 8: Run an Experiment Earlier than Recording an Episode
Earlier than you sit right down to document that first episode, it’s necessary to conduct a check recording with the intention to fine-tune your microphone settings and placement. Merely document a couple of minutes of your self talking, then play it again, hear for any audio points, and make any crucial changes.
Each voice and recording surroundings is exclusive, so experimentation is vital to discovering the perfect placement. You need to conduct a check recording any time you document in a brand new surroundings or deliver a brand new visitor on to your present.
Do not forget that whereas these tips present a very good place to begin, private preferences and the precise traits of your voice might require slight changes. Frequently testing and refining your microphone placement will help you obtain the absolute best audio high quality in your podcast recordings.
Prepared to begin recording? Our information on recording your first episode is a key device that will help you create an ideal episode in your first strive.
Your Podcast Microphone Setup
Everybody’s podcast microphone setup is somewhat totally different interval. It’s possible you’ll want to make use of an audio interface, whereas different podcasters want to plug proper into their pc. It’s possible you’ll want to document standing in your closet, whereas some podcasters like to take a seat at a specialty podcasting desk.
What’s necessary is that you simply discover the podcast microphone setup that works greatest in your workflow.. You don’t have to make use of the identical gear as everybody else. Use the instruments that allow you to produce the very best content material.
What’s in your podcast microphone setup? Tell us within the feedback!
