OK it's now time...

You have done ALL the hard work for defining the position, buying the equipment, finding guests and doing the design.

It's now time to record. And if you're not careful... all of your awesome work here will go to waste.

You MUST achieve high quality audio recording if you are to start a chance to thrive in the crowded world of podcasting.

Before we kick off, please be sure to check out these two posts to ensure you have everything set up and ready to roll before we move onto recording your podcast: how you can start a podcast, and how to launch a podcast.

This guide will hand your hand through the trials and tribulations of recording a podcast... by the end of this article you will be able to record the podcast anywhere in the world with extremely high quality recording.

We will cover:

• How to prepare for recording
• How to set up your recording space
• The essential software you need to record right
• How to use this software

PODCAST RECORDING SOFTWARE

To record your podcast, you will not only need the hardware, you will also need software.

There are several options and most come at no cost.

Some of the options include:

• Audacity 

This recording and editing software is free and is an open-source editor. The perk of an open-source editor is the freedom to apply changes to the original code without stress. It allows you to customize the user experience and adjust to your satisfaction. 

• Hindeburg 

Not as affordable as Audacity, but it comes with a host of features. Professionals use it for editing podcasts and on the radio. There is also a trial version that you can try for 30 days.

• GarageBand

You can download the GarageBand software on Apple computers. It is also easy to download, as it is free. However, it is only available on iOS and macOS. Android and Windows users cannot download GarageBand. 

• Adobe Audition

This recording and editing software is a bit tough to get used to, but it has excellent features and workflow once you get the hang of it. Also, it requires a paid subscription. 

Choose your weapon... so to speak and then let's move onto the next stage.

YOUR PODCAST RECORDING PLAN

It would be best if you had a plan in place before you start recording your podcast. How to prepare for a podcast recording can be a dilemma for beginners in podcasting. 

As a newbie podcaster, you will likely fall off track if you do not adequately prepare before recording... like a swordsman ready to strike. 

You will need a script to guide you through recording... this ensures you don't lose track of of your message and start rambling. In your plan, you need to scribble down some phrases, keywords and discussion points that you definitely need to include.

Here are some crucial points you should note:

Format: How Will Your Podcast Be Structured?

A podcast could take several formats. One thing you must not forget is that you are creatively responsible for the format and structure of your show.

The type of message you are trying to pass to your audience will determine the format you will choose... don’t forget, you are the king of your podcast...

There are different types of possible podcast formats, the most common are:

• The interview podcast: this format involves a host that brings guests on the show and interviews them. These guests are usually experts in their field, and the host asks them relevant questions in their industry
• The monologue podcast: this format involves the host alone. The host will run solo and speak about their experiences and area of expertise. It is mostly educational and a teaching type of format
• The co-hosted podcast: this format will involve two hosts that will have conversations. They share their experiences and have a back and forth when needed
• The story-based podcast: this format involves a host that tells a story like a drama to the audience. The story could be fiction or nonfiction. The host finds ways to spice it up through the use of different effects

Content: What’s The Podcast Going To Say?

Before recording your podcast, you must decide what you are trying to achieve with the episode.

The goal of recording the podcast is to produce something that adds values to the lives of your listeners... you must prepare adequately to deliver on this. 

It would help if you researched your topic correctly to have a solid understanding, this could include reading a book on the topic, listening to other podcast episodes or speaking with a knowledgeable friend.

Some of the factors you should consider before deciding on content include:

• How passionate you are about the topic?
• Can you ramble on the topic for hours without stopping?
• Do you have a unique view on this topic?
• Can you easily develop a unique view on this topic?

These factors will determine the quality and type of content you will release...

CREATING AN EPISODE SCRIPT 

How often you create an episode script depends on how frequently you publish your podcast. 

You might have to write a weekly script if you want to publish weekly, or you might prepare for several shows by writing the script all at a time. 

In any case, you mustn’t prepare a dull script or one that will make you sound like you are reading it. 

Write unique and interesting content...

In many cases, except you are recording a significant show, all you need is a small outline to help the content flow... no one likes pre-recorded podcasts!

Map Out The Outline Of Your Podcast Episode

To do this, you need to research the topic of discussion. You also need to decide on the format of the podcast. Suppose it is going to be an interactive one or a solo show. Once you have decided, the next step is deciding on the number of segments you want on the show. It could also be a show without a segment, depending on what you choose.

The outline is to serve as a guide for you as you progress on the show. You do not want to sound like you are confused about what to say next...

Find The Best Music For Your Podcast

It is not compulsory; neither is any written rule that you must include music in your podcast. However, many choose to put music at the start and end of the podcast to sound professional and welcoming.

It doesn’t have to be lengthy music as that is unnecessary. What you want to do is add short music of about 15 seconds at most. 

There are several feel-good kinds of music on the internet that you can get for free. They are royalty-free and catchy. However, if you want uniqueness, you should check on some of the low-free music websites. 

Example of such websites are:

• Music Radio Creative
• Audioblocks 
• Incompetech 

We actually recommend and get all of our podcast music from Artlist, the selection is incredible...

RECORDING 

Everything you have prepared, from your script to your recording equipment – all lead to this moment of recording. There are final preparations you need to put in place before recording. 

If you are going to feature guests from afar, you must set up for recording a podcast remotely. How you record depends on the format of your podcast.

Setting The Scene

Having the right place to record is essential for your podcast. Not every room in your house is suitable for recording your podcast. 

You should set up your home studio in a way that will enhance your audio quality.

You need to avoid rooms prone to noise, such as your bathroom, which will help your sound. You should also try to fill up the space to prevent reverberation. You also need to avoid being close to windows, as anyone might make noises near them. 

The right space for recording will do your podcast a lot of good before editing. If you don’t record in the right place, there is only so much editing will do. Ample space for recording will give you the best audio quality with excellent sound production, combined with great editing. 

Ideally we are looking for a small room with soft walls. If you don't have that then a good microphone, a sound shield and a pop filter will suffice... here are those that we recommend:

• Blue Yeti Microphone
• Pop Filter
• Sound Shield

Setting Up The Software 

Setting the software for recording will depend on the type of software you want to record your podcast. There are different types of software, as I have stated earlier. How you set each one differs, and you will need to explore each one until you understand it's full capability.

Recording With Skype

If you have guests on your show and they are in a different location, you will need to find a way to record them. If you run a show with a co-host and the person is also in a separate area, you will need to use Skype and other applications to record your podcast remotely.

To do this, you do not need to record over audio editing software. All you need is your computer and a microphone. Skype has added the recording option to make you record directly, but this can only be Skype to Skype recording. You can also use call recording software to execute this. 

Recording With Zoom

Zoom is another option for recording a podcast remotely. Recording a podcast over zoom is one of the easiest and fastest freeways to record a guest or co-host remotely. 

Your guest doesn’t need to open an account on Zoom before they can participate in a call or video recording. You can record yourself and one guest for free as long as you want, but you can only do that for 40 minutes if it is a group call.  

Squadcast & Zencastr 

Squadcast is an easy-to-use software for remote podcast recordings. It is easy to set up, and I’m convinced you will get the best audio quality. Squadcast offers lossless audio recordings, and there are different tracks for all speakers, which means you don’t risk audio overlapping. The separate tracks help the elimination of background noise in post-production.

There is also the option of video conferencing.

Zencastr allows you to record each speaker on separate tracks, while it has excellent quality recordings. You can drop the files into Google Drive and Dropbox automatically. It is web-based, and it runs within your browser. 

Exporting Your Podcast 

Now that you can record your podcast episode, it is time to learn how to export your podcast. You should now have an audio file. There are different formats for saving your podcast before exporting. 

For podcast episodes without music and sound effects, you should save as:

• Type: MP3
• Bitrate: 64-96kbps
• Bitrate Mode: Constant (CBR)
• Channel Mode: Mono 

For episodes with music and sound effects:

• Type: MP3
• Bitrate: 128-160kbps
• Bitrate Mode: Constant (CBR)
• Channel Mode: Stereo

After saving, listen back to your show... have your guest listen back to your show. Then take notes to inform your recording set up next time. You may not get it right first time, but if your podcast recording gets a little better every time, then very soon you will have a beautifully sounding podcast.

Bonus Excerpts: Editing Your Podcast 

Editing turns a raw audio file into a finished, polished podcast. You cut out the mistakes, add the intros, and remove the background noise. Editing is the parachute of the podcasting process. Even if your recording is not perfect, you can often save your content during the editing process.

Here are a few of tips:

• Record each speaker on separate tracks – it would be best if you store the music on a different track; this helps you while you edit, as you can easily adjust volume and cut out mistakes from one speaker without affecting the others
• Make a list of the things you need to correct – this will help you avoid the mistakes next time you record!
• Don’t overwhelm yourself on the first time – take a break between editing sessions, as you will need a clear head to discover every mistake

It would help if you used awesome editing software such as: Alitu, Audacity, GarageBand, and Hindeburg. 

We do have another post where we talk extensively about how to edit a podcast. You will be surprised to know that even with little or no experience, you can edit your podcast pretty fast, and to a much higher standard than the average podcast.

That is it for this post folks, but we're are not stopping here; we are literally just getting started.

In future posts on this blog we will now switch to the business side of podcasting:

• How you can grow a podcast
• How you can make your podcast profitable
• And ultimately... how can win at the game of podcasting

See you in the next post...