Podcast away!
HERE’S THE PICK OF THE KIT YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE YOUR OWN SHOWS
HAVE you got something to say? I mean, something you really want to share? Podcasts allow just about anyone to get their voice heard, and it’s never been easier to get into recording your own.
These ‘radio-on-demand’ shows require little gear to get started, and a relatively small outlay can up the quality dramatically.
So here’s our guide to creating your first show… all you need to do is find the words.
FOR YOUR RECORDING NEEDS
By far the simplest way to get going is to use a service called Anchor, below, which is made by Spotify.
Anchor (anchor. fm) is free, and it offers a complete end-to-end solution for podcasting. One of its biggest draws is its ability to record audio with other people over the internet at reasonable quality.
Up to five people can chat via apps on iOS or Android, or via a browser version of the Anchor app on any computer.
On mobile Anchor records using your device’s mic, so the quality is not what you might call professional. But it’s certainly passable enough for starting out.
If you want better quality audio, you’re going to need to buy some kit – any computer plus a combo of headphones and mic from Audio-Technica (audiotechnica.com/en-gb) would be a great place to start.
The ATR2100x-USB mic, right, (£79.99) offers great quality and plug-and-play simplicity and you don’t need an audio interface as it’s got a USB connection to your computer built-in.
The ATH-M30x headphones, right, (£59.99) also offer great quality.
The last piece in the recording jigsaw is software, and there are two ways to go on that front – desktop, or online. I would recommend Adobe’s Audition (adobe.com/uk, at £19.97-a-month) for desktop recording. It’s got some built-in templates, but is probably not the way to go if you want to record with more people than just yourself.
For that you might want to go with an online service like Iris (iris.fm), which allows remote recording of up to nine people and is free for an hour’s worth. The quality is a lot better than you get with Anchor.
FOR YOUR EDITING NEEDS
Anchor has built-in editing tools, although they are limited. You can trim audio, but at the moment there is no multitracking, so if you’ve recorded with others, you’re stuck with the single-track processed file Anchor provides. Again, it’s good enough for the starter, especially when you combine it with the music and effects Anchor also provides. For more flexibility you’ll need to go with Audition for total control over all tracks.
An online option would be Alitu (priced £20 a month), which offers some simple yet very powerful online tools for stitching the audio you have recorded together.
Better than that, though, are the many video tutorials Alitu offers on how to start your podcast, and get better at it. Also included is some quite sophisticated audio processing that can help make you sound a lot better than you should.
GETTING YOUR PODCAST OUT THERE
If you use Anchor, your podcast will automatically be shared to its own network for other Anchor listeners to enjoy… but you can also opt in to its automatic distribution system. As long as your podcast abides by the rules services like Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts have, your show will appear in their apps for all to find.
If you’ve opted for Audition or Alitu, you’ll need to find an online home for your podcast, and Captivate is one of the best. For £17-a-month your show is hosted with shareable links, and distribution to all the other podcast apps.
If you want better quality audio, you’re going to need to buy some kit