EQUIPMENT
If reading this has convinced you to give podcasting a go, you’re likely wondering what kind of podcasting equipment you’ll need to get started. Clearly, the style of pod you’re aiming for will dictate the types of gear you’ll need, but there are some sure-fire must-haves that everybody, from the total beginners right up to the professionals, will have. Let’s take a look at some great options for podcasting equipment.
PODCASTING MICROPHONES
Clearly, for a speech-driven form of media, you’re going to need a microphone. Mics come in all different shapes and sizes, all offering slightly different possibilities. For podcasting, however, we’d point you in the direction of a good quality, well-made condenser mic. A popular option is to use USB condensers, on account of their simplicity, but professionals might prefer the flexibility of dedicated broadcast microphones.
For beginners, we recommend the Blue Yeti. Famous in online video streaming circles, the
Blue Yeti microphone offers the ultimate in
USB plug-and-play simplicity, combined with a surprising amount of functionality like multiple pickup patterns which make it useful in a number of situations. We also liked the way it comes either with a desk stand, or a desk-mounted arm, giving it that professional vibe.
For professionals, we recommend the Shure SM7B. Larger setups involving multiple guests will be better served with better quality studio microphones. For us, it’s hard to look beyond the Shure SM7B which, despite being a dynamic mic, has an amazingly rich, warm sound which is perfect for speech. Look at many pro-level podcasters and you’ll see Shure SM7Bs leading the way.
MIC SCREENS
If you’re recording in your kitchen or bedroom, you are at the mercy of all those extra sounds a typical house will make. That could be doors shutting, or the reverberation of a large room, or simply cars driving past while you’re recording. While noises of this type can’t be completely mitigated against, you can protect your sound by employing a portable vocal booth. These shut off the area around the microphone and make sure your recordings are clean and ready for processing.
For beginners, we recommend the sE Electronics Reflexion
Filter X. It’s a cost-effective, lightweight tool designed specifically for isolating a vocal source from its environment. We liked the portable nature of it, and we’ve always found sE gear to be well-made and reliable.
For professionals, we recommend the Aston Microphones Halo. The British brand is building a great reputation for creating some of the best sounding condenser mics to reach the market in ages. The Aston Halo continues this progress, with its unique shell-shaped designed and felt surface doing a tremendous job at directing speech to the right place while filtering out anything that’s not desired.
MIXERS
If you’re using multiple audio sources, be that microphones or music players, then you’ll need a way to balance the audio to ensure it sounds the way you want it to. If you’re recording four mic sources, and one of them is noticeably louder than the others, then unfortunately that is all your listeners will hear. A mixer solves this problem by acting as the central hub in the studio. You feed all your different sources into it, mix them together so the sound is balanced, and then output it to your recording software.
For beginners, we recommend the Alexis
MultiMix 8. It features four XLR microphone inputs, and a further four standard jack inputs for other audio sources, and also boasts USB connectivity for recording direct to PC.
For professionals, we recommend the Rode RodeCaster Pro. For more advanced podcasters, the Rode RodeCaster Pro is a superb tool, combining a number of podcast-specific Rode Rodecaster Pro features like programmable one-shot pads and onboard recording, with enough mic inputs and faders to ensure your finished pods sound great.
RECORDING SOFTWARE
If you’re recording into a PC, you’re going to need a software tool to help you piece together the finished recordings. It’s also through software that you can add effects, or polish your audio to make it more professional. If you’re already the user of a digital audio workstation (DAW) like Ableton Live or Cubase, then you’ll be familiar with the process. Different software options will offer different tools, but the fundamentals are generally transferable from one to another.
For beginners, we recommend Audacity. As a free, open-source audio production tool, it’s hard to look beyond Audacity for beginners to learn their craft. Audacity contains all the tools you’ll need, and is intuitive enough that you can pick up the basics in no time at all.
For professionals, we recommend Adobe Audition. While home studio users may be more familiar firing up their existing DAW, as a tool for editing broadcast-ready audio, Adobe Audition is the clear winner. It offers plenty of specialist tools that allow you to clean up noisy recordings, and its multi-track environment makes producing your shows a doddle.