WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Spend wisely but also get some cool stuff for free reating a podcast is rather like making a radio show or indeed a basic music recording using microphones. At its simplest, a podcast studio can be your desk or a spare room, preferably one that’s away f
Cclose together, you only really need one microphone. There are plenty of good quality USB mics around the £80-£120 range, such as those from Blue Microphones, Zoom, Røde and Shure. Some stand on your desk, while others need to be attached to a boom stand which will give you more flexibility but adds to the cost. Most microphones tend to have integrated pop filters which help you achieve a cleaner voice recording. In fact, some companies offer podcast hardware bundles comprising mic, headphones and audio interface, which are often sold for a fair bit less than their component parts.
If you need two or more mics, you will have to go with more traditional XLR-equipped models and these will need to be connected to an audio interface or a mixer. IK Multimedia makes the iRig series, and the new iRig Pro Quattro I/O offers four inputs as well as compatibility with both macOS and iOS. Dedicated podcast mixers do exist and can be a little pricier, but something like the RødeCaster Pro or Tascam Mixcast 4 will be designed specifically for mixing podcasts. Alternatively, a simple 2-in, 2-out USB audio interface can cost as little as £90 and will also offer great recording quality. A decent pair of headphones is also a must for mixing, or speakers if your budget stretches.
As recording, editing and mixing a podcast is similar to laying down music tracks, a free app like GarageBand is perfectly suited, letting you set up and save templates to suit your needs.
It’s really about recording elements, editing them together, maybe adding music beds and other audio clips, followed by a little processing just to smooth everything out.
More specialised apps like Steinberg’s WaveLab Cast are still very affordable and offer many more advanced tools, and there’s also Adobe Audition to consider. For iOS, apps like Spreaker’s Podcast Studio or Spotify’s Anchor app are more stripped-down systems that you can use on the move. If your budget is limited, spend it on a decent microphone and a solid audio interface since free apps such as GarageBand offer all the basics. If you do have loftier ambitions, trading up to WaveLab Cast or even Apple’s Logic Pro will help the end result shine.