Mixing Your Podcast
- Planning Your Mix. The best way to start your mix is think ahead with the end goal in mind. You most likely have a...
- Soloing Specific Sounds In Your Mix. Enhance the sonic quality of your podcast by isolating individual tracks using the...
- Volume Faders – Control the Volume. Each track in your mix has it own fader that controls the volume level.
How do I mix my podcast sound?
When you're mixing your podcast, you don't want some sounds to be loud while others are too soft. You'll be using your DAW for this as well. You'll first want to add in any music and sound effects. Your dialogue, music, and sound effects should be all hitting around the same level.
What is podcast mixing and why is it important?
Podcast mixing — in fact, mixing audio stories of any kind — can be tedious. It’s the part of the production process where you create balance, consistency, and clarity with all of the audio elements in your story. But for many, it’s the least understood and most overlooked part.
What is audio mixing and how do I do it?
Audio mixing is the process by which multiple sounds or vocal clips are combined into one or more channels to make them all sound equal. When you're mixing your podcast, you don't want some sounds to be loud while others are too soft. You'll be using your DAW for this as well.
What makes a good podcast mix?
The less you do in the mix, the better Podcasts are usually mixed, which means applying processing to each vocal track and balancing the levels. When you process a track, you are adding something to it that wasn’t there before—this is true even with a subtractive effect, such as notching out problematic resonances.
How do you properly mix audio?
5 Tips for Mixing Audio at HomePan your instruments. ... Add compression, but don't overdo it. ... Reverb is also great, but don't let it muddy a mix. ... Use a high-pass filter, but once again, in moderation. ... Test your mix on multiple sets of speakers.
How do you EQ a podcast voice?
0:4213:06EQ and Compression for Podcast Vocals (Podcast Vocal Mixing)YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipNeed some eq and some compression to some extent okay so we've got a vocal recording from theMoreNeed some eq and some compression to some extent okay so we've got a vocal recording from the recruit mentors podcast. Here it sounds good i'm going to hit play in a second.
How do I make my podcast sound quality?
10 Ways To Improve Podcast Sound QualityChoose The Recording Environment. ... Record In A Closet Or A Small Space. ... Switch To A Condenser Mic. ... Use A Windscreen Or Pop Filter. ... Set Up With A Mic Stand. ... Set Up The Mic At A Distance. ... Get Soundproofing Equipment. ... Practice Your Plosives And Sibilance.More items...•
How do I mix podcasts in audacity?
How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity - A Step by Step GuideImport the audio you have previously recorded. ... 2. ( ... If you have background hiss, computer noise or other wanted noise remove it. ... Delete unwanted material. ... Move everything into the right order. ... Go through the audio and fix all the unwanted noises.More items...
What EQ is best for podcasts?
EQ for podcastBelow 80 Hz is of little use to podcasters. ... 80-120 Hz is where we get the full, rich timbre of voices. ... 200-240 Hz is where we start to get some boominess in voices. ... 300 Hz-1 kHz is where we'll hear the most reflections of our voice from the room. ... 2-3 kHz is the area that adds clarity to our voice.More items...•
What is a good EQ setting for vocals?
Best EQ Settings for VocalsRoll off the low-end starting around 90 Hz.Reduce the mud around 250 Hz.Add a high shelf around 9 kHz & a high roll off around 18 kHz.Add a presence boost around 5 kHz.Boost the core around 1 kHz to 2 kHz.Reduce sibilance around 5 kHz to 8 kHz.
How do I make my podcast sound natural?
Here are a few things to keep in mind when you're speaking:Use emotion in your voice. Don't talk like a robot.Project your voice. Not too loud, but clear and full.If you mess up, stop, relax, and say the word or sentence over correctly. ... Don't rush. ... Speak clearly, make sure you say every word correctly (enunciate).
What DB should podcast be?
If you want to know exactly what to set your volume at when recording, it's going to be about -12db to about -6db. That means your highest peaks will reach those numbers, that gives you 6 - 12 decibels of headroom to get a little louder, so you won't peak above 0db.
Are podcasts mono or stereo?
Mono is fine even if you have music at the intro or outro of your episodes. Mono is a good choice for most podcasts as the file size is smaller and the quality will be comparable to stereo. Mono uses one channel so what you hear in your left ear is the same as the right.
Is Audacity good for podcasts?
Audacity is our pick for best overall audio editing software because it is a full-featured software with multi-track editing features and cross-platform support for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It's great for a variety of audio editing projects, including podcasts. Best of all, it's completely free.
Where can I edit podcast audio?
Find out the best podcast editing software for all your recording software and editing needs.Pro Tools. ... Riverside. ... Adobe Audition. ... Logic Pro X. ... Audacity. ... GarageBand. ... Auphonic. ... Descript.More items...•
Is Audacity good for podcasting?
Audacity can do everything most audio podcasters need Audio-editing podcasts is simple; it's usually only cut/copy/paste, place sound clips, adjust volumes with fades, and run basic enhancing effects. That's all that most podcasters would need to produce high-quality podcasts.
How do I EQ my voice for streaming?
0:334:02Vocal EQ for Live Stream Mix ft. Nathan Drake - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipProbably 80 to 100 hertz is where i would usually. Go you don't need anything below that for vocals.MoreProbably 80 to 100 hertz is where i would usually. Go you don't need anything below that for vocals.
What dB should a podcast be?
Generally, a peak level of -1.0 dB is good for podcasts, as this level will ensure your audio sounds good when it's converted to a lossy format like MP3 or AAC.
How do I make my podcast sound better on audition?
1:009:37How to Make Your Podcast Sound Better in Adobe Audition - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTrack we can use ctrl alt. And backspace which of course would be command. Option and backspace ifMoreTrack we can use ctrl alt. And backspace which of course would be command. Option and backspace if you're on a mac. So simple as that.
Why do podcasts remove breaths?
Often times, editors will accidentally remove a breath before a sentence, simply because they didn’t see it. While this isn’t a huge problem, podcasts where no one ever takes a breath tend to sound very unnatural. Usually, the best practice is to lower the volume of any breaths that stick out.
Why does my podcast sound unnatural?
Another common problem you’ll face when editing a podcast is cadence or tone changes. If someone rambles on for too long, it’s common practice to edit out the unneeded content. But often times, this can cause the speaker to sound unnatural.
How to make sure no one listens to your podcast again?
If possible, try to multi-track your podcast so each speaker has a dedicated microphone (preferably in their own acoustically-treated studio ). Otherwise, there’s not much you can do to fix the overlap.
What does it mean when you clip a word off?
Clipping Words. The most obvious problem with editing is clipping the beginning or end of a word off. It’s a clear sign that a recording has been (poorly) edited. It’s especially easy to cut off the beginning or end of words that start with “F”, “H”, or “S”.
Where are podcasts recorded?
Unlike studio recordings, podcasts are often recorded in bedrooms, offices, and even airports , which all have a variety of ambient sounds.
Can you cut a sentence without cutting the opening breath?
If you cut a sentence without cutting the opening breath, you may end up leaving a breath before and after.
Can you hear a clip being edited?
Any time a listener can noticeably hear that a clip is edited, it takes them out of the experience. Bad edits can be subtle, like a slight change in ambient background noise, or obvious, like chopping off part of a wor…. The key is to listen, not look — especially when editing a lengthy episode.
Planning Your Mix
The best way to start your mix is think ahead with the end goal in mind. You most likely have a vision of what you want your finished podcast to sound like. Your goal is to maintain that sound from the beginning to the end of your podcast.
Soloing Specific Sounds In Your Mix
Highlighting focal points within your podcast is a great way to fine tune the sonic quality of specific tracks
Volume Faders – Control the Volume
Each track in your mix has it own fader that controls the volume level.
Shelving Filters – Increase and Decrease Sound
As the simplest form of filtering, shelving EQ increases or decreases all frequencies above or below a fixed frequency. A bass shelving filter, also called a low-pass filter, increases or decreases everything below its fixed center frequency.
Bandpass Filters – Fully Increase or Decrease Sound
These filters can be used to increase or decrease audio on both sides of a center. Bandpass filters are commonly used as midrange filters, because they have little effect on either high or low frequencies. The familiar graphic equalizer is just a set of bandpass filters tuned to different center frequencies.
Parametric Filters – Surgical Editing Tools
Rule of Thumb: Decrease rather than increase frequencies wherever possible. Decreasing undesired sounds is always less obtrusive, and increasing too much can make a track too loud and lead to digital distortion when encoding.
Compressors – Reduce Dynamic Range
A compressor’s basic function is to reduce the dynamic range of an audio recording, which is the difference between the loudest and softest sounds in a recording.
Equipped with the Right Technology
A lot of podcasts fail to impress due to bad audio quality. We are equipped with technical equipment, latest software and experience to give you the best sound you need for your podcast show.
Professional Podcast Mixing Skills
We ensure professional level audio quality in all of our projects and make sure your podcast’s message gets heard loud and clear. We as your podcast audio mixer can help you with the technical aspects so that you can improve the quality of your recordings also in the future.
Phase 1: Your Podcast Profile
Firstly, we have to analyze and prepare a plan. We listen to your existing recordings and determine where parts should be re-recorded, tracks edited or where mixing your podcast is required. This is not limited to podcast audio mixing but any aspects that we can help with.
Phase 2: Create The Recordings
In case that you also want to re-record or add additional elements to your podcast, we do the implementation here. From music to sounds and lyrics, we can help with anything. The recording phase is only necessary if simple podcast mixing is not enough.
Phase 3: Mix & Master The Songs
If you know that you just want podcast audio mixing, jump here right away. This phase is just about post-production aspects. We improve the audio quality and can also make different versions or mixes of your most important podcast elements.
How to organize audio clips?
Organize the audio clips: Skim through your clips and ensure that each track includes only clips that are alike. Each clip on an actuality track should be from the same person and interview, each clip on an ambience track should be from the same scene, and so on. If it’s a different voice or scene, it gets its own track.
What is the difference between solo and mute?
A brief note about solo and mute buttons: They achieve similar outcomes and have very different purposes. Solo is intended to temporarily isolate the selected track and quiet all of the other tracks with one button press. Mute is intended to quiet only the selected track.
Can you adjust tone of voice track with EQ?
So if you adjusted the tone of a voice track with EQ, apply the same change to the accompanying ambience track. Additionally, if there is an environmental issue like rumble or hum in the voice track, it’s likely audible in the ambience recording. You can fix it with the same EQ settings.
Is it easy to get lost in the details when mixing audio?
It’s easy to get lost in the details when you’re mixing audio. This workflow streamlines the process. (Deborah Lee, NPR) Podcast mixing — in fact, mixing audio stories of any kind — can be tedious. It’s the part of the production process where you create balance, consistency, and clarity with all of the audio elements in your story.
How much does a Blue Yeti mic cost?
Blue Yeti - $99. XLR Microphones. These mics may require an audio interface like the RØDECaster Pro which supports XLR inputs to record the audio. The audio interface also allows you to adjust the levels of the microphone on the fly and provides enough gain for the microphone. RØDE PodMic - $99.
How to mix audio for podcast?
How to Mix a Podcast. Audio mixing is the process by which multiple sounds or vocal clips are combined into one or more channels to make them all sound equal. When you're mixing your podcast, you don't want some sounds to be loud while others are too soft. You'll be using your DAW for this as well.
Is podcasting a lucrative business?
At the end of the day, podcasts are an exciting medium that can become an extremely lucrative part of the entertainment industry. Whether you're broadcasting to an audience of millions or just a few, you want your work to be clear and concise, and transport people to another world.
Do podcasts need a microphone?
Luckily with podcasting, it doesn't have to cost you much to get going. That said, the microphone is the most important tool to the equation. Generally speaking, the better the quality of the mic, the better you will sound. But you don't need to run off and buy the most expensive mic available.
Is it easier to start a podcast?
Starting your own podcast has never been easier. But when it comes to editing one, things can get tricky. We're living in another golden age of radio, but this time it's delivered straight to our phones, and there are thousands of shows to choose from we can listen to every week.
And how do I make my podcast sound better?
By following all these tips and techniques, you can record and produce studio-quality podcasts.
Use a decent quality podcasting equipment
I don’t want to get involved with equipment themes, on my podcast editing services you have information about quality microphones and equipment if you want pro-sound. Just don’t record your podcast with bad microphones or crappy mobiles. At the end of this post, I will put a piece of low cost and simple equipment.
Try to find the best acoustic place in your room
The bigger a room the better, the very small spaces produce nasal reverberation, you can make recordings at various points in the room to hear where is the best sound and thus place the microphone there if space allows. When possible, avoid getting too close to walls or corners to avoid sound reflections.
Tips and tricks for recording the podcast with your microphone
To get the radio-style sound, with that kind of deep, warm voice, you have to put the mic close to your mouth, about 20cm, don’t get too close or will cause distortion and banging with the “P”. Also, you will avoid recording the reverb of the room that I mentioned before. Test and record until you get that warm and present voice.
How to edit a podcast?
Once you have recorded all the voice-overs for the new episode, it’s time to edit and sound design the podcast. Cinematic or storyteller podcasts will need specific music and sound effects to accompany the drama.
Choose the ideal music for the podcast
The ideal is to choose music to create identification or to get closer to the listener depending on the matter of the podcast, it is not the same to talk about something fun than if we talk about something serious, so try to match the music tracks according to the podcast. Music also creates your identity or personal brand for your podcasts.
Podcast audio engineer Tips
After recording and the music is already chosen, we will begin editing and mounting the podcast. These are the common steps of a podcast audio engineer edition:
What is ducking in music?
Ducking is an old radio term for putting a compressor on the music and assigning its sidechain input to the narrator or host. That way, when the host talks, the compressor “ducks” the volume of the music.
What is room tone?
The room tone has frequency characteristics that need to be tamed. Even the best podcast companies can utilize subpar locations for recording. This is also true for home recordings. Sometimes you may have room tone with horrid resonances—resonances which broad-spectrum de-noising can’t fix.
Do podcasts have reverb?
Most podcasts don’t have reverb, so a minimal or completely dry reverb setting will likely yield the best results. If you don’t have Dialogue Match, never fear. Within Ozone 9, the Match EQ module can be of service in matching the EQ profile of your source, though it won’t match the ambience or reverb profiles.
Do vocals match from take to take?
Vocals don’t match from take to take. You’ve recorded your podcast in different spaces, and the vocals don’t sound congruent from take to take. You’d think this was a beginner mistake, but it isn’t—this actually happens in professional podcasts for a variety of reasons.
Does a de-esser work on a deharsher?
A de-esser used as a deharsher doesn’t seem to work on them , and neither does a dynamic EQ, nor a multiband compressor.
Who is the mixing engineer behind Night Vale?
Get advice for mixing and sound-designing podcasts from engineer Vincent Cacchione, composer Jon Bernstein, and the co-creator and mixing engineer from behind Welcome to Night Vale, Joseph Fink. We make innovative audio products that inspire and enable people to be creative. Browse 5 more...
Do you need to counterbalance music with narration?
You may need to counterbalance music with narration, especially if you’re going for an investigative reporting vibe with frequent underscore. You must diligently ride the level of the music to ensure that the vocals can always be heard. There are three ways to accomplish this:
How does de-essing affect your voice?
Many people’s voices exhibit an unpleasant sibilant sound when speaking into a microphone. A subtle de-essing can make your voice easier to listen to for a long period of time.
What is a plosive sound?
Plosives, the burst of air that exits the mouth when we make “P” and “B” sounds, are like giant gusts of wind to a microphone. To help mitigate these, avoid talking directly into the front of the microphone and use a windscreen or pop filter when possible.
Why do voiceovers stand?
Stand and deliver. Many broadcasters and voiceover artists stand when recording to help provide better air support and a strong, confident read. This can also help mitigate early reflections caused by a desk. If you do need something to hold your script, a music stand works well.
What is this American life podcast?
This podcast, an offshoot of the hugely successful (and great-sounding) This American Life, has garnered record-breaking listenership in its first season. Its cinematic storytelling and engaging content combine with careful production, editing, and mixing with the help of composer and engineer Mark Henry Phillips. Employing skills from forensic audio restoration to composition and sound design, he helped ensure every element of the story is able to be heard by listeners, and reinforced with underscoring and sonic painting that brings extra dimension to the story.
Where are the podcasts from?
Notice the natural dynamics and balance among the voices of hosts Bob Boilen, Robin Hilton, and their guests. Originating from NPR’s studios in Washington, D.C., they have the advantage of carefully designed and well-appropriated studios as well as a staff of top-shelf engineers who help engineer their live music recordings and broadcasts from venues all over the world. TechHive author Mark Sullivan gives some good tips for podcasters on equipment you might look at for capturing that “NPR Sound” at home.
Can you make your podcast louder?
After compressing these louder sounds, you can turn up the overall sound of your voice, making everything seem louder overall. This can be helpful when people are listening to your podcast in noisy situations like a subway, car, or bus. This is another effect that shouldn’t be used to extremes.
Who is Tom Henschel?
Executive coach Tom Henschel and his company Essential Communications just celebrated their tenth year publishing this free podcast of executive coaching tips. In addition to over 30 years of coaching experience, Henschel is a Juilliard-trained actor.
Editing Problems
Clipping Words
Breathe in Breathe Out
Background Noise
Cadence Changes
Stop The Voices!
- One way to make sure no one ever listens to your podcast again is to record a bunch of people yelling over one another. If possible, try to multi-track your podcast so each speaker has a dedicated microphone (preferably in their own acoustically-treated studio). Otherwise, there’s not much you can do to fix the overlap.
Mixing Problems
Inconsistent Levels
Abrupt Starts and Stops
EQ Problems
Planning Your Mix
Soloing Specific Sounds in Your Mix
Shelving Filters – Increase and Decrease Sound
Bandpass Filters – Fully Increase Or Decrease Sound
Parametric Filters – Surgical Editing Tools
Compressors – Reduce Dynamic Range
Expanders – Increase Dynamic Range
Normalization – Clarify Audio and Reduce Distortion
Production Techniques
- Beef up the production by mixing in your show intro, imaging, and musical transitions Remember when you wrote your podcasting script? Now is the time to mix in your show intro, the section that announces the name of your podcast and the episode number. It is most effective if this is the voice of an announcer, distinct from your own. Try fading you...
Summary – Key Points About Mixing Your Podcast