How to Make Good Podcast Sound
A podcast is a new form of storytelling, a type of blogging in audio format. It is created by one or more people, who publish edited audio content (pre-processed) on podcast platforms (Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, Yandex.Music, etc.).
To promote and grow an audio blog, it's important to master the basics of high-quality editing and learn how to create good sound. For a podcaster, this is just as important as text formatting and an attractive visual image when promoting a regular (test) blog on Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms.
There are many audio processing programs available. They all work essentially the same way: you can load an audio track, trim it, change the speed, increase or decrease the volume, and apply various audio effects.
You can use both paid and free programs (Filmora, Audacity, Audio Cutter, Free Audio Editor, Ocenaudio, etc.). The most popular paid editors are Adobe Audition, Sound Forge, Sony Vegas, Pro Tools, and Reaper, which offers new users a two-month free trial.
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Audio processing for a podcast
Let's look at the steps for editing a podcast using the Adobe Audition audio editor, which supports virtually all audio file formats, as an example.
Create backup copies of audio files
Before you begin processing your audio materials in a sound editor, make 1-2 backup copies! Organize your audio files, create working folders (e.g., "Sources," "Mix," etc.), and save your audio files to them immediately after recording.
Cleaning up the noise
To begin editing a podcast, you need to remove background noise. In Adobe Audition, the process is as follows:
- Upload the audio file and use the cursor to highlight a short audio fragment (23 seconds) containing only background noise. Carefully search for this fragment: it's important not to capture any speech or breathing!
- Open the tabEffects, we go down and find the lineNoise Reduction.In the new menu that appears, selectCapture Noise Print.By the way, you can activate the effect using a hotkey combinationShift+P. Done! Noise recorded.
- Then, double-click on the audio track to select it. Reopen the tab.Effects, then Noise Reduction— and click onNoise Reduction (process)or pressCtrl+Shift+PIn the window that appears, clickApply,i.e.. "Apply." That's it: the audio track is cleared of noise!
If you're working in a different editor, despite the differences in the graphical interface, the algorithm for performing the above actions will be the same: you show the program an example of the noise that needs to be removed, and it will automatically clear it from the entire track.
We clean up speech
To ensure a high-quality final product, it's important to remove misspellings, factual errors, and filler words during editing. A common affliction of beginning podcasters is a fear of pauses: they're usually removed entirely. However, if a pause conveys emotion or demonstrates reflection, it's still worth leaving it in. A podcast is, after all, a conversational genre, so preserving the natural speech patterns of the host and their guest is a plus.
We are gluing
Using the effect will help get rid of extraneous clicksfade in / fade out(sound fade-in/out), i.e. changing the volume. Right-click and select the option from the menu that opens.fade out(We have enabled the gradual decrease (fading) of the volume at the end of the audio). Now we selectfade in, applying a fade-in effect to the beginning of the audio. The result is smooth audio transitions between podcast episodes (recording fragments).
Masking the "wind"
Sometimes, while recording a podcast, a person inhales and begins speaking without exhaling. This creates a so-called "wind" in the audio. It's best to remove these inhalations and mask them using the "wind" effect.fade in / fade out.
Muting consonants
To ensure high-quality audio, it is recommended to correct some consonant sounds: loud hissing sounds can be muted using the effectDeesser, and the explosive "b", "t", "p" - with the help of the effectDe-plosive.
Removing tracks of silent people
If you're having a conversation with someone, parts of the conversation where your guest is silent need to be adjusted, otherwise background noise will persist. To do this, simply delete the silent person's audio track.
We perform normalization
To avoid sudden changes in audio quality in a podcast, you should equalize the volume of the audio tracks of different speakers. You should also control the volume of the jingle (the musical theme used to fill the silence between podcast episodes).
Additional recommendations
- Record audio in WAV format
FormatWAVIt's great for editing and records without any loss of quality, so it's recommended to record audio in this format. However, keep in mind that these audio files are quite large, so you'll need to ensure you have enough free disk space on your PC or laptop.
- Choose the right export options
When exporting finished audio for a podcast, choose the following options:
- MP3(optimal format for publication on any Internet platform);
- 48 kHz(sampling frequency that provides good sound quality);
- 164 kbps(sound depth (bit depth): the higher it is, the more accurately the sound is transmitted).
By mastering the basic principles of creating high-quality audio, you will be able to improve your editing skills, which means your professionalism as a podcaster will only grow.
If you don't yet have your own online resource where you'd like to host interesting and useful podcasts, you can create one. Our articleHow to quickly create your own website or blog – using WordPress as an examplewill help you with this. To ensure your audience feels comfortable when visiting your site, you should also consider purchasing a high-qualityhosting.
Good luck!
