Starting A Podcast
I’ve been asked recently about what equipment is needed for starting a podcast. This is something I’m asked often so I decided to write about it so that it’s I can just refer people to my article rather than retyping out the same thing. This article is going to be focused on hardware and software rather than the planning phases of podcasting. I’m going to assume that you already know what your format and niche will be.
Hardware
So the first and most important topic is Audio Quality. Audio quality is the first thing you want to invest in because it’s going to be the main thing that keeps your listeners coming back (second only to content quality). Nowadays it’s affordable to get a professional sounding microphone for less than or around 100 dollars You really don’t need to invest much when your first starting off. That said, if you’re going to be investing money into your podcast, your microphone is where you want to invest.
Blue Snowball
The Blue Snowball is the best mic for the budding podcaster on a budget. It’s easy to set up and has audio options depending on what you’re recording. This is the exact bundle I bought when I started podcasting It comes with everything I needed to get started equipment wise. The only complain I had about using the Blue Snowball is that it picks up of background noise, adding more time to your editing process.r
Blue Yeti
The Blue Yeti is a step above the Snowball and at the time was out of my price, but from all the research I’ve done is the best bang for your buck. This is the mic I recommend getting if you can afford it right out of the game, you won’t need another one.
Flureon BM-800 Condenser Microphone
The Mic I currently use is a Flureon BM-800 Condenser microphone. For the price I couldn’t pass up the deal, it gets great audio quality and doesn’t pick up too much background noise. The only downside is unless you have a power supply, your audio quality is limited to standard playback settings. If you want to go this route you can find a power supply here.
Webcam
If you’re doing a video podcast there is one great webcam that I have to suggest. The Logitech HD Pro Webcam has served me well and captures some great footage from my podcast and other YouTube videos. It can shoot in 1080p and 60fps! There are tons of other Cameras out there but I wouldn’t recommend going any higher than this.
Headphones
It’s worth mentioning that when you are recording your podcast be sure to wear headphones if you plan on having a guest. If you do not wear headphones the audio from your guest (or any notifications you failed to silent) will be fed back into your microphone and this will make the audio quality go down. At the very least this will extend your editing time as you try to remove all the extra noise. I don’t recommend any particular headphones because any pair of cheap headphones will do. You absolutely do NOT need expensive headphones getting started. It’s far more important to focus on your Mic and hosting.
Software
Now that we have the hardware out-of-the-way now it’s time to talk about what software you’re going to be using. The main three areas are recording, editing, and communicating. recording and editing are the two big ones to keep in mind
Audacity
First up has to be Audacity, especially if you’re on a budget. Audacity is lightweight, versatile, and free. On top of being free, it’s simple to pick up and there are tons of tutorials out there to help you learn the program. When I started off I used this program exclusively and it got me very far. Your able to record and edit straight from this program, streamlining the editing process. I still use Audacity to record some audio and light cleanup, but now use audition to do my cleanup and editing.
Adobe Audition/Adobe Creative Suite
Adobe Audition is currently my editing program of choice Audition is a professional grade program and can make your audio sound amazing. I’ve barely begun to tap into this programs robust arsenal of options. This program also works seamlessly with Adobe Premiere. If you plan to create video podcasts, this makes the editing MUCH faster and simpler.
OBS
OBS is a great tool for recording your audio, video and so much more. It takes some time to learn but it’s completely free. The program has a few bugs, but if you plan on using video or any other media this is the cheapest and best way to go.
Chat Software
SKYPE
- Skype is a common program to use if you plan to have a guest.
- The audio and video quality isn’t great but it works well in a pinch
- Team viewer
- Chat software that comes with presentation mode
- This allows you to show videos, share screen and more.
- Chat software that comes with presentation mode
- G Chat/Google Hangouts
- The big reasons I use google hangouts is because I can live stream my podcast and all I have to do is send a link to my guest.
- I love Google Hangouts, but I must mention that the audio and video quality is not fantastic.
- The big reasons I use google hangouts is because I can live stream my podcast and all I have to do is send a link to my guest.
Hosting
Hosting is how others get to hear your podcast. You a basically borrowing space online to upload your podcast files. For the most part, this is going to cost a few bucks to find a decent hosting site so I’ve gathered what I feel are the best choices based on my research.
Buzz Sprout
From what I’ve seen Buzz Sprout seems to be the best (current) option when it comes to podcast hosting. The fact that you get a ninety-day trial makes the invest me worth it. You’re able to test the waters and if you like the website you buy one of their packages and you’re set. If you don’t like their hosting than after the ninety-day period your content is removed from the site.
https://www.buzzsprout.com/sign_up
Sound Cloud
Soundcloud is another hosting site that has a low price entry. You are given three hours of media to upload for free. after your three hours are up you can buy one of their two packages. https://soundcloud.com/pro?ref=t100
iTunes
iTunes technically isn’t a hosting site as it references whatever you use. However, it’s worth having on this list because of how useful it is for growing your community. Using iTunes to host your podcast is free and I strongly recommend looking into using it once you have chosen your hosting site.
Recap
Starting a podcast may seem daunting but just focus on the basics. Your microphone is the most important aspect of your podcast. Without a good sounding microphone, you may have a hard time retaining listeners. If you are going to invest money than invest it here. Software and hosting are important as well but the price range is far lower. I recommend starting with audacity and moving up to something like Audition or
I hope that this can be useful to you in your future podcast endeavors!
Warm regards,
Tavian