034 Your First Podcast Toolkit 🧰
Get all the tips you need to record and edit your podcast with confidence in this VIC Podcasters episode.
Ideas Discussed This Episode + Episode Timecodes:
00:00 - How to start podcasting with just your phone, a doona, and a bit of courage
01:30 - Choosing free tools like Audacity and GarageBand, and a heads-up on Zoom vs Riverside.fm
03:40 - Simple editing tips: top and tail, cut the chaos, but keep your voice natural
05:02 - Using Descript for transcript-based editing and a shout-out to other pro tools
06:02 - Intro/outro music, royalty-free tracks, and making your podcast sound pro without a license drama
07:24 - Batch recording, exporting basics, and why editing doesn’t have to suck (plus an offer to help!)
034 Your First Podcast Toolkit 🧰
From recording under a doona to finding the best free editing tools, this VIC Podcasters episode helps you kick off your podcasting journey without tech overwhelm. Whether you're a total beginner or brushing up your basics, these tips will help keep things simple and sound solid.
Recording your podcast doesn’t require a studio or a big wallet. It’s all about starting with what you have; your phone, your laptop, and maybe a USB mic. The real magic is in creating a quiet, soft space (yes, doona forts totally count) where your sound won’t bounce all over the place. You’ll be surprised how professional it can sound with just a few tweaks.
📚 VIC Podcasters Blog Recommendations:
Editing doesn’t need to be a scary monster either. You can keep it simple by cutting the fluff at the start and end, maybe tidy up an “um” or two, but remember, your personality is part of your charm. Tools like Audacity and GarageBand are free and beginner-friendly, and if you want to get fancy, Descript lets you edit using a transcript.
Whether you’re starting from your wardrobe, your car, or your kitchen table, podcasting is for you. If you're still not sure where to begin, or you're ready to level up your setup, come work with me, Zoë Wood of the Video Confidence Coach, and together we’ll get your voice out into the world, sounding fab and feeling confident.
TIME FOR A QUICK QUIZ 🤓
Which tool is not ideal for high-quality podcast audio?
A) Zoom
B) GarageBand
C) Riverside.fm
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Answer: A) Zoom - It may be free and easy enough to use but the quality from recording is not worth it. Best to learn to use a simple tool like Riverside.fm and get a better recording even on a free plan (#notsponsored)
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(0:00 - 0:23)
Looking to get started with recording and editing your podcast? Here is your one-stop shop to get all started. You're listening to the Victorian Podcasters Podcast, your bite-sized slice of podcasting know-how. We're all about connecting Victorian podcasters, newbies, pros, and the I'm gonna crowd.
(0:24 - 0:44)
Well, put your money where your mouth is and join our emailing list and Facebook and LinkedIn groups for exclusive updates, resources, and our community Q&A because podcasting doesn't have to be a solo gig. The Podcasters is proudly produced on Wadawurrung land. Don't panic, just hit record.
(0:44 - 0:58)
When it comes to podcasting, you don't need fancy gear. All you need to do, realistically, to get started is a phone and maybe a Duna cover to help you with the sound dampening qualities. And I can go through a bit more of that in today's episode.
(0:59 - 1:20)
But essentially, when it comes to podcasting, all it is is recording audio. Yes, you can go in future levels and levelling up into, say, video or some more complex aspects of podcasting. But just to get started with, to be honest, you have a phone, a laptop that you can edit the audio with, and an entry-level USB mic.
(1:21 - 1:29)
It doesn't have to cost much more than that. And it's more about clarity than cost at the end of the day. When it comes to your recording weapons, it's your weapon of choice.
(1:30 - 1:45)
Simple and solid is best. Using a free open source programme such as Audacity or GarageBrand or Zoom can help you record your podcast so it's easier enough to use. Just going through those options again so you're not too overwhelmed.
(1:45 - 1:57)
Audacity is a free and beginner-friendly audio editing software that you can download onto your computer. And there is tonnes and tonnes of tutorials on how to use it online. It's really easy to use.
(1:57 - 2:08)
And once you get started, you'll be a whiz. GarageBrand is, of course, for Mac users. And it is what you can use to both record and edit your video and music.
(2:08 - 2:19)
As you can imagine, GarageBand. And Zoom is also a good alternative for interviews. That is free, to a point, of course, and allows you to back up those interviews in case something goes wrong.
(2:20 - 2:43)
I don't usually recommend Zoom for this purpose because the audio can be a little bit lacklustre. But if it's something that you're unclear how to use and, of course, due to the pandemic, we all know how to use Zoom to an extent. So utilising Zoom, my recommendation would be to use something like Riverside.fm which is a good alternative that gives you better quality and their free tier is pretty decent at that level.
(2:44 - 2:55)
Making sure that you set your scene for your sound. So no matter what quality microphone or setup you currently have, be it all the way from cheap to very expensive, it's all about the space that you're in. It needs to be quiet.
(2:55 - 3:27)
It needs to have a lot of surfed furnishings around it, meaning clothes, cushions, blankets, like anything that's the hard surfaces don't have the sound to bounce off of, which is why usually for cheap and easy ways of recording podcasts, I usually recommend people do it under a doona cover or a thick duvet, as it's called overseas, I think, where you can just go underneath and you eliminate all those sounds that may be interfering with your recording. You can also record in closets or in cars. There's no shame in the game.
(3:27 - 3:40)
Just before you hit record, make sure that you actually check that it's actually recording and do a test. Trust me, just to make sure that it works. Vic Podcasters was brought to you by the Video Confidence Coach.
(3:40 - 3:58)
That's me, smashing your marketing mayhem with killer video strategies. Love ya. When it comes to record, after you've recorded your podcast and make sure that you've tested it beforehand, you get to time to cut out the clutter with some editing.
(3:58 - 4:20)
So you don't need to be a Hollywood editor or a mixer. You can just make sure to, what I like to do is top and tail, which essentially you take off the bit where you hit record and you get yourself ready, and the end of the bit where you finish talking and then you cut out that bit at the end. Then from there, all you need to do is, if you wish to, cut out some ums and ahs, or hang on, what am I saying? Or any stumbles.
(4:21 - 4:37)
Or what I like to do is, if I have stuffed up my voice in any way, I want to be able to take those out because again, it's all about the listening experience for those listeners. Keep it natural and not robotic. But don't feel the need to take out everything because the way that you speak is the way that you speak.
(4:38 - 5:01)
And spending hours and hours removing all these ums, ahs and breaths can be quite annoying, especially for you at the end of the day of every single podcast episode. So, take it easy, listen to it, and if you need to, hand over the edit to a friend or a family member and see if there's anything that they say, hey, take out this bit or take out that bit, or your breathing here is a bit annoying, take that out. They'll always be a good judge of character.
(5:02 - 5:20)
So again, for editing tools, like I mentioned before, Audacity and GarageBand, look, you can also record and edit in those as well. And you can also use a more modern piece of technology, Descript, which is a game changer that allows you to have both a transcript and edit by using the transcript to edit with. It's an interesting way of going about it.
(5:20 - 5:32)
So instead of you, so instead of looking at an entire timeline on your computer, you're able to edit via the script. This can sometimes work. It doesn't give you, personally, I don't like it because it doesn't give me enough control, but that is okay.
(5:33 - 5:42)
You can start somewhere. You can always take a free trial and see how you go. More paid options that require a little bit more learning and a little bit more time to get a handle on.
(5:42 - 5:51)
There is the Hindenburg, there are programmes like DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Audition, or L-O-T. I don't know how to spell. I don't know how to say that one.
(5:51 - 6:02)
But essentially there are paid editing products out there. But if you are just getting started, it is best to just start off with the free products for now. Adding a little bit of polish before you send your podcast episode out.
(6:02 - 6:19)
Maybe put in a little bit of intro and outro music with a hook in for that first couple of seconds, as you've noticed on all our podcast episodes. Set a vibe, set a tone. Using royalty-free tracks is always going to be a good sign, even though there isn't any DMC takedowns, essentially.
(6:20 - 6:42)
The reason that you can't have copyrighted music on, say, Twitch or YouTube is because, obviously, those platforms are very popular and people who own those copyrights don't want those music being used. It doesn't happen on podcast just yet, but there is a possibility that that will happen in the future. So in that case, make sure to use your royalty-free tracks and make sure to use things like fades, levels, and transitions to make it feel like a pro without the headaches.
(6:42 - 7:10)
When it comes to exporting, and especially this exporting settings for those beginners who may be listening, exporting in an mp3 format, that's what it's called, mp3, is a nice small file that can be used that is good enough. Essentially, what you're looking for is you want to export it into a... Essentially, the numbers that you're looking for is kpbs and you're looking for 128. That is like the nice basic minimum when it comes to the numbers that you're outputting.
(7:10 - 7:23)
Don't ask me what kpbs is because we don't have time for that in this episode. Keep file size small, but also having it sound sharp. Make sure to save it and back it up regularly, both in the cloud and on a hard drive.
(7:24 - 7:49)
And especially when you're recording, and if you've got the energy and time, always batch record. Batch it, batch it, baby! Editing all in one sitting makes this workflow easier, but also reduces the amount of overwhelm for you every single week or every single month that you're having to record this podcast episode and edit it on the same day, but also saves you future self from a deadline dread, especially if you've already got a bunch in the tank. So let's review.
(7:49 - 8:11)
You don't need a studio to sound like a pro. You can focus on clean audio, simple edits, and staying consistent with your podcast output. And if editing gives you the ick, you can always outsource it to someone like me, Zoe, the Video Confidence Coach, or you can talk to our good friends at Vic Podcasters, who can definitely help you out on the editing front.
(8:15 - 8:22)
That's it for this week's episode. Tune in next week for more tips, updates, and the occasional pun. Good ideas, Buzzing? Excellent.
(8:22 - 8:37)
Head to the show notes in this episode for details that you'll need to dive deeper into Victoria's podcasting community. Vic Podcasters would like to acknowledge and pay our respects to the Wadawurrung people of the Kulin Nation, the traditional custodians on the land on which we work, live, and play. We pay our respects to our elders past and present.
(8:38 - 8:48)
We stand with the traditional custodians in these lands in working towards a more equal future. Always was, always will be Aboriginal land. And hey, don't forget, podcasting is better with mates.
The above episode description and transcript were generated with human knowledge + ai.
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