Maximizing the podcast tools you already have!
October 24th, 2006 by 
adminWhile a serious podcaster should invest in good equipment, you can still make a decent podcast using the tools you already have right in your home. The sound quality may not win any Grammy awards, but it’s functional. And for some, that’s enough, at least for now. Maybe you’re just trying this out and you’re not sure if you’ll be doing this for a long time. Maybe you’re on a tight budget. Or maybe you’d rather save for a big equipment investment—top of the line, professional-level recording tools—and need to work with what you have while you find the money for that.
Many computers are sold with a free microphone. Most podcasting experts aren’t happy with the recording quality of that, and encourage at least a minimal investment (at about eight dollars to thirty dollars) on another microphone. The price isn’t that bad and the difference is worth it. You’ll also need headphones, which help you listen to your voice quality without having to run the computer speakers while you’re recording (the microphone can pick it up, causing that annoying tinny or screeching sound). You probably have at least one pair in the house, and if push comes to shove, you can use ear buds. It’s really a quality-control measure (what if your microphone has “dead spots” and entire chunks of your comedy act or radio spiel gets lost?) and can help you develop your voice modulation.You’ll need to set up your “studio” in your PC. You’ll need to install a recording and editing software. You can download free ones from the Internet, or pay a subscription fee. Follow the set up instructions that come with the software and configure it in such a way that your recording source is the microphone. You’ll also have to fiddle with the recording channels. In your options menu (it varies according to the software you decide to use) switch it o the highest level of quality recording, and then set it to Mono. In general, for the spoken word, the 44 and 100 megahertz setting works just fine. You’ll need to get better equipment for music shows and anything that requires sound effects.
But you can achieve the best possible performance from your existing equipment just by fiddling with the controls. For example, when you use the microphone, you have to adjust the volume without getting distorted sounds. This may mean some trial and error, but once you hit the right combination you at least hit the maximum quality potential of your mike.
And the best equipment you can get for your podcast is actually…your PC. Everyone has a PC, and with just software (many can be downloaded for free) you can really make a professional-sounding product. You’ll also need to edit your tape, because even with the best audio equipment, if you can’ edit it properly, you’ll still sound bad. Take out all the uhms and the stammers, watch for long segments that ramble unnecessarily and snip it to its compact, compelling best. You can also add a music bed, or intersperse your own “talkies” with interviews and other audio clips.