How To Put Together a Simple Podcasting Setup For Beginners
Building a podcasting setup is not as easy as you might think it is. Weather you have a $100 setup or a $10,000 setup, the basic components will always be the same. In this tutorial I will take you through the steps and recommend some gear for a great and efficient setup.
Keep it here for part 2 of this tutorial where I will show you some excellent cost effective alternatives to these products.
To skip the stuff you know here are some handy links to go right where you need to go:
- [ps2id url=’#basic’ offset=’’]Basic Parts[/ps2id]
- [ps2id url=’#theydo’ offset=’’]What Do They Do?[/ps2id]
- [ps2id url=’#mic’ offset=’’]Choosing A Good Microphone[/ps2id]
- [ps2id url=’#microphones2' offset=’’]Microphones:Condensor vs. Dynamic[/ps2id]
- [ps2id url=’#audioint’ offset=’’]Choosing An Audio Interface[/ps2id]
- [ps2id url=’#cables’ offset=’’]Cables, Cables, Cables![/ps2id]
- [ps2id url=’#daw’ offset=’’]The Perfect DAW[/ps2id]
- [ps2id url=’#together’ offset=’’]Putting It All Together[/ps2id]
First things first…
Before you get started we have to have a good understanding of the basic components to a good setup. These parts should be consistent with any good podcasting setup.
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The Basic Parts
Any good podcasting setup will have the following parts:
- A Microphone
- An audio interface/Mixer
- XLR Cable
- Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)
- A good computer
Chances are that if you’re reading this you’ll have a good enough computer to run a podcasting setup.
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What do all of these do?
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So, lets start with the first component of the signal chain, the microphone. The microphone is one of the most important parts of the setup. This is what captures the sound that everyone will hear on the other end. Before you choose a microphone, you need to ask yourself these questions:
- What type of content will I be recording?
- Am I recording a talk show or an entertainment podcast?
- Will I be recording or broadcasting?
- Will musical instruments be involved?
These questions are important to choosing what microphone to get. Most podcasts are recorded with dynamic microphones. Dynamic microphones are great for talk shows. They give your podcast a nice “radio” sound, and are great for handling loud sounds and voice overs.
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Condenser microphones are great for crisp, clean vocals. They have a more professional sound, and tend to deliver a better sound quality. These microphones are more sensitive to sound and require an external power source (I’ll cover that later) unlike dynamic microphones. Although these microphones deliver a better overall sound quality, don’t let that convince you to get a condenser mic. Dynamic microphones are perfectly fine for broadcasting and recording. In fact their sound is preferred over condenser microphones.
Two excellent podcasting microphones are:
The RØDE Procaster and the SHURE SM7B
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Audio Interfaces
A good audio interface is essential for the best audio infrastructure for your podcast. An audio interface is simply the device that connects all of your microphones and sound sources to your computer. When selecting an interface have these questions in mind:
- How many inputs will I need?
- Do I plan on needing more inputs in the future?
- Will I be making skype/phone calls?
These questions are important because knowing the answer to these questions will save you money, and make things a LOT easier in the long run. When judging your amount of inputs, you want to see how many hosts you have, and how many auxiliary inputs you need. Also, anticipate how your show might grow in the future. You might need more inputs if your show ends up outgrowing your original setup.
Here are some excellent USB audio interfaces:
Single/Dual mic system:
- Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (Excellent for one or two microphones and includes a free copy of Sony Forge Studio 10)
Multi-channel setup:
- Mackie ProFX12v2 (Great for a studio like setup with lots of inputs)
Home Multi-channel use:
- Behringer Xenyx Q1202USB (Excellent for home mixing and recording)
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Good Cables
While having both a great interface and microphone are great, all of your smart choices will be for nothing if you don’t invest in good cables! Good cables are essential for getting the most out of your equiptment. Standard XLR cables are pretty affordable. At around $25 for a standard cable, they shouldn’t break the bank!
However, if you really want the best, I recommend Mogami Cables. They are probably the best cables you can get. While they are expensive, they have a lifetime warranty. If you break them, you can simply get a new one at no cost to you.
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Digital Audio Workstations (DAW)
Getting a good DAW is a pretty important thing. Most good DAWs are paid, but there are some really good free versions out there. A DAW is essentially a way for you to record, edit, and render your audio. Any good podcaster should get a DAW that can record and edit their audio. If you plan on streaming, you should find a solution that is able to stream your audio to your desired server or service.
I don’t plan on covering computer types and requirements because most computers are good enough to record audio.
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Let’s Get Connected!
Now that you know what all the equipment does and how to properly choose them, lets get everything hooked up!
The signal flow of a podcasting setup goes as follows:
Microphone/Line > Mixer > Computer > DAW > Recording/Webcast
These steps are pretty simple and straightforward. Once you get everything connected, play with the settings on all of your devices to see what sounds the best to you. From here its all about making things work best for your situation.
Now that you have the knowledge to get your podcast off the ground, go and make your show a hit!
Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think and your reactions ins the comments below!
