During the past few years, podcasting has grown in popularity, and the art of podcasting is developing very quickly. After recording a podcast interview, the next step is to turn the audio into a podcast for distribution with the help of audio editing.
First of all, we should state that there are 2 different sides of audio editing. The first is for editing your podcast by knowing how to control your software or a tool and dive into the editing process physically. The second side is the creative side, which is to decide when to edit, where to cut, what effects to add, where to have breaks, etc. And both sides of your brain are working on the audio editing process.
Audio editing is one of the most crucial processes in podcasting. Before creating a strong podcast community for your show and gathering listeners, the most important thing is a podcast that sounds impressive. You need to know all backstage processes to have high-quality audio, as good audio doesn’t happen itself. This is all about audio editing.
Here are some audio editing tips and techniques which aim to guide and help you to improve your podcast quality.
1․ Master your audio editing tool
For audio editing, you will need a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). It is software to record your podcast. You can use it while recording or import already recorded audio and work on it.
You can use Audacity. It is a free audio editing software. Though it is simple to use, it is a destructive tool. The worst thing with this software is that you can lose your editing and get them back later. With a non-destructive editor, you can go back and make several changes.
If you have a Mac and searching for a free tool, you can go on with Garageband. It is an excellent audio editing tool, especially when you look for some default settings to get the job done without going deep too much.
Pro Tool is a more professional audio editing tool. It is a very powerful tool, but you need to have appropriate knowledge and a price tag. It is not easy to use for beginners.
Another option for professionals is Reaper. It is like a Pro tool and needs to have the appropriate knowledge.
Hindenburg Broadcaster is for audio publishers with a simple workflow and easy-to-learn interface. It’s in the middle with free audio editing apps and more professional ones and is used frequently by professionals.
No matter which app you choose, you should study it in the best way. In case if you master it, you will save your time and editing processes.
2․ Use separate mics during the interview.
To have excellent quality for your interview, you should have a mic for each participant. Nowadays, mainly due to Pandemic, there are situations when you should do the recording remotely. In this case, you will need certain software to help you and good quality mics. Otherwise, there will be a background hiss that will be hard to remove later. It is always better to start with a qualified recording than to edit it later. To have a capable recording, it is recommended to use the same types of mics for both you and your co-host. This will help to make the sound on the same level and will make the audio editing process easy.
3. Arrange a comfortable environment
The Environment of recording has a great sense for doing a qualified job.
The best option is, of course, a professional studio. But if it is not possible, it could be a room where you will have absolute control over it, with a carpet and curtains that will reduce the echoes on your recording. Close all windows so as not to have any outside noise. Select the quietest time for your recording, like kids playing in the neighborhood. You should avoid recording at noisy times as this will reduce the audio editing work later.
Don’t record in public places or outside.
4. Prevent background noise
One of the most significant hitches is the background noise. It can be any noise near you and can occur by how you speak into your mics. For preventing any kind of whistle or unpleasant noise, it is recommended to use pop filters. It is a kind of screen that is used as a protection filter for your mics. It can reduce any whistling or popping which can occur during the recording.
5. Make it simple
The most important thing worth mentioning is not to overdo it and make it simple. Most people who are just starting in this field, tend to overcomplicate everything and do too much, especially when it is about audio editing. You may want to use several effects and filters, add additional sound effects, or cut the conversation with the help of the newly studied app skills. Actually, this is normal, necessary, and good to try everything to know what is more and what is less. But you should feel the border between good-editing and over-editing is not natural. It is important to remember that the main thing of podcasting is about the natural conversation, and people subscribe expecting to hear it in a simple way. Overediting may have a frustrating result for the listener and will make it difficult to concentrate on your content.
6. Get prepared beforehand
Our last tip is not about the actual audio editing process. It is more about its planning. According to Pro Editors, good planning can have a significant impact on the recording quality. It is recommended to do adequate preparation beforehand, not to leave everything until the last minute, especially when you have a co-host. You should test everything before the start- the setup, check the audio volumes, if there is any background noise, check if the mics are fixed right and correctly set up. Decide how you will open the episode, mark the points you will need to hit during the conversation, think beforehand about how to wrap up and finally close the episode, etc.
In case if you have a good start and qualified recording, it will make it easy to do the editing and save your time.
There is a huge variety of tips that can be considered while doing good audio editing. We showed up 6 of them, which will help you a lot in your daily work if you turn them into your habits. Everyone has his approach to editing, it differs, as you know yourself and your audience better. But with correct preparations and simple techniques, you can save your time of editing and focus more on the content quality.