You might be totally sure that you are finally ready to start your new podcast, or you might be a little nervous about some of the more technical aspects that come with it. Thankfully, after doing a little bit of research, you can pretty easily determine what you will need. The best part is that you often don’t have to spend a ton of money in order to make your podcast sound professional—if often just takes knowing how to use tools properly.
Here are some pieces of equipment you’ll want to have when you record your first episode.
A quality hosting platform
Before you even begin the process of creating your recordings and episodes, you should consider looking into where you are going to host your podcast. This can be as expensive or as cheap as you would like depending on what you need. Will you need the podcast to be distributed in a number of places such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify? Are you going to be recording and editing on the platform itself? These are all questions that can help you determine where to start.
A pair of headphones
Headphones are always a good idea when you’re podcasting since it can help to avoid feedback or echoes that will show up on your audio. You don’t need super fancy ones—only those that will last while you record and edit. Keep this in mind when considering battery life for wireless or Bluetooth headphones, or consider going the old-fashioned wired route so you know they won’t run out of power halfway through an interview. Even the headphones that come with your phone are often better than nothing.
A decent microphone
While you can record on the microphone located on your computer or headphones, it’s often not going to sound as professional as a separate mic. Again, you don’t have to spend a ton of money in order to get one that will do the job, but it should be able to pick up some minor sounds without sounding fuzzy or too loud. If you are really willing to invest in some equipment, then you might want to consider a boom mic, which can do a better job of picking up your voice.
Editing software
Of course, the real magic of a podcast comes together in editing. If you’re unsure about how to compress audio in Audacity, then you might need to use the most basic of editing software that you can. It’s a good idea to play around with certain tools in order to get used to them so when you actually go into edit you have an idea of how they work. This way, you’re less likely to ruin any audio you have recorded and you’ll be happier with the results.
In summary
Having the right equipment can make all the difference in the world when you are starting a quality podcast. Once you know what to buy and what you should save money on, you can make a decision that works best for your budget and the type of quality you want.
