Recording and editing podcasts: An introduction

July 14, 2021

Duane Woods

Audio Video Design Specialist, CEE

In this session:

Participants will

• Be introduced to podcasting projects
• Discover SFU audio resources and community
• Be able to set up for audio recording
• Demo the basics of editing audio
• Share audio content on a variety of platforms.

Theory & Practice:

Why Podcasting?

• Can listen to anywhere and anytime
• Adds a different form of learning
• High bandwidth not required to listen
• Sparks the imagination
• Great way to share conversations

Theory & Practice:

Best uses

• Interviews or a conversations with an expert or guest
• Where it can spark the imagination with voice rather than visuals
• Where you want to concentrate on the auditory nature (ie. park, farm, factory)
• Share music or other sounds

Theory & Practice:

Remember to...

• Plan it out

• Get a quality recording

• Speak clearly

• Incorporate other audio

• Keep it interesting

• Length can vary

   

   

   

Theory & Practice:

Remember...

• Don't record a 2-3 hours in one file

• Try not to read notes/text verbatim

• Don't speak in a flat, monotone voice

• Add inflection

Theory & Practice:

1. Write out your dialogue or interview questions 

2. Plan out all the gear that will be needed – hardware and software

3. Find a quiet location – be mindful of your environment

4. Get close to the microphone – 4-12 inches away

5. Set a proper level on your recording device – record at an average of -12db to -6db and has absolute peaks at -6db. Don't go into the RED.

6. Don’t try to capture “The One” – record important parts more than once when possible

Theory & Practice:

1. Write out your dialogue or interview questions 

2. Find a quiet location – be mindful of your environment

3. Get close to the microphone – 4-12 inches away

4. Set a proper level on your recording device – record at an average of -12db to -6db and has absolute peaks at -6db. Don't go into the RED.

5. Don’t try to capture “The One” – record important parts more than once when possible

POdcast Production:

Recording gear - at home

• External Microphone (eg. Yeti) or Headset Mic

• Headphones

• Quiet Space

Recording gear - in the field

• smartphone with a recording app

• Headphones

• possible external microphone

POdcast Production:

Recording Methods:

• Audacity (Open Source, Free)

• Audition (Adobe, SFU-supported in labs)

• Zoom/ Skype (*note that students do NOT have recording ability)

• smartphones

POdcast Production:

Editing Software

• Audacity (Open Source)

• Audition (Adobe, SFU-supported)

Audacity

Audacity

File Types:

• WAV, AIFF, MP3, M4A files
• phones and Zoom records with M4A files
• WAV's and AIFF's are uncompressed, high quality and large files
• MP3's are compressed, lower quality and small, but still acceptable

Interface

MICROPHONE SET UP

audacity prefs

meters and sound levels

Tools

Tools

selection tool

Tools

time shift tool (move)

Tools

envelope tool

Important EFFECTS

• Amplify
• Fade In
• Fade Out
• Normalize
• Noise Reduction

Important Shortcuts

• Select a clip (double-click with Selection tool)
• Split (COMMAND + I)
• Cut (COMMAND + X)
• Paste (COMMAND + V)

Track controls

• Mute (mutes only that track)

• Solo (mutes every other track)

• Gain (audio level)

• Pan (left and right channels)

Let's record and edit!