How loud should you be recording your podcast?

Content:

Most of the podcasters are unaware of how loud a podcast needs to be. There are several problems associated with the loudness of podcasts. And all these problems can affect any kind of audio, including your podcasts. 

But now, getting good-quality audio has become cheaper and easier. Even with the basic equipment, it is possible to make the perfect loudness of your podcast. This article will discuss how loud a podcast must be and what are tips to maintain it.

Gain:

Gain is the volume amount that you add in an artificial way to your recording. A mic generally records at low volumes ranging from about -50decibels to -30decibels. It makes things problematic. Thus, gain helps to bring the entire microphone volume up. It does not increase the noise floor too much.

Noise floor:

It is the audio that a microphone picks up when everything else is quiet. When you set up your gain high, you will pick even the least sounds while recording a podcast. It means the noise floor will become higher than it needs to be. And you will hear disturbing background noises while creating the content. Set your noise floor to almost 0.

Distance from the mic:

How far a mic lies, the sound source plays a vital role while recording podcasts. The farther the microphone is, the harder it will need to work for picking up the source. You will have to turn the gain knob according to your setup. It is not a good idea to stay too far from the microphone. It will make the sound more indistinguishable from the noise floor. 

Thus, when you turn up again know, it will record almost everything. It even includes the things that you do not want to record. So, maintain a correct distance and get the right spot for setting the gain.

Preamp:

You need to consider three things while recording audio on your computer - a preamp, an audio-to-digital converter, and a microphone. All these are available in a USB mic, audio interface, and mixer. 

A preamp raises the microphone volume up to an appropriate level. It happens while recording your podcast. It does not distort the sound. Keep the preamp better to rely less on the gain knob for getting the correct volume.

Sound source’s loudness:

The loudness of whatever you will be recording matters a lot in podcasting. The podcasters are generally loudspeakers. So, do not back away from the microphone. And instead, lower down your gain. While recording on a computer, keep it around -12 decibels to -6 decibels. Speak 5 to 6 inches away by putting the gain down.

Look for a noiseless room:

Flat and hard surfaces reflect sounds. Do not choose a closet that most podcaster does. Put your set up near your bookcases or on a carpeted space. Whatever you do, stay away from windows and walls. Use a cardioid mic for better results. Keep the room quiet as much as you can. 

The mic picks up almost everything, including mouse clicks and the sounds of a computer fan. Make use of headphones to check the audio recording. Arrange your setup far away from any noise. Turns off your ACs and other appliances that make noise.

Experiment with microphone placement:

Use pot filter for fighting plosives. But sometimes, even the pop filters can muffle the sound. In such situations, experiment with your mic. Instead of speaking straight, put your microphone at a 45° angle. 

The airbursts do not hit the diaphragm direct and result in few plosives. Although, avoid speaking too extreme. Do experiments with the placement of your microphone. Then, record test audio to find out what suits you best.

Stay conservative about your input levels:

Most of the recorders, audio interfaces, and USB microphones allow you to set an input level. For setting a decent and modest input level, maintain the voice from normal to loud. Keep the target -20 decibels. 

Now, you need to test the levels. Make use of emphatic phrases and make sure that the level does not go above 0dBFS. You may opt for podcast editing services for producing the best quality final podcast episode.

Record yourself and your remote guests one by one:

When you work with co-hosts and guests, it is not possible to be in your recording studio. You may need to use VoIP services. But the audio quality becomes terrible. There is another way. You may record yourself. Then, tell your remote guest to record a superior quality AIFF/WAV file. And ask them to send it to you.

Focus on editing and mixing:

Invest time in yourself. It takes more time than you expect. A podcast is not limited to recording and scripting. It also requires mixing, editing, and QC (Quality Check). Finally, listen to your podcast at least twice. When it comes to editing, the listener's time is important. Cut the duplicated topics, restrict dead air, fix the "ah," "um," and remove false starts. 

Turn up the volume:

Turning the volume up only is not the perfect solution. When you turn up the volume, it increases the volume of the loudest signal. This often leads to distortion or excessive loudness. Thus, constant change is necessary for the listener. It is because the volume fluctuates between the loudest and softest portions. 

A better solution is to increase the lowest signal volume and limit the loudest signal. This helps you to stay away from distortion and clipping. You may also use a peak limiter to keep up with the true measurement. 

Use loudness tools:

For setting the loudness, it is a good idea to use an easy-to-use loudness tool. Look for software that already has built-in features. Make sure that the software facilitates loudness control. You may need to use an extension set for some cases. The extensions expand the capability and actions of the software. Avoid the software that lacks true peak limiting.

Conclusion:

Keep the loudness perfect for your podcast. It enhances your entire audio intelligibility. Podcast audiences are people or communities. Thus, the listeners focus on loudness for listening in loud and high-traffic environments. Make sure that your volume levels are consistent throughout the podcast episode. Do not leave it on the listeners to adjust the volumes.