Okay, NO ONE wants to be listening to a podcast, struggling to hear and turning up the volume, to all of a sudden your ears are in pain from the sudden jolt of noise.
That’s where levels come in. You have to make sure your levels are proper, or you really will have a dumpster fire on your hands.
We have a whole section on our blog dedicated to how to set your levels. Go check it out before the dumpster fire moves to the train wreck.
We hate to break it to you, but if you start a podcast, you’re giving up quite a bit of free time. Now, the dividends could certainly pay off and make it well-worth it, but you can’t walk into a podcast thinking it’s going to be quick and easy.
It takes work and thought, and trial and error.
Luckily, we can help you cut down on that trial and error. We can also help you cut down on editing time (and by cut down, we mean we can do it completely for you).
Many people think starting a podcast is just sitting down and chatting with a friend, but any podcaster who has been doing this awhile will tell you differently.
Let us help you!
Imagine this with me: ✨ the amount of time you would get back in your day and your week ✨
All you have to do is record & send, then we do all the editing and send it back. Then, you post it. ✔️
If that sounds like a ✨dream come true✨ to you, then we should probably talk. You don’t need to be spending hours doing editing. Just get the content recorded and let us handle the rest.
It sounds easy right? Just press record and you’re on your way. Well, that’s the part most everyone knows how to do.
But the things people don’t know how to do? That’s the tough part!
Things like…
✔️getting the best audio quality
✔️editing your audio
✔️adding intros, outros, sound effects, music, etc.
✔️uploading your podcast to all platforms
✔️recording remotely
✔️recording multiple speakers
It’s all part of the learning process, and we’d love to help you along the way! Just consider us your audio and podcast guide/mentor.
Send us a message to get started!
You need a professional studio??
That’s just not true - you do NOT have to record in a professional studio. Here are some tips on finding the best place to record though:
The shape and contents of the room you record in can have an immense effect on the sound of your recording. Generally speaking, high ceilings, long, uninterrupted walls, and big windows can bounce sound back at you and give your recording an echoing quality. Fabrics and soft things can deaden this effect.
Try clapping your hands at a steady pace as you walk through your home, listening to how the sound changes from room to room. You’re looking for the room with the least obvious reflections or echoes. That’s where you want to record. If you have limited options for recording space, get creative. Try hanging comforters or sheets in front of windows or walls. Construct a blanket fort. Record facing the gap between the mattresses in a bunk bed, or facing a closet full of clothes.
Hope this helps and happy recording!
Listen, we’re not here to tell you what to say on your podcast - that’s on you - however, we also know that if you’re just winging it the whole time, you’re probably going to have a lot of “ums”, “ahs”, long silences, confusion, humming and hawing, and missteps.
And while some of that is fine and can be edited out, it’s creating A LOT more work for you when it comes time to edit… which then, wouldn’t it just have been easier to come in with a plan? The answer is yes.
It’s always easier to just pre-plan a little. Even if it’s just general ideas of what you want to say or questions you want to ask/address. This is MUCH easier to go than editing out all the “bad” later.
Of course, we can always edit for you and then you don’t have to worry at all (although, we do still suggest having a plan at the beginning no matter what).
No, literally, it’s a jump scare. Have you ever been dozing off, and then a really loud commercial or intro/outro music comes on? That’ll wake you up! Well, that’s the idea of what clipping is, and it’s not made for your normal conversation/speaking in a podcast. Let me explain further 👇🏼
Clipping means the input is too high and will distort on the recording, which sounds like crackling or popping. Clipping is okay if you’re laughing or coughing or making some other unexpectedly loud sound, but clipping when you’re speaking at a normal conversational level means you need to reduce the input. If you’re in correct position relative to the mic but your volume is too high or too low, adjust the gain on the hardware or software you’re using to correct your level before recording. Make sure you check each speaker’s gain so everyone is speaking at approximately the same volume.
If you need some guidance on all things audio, we can be your guru. Just one DM away!
Yup… that’s a reason to fight 🥊 you have no excuses to not have great audio when you’re starting a podcast. There are plenty of free resources out there + very affordable gear to purchase.
Yes, it may take a little trial and error, and we can also help eliminate the amount of t&e. We can be your consultants from the very get-go to set you up for success right the start.
Follow along @yokaiaudio and reach out if you want even further assistance. We’d love to guide you!
We’ve talked a lot about your recording environment (no outside noises) and about your levels (if you want more info on this, check out our blog post on our website), but really… that won’t matter if your conversation and topics can’t be followed.
You could have the best audio in the world, but if people can’t make sense of your words - they aren’t going to stick around. Conversely, you could be having an amazing conversation and great topics, but if your audio is bad… people also won’t stick around.
You gotta have it all! We can help you have it all. Message us directly if you’re ready to take your podcast out of the bedroom and into the limelight!✨
Talking too fast?
Slowwwww down ✋🏼 but don’t slow down toooo much. Yes, there’s a fine line to it. Too fast? Lose your audience? Too slow? Lose your audience. Here’s what is recommended 👇🏼
Radio hosts, podcasters, as well as audiobooks use between 150 to 160 wpm. It is the upper range that people comfortably hear & vocalize words. In fact, ebook publishers officially recommend 150-160 words per minute, which is close to the maximum speaking rate that also ensures full comprehension.
You’ll also thank us for slowing down when you go to edit later! 👍🏼 And if we’re editing for you… we’ll also thank you! 😉
Check your connections
Audio level problems can be real tricky, but an easy solution could be your connections.
Check to make sure everything is tight, plugged in properly, and connected. There’s lots of wires, ports, and connections, so check it all out thoroughly!
Do You Have To Edit?
Sorry friends, you gotta do it (or have someone do it for you). I understand you don’t want your podcast to sound “stiff”, but you can’t have it be all natural either.
Listeners can afford to be picky these days (there are thousands of podcasts to choose from). And they aren’t going to choose ones with long “ahhhh”, “ummmm”, long silences, sneezing, coughing, random loud bursts of noise, straining to hear you, or constant microphone adjustment noises (honestly this list goes on and on).
Your awesome content will be lost if you don’t have awesome audio and editing to go with it.
If you need help, we can walk you through it. We’ll be your mentor/guru. And if you just want someone to do it for you? We can do that too!
This is why we do tests, right?! 😬😅
I know it gets frustrating when your audio just isn’t sounding right. But it’s ALWAYS better to figure that out in the test run, then when you record the whole show and realize it when you’re done.
Always always always (no matter how many times you’ve done this), give yourself a minute or so worth of test audio. Even the most experienced podcasters can forget something.
You got this! Don’t call it!
Editing a Podcast Be Like…
I mean, we aren’t even gonna lie… it really can be a pain to edit your podcast! Especially if you didn’t take all the steps beforehand to make sure your audio was clear to start with. HOWEVER… it’s always worth it 👏 Editing has to be done, no matter the amount of suffering, and the results will be something you’re happy about!
And if that just doesn’t sound worth it to you (the results should always be worth it), we’d be glad to do your editing for you! Send us a message if you’d like to talk more about it.
Stop Waiting
There’s just no good reason to keep waiting.
❌ you’re afraid
❌ it’s too technical
❌ you don’t have the equipment or software
❌ you’ll feel like an imposter
❌ you don’t know how to upload your podcast onto platforms
Sorry, not sorry, but these reasons just aren’t it. They can easily be overcome, and luckily for you - we can help with most of them. We’d love to be your “guru” and help you through all those technical and audio steps. So, no more excuses, okay?
Have a Plan
When you’re recording your podcast, you have to have a plan, even if it’s small. All your fancy equipment and great audio won’t matter if your content is no good. So, take 5-10 minutes to plan ahead instead of just winging it.
What do you do to make this plan? Ask yourself these three questions, answer them, and that’s your show! 👇🏼
1. What questions do my listeners have?
2. What problems are they experiencing?
3. What are they struggling with RIGHT NOW?
Then you can curate a whole show around the answer.
Good luck! 🙌🏼 Let us know how we can help. We’d love to make your life and podcast a little easier for you.
You Don’t Have To Do This…
It’s true, people! You absolutely do not need anything fancy and definitely don’t need a fancy recording spot. You could definitely invest in nice equipment, but you don’t have to. Just start with a good microphone and headphones or earphones, and you’re good to go.
If you need help with where the best place to record is or want more audio help, we’d love to be your mentor! Just comment your favorite emoji below, and we’ll send you a message. ✨
Higher Quality Recommendations
Last week we made this video at an affordable rate, but we’re back with our favorite things at a higher price point and higher quality.
As always, we’ve linked it all up on our website for you. Just head to our blog post that talks about recommended gear (we’ve linked it in the comments for you). And if you have any questions on these, leave a comment below and we’ll help you out!
Our Favorite Things
If you want more information on each one, you can visit our website where we also directly link you to each one. Just visit our blog section where we talk about recommended gear.
And if you like this but want it done for high end gear, comment below 👇🏼
Podcast Growth
And now it has DOUBLED! According to the Infinite Dial 2021 survey by Edison Research, 41% of the U.S. population aged 12 and over listen to podcasts monthly.
It’s also predicted that the podcasting industry is estimated to become a 1 billion dollar industry by the end of 2022. 🤯
So, if you want your brand and business (or just your name) to be heard - consider starting a podcast! We can help! 🙋🏻🙋🏻♀️
