12 Techniques to improve the audio in your podcast.

1. Professional Audio Techniques
Taking your Podcast to the next level
By David Fisher (aka Tibbon)
Twitter: @Tibbon
1

2. 12 practices to improve your audio
(Mostly in the studio)
Twitter: @Tibbon
2

3. aka.Your Podcast Sucks
(well, just the audio)
Twitter: @Tibbon
3

4. Who is this guy?
• Guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, cello
• Engineer: Taylor Barefoot Productions 2003-2005
• Music Business Management: Berklee College of Music 2006
• Jazkarta, 2007-2008, @natea’s company
• GamerDNA, 2008-Present
Twitter: @Tibbon
4

5. I am not covering:
• Content
• Distribution
• How to push the record button
Twitter: @Tibbon
5

6. 3 Instant Takeaways
#1: Subscribe to a FREE subscription of TapeOp Magazine:
http://www.tapeop.com/
6

7. Global Crisis (Joke)
Youtube
Blip
Attempts at ‘going viral’
Global Warming Videos
Number of Poor
Quality Audio
Productions
Twitter: @Tibbon
7

8. Ask questions
Twitter: @Tibbon
8

9. Problem Solving
Twitter: @Tibbon
9

10. Audio is Important!
Twitter: @Tibbon
10

11. You will lose listeners!
Twitter: @Tibbon
11

12. Quality?
Twitter: @Tibbon
12

13. Quality
• Clear
• Noise-free
• Natural
• No distractions
Twitter: @Tibbon
13

14. Examples of Quality
• Howard Stern Show
• NPR
• TED Talks
• Most Revision3 shows
Twitter: @Tibbon
14

15. Examples of Poor Quality
• Totally Rad Show
• Problems:
• Boomy
• Too much room sound
• Distracting noise
• Sounds like recorded in a garage
Twitter: @Tibbon
15

16. Where do consumers listen?
• Mostly on headphones (65%)
• Often on laptops (15%)
• Sometimes on full range speakers (~10%)
• Occasionally in the car (~10%)
• All numbers are estimates*
16

17. 1) Quality Mics last a Lifetime
• Mostly Condenser Mics
• Dynamic Mics to Consider; SM-7B, RE-20
• Some bargains, but you get what you pay
for
• Beware of cheap ‘tube’ mics
• Use Proper Technique, be mindful of
proximity effect
Twitter: @Tibbon
17

18. 1a) “Other” Mics
• Shotgun Mics- Capture sound from a
distance
• Lavilier (Lav) mics- Often with wireless
packs
• Combine well together
Twitter: @Tibbon
18

19. Shotgun Mics
19

20. 2) Use a Hardware Compressor
• Optional! Software works too
• Control Dynamics, Makes Sound Fuller
• Does it right the first time, better
workflow
• As a downside, difficult to use in the field
Twitter: @Tibbon
20

21. 2a) Channel Strips are cool
• Combine hardware preamp, EQ and
compressor
• All-in-one package
• Great values, again you get what you pay
for
Twitter: @Tibbon
21

22. 2b) Lunchboxes are cooler!
• Modular chassis that allow you to insert
module units such as a preamp,
compressor, eq, etc.
• Power connections/Chassis all in one
• Save money, space, and ease of portability
• Downside: No low end setup. Expensive
but great value
Twitter: @Tibbon
22

23. 3) Preamps Matter
• Preamps amplify the signal level of the
microphone to line level
• Built in preamps are sometimes fine, but
high quality external preamps are great!
• All do the same thing, but like different
methods of heating food all yield slightly
different results
• Don’t go overboard
• In short: Most sound cards are
insufficient
Twitter: @Tibbon
23

24. 4) Treat a room
• Acoustic treatment doesn’t make a room
quieter or eliminate noise.
• Do not over-deaden
• Listen to this room.
• Close Mic’ing technique will help
overcome some room issues
Twitter: @Tibbon
24

25. Takeaway #2:
Two cool forums:
Gearslutz (http://gearslutz.com)
&
Harmony-Central (http://acapella.harmony-central.com)
25

26. 5) Workflow is King
• Use a Patchbay!!!
• Do it right the first time
• Have extras of common items onhand (microphones, cables, pop
filters, mic stands, headphones)
• Software only matters for workflow
• Keep your workspace clean
Twitter: @Tibbon
26

27. 6) Get a second set of Monitors
• One ‘full range’ set (Mackie, Genelec,
Dynaudio, Yamaha)
• One ‘consumer’ set (NS-10, Auratone,
Computer speakers)
• One high quality set of headphones, use
while recording.
• Monitor controller/switch, headphone
distribution
Twitter: @Tibbon
27

28. 7) Use Popfilters
• Helps with spacing from the microphone
• Helps with Plosives
• Clean them after sessions
• The metal ones work better (Inside tip:
can be found cheap if you look around)
Twitter: @Tibbon
28

29. 8) Do Not Overdo Anything
• Excessive level line gain (normally means bad gain staging)
• Never Over-EQ (generally indicative of another problem)
• Excessive gating and compression also is bad.
• If anything is turned all the way up, you’re likely doing something
wrong
Twitter: @Tibbon
29

30. 9) Use Room Tone
• Record room tone with all mics open, but no audio for 45 seconds
• When you cut out a mic, replace it with its room tone.
• Do not “Gate” audio. It makes things sound choppy. Replace with
roomtone if you do this
• Use Noise Reduction only if needed. Quiet the room, not the
recording
Twitter: @Tibbon
30

31. 10) Mix into a compressor
• Use a high threshold, low gain makeup,
fast attack, slow release, high ratio
compressor (20:1) to mix into
• You can even use two compressors (one
more as a high ratio limiter, one as a low
ratio compressor)
• There are some good plugins for this,
such as the Sony Oxford Inflator or the
L2. Just don’t overuse it
Twitter: @Tibbon
31

32. 11) Don’t Re-Compress Mastered
Audio
• When flying in audio for intros, do not
re-compress/limit/eq the pre-mastered
audio
• It’s like cooking your food twice and
simply makes it sound bad
• This applies specifically to the
compressors mentioned in step 10!
Twitter: @Tibbon
32

33. 12) Find a good Audio Equipment
Dealer!
• Allows borrows/returns easily and without issues
• Provides helpful problem solving
• Truthful and doesn’t oversell
• All equipment costs the same; Do not shop on price!
Twitter: @Tibbon
33

34. Do Not:
• Clip the signal
• Record from a built in computer/camera microphone
• Record unprepared
34

35. Takeaway #3:
Tour a studio
35

36. Questions and Answers Time!
• David Fisher
• tibbon@gmail.com
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/tibbon
36

37. Thank You
37