What equipment is needed for recording podcasts?

Are you getting started with recording podcasts? Your audio quality should be your first priority to record a professional high-quality podcast. You don’t want your audience to drop out because your audio quality sucks. What equipment do you actually need to make a professional podcast? We have listed a number of essentials for you below.

• Microphone
• Microphone stand
• Headphones
• Smartphone, laptop or computer with editing software
• Tripod
• Camera light

Microphone

First up you will need a microphone to record high-quality sound. You can use any type of microphone to record audio. However, to get the best audio quality, we recommend a studio microphone (also known as a USB microphone or podcast microphone). This type of microphone clearly records your speech, without recording a lot of background noise. If you would like to freely move around while recording a podcast, then a wireless microphone set might be a good choice for you.

Microphone stand

If you have ever watched a podcast recording, you’ve probably seen a microphone stand or boom arm. These stands will help you place the microphone at the ideal height and will ensure that movements and vibrations of the microphone are limited.

With a microphone arm you will save space as you can attach the arm to the side of a table or desk and place it in any direction.

Headphones

Before you start recording, you should check the volume and adjust the settings if needed. By connecting headphones or earphones, you can also easily check the audio while recording. You will be able to hear whether the microphone is placed correctly and if the volume is not too loud or too soft. During your recording, you should monitor your volume as well.

Smartphone, laptop or a computer with editing software

It might not immediately occur to you, but you can easily record a podcast with your smartphone. You can use the dictaphone app on your smartphone or use other apps developed for recording podcasts such as Anchor (website, iOS-app en Android-app) and Podbean Recorder (iOS en Android). For professional montages, we recommend Ferrite (iOS).

It is also possible to record a podcast via your laptop or computer. Connect your microphone to your laptop or computer. Free apps like Audacity (Windows and Mac) or Garageband (Mac) give you the option to first record the audio and edit it afterwards in the same app.

Extra tip: recording a podcast with your smartphone? Put your phone on airplane mode to prevent your recording getting stopped when receiving a phone call.

Film your podcast?

Are you planning to film the podcast? Then we recommend using a few accessories to create a professional look.

Tripod

Mount your smartphone or camera onto a tripod to film your podcast. Tripods come in different shapes and sizes.

Camera light

You will need good lighting to create a professional recording of your podcast. With a video LED light, you can set the color temperature and brightness to create the perfect lighting conditions. Do you want to add some color to your podcast setting, to highlight the background for example? Then you should look for a RGB light.

Questions?

Hopefully, after reading this blog, you’ve got a better idea of ​​the accessories needed to record a podcast. Any other questions about creating a podcast? Reach out to us. We are happy to help you!