Now with the current global crisis, long distance podcast recording has become the norm. In this article, we will explore a few solutions to this problem and we hope that you will find them useful and insightful. The big problem with remote recording is obviously the distance. This leads to internet glitches, delays and technical difficulties, however, there are certain advantages as well. The ability to record from a remote location sounds very appealing, now that you can interview people located on the other side of the planet. This is a game-changer! In this article, we will explore 2 methods one being better than the other depending on the case.
METHOD 1: THE ON-SITE METHOD! (FREE)
The best method for long distance podcast recording is not recording via the internet in the first place. You see, only the communication needs to happen over the internet, the recording can be done locally in your studio. After the interview, the files then can be merged later on in post-production. There is a downside to this method however, this would only really work with a co-host. For regular guests, this method may seem intimidating and in a short allocated time, this method would seem impossible to achieve. However, we still have a solution to the regular guest problem with this method so keep reading.
Let’s imagine you are a host and co-host podcast. You both have a decent podcasting setup and you both know your way around computers. Now to get started you will both need your software of choice ready to record on your computers. The software you may choose is Audacity, Garage Band, Adobe Audition, Cubase, ProTools etc… It doesn’t matter what software you use as long as it can record clean audio. Make sure that the software of choice is properly set up with your sound-card + microphone or USB microphone. This is usually done somewhere in the “preferences” or “settings” and you will need to set up the input and output to correspond with the equipment used.
You will then both join a Zoom Conference so you can both communicate over the internet. Make sure that Zoom uses the same settings as your recording software. After you both joined the conference, both of you will hit record on your local software. After you finish you will export both audio files in WAV and place them in a shared cloud solution ready for post-production.
This method may seem a little complicated but you know what, it is 100% Free and it is also the best sounding one. It is advised that you create a template and keep yourself organised with this method. Once you do this a few times, it will become a habit. I really recommend this method for a host/co-host podcast!
A FEW KEY POINTS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN USING METHOD 1:
Make sure that both Zoom and the software of choice use the same input and output!
You both will need to wear headphones.
Make sure that you monitor only the Zoom recording, so you basically hear only the audio resulted from Zoom. You should not hear the audio TWICE, let’s say from your recording software and Zoom. Keep the recording software on mute or disable monitoring on the recording software.
You both will need to use the same sample rate settings.
Don’t stop the recording in the middle of the interview even if the internet went down!
SOLVING THE “REGULAR GUEST” PROBLEM.
This can be a tricky one but my clients have done it a few times and it can definitely work. Before starting the interview you will ask your guest to use a voice memo on his phone to record his part of the audio locally and then to send it once the interview has finished. Ask your guest to place the phone while recording on a flat surface, in close proximity, ideally right in front of her/him.
As a backup, it is a good idea to record the interview via Zoom as well at the same time, just in case the guest’s phone runs out of battery or there’s not sufficient storage space…you really can’t control that.
METHOD 2: USE PAID ONLINE TOOLS THAT RECORD ON-SITE AND NOT USING YOUR BANDWIDTH.
Another way for achieving long distance podcast recording is by using online tools such as Riverside.fm, Squadcast or Zencastr. These tools do exactly what Method 1 does but in a more elegant and streamlined way. In short, this platform can record on your local device without using your internet bandwidth. The real advantage of using this is that you can invite your guests using a link to join the recording room. This is similar to a Zoom environment. In my opinion, this system is a great solution for podcasts that are interview-based and don’t want to mess around with multiple software and settings. This service is usually paid monthly and it can range from 6$ to 30$ a month depending on how many hours you want to record.
A FEW KEY POINTS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN USING METHOD 2:
It is important that everyone participating in the interview wears headphones.
Think about how many hours you will record every month and choose the appropriate plan. You don’t want to overpay!
Always tell your guest NOT TO LEAVE the recording room immediately after the interview is finished. They will need to wait for the recording to upload on the server!
You can record video recordings as well using this method.
CONCLUSION:
There is always the option of recording with Zoom only, but this will reduce the quality of your recordings quite significantly! If you are serious about podcasting, one of these methods will guarantee you a great sound. We are always ready to help you if you experience any problems with this method, so please drop us a line!
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