Podcasting is a useful method to communicate your ideas, opinions, and material with the rest of the world. It’s growing in popularity, with many people seeing it as an alternative to terrestrial radio and video. In fact, it has become the new talk radio on mobile devices.
Since the equipment you need to start a podcast is fairly straightforward, this is one of the easiest questions to answer. The best place to begin is with your budget and what kind of content you plan on producing. In general, podcasts require microphones to capture sound and recording software.
A microphone – the key piece of equipment
A microphone is necessary to capture sound. There are many different types of microphones on the market, including dynamic and condenser microphones. For most podcasters, a dynamic microphone is usually best as it’s more durable and less prone to picking up the background noise. If you plan on recording music or other audio sources, however, you may want to consider a condenser microphone.
Recording software
This can be either an audio editing program like Adobe Audition or a simple recorder like the Zoom H1n. Audio editing programs will give you more control over your audio, but they can be more expensive and complicated to use. Simple recorders are usually more than enough for most podcasters, and they’re much easier to use.
Sound filtering method
In addition to a microphone and recording software, you may also want to consider investing in some other equipment. If you plan on recording music or other audio sources, you’ll need a mixer or audio interface. Podcasters use an audio mixer to control the volumes across different inputs and shape the quality of the audio.
You may also need additional accessories like shock mounts, pop filters, and windscreens for your microphone.
Filtering software is one of the most popular methods for eliminating undesirable sounds. They aren’t capable of removing all of the unwanted noises you want to get rid of. It can filter out those that are clearly distracting, such as heavy breathing and popping sounds caused by holding the microphone close.
Pop filters are netting equipment designed to filter certain types of prominent sounds that you want to do away with. They cannot get rid of all the unwanted sounds you wish to eliminate. What it can do is filter those that are evidently distracting like heavy breathing and the popping sounds created when you hold the mic close.
A microphone windscreen is a simple accessory that covers your mic and keeps strong winds from peering through because when a strong wind hits the mic, the mic gives out unpleasant feedback and noise that is irritating to the ears.
So if you’re serious about starting a podcast, do your research and invest in the right equipment.
