The dilemma of how to start a podcast is simplified by having a recording studio. Your studio is where your words, thoughts, and ideas become an audio. As a newbie podcaster, you can either rent a professional studio or build your own at home. The focus of this piece will be how to build a podcast studio at home for newbie and experienced podcasters.
Building a podcast studio at home gives you a sense of belonging and permanence. Once you have gotten your equipment, it becomes yours. Also, a home podcast studio allows you to easily set up your podcast studio at your pace and to your taste. You don’t have to spend much on the setup at the onset; upgrading your gadgets as your podcast grows is easier.
How To Start a Podcast By Setting Up a Home Podcast Studio?
You don’t need to break the bank to set up a home podcast recording studio. Using existing objects around the house will greatly save you precious dollars on interior design. However, you will need to buy recording equipment unless you are already into music recording. Otherwise, necessities like microphones, headphones, software, and mixers are indispensable in a podcast studio. As a beginner podcaster, you will want to buy durable and cost-effective tools.
So, if it does not cost much to build a podcast studio at home, how do I start a podcast in a home studio?
Prepare A Budget
Your budget determines the equipment needed to start a podcast you can afford for your home studio. You can opt for high-tech equipment and designs if you want a professionally-looking studio. However, there are ways to get around it with DIY if you are running on a budget. You must know that price does not always equate to quality. But don’t buy tools that are subpar because you are pinching pennies.
The most important thing to know about how to start a podcast studio at home is to maintain a balance between cheap and too expensive. You can produce superb audio quality with just a few dollars.
Choose A Studio Space
Ideally, having a designated area in your home as your podcast studio is more efficient. Constantly moving your equipment around will affect the consistency of your sound. How do I start a podcast? Choose a room that does not have walls adjacent to your neighbors or a space facing outside.
Many podcasters with home recording studios use their basements or walk-in closets with enough room for the host, co-host, and guests for their podcasts. On the flip side, you can use a small closet that will be enough for just the host.
Overall, whether you use a small space or a large room depends on your needs, budget, and how much space you have.
Fill Up The Space With Furniture
Compare the echoes in your bathroom to those in your bedroom. Your bathroom echoes so much because there are only hard walls without soft material. This will make your voice bounce around. Adding furniture will greatly improve your sound quality if you want to use an empty room as your recording studio.
Furnishing your studio space is the DIY approach to soundproofing if you want to know how to start a podcast. This is because sofas, fabrics, and pillows help prevent sound from hitting your microphone while recording.
Additionally, beanbags and cushions will have an aesthetic purpose and serve as sound insulation in your studio. You can place a bookshelf filled with books on one side and lay down a rug or carpet to absorb sound, especially if the space is tiled.
The Quieter, the Better
Noise is the enemy of podcast recording. So, you must do everything necessary to ensure that outside noise does not get into your home podcast studio. Record your podcast in a closet. Close the windows. Seal open spaces underneath the door where noise can seep in with a rubber seal.
To maintain a quiet atmosphere while recording, keep away from pets, crying babies, and clanging objects like dishes. Loud fans and AC units can also compromise great sound quality. So, how do I start a podcast with the loud AC on? You don’t. Before recording, turn off your AC if you are too close to it, as it will constitute background noise. It is easier to turn the AC or boiler off before the start of recording than to edit the hum out post-production.
Podcasters working on a low budget can cover themselves with a blanket to trap the sound for acoustics. If you are recording in your bedroom, your mattress is an excellent sound absorber.
Essential Equipment Needed To Start a Podcast Home Studio
If you are wondering how to start a podcast or how do I start a podcast at home, one of the crucial steps is to invest in the right equipment needed to start a podcast.
Your recording gadgets are the most important part of your studio. You can’t record unless you have the right tools. Therefore, you need to invest in the right podcast equipment that will make your recording seamless. The basic equipment needed to start a podcast for your home studio includes:
A Desktop Or Laptop Computer
How do I start a podcast home studio? You need a computer, not only during the recording process but also to save your raw episodes. Your personal computer will be ideal for your podcasting needs.
That is if it has the adequate storage space and data processor required for your podcast files. If not, you will need to buy a computer that can process your recording software without crashing.
Podcast Microphone
The type of microphone you choose can make or mar your audio quality. You can get a quality microphone at a midrange price. As such, you can choose either a dynamic or condenser microphone.
For a home studio, it is better to buy a dynamic microphone if you don’t want to pick up so much ambient noise. On the contrary, condenser microphones have a USB connection, which makes them easy to use for a home studio.
Studio-Grade Headphones
Instead of waiting to finish recording before you hear how you sound in a recording, use a headphone.
A headphone lets you hear how your voice sounds in a recording compared to your inner voice. The type of headphones you need here is the one that blocks external noise and covers your ears completely.
Microphone Stand and Pop Filter
Pop filters prevent plosives from the letter P from getting into the microphone. Also, as you speak into the microphone, a tiny amount of saliva gets trapped inside and builds up over time.
This built-up spittle can act as a corrosive that can damage the capsule of your microphone over time. Using a pop filter protects your microphone from this. Similarly, you need a microphone stand for your convenience and vocals.
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to start a podcast is one thing, but getting a home studio to record your podcast show is a different ballgame. You can convert your personal space at home into a podcasting studio. All it requires is a little tweak in the interior design and arrangement of your equipment.
You need to work around avoiding reverbs completely. Flat and hard surfaces reverberate sound. Carry out a sound quality test before you start podcasting. Do this by recording for a minute and listening back to check the sound quality. Acoustic foam panels on your ceiling and walls will reduce the sound frequency and how it amplifies.
However, this may be too pricey for you if you are on a budget. Covering yourself up with a blanket will also do the trick.
Additionally, be cognizant of your audio file format. To reduce editing time, record your file in WAV format. Alternatively, the AIFF audio file format will also preserve your audio quality and give you a professionally-sounding podcast.
