1/8 How To Record Your First Podcast Episode | Start A Podcast Fast

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You can’t launch a podcast without any episodes. In this lesson you will learn how to record your first podcast episode using either your phone or your computer.

We take a look at different equipment options, different software options and how to record.

In this lesson you’re going to learn how to record your first podcast episode. Without your first episode recorded it’s actually going to be very difficult to set up the rest of your podcast so we do need to do this first. So let’s go ahead and learn how we can record our very first podcast episode.

First Decide Which Device To Record Your Podcast On

The first thing you need to do is choose which device you’re going to record your podcast on. You can record your podcast on your phone or you can record it on your computer.

The benefit with the phone is obviously it is smaller, it’s more mobile you can record from anywhere and the benefit of a computer is that it’s more powerful so you can get better quality microphones and you can get a better sound.

Recording Using Your Phone (Most Convenient)

First I’m going to look through the different microphones for recording using your phone. So if you want to use your phone check out these different microphones.

The links to some of these devices are affiliate links meaning if you purchase through these links you won’t pay any more but I will receive a small commission.

1. The Inbuilt Microphone – Free

The first thing that you can use is simply the microphone that is built into your mobile phone. These tend to be pretty high quality now especially if you got an iPhone or a high-end Andriod device so this can be a great way to get started.

2. iPhone Headphones – Free with iPhone or $29

The second thing you can use is iPhone headphones which are obviously free with any Apple iPhone. These give a great quality sound and I actually use these to podcast for years and I highly recommend them.

3. iRig Mic Cast – $39.99

You can also look into the iRig mic cast which retails for $39.99 and this plugs into the headphone jack of your phone and gives good quality sound. I actually use this whenever I do interviews using my phone.

4. iRig Mic – $59.99

You can look at the iRig mic which is a higher quality condenser mic which retails at $59.99 again it plugs into the headphone jack of your phone. Great for serious podcasters who want high quality sound whilst on the road.

5. Rode Smartlav – $75

And lastly there is the Rode Smartlav which retails at about $75. The benefit of this one is that it clips onto you and so you can podcast when you’re out walking or you can podcast when you’re filming video as well. So if you want to do video as well as podcasts then this is highly recommended.

I have created an expanded shortlist for the best microphones for both your phone or computer as well as some sound examples of what these microphones sound like. Click here to see the expanded shortlist and sound examples.

Recording Using Your Computer (High Quality Sound)

If you want to record using your computer I’m now going to go through some different microphones for recording using your computer. These are all really high quality and they all retail for about $100 or less.

1. ATR 2100 – $59.95

The ATR 2100 retails at about $59.95. Tim Ferriss who is the author of the Four Hour Work Week actually uses this microphone so check out his podcast if you want to see some sound quality on that. I used to have this but my kids dropped it and so did I and it broke but I highly recommend it.

2. The Blue Snowball – $49

The Blue Snowball looks really weird but is a really awesome mic which is used by a lot of gaming people who make gaming videos. This retails for $49.

3. Blue Yeti – $119

The Blue Yeti which is the microphone I am using right now and I absolutely love it. It retails brand new for $119 but you can it for just under $100 if you’re willing to buy it second hand.

Make Sure You Get A:

Pop Filter – $10

If you’re going to be recording (whether you are using your phone or using the computer) I do recommend you get a pop filter.

A pop filter is a piece of mesh that sits between your mouth and the microphone and takes out some of the air that gets blown into the microphone lowering the harshness of your p sounds.

It gives you a clearer sound and it means you won’t hurt peoples ears with popping p’s. It’s super cheap get them on amazon for under $10.

Again you can get an expanded shortlist of all recommended microphones and equipment by clicking here.

Best iPhone Apps For Recording Your Podcast

Assuming that you’ve decided that you want to record using your phone I’m going to go through 3 of the best iPhone apps for recording your podcast.

1. Voice Recorder HD – $1.99

This is the app that I use and it is my app of choice. I lucked onto this one don’t know how I found it but it is an awesome app. It is really simply to use and delivers great sound quality. It only costs $1.99 in the app store.

2. Voice Record Pro – Free

Voice Record Pro is similar to Voice Recorder HD but is not as intuitive. This is absolutely free in the app store and so I recommend this for anyone who is a complete tight ass and doesn’t want to spend any money.

3. Boss Jock Studios – $9.99

Boss Jock Studios is a highly advanced podcasting app for advanced recorders. You can add in music you can do a lot of your post production and editing actually live while you’re recording.

So if you actually get to know this product and get to know the Boss Jock Studios app you can save yourself a lot of time in post production. But I have never been bothered to do this and don’t recommend it if you are completely new to podcasting.

There are actually 7 apps I recommend and I’ve created video examples of all of them. Click here to get the shortlist of the 7 recommended podcasting apps as well as examples of my using them.

Best Editing Software For Podcasts

If you will be recording on your computer you will need some editing software which you could record your podcast into. I will be going into more details about editing software in the next lesson but for now I just want to list the 4 different editing software options that I recommend for recording your podcast into.

All these programs can also be used for post production once your podcast has been recorded.

1. Screenflow – Free for podcasters, $99 for video

The number one program that I recommend is Screenflow. This is a paid product but they do have a free trial available which is a fully functioning product.

The only difference is that the trial watermarks any videos that you create. So if you’re just podcasting and just creating sound then Screenflow is going to be absolutely free otherwise if you want the full featured product it is $99.

2. Audacity – Free

The next one that I recommend is free tool for both Mac and PC and that’s called Audacity. This is a free program and I actually use this in conjunction with Screenflow because it has some great options to edit your sound and make your microphone sound awesome which I will cover in the next lesson.

The reason I don’t recommend this for most people is it’s just not as easy to use as Screenflow and has a steep learning curve which makes it hard for new podcasters. Screenflow is much more intuitive option and will be better for most podcasters.

3. Garage Band – $6.49

The third program I recommend is Garage Band for the Mac. This is about $6.49 in the app store but it does come free with most Macs these days. It’s very easy to use and it’s great for podcasting.

4. Adobe Audition – $395

The fourth program that you could consider is called Adobe Audition. This is a high-end product it costs about $395 for a digital download. This is for Mac and PC and for those of you who are super serious about podcasting and super serious about having absolutely the best sound then I do recommend Adobe Audition.

If you want to get my shortlist of the best recording software as well as examples of me using the software then click here to get access to my software shortlist.

Now It’s Time To Record Your Podcast

Ok so now you should have chosen whether you are going to record on your phone or your computer, you should have chosen the microphone that you most want to use and the app or the software program to record into. You now need to record your podcast.

Recording Your Podcast On Your iPhone

If you’re recording your podcast on the phone then here’s an example of me recording a podcast using the Voice Recorder HD app.

1. Using Voice Recorder HD is easy to use. Simply plug in your headphones and then hit the record button to begin recording.

vrhd1

2. When you’re finished recording you simply click the stop button

vrhd2

3. Then go down the bottom to voice memos and you can see the podcast recordings you just created.

vrhd3

4. Once you’ve completed recording your podcast on your phone you then need to upload it to your computer so you can edit it.

vrhd4

Recording Your Podcast On Your Computer

And if you’re recording your podcast on your computer here is an example of me using the Screenflow application.

1. To record simply click the camera icon up the top of your desktop and hit the record button

sf1

Or you can configure your recording check your settings and then hit the record button.

sf2

2. It will now take 5 seconds and then it will begin recording.

sf4

3. Once you’ve completed recording hit the camera again and hit stop record or you can hit command shift 2 as well.

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4. Your file is now there

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5. Simply drag it down into the timeline to begin editing your file it’s that easy.

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If you recorded your podcast episode on your computer it will now be ready for editing.

That completes this lesson on how to record your first podcast episode. In the next episode I’m going to show you how to edit your podcast quickly and easily so people can begin listening to it.

Until then don’t just podcast, podcast fast.

If you liked this lesson and you want more then check out our advanced tutorials or our list of podcasting resources

2 Comments

  1. Very well put together. I’ve been blogging for years and I’m ready to take it to the next level. One thing you don’t mention is hosting the podcast and building a community around it. Or another article might be marketing your podcast…

  2. Tessa Love,
    This tutorial really opened my eyes as a first time podcaster. It was just what I needed to break into this new realm of reaching an audience. Thanks a million!! I look forward to learning more . Your tutorial has real value for me and I can’t wait to share how you helped me!!

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