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The first part of creating your podcast is figuring out how to record your audio. There are a variety of common tools you can use, like a phone or computer/tablet, and there are a few recording equipment options, like those listed on the Equipment page. For most students, the simplest is recording directly to your phone. There are a variety of apps that are free or low cost: check the Software page for some recommendations. But the simplest are:
You may find that your phone's built-in microphone isn't cutting it. Using an external mic like our Movo PM-10 Lavalier Mic can help you pick up quality audio close to your source and not capture those distant background noises.
However, if you want to, or need to, use a different device, one of the Library's Zoom H1n digital recorders will do a very similar job. You can learn about using the recorder with this 10-minute video: Beginner's Guide to the Zoom H1n audio recorder.
Another simple option is to use your computer or tablet. You can record to your computer using a variety of apps, but we recommend Audacity, which is a free and open source program that makes it very easy to record- simply hit the record button! You will likely want a mic that you can plug in -- most built-in mics will not provide great results unless you have a very controlled environment. However, simple mics like those built into headphones can work quite well.
You can also use Zoom to record multiple people in various locations. Depending on your and your co-hosts' internet connection, this can be an amazing option on it's own. Skip down below to learn some specifics on using Zoom for podcasting.
You can use many other options than those listed here. If you are familiar with recording, feel free to use whatever you are comfortable with!
Your recording environment is even more important than the gear you are using. A nice, quiet spot with good acoustics can make a poor quality microphone sound great and a noisy awful room can make the best microphone sound terrible. Recording your audio in the best conditions possible is easier said than done, however. The library has you covered: not only can you borrow equipment, but you can use our recording studio and our computer lab for editing.
The Studio is a space where you can shoot and edit video and audio and take photographs, including:
The room includes a variety of lighting options, backdrops, usb microphones, and a computer station (Windows).
The Studio is open for use anytime and can be reserved for the same week using the sign-up sheet outside the door. If the room is not booked, it is open to drop in use, just write it in on the sign-in sheet!
We also have computers with production and editing software available to all students, all day. The Makerspace Lab computers are located in room 122 on the first floor of the Library in the south east corner.
Our full range of audio equipment is listed on our Creating Audio page. Below is a short list of some things most useful for podcasts, but you may want to look at everything else we have to offer.
The Samson Meteor USB mic is great for recording your voice for a podcast or a Zoom session. The included cables allow you to plug this into almost any phone or tablet (Apple lightning, USB-C, mciro USB-B, and standard USB-A). Setting it up is extremely easy- simply plug it into the computer and go! This mic is digital and is powered by the USB.
The mic itself is very simple and is set up for digital recording, so there isn't a whole lot to do. Plug it in with the appropriate USB cable, open the stand and position it to face you (or the source). The cardioid mic will pick up whatever is in front of it. Plug in the headphones into the 3.5mm input to monitor your sound. The headphone volume and mute button are the only controls.
The Blue Yeti USB condenser mic is a great multi-purpose mic. Recording a podcast? Narrating a video? Conducting an interview? Need good quality sound for Zoom? With switchable pattern selecting, the Blue Yeti Condenser Mic is a very easy-to-use plug & play mic for a variety of projects.
The mic itself is very simple (there isn't even an on/off switch!) and is set up for digital recording, so there isn't a whole lot to do:
The Zoom H1n digital recorder allows you to capture quality audio easily. If you don’t have a smartphone (or any room to add apps or files!) this is a great way to record. You can use the included USB cable to connect it to a computer or iOS device to use it as a microphone with any audio or video editing/recording software. Overdubbing capabilities make this a great option for recording music!
The recorder is great for interviews or for capturing high quality audio for your video projects. You can mount the recorder to a tripod using the threaded mount on the back of the recorder. To power on, slide the switch on the right-hand side down and hold for 2-3 seconds. Hit the record button to stop/start recording (the light will turn on while recording). Use the buttons below the LCD screen to control playback.
It's also easy to export your audio tracks. Simply connect via the included USB cable or eject the Micro SD card. Instructions for using the USB cable to export recordings:
The included Micro SD card (2GB minimum) should provide at least 2-3 hours of recording. You may want a backup SD card and/or batteries (2 x AAA) if you have a very long project.
For a quick demonstration, including an example of the difference in sound quality compared with a phone, this video featuring Tina Guo, shows how to do a simple recording.
The Zoom M2 MicTrak digital recorder gives you all of the features of the M4 but without the option to plug in external mics. The M2 has 32-bit float, which allows you to capture high quality audio without having to worry about the recording level (gain), so you can simply hit record and rest assured that you won't end up with audio that's too loud or too quiet. The microphone-like form factor makes this a great option for interviews and the windscreen and glossy texture help to reduce unwanted noise when walking around or handling the recorder. The built-in preamp will produce a better quality recording than plugging an external mic into most cameras.
To power on, slide the switch on the right-hand side down and hold for 2-3 seconds. For simple recordings, hit the record button to stop/start recording (the light will turn on while recording).
The M2 is great for a wide range of audio recordings, including interviews, music, and video projects. This mic works with most standard microphone stands and clips.
Power on/off the recorder by sliding the power slider down and holding it for a couple of seconds. Once powered up, you can hit the record button and the built-in stereo XY mics will start recording! With 32-bit float, there is no need to worry about levels, so you can hit record for extremely loud sounds like concerts and then without changing any settings you can go and interview the band afterwards. Plug in a set of headphones to monitor your recording.
It's also easy to export your audio tracks.
However, because this recorder is so easy to use while recording, you need to take an extra step before exporting: normalize your recording. Playback the recording you want to export using the play button (to skip through multiple recordings, use the skip forward and back arrow buttons). Press the "Options" button (labeled LO CUT) and then select the "Normalize" option and then the "Execute" option. This will normalize your recording, including all tracks if you recorded more than one. The process may take a few minutes for recordings that are an hour or longer.
Instructions for using the USB cable to export recordings (including the normalized versions as well as the original versions):
The included SD card should provide enough storage for most recording projects. You may want a backup SD card and/or batteries (2 x AA) if you have a very long project.
If you’re looking to level up your podcast or voiceover projects, this USB mic is what you’re looking for. With the included cables, it works with computers, tablets, and phones. The quality is higher than our other USB mics because of the built-in analog compressor. This super small mic is great for packing on trips and can be held like a stick mic for recording directly to a phone a tablet while doing interviews – similar to a digital recorder, but records directly to your device.
The mic is set up to work with most any device. Use the correct USB cable (the standard A-type, USB C, and an Apple lightning cables are included). Your device should automatically recognize the mic and most phones and tablets will work seamlessly. However, you will want to ensure that your computer's software recognizes the mic and is using it as the input device. When monitoring your audio and playback through the mic, you will also want to be sure that your software is using the mic as the output device.
The big knob is how you set your gain level -- this is how much signal you're picking up with the mic. Start recording a test and turn it up as high as you can without letting the lights go red.
The knob is also a button for controlling the "Hype Mode" or compression options.
The built-in compression settings can really improve your quality and save you some time with editing. Compression is a process that helps to even out the level of the quiet sounds with the loud sounds. It's great when you have two people talking and one is closer to the mic and is louder than the other. However, you do not always need compression. Recording nature sounds at the Arcata Marsh should have very little compression -- the louder sounds of the birds closer to the mic and the quieter sounds of the distant waves help to create a depth to your soundscape.
The HypeMiC has three built-in options for compression that you can access by pressing the knob button (the LED lights will turn purple to indicate which option you are in).Play around with a test recording to see how these options sound to you.
The button above the knob controls the blend control. Start recording a test to go through these options. There are five settings, ranging from only hearing what the mic is picking up, to only hearing the audio playback. The LED will show white dots from the left (only monitor) to right (only playback). When only the middle dot is white, the playback and monitoring is 50/50 (perfect for most people).
