Podcasting Equipment Recomendations

[Cockerill, Alan]

A noise gate reduces sound below a set volume to zero. For example you could set it to exclude background noise in a podcast so when no-one is talking you don't hear barking dogs or lawn mowers.

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On 17/03/2013, at 7:48 AM, "Cindy Harper" <cindyharper1145 at GMAIL.COM<mailto:cindyharper1145 at GMAIL.COM>> wrote:

Could you explain the concept NOISE GATE? I woud guess this means that you edit out out al sound below a certain level? How is that done with Audacity?

Cindy Harper
charper at vts.edu<mailto:charper at vts.edu>

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From: Wilhelmina Randtke
Sent: ‎March‎ ‎16‎, ‎2013 ‎9‎:‎09‎ ‎AM
To: WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU<mailto:WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU>
Subject: Re: [WEB4LIB] Podcasting Equipment Recomendations


Get a good quality WAV recorder, and a quiet room.  Both are important.  Then edit with Audacity.  For what you are doing, this is as good as SoundForge or any expensive sound editing software package.  Add the LAME mp3 encoder to Audacity to let you edit then save in mp3, which Audacity won't play with out of the box.  To get good sound quality, check the levels as you record, then afterwards put a gate in to elmininate background noise.

Those two thing - (1) levels, and (2) noise gate - and understanding how they work will do more for sound quality than almost any high end equipment you could purchase. At least, good equipment will not help you without those skills.

LEVELS when recording.
Add a NOISE GATE when you edit.

A good WAV recorder will run about $400.  That is all in the microphone.  Keep it clean and in a box when you aren't using it.  You can get fine results with a $50 pocket mp3 recorder. Most people will not hear the difference, and you are not recording music.  A $50 recorder is actually a really good mic for multiple people in a group, because it will pick up noise made across the room from the mic. Many mics are designed to capture only sound very close to the mic, so for a singer or speaker to hold near their face.  You don't want multiple expensive close range mics and a mixing board. This isn't the 80s. We are in the future and have alternatives.  If you have money and space for that, then use it to sound proof a room.  Take the time you would spend setting the mixing board up, and instead use it to practice setting levels and noise gate.

And remember the quiet room means no background noise, so does the same thing as the expensive mic. No matter what your budget, pick your space carefully. A $50 mp3 recorder, a quiet closet, and Audacity with LAME mp3 encoder can get professional results.

-Wilhelmina Randtke

On Mar 14, 2013 9:50 AM, "Wesley Johnson" <wjohnson at dcplibrary.org<mailto:wjohnson at dcplibrary.org>> wrote:
Hello,

We’re tossing around the idea of a semi-regular podcast at my library. I’m looking into equipment now and thought I’d toss this to the list and ask for recommendations. We want something capable of recording multiple people in the same room with a modest mixing board to make sure audio levels are nice and even. I’d also love to hear what other libraries are doing on the podcast front.

Thanks,
Wesley
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