The Podcast Publisher will help you with the publication in Podcast archives. The Podcast Manager is a full podcast client and copies podcasts to USB-Stick, iPod. Version 1.0.8.48 may include. The base software is completely free, but PreSonus also offers several paid upgrades and packages for increased functionality. Free option: Studio One 4 Prime offers a limited feature set and only runs on 64-bit operating systems. Feb 20, 2021 Podcast Recording Software For macOS GarageBand. GarageBand is a free DAW (digital audio workstation) if you have a Mac. This is a great choice for first-time and even experienced podcasters. Download Audacity, the free audio editor. Use free Audacity software to record and edit sound on windows, mac and linux. With its unlimited free hosting, recording capabilities from anywhere, and one-click distribution, Anchor is the best podcast software on the market. Try Anchor recording software today. Zencastr allows new and professional podcasters alike the ability to record.
King Catoy, Video Lead of EngageMedia, breaks down the FOSS tools he used to record EngageMedia's recently launched video podcast on digital rights in the Asia-Pacific.
There are over 30 million episodes from over a million podcasts, according to podcastinsights.com as of April 2020. Because of the increasing demand for podcast production, there have been a lot of software programs and online platforms coming out to cater to these needs. A good number offer decent features for free accounts, but almost all the software are commercial and proprietary.
Here at EngageMedia, we just released the pilot episode of 'Pretty Good Podcast: Discussions on Digital Rights' and are about to publish our second episode. After experiencing firsthand the intricacies of podcast production, we thought we'd share some of our learnings, especially since we wanted to use Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) for the recording of the show. This short resource guide is also tailored for remote work — a new reality brought to us by the current times.
Watch or listen to Pretty Good Podcast at EngageMedia.org/Podcast.
EngageMedia had been gearing up to produce its own podcast for the past months. After a series of brainstorming sessions, we decided to make it an audio and video podcast. With just one project, we could create two pieces of content in the end.
Unfortunately, weeks before the recording date, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic and all of us were forced into lockdown. The simple DSLR camera and lapel microphone setup that we had prepared had to be scratched. We were compelled to find a way to record the podcast remotely, given the physical distancing protocols we had to follow.
To be able to have conversations and interviews, we needed a video chat platform where the hosts and guests could interact. Immediately, we considered Jitsi Meet. It's like Zoom or Google Hangouts, except Jitsi is free and open-source. Setup is no-fuss, too, because Jitsi doesn't require users to register or log in. We'd been using it for years to host our meetings and we have found it to be reliable.
One useful feature of Jitsi Meet is its record video call function. Similar to Skype, the recording is stored in the cloud, which you can then download after the call. Doing this also eases up on CPU and RAM demands for your computer — a nifty feature if you're using an older computer. In our case, the recorded file was only a backup because we used another application to record the podcast.
The button with three vertical dots opens the settings of Jitsi Meet. Here, you'll also find the function to record your meeting.
'View shortcuts' opens this pop-up window. Numbers 1-9 allow the moderator to focus on another person's video.
Another awesome feature of Jitsi Meet that we maximised was keyboard control for switching between users' cameras. Depending on who logged in first, meeting participants are assigned a number from 1-9. The assigned meeting moderator (check the settings for this) can then focus on a person's camera by using keyboard commands. For example, pressing W on your keyboard gives you the wider tile view of Jitsi Meet. While it took a bit of practice to master, focusing between various views improved the dynamics of the podcast and broke the monotony of having just a single view.
Open Broadcaster Software: Mimicking the live TV broadcast experience
Because we wanted to have more control of the podcast recording, it was necessary to look for software that allowed for the selection of the video dimensions, audio file type, and video bit rate. We needed to do this to ensure the high resolution of the video and good audio quality. Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) could do all of that, which is a tiny fraction of what more it can do. OBS, also FOSS, has long been a staple for vloggers, gamers, and event hosts. Aside from recording, it allows you to switch between audio and video sources like cameras, recorded audio and video clips, and graphics for live recordings — just like the equipment broadcasters use for live TV programs. It can also live-stream your video to various social media platforms such as Facebook, Youtube, and Twitter (via Perisocope).
Doing the graphics layout for a podcast is possible with OBS. Resizing, cropping, and adding effects to visual elements, including camera sources, can be done. Built-in text graphics, or those made in software like Adobe Photoshop or Gimp, can also be imported. Each layout can be saved in one of the panels of OBS called Scenes.
We wanted to maximise the graphics functionality of OBS to cut down or even possibly eliminate editing afterwards. Unfortunately, we haven't found a way to control both Jitsi Meet and OBS using one set of keyboard commands. We have yet to research if this is even possible. In any case, we'll give you an update once we find a solution to this hurdle.
OBS records the audio of the hosts and the guests into one track, but we took it another step further to ensure that we could get better audio quality, at least for the two hosts. Each of them had a Zoom audio recorder placed in front of them to capture their audio. We simply did a countdown before each take for syncing and to make sure the recorders were working properly. The files saved from the Zoom recorders were sent to the Technical Director (that's me), which were then synced to the audio and video of the OBS recording. Having separate audio recordings is an extra step, but given that good audio quality is important for any podcast, we thought this was necessary.
That's it for now! We'll continue to share tools and learnings related to video podcasts in our sites. If you have any questions, comments or detailed inquiries, just send us an email.
Using remote audio recorders for the hosts allow improvements in the audio quality.
You may already know that in order to create a podcast, you'll need a few important pieces of hardware: good quality podcast headphones for monitoring your audio quality and levels, reliable podcast microphones for you and your guest/s, a podcast mixer that will allow you to record from multiple audio sources, an audio interface to convert sound signals into digital format, and a laptop that's speedy enough to handle heavy audio files for fast and convenient file transfers, editing, and storage.
Aside from those, you'll definitely need to have one main podcast software where you can perform all of the necessary digital functions in order to make your track sound as good as you want it to be. You can always record your audio elsewhere, but being able to record them directly into a software where you will be editing them helps save you a lot of time during post-production.
As for the 'right' software, the best will always be what you're most comfortable with using. It's important that you get to know each available recording software and see which one suits your needs best.
5 Best Podcast Recording Software
Below you'll find five of the most popular recording software programs that millions of podcasters are using to record, edit, and master their tracks in order to transform them into high-quality podcast episodes.
To help you choose, we've also included brief tutorial videos that show how you can use each software to record and edit your podcasts.
Free Podcast Recording Software Windows
Logic Pro
Compatibility: Mac
The Logic Pro is a common favorite among podcasters and music producers alike. It's a full-featured audio software with a fairly simple interface that displays all of the basic functions that you need right on the screen. Should you wish to upgrade and access its full suite of features, you can simply enable it by ticking the Advanced Tools check box in Settings.
This Apple audio software can be linked to the Logic Remote App for iPhone or iPad, and its files can be opened in GarageBand.
Overall, its beginner-friendly workspace and multiple advanced functionalities make it an ideal software choice for both newbies and experienced podcasters. The only catch is that it requires a one-time purchase of $200.
Podcast App For Windows 10
Adobe Audition
Compatibility: Windows & Mac
Adobe Audition CC has definitely come a long way since Adobe acquired it in 2003, back when it was the Cool Edit Pro on Windows. The current version is now fully capable of producing music and podcasts, as well as editing and mastering tracks with its many background noise reduction features, EQ, and more. Another notable feature is the batch processing function, which allows you to apply the same group of effects to separate files.
You can get this digital audio workstation for $20.99/month, but you can access it for free if you are already subscribed to the full Creative Cloud Suite. You'll find a lot of easy tutorials online, including this one below:
Audacity Recording Software
GarageBand
Compatibility: Mac
GarageBand has long been one of the most popular free music production software for Mac. Its user-friendly interface matches that of Logic Pro and is recommended for first-timers, although many experienced podcasters have stuck with GarageBand for its wide range of features.
With this digital audio workstation, you can easily create separate tracks for vocals and music—whether it be for your intros, outros, or even your ad spots—and modify and move them around as you wish. Aside from the basics, you can enable plug-ins like EQ, compression, and noise gates for each of your tracks. And if you're going to be podcasting, these are already more than enough.
Audacity
Compatibility: Windows & Mac
Like Adobe Audition, Audacity is a cross-platform (which means it works on multiple operating systems) audio editing software. And like GarageBand, it's completely free! What probably sets it apart is that there's a bit of a learning curve for it, but it remains to be a super popular podcast audio editor among beginner and professional podcasters and producers alike.
Audacity is equipped with useful and powerful features, such as Silence Finder, Truncate Silence, Sync-Lock, as well as saveable EQ and effects, multiple import and export options (including MP3, WAV, AIF), and other audio manipulation and organization functions. The software is also regularly updated, so you can enjoy its full suite of pro tools on any Mac or Windows computer.
Hindenburg Journalist
Compatibility: Windows & Mac
Hindenburg actually owns a family of audio production and editing programs, with the Journalist being their most recommended software for entry-level podcasters. For just $95, Hindenburg helps you put emphasis on your storytelling as you piece clips and interviews together to create a cohesive track.
Aside from offering basic recording and editing functions, it boasts of other powerful features such as the easy-to-use Noise Reduction effect, which automatically identifies persistent noise, hums, and hisses, and allows you to eliminate them by simply turning up the Noise Reduction dial.
Oh, and it conveniently integrates with a few podcast hosting providers.
For more guides on podcasting, you can check our tips on starting a podcast, from recording to post-production. Once you're done, you can proceed to get your podcast hosted and may want to submit it to iTunes for maximum exposure. Have fun!