Podcasting Tools for the DIY Podcaster

One of the best things about the advancement of technology, is that you can create a podcast studio in a studio apartment for a fraction of the cost to rent a studio or build a professional set up. All you really need is a laptop or phone with recording capabilities and you can go to town!

Whenever I mention that I host a podcast or that I’m a podcast manager, it’s guaranteed that someone refers a friend or colleague my way to chat about how to get started. Inevitably, one of the first questions is about my set up:

Where do I rent studio space? (I don’t)
Do I have an isolation booth? (I don’t)
Do I have a permanent(ish) recording area? (I don’t)

People almost seem shocked when I tell them that I record my podcasts from my two bedroom apartment in the Valley and almost all guest interviews are hosted virtually.

I don’t have a fancy studio (nor can I afford one) and everything I’ve purchased to create my small, intimate, and portable home studio was purchased online for a fraction of the cost of a studio rental.

That makes podcasting way more accessible now, doesn’t it?

So while you can record your podcast straight from your phone and arrange it all in app (Anchor.fm actually lets you create an entire podcast in their app), there are a few tools I recommend for your podcast to sound professional. I chose each of these products based on their affordability, reputation and reviews, and portability. Living in a rented apartment with the potential to become a digital nomad in the next few months, it was important to me that my little home studio was entirely portable and able to make the journey abroad with me.

Here are the top tools I recommend to get started on your own portable, home podcasting studio:

Microphone + Case

A USB microphone is key to being able to travel light and get started recording right away. I have a Blue Yeti USB microphone and love it. I can plug it right into my laptop and start recording immediately!

Now, there are two Blue Yeti microphones that I would recommend. The first the standard Yeti, which I own and love. The price varies depending on the color and package you purchase, but I managed to get a great deal on mine during Prime Days about two years ago.

The second Blue Yeti I would recommend is the Blue YetiX. I haven’t used this one myself, but I did sneak a peak and play around with it at Blue’s NAMM show booth this year and let’s just say if I needed another mic this is the one I’d go for.

It’s an upgrade to the original Yeti with an LED level meter (so you can tell if your voice level is too high or low), a smart knob so you can make adjustments right away, and a more advanced condenser inside.

A microphone case is a new addition to my portable studio, and it’s probably one of the most important pieces to ensure my Yeti is safe from harm!

I remember the first time I traveled to visit my parents after I started podcasting. I packed my Yeti in a shopping bag with other odds and ends and shoved it in the back seat of the car. It was safe, but I realized then and there that if I ever wanted to travel with it again I had to invest in something to keep it safe and sound. As I prepare myself to travel and work, this case will come in handy!

Pop Filter

When I go back to early episodes of my podcasts, it almost hurts my ears to hear to sounds my “P's” and “B’s” make on the recordings, among other sounds. Now that I have a pop filter, the difference in not only what I see in the wave lengths on my editing software but in what I hear in the playback is astounding. Why did I go so long without a pop filter?

Pop filters come fairly cheap and often don’t need to be sized to your particular microphone (though I did search for “Blue Yeti Pop Filter” when I looked to buy one. Mine was cheap on Amazon and nicely clips to the back of my Yeti.

What is a pop filter? Well, it’s basically a screen that goes between you and your microphone and cuts out the popping sounds created by fast moving air on the microphone. Think about the shape your mouth makes and how air leaves your mouth when you say words with a “p” or “b.” Those tend to cause a “pop” on recordings and can impact the levels and sound your audience will hear. A pop filter minimizes those sounds and gives your recording a much cleaner and more professional sound.

Microphone Boom Arm + Shock Mount

Now, you don’t necessarily need a microphone arm. I don’t have one (yet) but the more I dive into recording podcasts from my bedroom, the more I think I might need one eventually.

Right now my microphone sits on my desk as I record, and with very little space on my desk I am guaranteed to bump it at some point during recording. A boom arm and shock mount will not only clear up space on my desk, but in the event I do bump the desk in some manner, it will reduce the vibrations to the microphone so there will be less sound interference.

It’s important to make sure you’re searching for a boom arm that can hold your microphone. The Blue Yeti is much heavier than other microphones, so if you have a Yeti, you’ll want an arm that can hold its weight. Some come with shock mounts and some come without, so if you can find a combo pack like this one below, then you’ll be good to go!

Isolation Shield

Recording a podcast in an apartment is tough, especially when your room is right by the parking lot AND the garbage bins, and also less than a mile from a municipal airport. It’s guaranteed that there’s some kind of background noise (unless I record late at night). Plus, recording from my bedroom means my room definitely isn’t set up with the appropriate sound proofing and acoustics.

Enter the isolation shield! This is a must have for anyone recording in a room with not so great acoustics. While it can’t prevent all background noise from entering your audio recording (I doubt it will prevent the sound of pounding feet from the kiddos above me) it does reduce a good amount of the sounds around my microphone. It, along with the pop filter, has helped me create a much more professional sounding podcast recording that I’m proud to share with my audiences.

Headphones

Last but not least, a good set of headphones can make all the difference when recording and editing in a noisy environment. I’ve been a fan of AKG headphones and absolutely love my AKG N700NC noise cancelling headphones (that even fold up into a neat little carrying case for travel) and don’t know how I survived with the basic Apple earbuds for as long as I did.