In Episode 33 of Podcasters’ Emporium we tackle audio: explaining the terms and showing you the techniques to improve your podcast quality.  We lead you to the shortcuts and navigate you around the pitfalls of audio editing as we unravel truly making your podcast sound better.

You may like to listen to Podcasters’ Emporium 11 called Using Gain To Your Advantage prior to taking this crash course in Audio Editing.

Here’s what we talked about in today’s show:

• Sound is measured in Decibels
  • 0dB is your ‘ceiling’, because it is the highest power without distortion
  • Once sound is distorted you cannot retrieve it
  • Important to set levels so that your sound remains under 0dB to avoid distortion.
• Levels is the amount of power that you deliver to your mixer and recording.
  • Set your levels so that it will give you enough ‘headroom’ to accommodate laughing or a raised voice.
  • Set your levels and work on an appropriate mic technique.
• Noise floor – is the the sum of all noises and unwanted signals
  • You can influence the level of noise in your noise floor by reducing your gain (mic sensitivity) on your mixer
  • For best results choose a lower gain and get closer to your mic
  • Listen to Podcasters’ Emporium 10 – Using Gain to your Advantage
• Peak values/Amplitude is the highest level that you can achieve without distortion

And in post production:

• Normalisation gives the recording a smooth peak volume
  • It means your listeners don’t have to turn the volume up and down
  • Normalisation does not affect noise that’s quieter than your peak
  • Think of it like a ‘brick’ on your audio
• Compression or Dynamic Range Compression reduces the range of an audio signal so that it narrows the difference between high and low audio levels
  • compression makes your ‘highs’ lower, and ‘lifts’ your lows
  • think of compression like ‘a vice’ that squashes your audio so that all the volumes come up to a similar sounding level
  • avoid use of heavy compression on music so the music doesn’t sound dull and lifeless
• Amplify increases the apparent loudness of your audio
  • should be used sparingly
  • should not be required at all if other levels are set correctly
• Silence is the lack of audible sound on a track
  • there is never a reason to use silence in podcast post production that we can think of
  • if you are tempted to use silence, then try copying and pasting some of your noise floor instead
• Noise removal
  • not good for removing much except for hum and hiss
  • if you have too much noise floor or ambient noise in your track, remove it in your recording by adjusting gain, levels and improving your microphone technique
  • you may also need to treat your recording place.
• Send us your examples… We want to hear short examples of your problem audio, and let us have a go at treating the problems.  Get your audio diagnosed, no matter how big or small the problem.  Use the email contact details below to send us your audio file.

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