Some of the necessary traits of a profitable podcast is consistency. Maintaining with a publishing schedule is significant for constructing followers who finally make it a routine to hearken to your present.
Sadly — and I do know this from expertise — touring can throw off your podcast recording schedule bigtime.
So what’s the easiest way to resolve this drawback?
Hit the file button when you’re touring! And never simply since you need to sustain with that schedule, however as a result of a number of the greatest conversations you’ll ever have are when you’re on the street and in particular person with folks.
These are golden alternatives typically wasted, however not anymore, as a result of I’m going to inform you all the things it is advisable to make it work, and make it simple.
[Full Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. As an affiliate, I receive compensation if you purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. You can read my complete disclosure statement here.]
Tools
Earlier than you head out, it’s necessary to collect and pack the precise gear on your on-the-go recording periods. Typically, you’re not going to deliver your regular, at-home podcast setup with you on the street.
With that stated, in case your regular setup features a comparatively small, all-in-one manufacturing console such because the Rodecaster Pro II, then which may be value packing together with a few microphones and an SD card to fulfill your wants.
Typically, nonetheless, a transportable however highly effective recording setup is what you’ll be on the lookout for. Listed here are some choices:
Rode SmartLav+ with Cell Interface
The smallest and least expensive possibility combines a wired lavalier microphone and an interface to a tool you seemingly have already got entry to: your cell phone.
Whether or not you’re an iPhone or Android person, a Rode SmartLav+ microphone setup can join on to your machine. As a result of it’s small, you possibly can even connect it to a t-shirt or shirt and it’s fully out of the best way.
I take advantage of this setup whereas on the go for each solo episodes and interviews. Should you’re going to be doing an interview, remember to get a twin cell interface so you possibly can plug in two microphones to file concurrently.
This setup is proscribed in post-edit functionality because it all information onto one observe, but it surely’s the simplest and most versatile.
For a fast demo, watch this video that I recorded with my son a number of years in the past:
Zoom H6N
The Zoom H6N is the final word moveable recorder that lets you seize the perfect sound high quality when you’re out. There are built-in microphones (and ones that you would be able to swap out for various recording types), and 4 microphone inputs for various XLR or TRS cables, which is superior for group interviews.
This implies you possibly can have as much as 4 totally different folks, on 4 totally different microphones, recording into 4 totally different tracks on the identical time. As an alternative of utilizing your cellphone to file, this machine makes use of an SD card to file your recordsdata, and it’s simple to import again into a pc whenever you get house or again to your resort room.
That is the machine I usually use after I’m on the go. I deliver two microphones — such because the Samson Q2U — that join through XLR, hit file, and the present is on. Make sure you additionally deliver a few XLR cables as these usually are not often included with USB-specific microphones which have XLR compatibility.
I don’t do any including of intro songs or voiceovers whereas recording on this machine — that every one is available in post-edit. The convenience of use and handheld portability is superior. Additionally, I really like the power to see the tracks and the sound ranges from every microphone so I do know one isn’t too loud or too mushy.
Fast tip: don’t neglect your SD card! Belief me.
Headphones
Headphones are often missed on the subject of recording on the go, however as a result of you’ll seemingly not be in a sound sales space or studio, and doubtlessly in a crowded or trafficked space, it’s necessary to have headphones to have the ability to monitor the sound.
Is it too loud? Too mushy? Is there an excessive amount of background noise? The one method to actually know is by listening to the audio because it’s coming in.
My absolute favourite are the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro studio headphones. I take advantage of these in my house studio, and in addition whereas I’m out and about.
They’re mushy, snug, and sound wonderful. They aren’t noise canceling, however they do the job on the subject of monitoring your sound in an surroundings that you just may not be acquainted with or have loads of management over.
It’s as much as you if you wish to maintain the headphones on whereas recording, however on the very least, take a look at your audio with headphones on earlier than you hit file. It will be a disgrace to have poor audio high quality in your podcast when it may have been averted with one fast take a look at.
Video Digicam
I gained’t go too in-depth right here, however video podcasts have gotten so well-liked, it’s fairly commonplace to activate the digicam when conducting an interview on the go. The audio is already taken care of, which is good, however a pleasant shot with one digicam (or extra) can can help you repurpose that chance — typically in an fascinating and visually interesting surroundings — onto a platform like YouTube, or maybe in an internet course.
The largest concern for video is certainly lighting, and we don’t actually need to deliver heavy obligation lights with us, can we?
Should you’re going to be indoors, the perfect state of affairs can be to arrange the interview house near a window with oblique gentle and have the digicam pointing away from it. It will put a pleasant wash of sunshine on you and your interviewee.
Should you’re outside, someplace that has fixed shade is good. Nonetheless, the surroundings and climate could make it tough to maintain all the things constant. However filming outside is fairly superior, so it could be well worth the sacrifice.
Lastly, so far as which digicam to make use of, use one that you just’re acquainted with already, if attainable. A cellphone may work, or a point-and-shoot digicam like a Sony ZV-1 with a tripod to screw it into (perhaps even a SwitchPod).
Planning
When attainable, attempt to plan an interview or recording session forward of time. I can’t inform you what number of instances I’ve been to occasions the place a good friend and I say we’re going to file “in some unspecified time in the future,” solely to have it by no means occur as a result of the time obtained away from us.
Right here’s a fast order of operations:
- In a great state of affairs, join earlier than the journey or occasion occurs. Sure, you possibly can all the time meet new folks and plan a podcast session advert hoc, however for the sake of your time and calendar, planning forward is all the time greatest.
- Coordinate a time and place to fulfill. Scope out the areas accessible so that you can file which are as quiet and as echo-free as attainable. Make sure you might have permission to file in these areas if they’re in occasion areas. I as soon as discovered an empty breakout room at an occasion, which was nice, till a crowd of individuals got here in mid-interview to organize for the subsequent presentation in that house.
- Get your interviewee’s contact data. This manner, if plans change or somebody is having bother discovering the opposite particular person, contact could be made and an answer could be discovered.
A few of my colleagues have gone as far as to hire an area for interviews. This could possibly be a convention room, resort room, or devoted studio house on the facility that’s used all day only for this function.
Michael Hyatt, considered one of my mentors, as soon as interviewed a dozen folks, one after one other, in a single resort room. It took all day, however afterward, he had 12 interviews filmed and recorded for later use. It was a fantastic use of his time.
Fast tip: deliver spare batteries or a battery financial institution! The very last thing you need to have occur is run out of energy for the interview(s) you might have scheduled.
Fast tip #2: Generally environmental noise is definitely nice for a podcast; it provides a special taste and really feel to the listening expertise. If you’ll be able to seize the sound of the house you’re in earlier than your scheduled periods, make a take a look at recording first to be able to decide whether or not or not it’s going to work.
Recording the Dialog
Whether or not it’s a single recorded dialog or a dozen interviews in a single day like Michael Hyatt, it’s necessary to recollect who you’re recording for. Your podcast listeners will quickly hit play and interact (or disengage) with the dialog you’re having at that second. So, be within the second!
The rationale I say it’s because it may be very simple to grow to be distracted when recording in a special surroundings, particularly if it’s unfamiliar to you. So right here’s the trick:
Be curious, and benefit from the dialog.
I all the time begin my interview at house, earlier than I hit file, by saying this to myself: “It’ll be like the 2 of us are at a espresso store, simply having a dialog.” You’ve got the chance to do exactly that!
(Though I’ve realized that espresso retailers are not really the perfect for interviews. The espresso maker is a standard nuisance that tends to dominate the dialog.)
The very best factor about assembly and speaking with folks in particular person is that there’s a degree of vitality that you just simply can not get in an interview over the web. Whenever you’re within the second, the viewers will really feel like they’re there with you. Now, with a microphone in hand (or hooked up to a shirt) you possibly can have a unbelievable dialog, in real-time, and seize all of that nice vitality for them.
After the Interview
There are some gadgets to deal with after the dialog is over. Sometimes, I do my greatest to add recordsdata to Dropbox as quickly as I can, that manner they’re secure and may’t be stolen or misplaced.
Second, I additionally take notes from the interview itself (or dictate them) so I can bear in mind the highlights. That is necessary as a result of usually I’m recording the intros and outros to those episodes at house; if I wait too lengthy, I’ll neglect all the nice stuff we chatted about.
Past the tech and the audio recordsdata, there’s yet another necessary facet of podcasting whereas touring that I need to go away you with.
It’s simple to complete an interview, say your goodbyes, and transfer on. However right here’s the factor: you simply sat and had an in-depth dialog with somebody in particular person! Actual relationships could be constructed from that, particularly for individuals who you’ve by no means actually met earlier than.
So don’t finish the dialog when the file button will get pressed. Maintain the dialog going when you possibly can, maybe throughout a espresso the subsequent morning, dinner afterward, or follow-up on-line later. Use this chance to nurture the connection you made — it would develop into one thing wonderful!
