This is probably one of the most commented and asked questions in the internet around podcaster newbies: “I’ve just started my podcast and the microphone that I bought doesn’t make me sound professional! How much should I spend to achieve that?”

Well my friend, LET ME STOP YOU RIGHT THERE.

You say you just started in podcasting and you want to spend $300 in a microphone, plus $200 on an audio interface to sound professional? How about we first assess what are the things that are stopping you from sounding professional?

As a podcast producer, I spend my days explaining to people how to set up their microphones and home studio the correct way. You’d be amazed at the really simple tweaks you can do in your home to improve your audio quality!

And what’s best? All of these will cost you $0.

Alright, are you ready?

It all starts here: you aren’t being strategic about your podcast recording location and you’re likely to be using your equipment incorrectly.

1. You’re not using your external microphone and headphones:

• Make sure your computer didn’t default into your built-in mic. It takes two seconds to double-check it before a recording, versus having to re-record your episode all over again!

• Wearing headphones will help you identify any issues with the audio DURING the recording stage, and adjust accordingly.

2. You’re sitting incorrectly. How do you fix this- match your microphone’s height to yours, not the other way around:

• Sit up straight and pull the microphone closer to you.

• Make sure you’re not straining your vocal cords or breathing unnaturally.

• Be a fist away from the microphone.

• Add a microphone foam or windshield to to reduce or eliminate popping sounds caused by the impact of fast-moving air onto the microphone 

3. The microphone is set too far away from you:

• Your microphone should be at mouth level. Adjust your mic stand accordingly.

• Don’t have a mic stand? A stack of books, or a box will do just fine.

4. You're talking to the wrong side of the microphone

• Forget about stock photos: the best place to fix this issue is to read the user’s manual. The manual will tell you where your microphone picks the audio from.

• You can rotate your microphone while talking to assess where the clearest audio is coming from - that’s the best way to know if you aren’t certain.

5. You’re using the wrong microphone setting:

• Did you know that your Yeti/ Snowball microphone isn’t just plug and play? You could be recording with the wrong setting!

• Make sure that whatever microphone you’re using, you’re recording on the ‘cardioid’ mode for a single person.

• The directional/omnidirectional or figure 8 setting should be used exclusively when you only have a single microphone to record two people in a single room or you’re recording music vocals.

As an extra tip, make sure that you aren’t recording in the middle of a room with a big ceiling and no soundproofing equipment:

• Be strategic about where you record, look around you and pick a location where the audio won’t be bouncing around. Recording toward a closet is a technique used by multiple podcasters or NPR journalists when recording outside of their home.

• You can purchase a voice shield or portable recording booth for under $100.

• You make your own a recording booth for under $20, by following this article we’ve put together.

Additional resources to look watch:

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