004: Create The Perfect Podcast Studio At Home
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Maybe you’re already recording from home and wondering how you can take your audio production and recording space to the next level, or maybe you are looking at getting started with an at-home studio in the first place.
If you want to create a professional show, but you’re worried the quality of your home won’t cut it, I have great news for you, friend! You don’t need to invest thousands of dollars into creating a professional podcast studio at home in order to build a successful podcast that people care about. The loyal listeners will come from the content first and foremost. You do, however, need to know the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to creating an at-home studio that will make you feel at ease while also meeting the minimum standards for audio quality.
I am here to share with you the life hacks (erm… podcast hacks? If your podcast is your life, they are one and the same, no?) Anyway, I am here to tell you my five steps for creating an at-home studio efficiently, cost-effectively, and professionally.
Your recording space can be a magical space — it is where your vision comes to life — where you connect with guests or share your message or educate your listeners. It is so important that it is not only set up to run without any technical glitches but that it is also, and perhaps more importantly, set up to inspire your creativity. At the end of the day, your fans care about a concept, host, and podcast they can connect with. Excellent audio is something that you should aim for, but perfection should not be what you strive for before you even begin creating.
If you were to fill your chosen room up with water, where would the water begin to leak out? Those are the same places where sound can get through.
But wait, there’s more!
Make sure to stick around until the end of the episode to hear my bonus tip on how to create a podcast that sounds like it was produced by NPR. We have exciting news for our podcaster pals that you don’t want to miss!
Okay, back to my at-home podcast studio checklist. I have researched and tested the dos and don’ts of your equipment, your setting and surroundings, and your simple audio-improving hacks. Without further audio - let’s dive in.
Step 1. Secure your equipment
The biggest investment you should make in your home studio is your microphone. Just because you have headphones with a built-in mic that you got for free with your phone doesn’t mean you should plug them into your laptop and call it a day. I remember sitting down to record a podcast episode a few years ago, right after moving to a new apartment, and discovering my microphone had been damaged. This was an important guest, so I decided to proceed with the interview using the free headphones with a cheap headphone mic. Folks, let me tell you that was not the move. I sounded like I called in from a tunnel under the city with a mouth full of jelly beans. The conversation was amazing, so my listeners forgave me, but I was incredibly aware of the contrast between that episode and others I had released.
A good quality microphone should be your first equipment purchase. Getting the right mic squared away is going to make sure everything else falls into place with the ease you deserve. And getting the right mic does not mean the most expensive one. There are two kinds of microphones - directional and condenser. I recommend a directional mic 99% of the time because a directional microphone will make up for a lot of imperfections in your space. It only picks up sound that is close to the microphone head, which means it will often ignore the car zipping by your window outside. Consider the fact that the better the audio quality is from the get-go, the less time you will need to spend trying to make it sound good in the post-production and editing.
There are different options for not only your best friend, the microphone, but also for your options for headphones, microphone stands, mixers, and noise-canceling products such as pop filters. You can choose your set-up based on your budget, your needs, your space, and your style of podcast — aka if you’re solo or interviewing guests or with a co-host. Our 2022 Podcast Equipment Guide breaks down all of your options based on these factors and takes the hard work out of it in making the right selection.
Step 2. Choose the right room
No matter what kind of space you are recording in, there are some simple steps that you can take to treat a room and reduce noise disruptions. But you can limit how much sound masking you have to do later on by being strategic about picking a good space right out of the gates. If you are recording in the kitchen, backyard, or bathroom, then you are just setting yourself up for failure with a poor foundation and making more work for yourself by constantly having to manage your background noise.
When I used to work in real estate and architecture, one of our acoustical engineers gave me a really helpful analogy for how to think about sound protection. He said if you were to fill your chosen room up with water, where would the water begin to leak out? It would start under the door and maybe the cracks around your windows. It would leak through your vents and your thin ceiling tiles. Those are the same places where sound can get through.
That’s why the ideal room has minimum points of entry and less space for sound to escape or enter — so basically, the cave of your home: no windows, tight sealing around the doors, preferably carpeted floor, a lower ceiling, and try to avoid being close to any buzzy or humming equipment like refrigerators, air conditioning, laundry machines or roommates. If you live in an old home with poorly sealed windows and doors like I do, you can grab some foam sticky tape at a home improvement store and line your windows and doors to create a tighter seal.
In the event that you don’t have that ideal space, you have to find the next best space in your home. Start with an interior room, if possible, or at the very least, choose the room with the fewest windows (ideally, with double or triple-pane glass). This is where you get to get creative and think - do you have a small interior bedroom, a storage room, closet, or pantry that you can set up a little recording space in? Pantry, really? Yes really. If you make it work, your audio will sound as crip as that bag of pretzels.
Step 3. Reduce the reverb
Once you’ve found that ideal space that has as few potential sound leaks as possible, you will want to reduce any echo in the room, which is also referred to as reverb.
If I may take you back to high school science class, we were taught that sound travels in waves. When you speak into your microphone, the sound wave travels away from your mouth and will either be absorbed by a soft surface, or it will hit a hard surface like a tabletop, hardwood floor, blank wall, or window, and then it will reverberate and travel back towards you and be picked up in your microphone. I am having visions of Mike TV being transported through the air in Charlie and The Chocolate Factory in all his little particles, if you need a visual.
The answer to avoiding this is fairly easy (not Mike’s fate he had that coming, but the reverb). It is kind of a delightful solution best described as bringing in the soft stuff. By using things you already have around the house like blankets, curtains, carpets, cushions, or clothing, you will reduce the surfaces that a rogue sound wave has the desire to bounce off of. You can absolutely get yourself some foam panels to line the walls and other hard surfaces, but you could also really go for it and be like Baby Spice by lining your bed with stuffed animals. If you’re like me, you already have way too many throw pillows in your home, so now it is your time to shine and put all those excessive home decor naysayers to shame.
One of my clients told me a great story about how she was interviewing a guest about coming out. For the interview, the guest climbed into a closet for the recording and was surrounded by fabulous colorful, glittery, animal print clothes. The sound quality was incredible, but the irony was also not lost on her. Closets and all, do what it takes to reduce that reverb. You might even be able to create something colorful and cozy in the process.
Step 4. Get comfy in your seat!
Speaking of getting cozy, when podcasting, you will be sitting for long periods of time. Not only should you pick furniture that keeps you feeling comfortable, but it should also keep you upright and alert. As much as listening to a podcast can sound like you’re listening in on a late-night phone call between two best friends lying in bed and twirling the spiral cord in their fingertips as they exchange their latest crushes — you actually need to be attentive and present for your listeners.
Some podcast interviews can last a really long time, so it is easy to get fatigued during a conversation, which will affect how the podcast sounds and the energy of the whole conversation. Your power for your voice comes from your diaphragm, which sits between your ribs and your stomach, and keeping that open with an upright posture is the trick to making sure your voice doesn’t tire out. A chair that you can be in for a long period but keeps your posture straight is likely already in your home. My go-to style of chair is an upholstered dining chair. They typically have great back support, are comfy on the bum, and you have a ton of variety to choose from to get the right look as well.
Step 5. Make it your own
With the practical things out of the way, the finishing touches are now ready to be applied! It is time to give your space a personal or even on-brand touch.
I have never understood why most commercial podcast studios feel so dark and devoid of joy. Customization is a major benefit to recording in your own home. Maybe your creative space will feel more inspiring with art, candles, and fresh flowers around your studio. Maybe you want to grab an “on-air” sign or a “recording” neon light. Maybe you want to hang posters or news clippings or quotes that apply to the theme of your podcast.
This is your space, it is where you come to talk about your passions with your biggest fans every week. Customize it and make it your own. If you have been recording for a while and feel uninspired, redecorating or revamping the look will get you excited to record again.
✦ Now for that exciting bonus news!
As mentioned, I also have something special to share — if you are following us on Instagram, you may have already seen some cute content about it already.
If you are in Los Angeles and don’t want to record at home, you can now come and record in our brand new and incredibly gorgeous podcast studio!
Our new space is stylish, professional, Instagram-worthy, and made just for female podcasters! You will love the look, feel, comfort, and vibe of our new space - I know I do. And I can’t wait for you all to check it out! Listeners of the pod can get 15% off their first session by using the code likeagirl15 when booking time on our website. If you’re not in LA, I’m sorry. This isn’t much of a bonus for you, but I hope you will stop by and visit if you are even in the city.
UPDATE: OUR PODCAST STUDIO IN LA IS CLOSED AS OF AUGUST 2022.
✦ Okay, here are your takeaways
from today’s episode on how to create an at-home podcast studio that has both form and function:
A directional microphone will save you so much heartache and is the most important part of setting up shop
Remember to find those leaky spots in the room and seal them up or relocate
Cushion the space, get cozy and reduce that reverb
Find a comfortable but upright seat like an upholstered dining chair so you can maintain your energy
Make your space your own by adding things that are visually inspiring
Lastly, If you don’t have the space to DIY, then come and record with us at our brand new studio in central los angeles!
Ultimately, it is totally possible to create an effective and wallet-friendly, at-home podcast studio. With a little bit of time and some money, you can create a space that will serve your podcast for years and years of successful episodes. I hope you picked up the fact that these tips are for creating a space that doesn’t just function but also means something to you. Feeling comfortable and excited to record will keep you coming back to the mic week after week, month after month, and year after year.
Computer-Generated Transcript with Time Stamps
[00:00:00] Thinking of starting a podcast from home or taking your existing show from a recording studio to the comfort of your own living room, home office, or that room in your house. That's just been used as storage for the cat carrier and the yoga mat. I've got your home studio set up covered in this very episode. Stay tune.
[00:00:22] Hey, my name is Lauren Popish and I'm obsessed with podcasting. A little meta, right. I started podcasting after a public speaking event gone wrong sparked a phobia of public speaking that almost ended my corporate career. Now, I help women use podcasting to share their ideas, grow their businesses, start movements, and leave their unique marks on the world.
[00:00:59] My company, [00:01:00] the wave produces shows for some of the most influential women in health, business, spirituality, beauty, and more. And in this show, I'm taking all of the strategies I've used to help my clients top the podcast charts, and I'm bringing them to you. If you're hoping to start grow. Or monetize a podcast you're in the right place. This is Podcast Like a Girl
[00:01:29] Maybe you're already recording from home and wondering how you can take your audio production and recording space to the next level. Or maybe you're looking at getting started with an at home studio in the first place. If you want to create a professional show, but you're worried the quality of your home.
[00:01:47] Won't cut it. I have great news for you friend. You don't need to invest thousands of dollars into creating a professional podcast studio at home in order to build a successful podcast that people care [00:02:00] about. The loyal listeners will come from the content first and foremost, you do however need to know the biggest bang for your buck.
[00:02:08] When it comes to creating an at home studio that will make you feel at ease while also meeting the minimum standards for audio quality. I am here to share with you those life hacks or podcast hacks. If your podcast is your life, then that's kind of one and the same. Anyway, I'm here to tell you my five steps for creating an at home studio efficiently.
[00:02:34] Cost effectively and professionally your recording space can be a magical one. It's where your vision comes to life, where you connect with guests to share your message or educate your listeners. It is so important that you set it up to run without any technical glitches, but also that it is. And perhaps most importantly, set up to inspire your creativity.
[00:02:58] At the end of the day, your [00:03:00] fans care about a concept. Host and a podcast that they can connect with. Excellent. Audio is something you should aim for, but perfection, isn't what we're striving for here, especially before you've even begun creating. But wait, there is more, make sure you stick around until the end of this episode, to hear my bonus tip on how to make a podcast.
[00:03:23] That sounds like it was produced by NPR. We have some exciting news for our podcaster pals that you don't want to miss. Okay. Back to my at home studio checklist, I have research and tested the dos and don'ts of your equipment, your setting and surroundings, and your simple audio, improving hacks. Without further ado, let's dive in.
[00:03:45] Step number one, secure your equipment. The biggest investment you should make in your home studio is your microphone. Just because you have headphones with a built in mic that you got for free with your iPhone doesn't mean you should plug them [00:04:00] into your laptop and call it a day. I remember sitting down to record an episode a few years back, right after moving into a new apartment.
[00:04:09] I discovered that my microphone had been damaged in the move. So I picked up those headphones, those apple iPod, iPhone free headphones with the mic attached and decided to do my interview. That way, folks, let me tell you, this was not the move I sounded like I was calling in from a tunnel under the city with a mouthful of jelly beans.
[00:04:32] The conversation with my guest was amazing. So my listeners forgave me, but I was incredibly aware of the contrast between that episode and others I had released in the past. So a good quality mic should be your first equipment purchase. Getting the right mic squared away is going to make sure.
[00:04:51] Everything else falls into place with the ease that you deserve and getting the right mic does not mean getting the most [00:05:00] expensive one. There are two kinds of microphones out there, directional and condenser. I recommend a directional mic. 99% of the time to my clients because a directional microphone will make up for a lot of the imperfections in your space.
[00:05:14] It only picks up the sound that is close to your microphone head, which means it'll ignore that car. That's sipping by your window outside. Consider the fact that the better audio quality you have from the get, go with the help of your microphone, the less time you'll need to spend making your podcast sound good in editing.
[00:05:34] It'll save you time later on, there are many different options for not only your best friend, the microphone, but also for your headphones. Your mic stands, mixers and noise, canceling products like pop filters. You can choose your setup based on your budget, your needs, your space, your style of podcasts, AKA.
[00:05:54] If you're solo or interviewing guests, or have a co-host our [00:06:00] 2022 podcast equipment guide breaks. All of your options based on these factors and takes the hard work out of making the right selection. So check it out in the show notes of this episode. Step number two, choose the right room. No matter what kind of space you're record in, there are some simple steps that you can take to treat a room and reduce noise disruptions, but you can limit how much sound masking you have to do later on by being strategic about picking a good space.
[00:06:30] Right out of the gates. If you're recording in the kitchen, the backyard, your bathroom, then you're just setting yourself up to fail with a poor foundation and making more work for yourself by constantly having to manage your background sound. When I used to work in real estate and architecture, one of our acoustical engineers gave me a really helpful analogy to use, to think about sound protection.
[00:06:54] He said that if you fill up the room, That you're considering for your podcast studio. If you [00:07:00] filled it up with water all the way to the top, where would the water begin to leak out? It would probably start under your door, maybe the cracks in your windows. It would leak through your vents and through your thin ceiling tiles.
[00:07:13] Those are the same places. Where sound can get through. And that's why the ideal room has a minimum number of entry points and less space for sound to escape or enter. So basically it's the cave of your home? No windows tightly sealed around the doors. Preferably carpeted. Floor a lower ceiling and try to avoid being close to any buzzy or humming equipment like refrigerators, air conditioning, laundry machines, or roommates.
[00:07:44] If you live in an old home with poorly sealed windows and doors, like I do, you can grab some foam sticky tape at a home improvement store and line your windows and doors to create an even tighter seal. In the event that you don't have the ideal space, [00:08:00] you have to find the next best thing in your home.
[00:08:02] Start with an interior room if possible, or at the very least try to find a room with the fewest windows possible. And ideally those windows would have triple or S. Double pan glass. This is where you can get creative and think, do I have a small interior bedroom? Do I have a storage room or a closet or a pantry that you could set a little recording space up in?
[00:08:26] You might be thinking pantry. Really? Yes, really. If you can make it work, your audio will sound as crisp as the bag of pretzels.
[00:08:38] Hey! I hope you're enjoying this episode. I'm taking a quick break to remind you to subscribe to Podcast Like a Girl. I know, I know when will podcasters stop asking that. Subscribing means that you get the latest episode delivered directly to the top of your apple podcast app, [00:09:00] but more importantly, it actually just helps me prove that I'm legitimate and reach more listeners. If you've found any value in this episode so far, please consider picking up your phone, opening apple podcasts, going to the Podcast Like a Girl main page and clicking the plus sign in the upper right to follow our show. Thank you very much in advance and now back to the episode.
[00:09:27] Step number three, reduce the reverb. Once you've found that ideal space that has as few potential sound lakes as possible. You want to reduce any echo in the room, which is also referred to as reverb. If I may take you back to high school science class, we were taught that sound travels in waves. When you speak into your microphone, the sound wave travels away from your mouth and will either be absorbed by a soft surface or it'll hit a hard surface, like a tabletop or a wood floor or a [00:10:00] blank window, and it will reverberate and travel back towards you.
[00:10:04] And be picked up by your microphone. I'm having these visions of Mike TV being transported through the air in Charlie, in the chocolate factory, in his little particles. If you need a visual, the answer to avoiding this is fairly easy, not in the case of Mike TV. He definitely had it coming. It's a delightful solution best described as bringing in the soft stuff by using things you already have around your house.
[00:10:30] Like blankets, curtains, carpets, rugs, cushions, or clothing, you can reduce the surfaces that a rogue sound wave has. The desire to bounce off of, you can absolutely get yourself some of those foam panels that you might have seen to line the walls and other hard surfaces, but you could also just really go for it and be like baby spice by lining your bed with stuffed animals.
[00:10:53] If you're like me, you already have way too many throw pillows around your home. So now is your time to [00:11:00] shine and put all those excessive home decor naysayers to shame. One of my clients told me a great story about how she was interviewing a guest about coming out for the interview. The guest climbed into a closet for the recording and was surrounded by fabulous, colorful glittery animal print clothes.
[00:11:19] The sound quality was amazing, but the irony was also not lost on her closets and all do what it takes to reduce that reverb. You might even be able to create something colorful and cozy in the process. Step number four, get comfy in your seat. Speaking of getting cozy, when podcasting you'll be sitting for long periods of time, not only should you pick furniture that keeps you feeling comfortable, but it should also keep you upright and alert.
[00:11:50] As much as listening to a podcast can sound like you're listening in on a late night call between best friends who are lying in bed and twirling, the spiral cord in their [00:12:00] fingertips. You actually do need to be attentive and present for your listeners. Some podcast interviews can last a really long time.
[00:12:08] So it's. Easy to get fatigued during a conversation, which will obviously affect how the podcast sounds and the energy of the entire conversation, your power for your voice comes from your diaphragm, which sits just between your ribs and your stomach. And keeping that open with an upright posture is the trick to making sure that your.
[00:12:28] Doesn't tire out a chair that you can be in for a long period of time, but keeps your posture straight is likely already somewhere in your home. My go-to style of chair is an upholstered dining chair. They typically have great back support are comfortable on the bum and you have tons of variety to choose from when it comes to getting the right.
[00:12:50] Step number five, make it your own with the practical things out of the way, the finishing touches are now ready to be applied. It's time to give [00:13:00] your space a personal or even on brand feel. I have never understood why most commercial podcast studios feel so dark and devoid of joy. Customization is a major benefit to recording in your own home.
[00:13:14] Maybe her creative space will feel more inspiring with art and candles, maybe fresh flowers around your studio. Maybe you wanna grab an on air sign or recording neon light. Maybe you wanna hang posters or news clippings or quotes that apply to the theme of your podcast. This is your space. It's where you come to talk about your passions with your biggest fans every week, customize it and make it your own.
[00:13:41] If you've been recording for a while and feel uninspired, redecorating, or revamping the look of your studio may get you excited to record again. And now for that exciting bonus news. As mentioned, I have a little something special to share. If you're following us on Instagram, you [00:14:00] may have already seen some cute content about it already.
[00:14:03] If you're in Los Angeles and don't wanna record at home, you can now come and record in our brand new and incredibly gorgeous podcast studio. Our new space is stylish, professional, Instagram worthy and made just for female podcasters. You will love the look, feel comfort and vibes of the space. I know I do.
[00:14:24] And I can't wait for you all to check it out. Listeners of the pod can get 15% off their first session by using the code. Like a girl 15, all one word when booking time on our website. If you're not in LA, I'm sorry, this isn't much of a bonus for you, but I hope you'll stop by and visit the studio if you're ever in the city.
[00:14:45] Okay. Here are your takeaways from today's episode on how to create an at home podcast studio that has both. And function first, a directional microphone will save you so much heartache and is the most important part of setting [00:15:00] up shop. Remember to find those leaky spots in the room and seal them up or relocate cushion the space, get cozy and reduce that reverb.
[00:15:10] Find a comfortable, but upright seat, like an upholstered dining chair. So you can maintain your energy. Make your space, your own by adding things that are visually inspiring. And lastly, if you don't have your own space to DIY, then come and record with us at our brand new studio in central Los Angeles.
[00:15:28] Ultimately it's totally possible to create an effective and wallet friendly at home podcast studio with a bit of time and some money. You can create a space that will serve your podcast for years and years of successful episodes. I hope you picked up on the fact that these tips are for creating a space that doesn't just function, but also mean something to you, feeling comfortable and excited to record will keep you coming back to the mic week after week, month after month and year after year.[00:16:00]
[00:16:02] That's all for today, pod broads. Thanks for listening, keep podcasting, and enjoy the ride.
[00:16:12] I know just how many podcasts you could have been listening to, which is why I'm so grateful you decided to spend the last 20 minutes with me. Speaking of time. If you're a podcaster and you've ever wondered what else you could be doing with your week if you didn't have to edit, write show notes and create marketing materials for every podcast episode, then let the lady pros at the wave treat you to some me time.
[00:16:37] Get 15% off your first month of a production package by going to thewavepodcasting.com/podcast-editing-services and enter podcastlikeagirl all one word lower case at checkout. Now the only question is which podcast you're gonna spend all your new found time binging. See you [00:17:00] back next week.
