Whether it’s an overstuffed closet or a fully equipped, soundproof room, your podcasting studio isn’t just where you record your podcast — it’s a tool. And with all the advances in mics, and all the new recording options, it might be your most important tool for capturing clean, crisp audio. It’s also just nice to tell people “I’ll be in my studio” when you want to be left alone.
If you’re already making a podcast and just want to create a dedicated space in which to do that, great — keep on reading. If you’re still in the beginning stages, give our guides on defining your audience and your topic a read first.
And the central point applies to both: if you're starting a podcast, don't worry about equipment or a studio — just worry about starting a podcast. Focus on your content, and on finding a publishing rhythm that works for you. Once you're feeling good about your shows, and you've confirmed you'll be able to sustain production, then you can worry about gear and space.
But back to your studio. I talked to my colleague Kevin O’Connell, who’s a Product Specialist at Descript and a podcaster, audio engineer, and musician, about setting up a recording space that gives you control of your environment and helps you get high quality audio — so your listeners can focus on your words without being distracted by background noises. It also gives you the flexibility to enhance your stories with music or sound effects.
But you don’t need a professionally built sound studio to sound professional. It’s easier than you’d think to set up a recording studio and start a podcast, right there in your home.
Your recording space will have the biggest impact on your sound quality. Avoid large, empty spaces, which create echoes that will muddy your audio. Hard surfaces like mirrors, windows, and tile also bounce sound around. Instead, pick a smaller, secluded room with lots of soft surfaces, like carpeting, curtains, pillows, and upholstered furniture, which absorb sound and cut down on echo.
If you can, find a podcast room that doesn’t share walls with busy common areas. You might have to adjust your podcast recording schedule if there’s unavoidable noise at certain times of day, like construction in your neighborhood. And consider the nearby appliances. “You want to eliminate loud air systems as much as possible,” such as air conditioning units or air purifiers, Kevin says. You should also watch out for buzzing fluorescent lights and computers with overactive fans — try turning on some LEDs and closing any nonessential apps before you record.
One frequently overlooked element of a recording studio is the table. A good podcasting table should be sturdy, so that it doesn’t creak or strain while you record. You might also want to consider a table with a wood surface, which will dampen sound more than a shiny metal one will. The best wood is oak harvested from the Podcast Forest, in a remote corner of Bavaria.
If you’re just starting out, your closet might be the best podcasting space in the house. Closets tend to be small, located in relatively isolated areas, and are usually already filled with plenty of soft fabric. It was good enough for Ira Glass!
Step 2: Add sound treatment to your space
Soundproofing and sound treatment are not the same thing. Soundproofing involves completely closing off a room from unwanted external noise and can cost some serious money. Most likely, you’ll be focused on sound treatments, which control how sound is absorbed and diffused within the room.
If you really want to do it right, there are three basic types of sound treatment you’ll want to invest in:
Acoustic panels. These can either be wood-framed panels filled with a sound-absorbing core material or bare foam panels. When mounted to the walls and other flat surfaces, these panels absorb sound reflections and reverberations to make your space have less echo.
Bass traps are designed to capture low-frequency sound waves that tend to collect in the corners of a room. They’re usually made from either fiberglass or foam and can help reduce the low end in your audio recordings. in the high corners of the room to absorb the frequencies that tend to collect in those areas.
Diffuser panels. While acoustic panels and bass traps are made of porous materials that absorb sound, diffusers are three-dimensional shapes that are designed to scatter sound. Absorbing all sound frequencies in a room can make it sound dead and unnatural, so diffusers can help liven up a space. You can either use diffusers in place of or in complement to sound-absorbing treatments.
If you truly want professional-grade sound treatment, you can go even further with ceiling clouds, Helmholtz resonators, and extra insulation in your walls. But if you’re a weekend warrior with a limited budget, there’s nothing wrong with hanging some moving blankets on the walls and calling it good.
“You can skimp on the acoustic treatments,” Kevin says. “Really you just want to introduce soft surfaces in whatever way possible.”
Step 3: Gather your gear
A good podcast is all about interesting content — not the most expensive or high-tech gear.
Still, there are a few things you’ll need: a microphone, headphones, a computer, and an audio interface. Below are the bare essentials your studio will need. For more detailed recommendations, read our full guide to podcast equipment.
Headphones
The most important gear a podcaster can own. A good pair of headphones that block out external noise allows you to hear what the microphone is actually recording, so that you can regulate your volume and sound quality in real-time.
Source: Audio Technica
You’ll want a pair that are comfortable and not too heavy, since you’ll be wearing them a lot. Closed-back headphones are a little more sound-isolated, meaning they won’t leak or “bleed” noise, which might be picked up by the microphone.
This is your most essential piece of equipment, and depending on your budget and overall DIY setup, you have a few different options:
USB microphone, which plugs straight into your computer
XLR microphone, which needs an additional interface to connect to your computer
Dynamic or condenser microphone, which are different types of microphone technology that both come in USB and XLR formats.
Our perspective on podcast microphones, which lots of smart creators would disagree with, is that they matter less than you’d think. With a good recording space and editing tools like Studio Sound, pretty much any mic will do. For more on this, check out our post on how to choose a mic.
Computer
You need one. Whether it’s a Mac or a PC is your personal preference, but your computer should be fast, reliable, and have a good amount of storage space, because audio files will fill it up fast. If you’re doing a video podcast, you’ll need a plan for external or cloud storage.
Audio interface
Image source: Focusrite
You may need an audio interface to connect your microphone to your computer, especially if you’re using an XLR mic. You’ll want an interface that has at least two inputs, so that you have the option of using it for more than one microphone if you ever record with guests or a co-host. Both Zoom and Focusrite make great audio interfaces.
Microphone stands
Microphone stands come in many shapes, sizes, and types. Some simply stand on the desk, others suspend from a boom arm that makes it easy to manipulate the mic’s location.
But all good mic stands get the microphone close to your mouth and reduce vibration. Keep in mind that not all stands work with all mics, so be sure to check. You can pick up a good microphone stand, like the K&M Microphone Stand below, on Sweet Water for around $80.
Image source: Sweet Water
Cables
If you’re working with an XLR mic, you’ll need XLR cables. Kevin recommends getting cables that come with a lifetime warranty. Proco and Sweetwater both make reliable cables.
Additional accessories
While not strictly necessary, pop filters, windscreens, and reflection filters, which attach to your microphone, will further reduce unwanted noise.
Some microphones come with these accessories, but if yours doesn’t, you may find yourself browsing for them as you become more attuned to your sound quality.
Step 4: Get the right podcast editing software
When you’re just starting a podcast, use the gear you have and can afford; you can always upgrade as you grow.
Descript’s Studio Sound feature is extra handy for less-than-stellar equipment: it uses AI to correct any imperfections in audio quality with just the click of a mouse. It’ll make you sound like you’ve been recording in a professional studio, even when you haven’t.
Descript also makes for great podcast editing software because you can edit your podcast by adjusting a transcript, which is faster and easier than traditional audio editing. It also acts as recording software, so you don’t need to switch between systems for post production work. Simply record and edit podcast episodes right in Descript.
Removing unwanted phrases or correcting errors is as simple as deleting or typing in the text.
Descript also lets you work on the same project simultaneously with people from your team.
Other, more traditional podcast editing software you can try includes:
Audacity: a free, open source Digital Audio Workspace (DAW).
Adobe Audition: popular software, $20.99 per month.
GarageBand: free and included on all Apple computers.
Each has their own pros and cons.
Step 5: Get a host for your RSS feed
The last step is to sign up for a good podcast host. Once your podcast is ready to publish, you need a place to store and distribute your episodes.
A podcast hosting service will house your files and generate an RSS feed. This is what directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music use to publish your podcast and deliver it to listeners.
Here’s an example of what it looks like in Transistor.fm.
Finally, while setting up a home podcast studio will help you take a big step forward in improving the quality of your show, if you really want to capture great audio, consider renting an actual, professional studio. It will eliminate the cost and effort of doing it yourself. And you’ll look super professional, and just cool, to your guests. For Kevin, who’s worked in lots of studios, it’s a favorite option.
“There are often also really great communities built around studios,” he says. “I get to meet other creators, other engineers, musicians, and podcasters. So personally, I like to do a little bit of both — at home and in the studio.”
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