How to Edit a Podcast in Audacity [2020] 

It's on the list ;)

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@@Buzzsprout Y

You're welcome, Elshan! Glad to help.

We're glad you liked it!

Did you start?

Gracias!

Aww.. Thanks, Ralph! Appreciate your support! 😊

Glad it was helpful!

Happy to know it helps. Thanks for checking in!

Glad to know you find it helpful! Thank you for watching!

You're welcome!

@@Buzzsprout joke fiji hnk

Awesome! If you need more help, shoot us an email to support. We'll be happy to assist you. Thank you so much for watching the video, Thomas! 😊

We're planning a pretty exhaustive Audacity tutorial series here in the near future, we'll make sure to add that stuff to the list!

@@Buzzsprout thanks for the reply. I think the one thing that would take the least amount of your time, and give the most bang for the buck to at least podcasters, would be a fast workflow video. In other words, start from where you already have the raw audio, and show how you negate the background noise, mute other open channels and multitrack mode, and go from 0 to produced. I can't see it taking more than 30 minutes, and you don't have to explain how each individual feature that you are using works. Just to have someone watching and a topical explanation as you go is to what you're using and why is extremely powerful for those who have yet to see a complete workflow to judge hours against. For example, I think it's extremely engaging to have the actual process of getting out background/studio noise, "uhm"s, "you know"s, and sneezes removed. You don't have to explain too much, just say, "let's remove that ring ing cell phone", or something. Do you see what I mean? I suggest this workflow style video because not only does audacity have its own instructions, along with RU-vid videos, but you've also done videos like the above that explain in detail the various features. I'm not talking about duplicating all of that, but in real time, without cutting anything out, have someone watch over your shoulder as you go from the raw (multi-source, microphone) audio imported that was recorded in whichever multi-track format that audacity works in, and bringing that down to a mono podcast format.

Thanks for the appreciation, Joseph! Appreciate you on watching this video.

Appreciate the kind words, Dannielle! 😊 Did you settle with Auphonic? Saw your comment that you have subscribed to them. Happy to know you've found what works best for you.

@@Buzzsprout still need Audacity as well, tinny Zoom recorder!❤

Thanks for checking in, Mohan!

Glad to be of help! Thanks for the kind words and appreciation!

Happy to help! Thanks for watching Alex!

I'm glad you mentioned this, I'm also working on Windows in the 2022 version, and I'm pretty lost, I can't even find DirectSound, as you did!

You're welcome, Leah!

Indeed!

If you're already used to editing in Final Cut Pro, you can still use that software and export the project audio for your podcast (This is actually how we make the audio version of Podcasting Q&A, just with Premiere instead)

The project is the Audacity file, where you actually edit your podcast episodes. The export is your final audio file after you've finished your editing. That's the audio file you'll upload to your podcast host

Hi Joe! Zoom provides separate audio recordings that you can use to import in Audacity.

It ultimately depends on your voice and what sounds good to you. Try 3-5 different settings from a quick Google search to figure out what you like

Thanks for your quick response. I also struggled with reducing sound level of a particular part of the audio. I know you mentioned it in your video but not able to do it somehow.

thx bro

You're welcome, Danny! Thanks for tuning in!

That's not uncommon. It's notoriously difficult getting 2 USB mics to work on the same computer. You can either record on two separate laptops or switch to XLR microphones and invest in an audio interface

Make sure you pressed stop not pause.

😉

It's not a huge deal, but since a WAV file is uncompressed it gives us more information to work with when encoding your podcast episode. If you record in MP3, then export in MP3, then have it encoded in MP3, you can unknowingly introduce artifacts in your file as a result of compressing your audio file multiple times

@@Buzzsprout that's good to know. I assumed that if I supplied you with 96kbps mono MP3 that Buzzsprout wouldn't re-encode it again. But I guess your platform re-encodes everything (which makes sense). Interestingly, the Rodecaster Pro's "Buzzsprout" setting is programmed to output 128kbps in the Rode companion app.

Yes, definitely! 😊👍

When you're recording you don't want the audio coming out of the speakers because it will feed back into the microphone and create an echo effect. Totally fine to use your speakers when you're editing tho

@@Buzzsprout Great video, thank you so much! I don't have the option to select my microphone as an output source- it only says speakers or Microsoft Sound Mapper. any advice? Thanks!

Glad to know you find it helpful. Thanks for watching, Elaine!

1. Have the background music saved as a WAV or MP3 on your computer 2. Drag and drop the music into Audacity (it will create a new track) 3. Adjust the volume using the slider in the control pane (on the left) so the music isn't too loud We recommend AudioJungle.net if you just need one song and Soundstripe.com if you plan on using multiple tracks over the course of your podcast. Both are royalty free, so you don't have to worry about getting sued or having your podcast removed from podcast directories 😉

Record the Zoom call and use that as your syncing tool. Then mute or delete the Zoom tracks and keep the locally recorded audio for the final episode mix

I use Zoom, and I use multiple tracks for multiple people, then I edit in audacity. Works very good!

@@Buzzsprout Could you explain this a little more? I have Zoom set up to record the two speakers together and separately.

It won't affect the audio quality. You'll just want to have your headphones plugged in to your computer when recording rather than the back of the microphone.

Here's 7 places that you can get free music: www.buzzsprout.com/blog/free-music-for-podcasts

Hey Bharati! This might help you on amplifying your podcast: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-71zfAKnPzCc.html Regarding Auphonic, they offer 2 hours of free processed audio per month. Check out this tutorial for Auphonic: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-TcXcFhJQRZU.html

This was just an introduction, so we skipped some of the more advanced things like what you're doing. We actually have a written tutorial that includes some of the effects you're talking about: www.buzzsprout.com/learn/audacity-tutorial And I'm sure your students are going to appreciate all the work you're putting into improving the audio quality.

Hi, Anna! So happy you find this video helpful! Here's our How to Record Long-Distance Podcast Interviews [The Ultimate Guide] as our recommendation. 😊 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-poPNtONw_Kk.html

@@Buzzsprout Brilliant, looking forward to watching it. Thanks a mil

Hey Lucy! Shoot us an email at support@buzzsprout.com and we can look into this for you.

Recording multiple USB microphones into one single laptop is notoriously difficult. If you can, record each microphone into its own dedicated laptop and then bring those recordings into Audacity to edit together. Choose Mono for spoken word audio tracks

This blog post covers the best long-distance recording solutions: www.buzzsprout.com/blog/long-distance-podcast-recording

@@Buzzsprout thanks a lot

We're huge fans! Descript is a brilliant way to edit a podcast. We've met their team a few times at conferences and it sounds like they're going to continue making great improvements. We already have a Descript tutorial video in our queue!

Hey! Shoot us an email at support@buzzsprout.com and we can look into this for you!

The best way to adjust volume differences between speakers is to put each person's audio on a separate track and adjust their volume separately.

There certainly are. You're going to be looking for the Levelator function to level out your audio. Auphonic will also do this for you. Make sure to check out our Auphonic video to see how it works

You are most welcome, Jad! Thanks for checking in.

Maybe we're on different versions? We recorded this on the Mac version of Audacity. Are you on Windows?

Hi, check on the following links regarding remote podcast recordings to give you additional tips. Hope it helps. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-poPNtONw_Kk.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-x6jACfE3-Ss.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-HH37iHiXUhY.html

That's a great question! Instead of recording in Audacity, you'll want to use a long distance recording software like Squadcast or Zoom. Here's a quick video to get you started: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cRE3107ADc0.html

@@Buzzsprout Should I use a wave or mp3 from Squadcast to upload to Audacity for editing?

Hi Jad! There is an update with Audacity's time shift tool replaced with “clip handles” - a lighter band at the top of each clip that allows you to drag from left to right for easier navigation. I hope this helps. 😊

Yes

Yes you can. You may find it easier to just keep it recording and then edit out those breaks after you're done. That way you avoid accidentally messing something up in the middle of your recording

@@Buzzsprout ok great i will do that thank you very much

Unfortunately there isn't a direct correlation between dB level and loudness. Best practice is to use the "Loudness Normalization" effect and set that to -14 LUFS

I believe most hosts will allow you to upload a WAV file, but it wouldn't work in Apple Podcasts. At Buzzsprout, we'd prefer you upload a WAV to Buzzsprout and then we'll tag, encode, and optimize the file on our side before adding it to your RSS Feed.

@@Buzzsprout Okay thanks, this may seem like another rookie question, but how do I convert to an MP3 for iTunes, if I'm exporting from Audacity in WAV then Auphonic in WAV to Buzzsprout . I signed up with you, but do not see a tutorial about WAV to MP3

@@timetoshinetoday Just upload it to Buzzsprout as a WAV. We'll add the ID3 tags, automatically convert the file, and optimize it as an MP3. That way you get the best quality and it can work in any podcast directory.

@@Buzzsprout Okay nice! uploading my first three eps... Appreciate the quick responses!

Hi Jane! Can you shoot us an email at support@buzzsprout.com and we can look into this for you.

You want to find the command that says "Split Stereo to Mono." That will separate those two tracks they way you want

@@Buzzsprout But if i monitor is through my behringer it doesn't change :)

You may try Alt+Tab to show up other windows aside from the current window you are using. From there, your documents file window will appear, which you can drag and drop your selected audio to add.

@@Buzzsprout thank you!

Thanks!

Hi Ross! This might interest you instead. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fd3zc2xc7so.html

What are you trying to delete?

Auphonic is certainly not mandatory (in fact we just made it obsolete with our new Magic Mastering feature which you can read about here: www.buzzsprout.com/blog/magic-mastering)

@@Buzzsprout, wow that was fast. Thank you for being interactive

Unfortunately your current work around is the best way to capture audio using Discord and your current setup. An alternate solution would be to have each person record their audio locally (to their own Audacity project) and then send you the exported recording to edit in the final episode

@@Buzzsprout T_T sad times, if they each record their own source, it be easier to edit out but it be harder to align them together, not sure which one I wanna sacrifice XD Thanks anyways, really appreciate it

You are so welcome!

Hard to say, but you can check out our Audacity tutorial on how to reduce background noise and see if that helps: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gnEWfAEONTA.html

@@Buzzsprout I already applied Noise Reduction in Audacity to that same file (-4db)...so this is an enigma. Furthermore. I hear occasional "rattlesnake" sounds in the background of the Zoom file (even though there wasn't any during the recording), What can this be? A remnant of echo? Can you direct me where I can get these sound tech questions answered? I couldn't find anything on Google.

@@radjet Try more aggressive noise reduction (-10db). Audio mastering is more of an artform than a science, so it's just something you have to experiment with. Also try recording your intro sitting on your bed under your comforter. No joke, that's the best audio quality you'll ever get

@@Buzzsprout Never thought of the comforter...Great advice. Thanks!

@@Buzzsprout Do you know what may be causing the residual background "rattling" sound (or like an egg shaker) happening on occasion? This also happened when we did a remote recording the prior week using SQUADCAST, yet there was no background sound when we it was recorded. It happens during certain words.

Hi Grace, this tutorial also applies to Microsoft Windows. Check out our tutorials for audacity in this link below: bit.ly/BuzzsproutAudacityTutorials

We use Soundstripe for all of our royalty-free music

If you are trying to get a clip from your show and use it for social media distribution, an audiogram is a great fit for you! Here are our recommended tools and guidelines on How to Create a Podcast Audiogram: www.buzzsprout.com/blog/podcast-audiograms-tips Hope that helps!

@@Buzzsprout Thank you very much.

@@ParisianStreets You're welcome!

Hi there! You can use the Selection Tool to highlight and delete unwanted sounds, such as long pauses or coughs. Just follow the instructions in the video until you get the hang of it. In case you have other podcasting questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to email us at support@buzzsprout.com.

Hi, Timothy! You can try the following links below: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-0ofeTvh4Liw.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-P5WdjYHwxMQ.html www.buzzsprout.com/help/67-magic-mastering

Then you'll want to export your podcast as an MP3 which is a much smaller file. Here's how to do that in Audacity: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-P5WdjYHwxMQ.html (But you could also look into Anchor alternatives... like Buzzsprout.)

Only if you're using an XLR microphone. If you have a USB microphone that plugs directly into your computer then you don't need an audio interface

Here ya go: www.audacityteam.org/download/