One of the crucial essential traits of a profitable podcast is consistency. Maintaining with a publishing schedule is important for constructing followers who finally make it a routine to take heed to your present.
Sadly — and I do know this from expertise — touring can throw off your podcast recording schedule bigtime.
So what’s one of the best ways to unravel this downside?
Hit the document button whilst you’re touring! And never simply since you wish to sustain with that schedule, however as a result of a number of the greatest conversations you’ll ever have are whilst you’re on the street and in individual with folks.
These are golden alternatives typically wasted, however not anymore, as a result of I’m going to let you know every little thing it’s worthwhile to make it work, and make it straightforward.
[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 essential to assemble and pack the fitting gear to your on-the-go recording periods. Most often, you’re not going to deliver your regular, at-home podcast setup with you on the street.
With that mentioned, in case your regular setup features a comparatively small, all-in-one manufacturing console such because the Rodecaster Pro II, then that could be price packing together with a few microphones and an SD card to satisfy your wants.
Most often, nonetheless, a conveyable however highly effective recording setup is what you’ll be in search of. Listed below 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 consumer, a Rode SmartLav+ microphone setup can join on to your system. As a result of it’s small, you’ll be able to 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. In case you’re going to be doing an interview, make sure to get a twin cellular interface so you’ll be able to plug in two microphones to document concurrently.
This setup is restricted in post-edit functionality because it all information onto one monitor, however it’s the best and most versatile.
For a fast demo, watch this video that I recorded with my son a couple of years in the past:
Zoom H6N
The Zoom H6N is the final word moveable recorder that means that you can seize the most effective sound high quality whilst you’re out. There are built-in microphones (and ones you can swap out for various recording kinds), and 4 microphone inputs for various XLR or TRS cables, which is superior for group interviews.
This implies you’ll be able to have as much as 4 completely different folks, on 4 completely different microphones, recording into 4 completely different tracks on the similar time. As an alternative of utilizing your telephone to document, this system makes use of an SD card to document your recordsdata, and it’s straightforward to import again into a pc whenever you get dwelling or again to your resort room.
That is the system I usually use once I’m on the go. I deliver two microphones — such because the Samson Q2U — that join by way of XLR, hit document, and the present is on. Make sure to additionally deliver a few XLR cables as these are usually not normally included with USB-specific microphones which have XLR compatibility.
I don’t do any including of intro songs or voiceovers whereas recording on this system — that every one is available in post-edit. The benefit of use and handheld portability is superior. Additionally, I like the flexibility to see the tracks and the sound ranges from every microphone so I do know one isn’t too loud or too delicate.
Fast tip: don’t overlook your SD card! Belief me.
Headphones
Headphones are normally 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 probably in a crowded or trafficked space, it’s essential to have headphones to have the ability to monitor the sound.
Is it too loud? Too delicate? Is there an excessive amount of background noise? The one approach 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 dwelling studio, and in addition whereas I’m out and about.
They’re delicate, comfy, and sound superb. They aren’t noise canceling, however they do the job on the subject of monitoring your sound in an surroundings that you simply won’t be aware of or have lots of management over.
It’s as much as you if you wish to hold the headphones on whereas recording, however on the very least, take a look at your audio with headphones on earlier than you hit document. It could 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 received’t go too in-depth right here, however video podcasts have gotten so fashionable, it’s fairly commonplace to activate the digicam when conducting an interview on the go. The audio is already taken care of, which is sweet, however a pleasant shot with one digicam (or extra) can let you repurpose that chance — typically in an fascinating and visually interesting surroundings — onto a platform like YouTube, or maybe in a web-based course.
The most important concern for video is unquestionably lighting, and we don’t actually wish to deliver heavy responsibility lights with us, will we?
In case you’re going to be indoors, the most effective situation can be to arrange the interview house near a window with oblique mild and have the digicam pointing away from it. This may put a pleasant wash of sunshine on you and your interviewee.
In case you’re open air, someplace that has fixed shade is sweet. Nevertheless, the surroundings and climate could make it tough to maintain every little thing constant. However filming open air is fairly superior, so it could be definitely worth the sacrifice.
Lastly, so far as which digicam to make use of, use one that you simply’re aware of already, if attainable. A telephone may work, or a point-and-shoot digicam like a Sony ZV-1 with a tripod to screw it into (possibly even a SwitchPod).
Planning
When attainable, attempt to plan an interview or recording session forward of time. I can’t let you know what number of instances I’ve been to occasions the place a pal and I say we’re going to document “in some unspecified time in the future,” solely to have it by no means occur as a result of the time received away from us.
Right here’s a fast order of operations:
- In a great situation, join earlier than the journey or occasion occurs. Sure, you’ll be able to at all times meet new folks and plan a podcast session advert hoc, however for the sake of your time and calendar, planning forward is at all times greatest.
- Coordinate a time and place to satisfy. Scope out the areas accessible so that you can document which are as quiet and as echo-free as attainable. Make sure you may have permission to document 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 arrange for the subsequent presentation in that house.
- Get your interviewee’s contact info. This manner, if plans change or somebody is having hassle discovering the opposite individual, contact might be made and an answer might be discovered.
A few of my colleagues have gone as far as to hire an area for interviews. This may very well be a convention room, resort room, or devoted studio house on the facility that’s used all day only for this objective.
Michael Hyatt, one in every 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 an ideal use of his time.
Fast tip: deliver spare batteries or a battery financial institution! The very last thing you wish to have occur is run out of energy for the interview(s) you may have scheduled.
Fast tip #2: Typically environmental noise is definitely nice for a podcast; it provides a distinct 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 in an effort 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 essential to recollect who you’re recording for. Your podcast listeners will quickly hit play and have interaction (or disengage) with the dialog you’re having at that second. So, be within the second!
The explanation I say it’s because it may be very straightforward to grow to be distracted when recording in a distinct surroundings, particularly if it’s unfamiliar to you. So right here’s the trick:
Be curious, and benefit from the dialog.
I at all times begin my interview at dwelling, earlier than I hit document, by saying this to myself: “It’ll be like the 2 of us are at a espresso store, simply having a dialog.” You could have the chance to do exactly that!
(Though I’ve realized that espresso retailers are not really the most effective for interviews. The espresso maker is a standard nuisance that tends to dominate the dialog.)
One of the best factor about assembly and speaking with folks in individual is that there’s a stage of vitality that you simply simply can not get in an interview over the web. While 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’ll be able to have a unbelievable dialog, in real-time, and seize all of that nice vitality for them.
After the Interview
There are some gadgets to maintain after the dialog is over. Usually, I do my greatest to add recordsdata to Dropbox as quickly as I can, that means they’re secure and might’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 essential as a result of usually I’m recording the intros and outros to those episodes at dwelling; if I wait too lengthy, I’ll overlook all the nice stuff we chatted about.
Past the tech and the audio recordsdata, there’s another essential facet of podcasting whereas touring that I wish to depart you with.
It’s straightforward 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 individual! Actual relationships might 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 document button will get pressed. Preserve the dialog going when you’ll be able to, maybe throughout a espresso the subsequent morning, dinner in a while, or follow-up on-line later. Use this chance to nurture the connection you made — it’d develop into one thing superb!
