Worried about how you will sound for your remote podcast interview? Don’t be! We’re going to give you some tips on how to sound your best!
Unlike in-studio interviews, remote podcast interviews can be a little tricky because most homes and offices are not set up as a professional recording studio. Lawn mowers, pets, and children are just a few examples of surprise interruptions that can happen. Even large, echoey rooms can distract listeners from the message you are trying to deliver.
So how can you sound your best? Here are a few tips that can help you:
Find A Quiet Space
Now, this might sound like a no-brainer. However, sometimes your room or office space might not be the best spot to do your interview from. If your room is large with a lot of flat, hard surfaces, you might sound pretty echoey on the recording.
Avoid spaces like your kitchen and try finding a room with a lot of soft areas like a bedroom. Rooms with soft areas help avoid room echo as blankets and padding help absorb the sound.
If you have a lot of people in your house, you might try recording from your vehicle. Vehicle interiors are great recording spaces as they are filled with sound deadening material. Just make sure not to have your car running while you record as the A/C and engine could make an unwanted appearance on the recording.
If you have a large house with high ceilings, an ideal spot would be a closet. The small space is great for recording because your clothes help absorb your voice and you can avoid room echo.
Wear Headphones
Wearing headphones in a must!
Why? Because if you’re listening to the interviewer through your computer speakers, there is a good chance it will come back on the recording through your microphone! We call this slapback. It’s very hard to remove in post-production and sometimes it’s impossible.
If you’re being interviewed on the phone, avoid using speaker phone. This can also cause slapback. Using speaker phone can also distort your voice from time to time. Although it might be a little more convenient, it won’t help you sound your best. So hold the phone or…
Use a Microphone
You don’t have to go out and buy the biggest and most expensive microphone to sound your best. You can use what you already have and still sound great!
If you have a Bluetooth microphone laying around, you can use that! If you’re being interviewed on the phone, you can use the regular phone mic or the wired earbuds that came with your phone.
We have also found that Apple’s AirPods have a great sound when recording interviews. It’s great option if you already own a pair.
If you don’t own any earbuds, AirPods, or a microphone, you can always use the internal computer microphone. However, this should be a worst case scenario as they are not always the best.
You don’t need a microphone if you’re being interviewed.
However, if you’re being interviewed often or thinking about starting your own podcast, it might not be a bad idea to pick one up. If you are looking to invest in a microphone for your computer, you can check out our picks.
Turn Off Your Notifications
Picture this: the interview is going great! You can’t believe how well you are doing. Then suddenly, someone sends you an e-mail and your Outlook notification goes off. You’re startled and completely lose track of what you were saying. Your Outlook notification has also made it on the recording!
At this point, you can re-state what you just said or maybe they can take it out in post-production. However, it’s hard to get your groove back after that kind of interruption. An easy fix is to silence the devices in the room you are recording in. If you’re not using your phone, we recommend turning it off. Leaving it on vibrate can cause noises that end up the recording.
Have Fun
Having fun is the most important part. One of the best things about podcasting is that it’s not live. If you mess up or have a surprise interruption, it can be fixed. Post-production can do wonders! But there are things you can do to sound your best.
Find a quiet place, wear your headphones/earbuds, and mute your notifications.
Your interviewer will appreciate it and so will their editor!