One of the crucial necessary traits of a profitable podcast is consistency. Maintaining with a publishing schedule is important for constructing followers who ultimately make it a routine to hearken 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 resolve this drawback?
Hit the report button whilst you’re touring! And never simply since you need to sustain with that schedule, however as a result of a number of the finest conversations you’ll ever have are whilst you’re on the highway and in individual with individuals.
These are golden alternatives usually wasted, however not anymore, as a result of I’m going to let you know every thing you want 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.]
Gear
Earlier than you head out, it’s necessary to collect and pack the best tools in your on-the-go recording classes. Normally, you’re not going to carry your regular, at-home podcast setup with you on the highway.
With that mentioned, in case your regular setup features a comparatively small, all-in-one manufacturing console such because the Rodecaster Professional II, then which may be value packing together with a few microphones and an SD card to satisfy your wants.
Normally, nevertheless, a transportable 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 choice combines a wired lavalier microphone and an interface to a tool you doubtless have already got entry to: your cell phone.
Whether or not you’re an iPhone or Android person, a Rode SmartLav+ microphone setup can join on to your machine. As a result of it’s small, you possibly can even connect it to a t-shirt or shirt and it’s fully out of the best way.
I exploit this setup whereas on the go for each solo episodes and interviews. If you happen to’re going to be doing an interview, remember to get a twin cellular interface so you possibly can plug in two microphones to report concurrently.
This setup is proscribed in post-edit functionality because it all data onto one observe, nevertheless it’s the simplest and most versatile.
For a fast demo, watch this video that I recorded with my son a number of years in the past:
Zoom H6N
The Zoom H6N is the final word moveable recorder that lets you seize the very best sound high quality whilst you’re out. There are built-in microphones (and ones that you may 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 possibly can have as much as 4 completely different individuals, on 4 completely different microphones, recording into 4 completely different tracks on the identical time. As an alternative of utilizing your telephone to report, this machine makes use of an SD card to report your recordsdata, and it’s straightforward to import again into a pc while you get residence or again to your resort room.
That is the machine I usually use after I’m on the go. I carry two microphones — such because the Samson Q2U — that join by way of XLR, hit report, and the present is on. Be sure you additionally carry a few XLR cables as these will not be 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 machine — that every one is available in post-edit. The benefit of use and handheld portability is superior. Additionally, I really like the power to see the tracks and the sound ranges from every microphone so I do know one isn’t too loud or too smooth.
Fast tip: don’t overlook your SD card! Belief me.
Headphones
Headphones are normally missed in the case of recording on the go, however as a result of you’ll doubtless not be in a sound sales space or studio, and doubtlessly in a crowded or trafficked space, it’s necessary to have headphones to have the ability to monitor the sound.
Is it too loud? Too smooth? Is there an excessive amount of background noise? The one technique to actually know is by listening to the audio because it’s coming in.
My absolute favourite are the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Professional studio headphones. I exploit these in my residence studio, and likewise whereas I’m out and about.
They’re smooth, comfy, and sound wonderful. They aren’t noise canceling, however they do the job in the case of monitoring your sound in an surroundings that you simply won’t be acquainted with or have loads of management over.
It’s as much as you if you wish to maintain the headphones on whereas recording, however on the very least, check your audio with headphones on earlier than you hit report. It could be a disgrace to have poor audio high quality in your podcast when it may have been prevented with one fast check.
Video Digital camera
I received’t go too in-depth right here, however video podcasts have gotten so standard, it’s fairly normal 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 assist you to repurpose that chance — usually 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 need to carry heavy obligation lights with us, can we?
If you happen to’re going to be indoors, the very best state of affairs can be to arrange the interview area 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.
If you happen to’re outside, someplace that has fixed shade is sweet. Nonetheless, the surroundings and climate could make it troublesome to maintain every thing constant. However filming outside is fairly superior, so it could be well worth the sacrifice.
Lastly, so far as which digicam to make use of, use one that you simply’re acquainted with already, if potential. A telephone may work, or a point-and-shoot digicam like a Sony ZV-1 with a tripod to screw it into (perhaps even a SwitchPod).
Planning
When potential, attempt to plan an interview or recording session forward of time. I can’t let you know what number of occasions I’ve been to occasions the place a pal and I say we’re going to report “in some unspecified time in the future,” solely to have it by no means occur as a result of the time acquired away from us.
Right here’s a fast order of operations:
- In a super state of affairs, join earlier than the journey or occasion occurs. Sure, you possibly can at all times meet new individuals and plan a podcast session advert hoc, however for the sake of your time and calendar, planning forward is at all times finest.
- Coordinate a time and place to satisfy. Scope out the areas obtainable so that you can report which can be as quiet and as echo-free as potential. Be certain you could have permission to report 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 organize for the subsequent presentation in that area.
- Get your interviewee’s contact data. This manner, if plans change or somebody is having bother 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 area on the facility that’s used all day only for this goal.
Michael Hyatt, considered one of my mentors, as soon as interviewed a dozen individuals, 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 excellent use of his time.
Fast tip: carry spare batteries or a battery financial institution! The very last thing you need to have occur is run out of energy for the interview(s) you could have scheduled.
Fast tip #2: Generally environmental noise is definitely nice for a podcast; it provides a special taste and really feel to the listening expertise. If you’ll be able to seize the sound of the area you’re in earlier than your scheduled classes, make a check recording first so that you could 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 necessary 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 develop into distracted when recording in a special 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 residence, earlier than I hit report, by saying this to myself: “It’ll be like the 2 of us are at a espresso store, simply having a dialog.” You will have the chance to just do that!
(Though I’ve discovered that espresso outlets are not truly the very best for interviews. The espresso maker is a typical nuisance that tends to dominate the dialog.)
The perfect factor about assembly and speaking with individuals in individual is that there’s a stage of vitality that you simply simply can not get in an interview over the web. Once you’re within the second, the viewers will really feel like they’re there with you. Now, with a microphone in hand (or connected to a shirt) you possibly can have a incredible dialog, in real-time, and seize all of that nice vitality for them.
After the Interview
There are some gadgets to deal with after the dialog is over. Usually, I do my finest to add recordsdata to Dropbox as quickly as I can, that manner they’re protected and might’t be stolen or misplaced.
Second, I additionally take notes from the interview itself (or dictate them) so I can keep in mind the highlights. That is necessary as a result of usually I’m recording the intros and outros to those episodes at residence; 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 necessary facet of podcasting whereas touring that I need 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 report button will get pressed. Maintain the dialog going when you possibly can, 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 wonderful!