Mic Placement for Podcasts/Audiobooks

15 years at the Mic

I've been so busy these past few days narrating the two audiobooks of my book series "Prissy Little Chloe". I've loved recording into a mic since I was really little -- except today I'm going to show you the proper way to self-record any vocals, podcasts or audiobooks.

Equipment

For starters, I recommend a USB mic, no more than $100. The best type is a cardiod (heart-shaped input) condenser mic. These are much more sensitive than diaphragm (stage) mics, perfect for home recording -- in a quiet place!

That's why treating the room with acoustic foam works great; but a quick and easy DIY hack is to use a blanket over your setup or record in a closet. If you can, record in a room with carpet.

A great entry-level mic I highly recommend is the Samson Meteor, which retails for $80. It's a USB mic that's extremely portable, as it has it's own fold-able mic stand and sounds professional.

Setup

Put your mic up in the center of your mouth, about 4-6" from your face, depending on your recording volume. Then plug the USB mic into your laptop or desktop computer. If you speak with a lot of plosives (hard consonants, especially "Ps" with a lot of air you can hear in the recording), put a pop filter on the mic.

Alternatively, you can put a piece of stocking over the mic. For the Samson Meteor, put the carrying bag that comes in the box, over it.

Make sure you are dead in the center of the mic! Wear lose clothing -- nothing that rattles! - don't chew gum or turn your head while your recording! Stay in the dead-center of the mic!

You also need a good pair of headphones, so you can hear yourself while your recording and while playing it back later, for edits.

Software

The best free recording software is Audacity -- but for those more experienced with DAWs, I suggest Pro Tools or Adobe Audition. These programs give you a visual wavefrom representation of sound input and are very easy to edit, master and export.

Most of all, be in love with voice-over and have fun with it!

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