In this guide
Choose a quiet room and recording setup, make a short test with every speaker, then record and save the original files. For interviews, separate speaker tracks and a backup make editing easier; check each file before the guest leaves.
To record a podcast, choose a quiet room, connect a microphone, select it in your recording app and record a short test. Listen to the test with headphones, adjust the setup, then record your episode. Save the original audio and check the beginning, a busy conversation and the end before editing.
A phone can be enough for a solo episode. Interviews need more planning: decide how each person will be captured, verify the recording works on every device and keep separate tracks when your setup supports them. This guide focuses on capturing a usable recording; the podcast editing guide takes over after the files are saved.
Choose a recording setup
| Format | Starting setup | Test before recording |
|---|---|---|
| Solo | A phone or computer, a microphone and a recording app. | The intended microphone is selected and speech remains clear at normal and louder levels. |
| In person | Microphones and a recorder or audio interface with enough independent inputs for your speakers. | Each microphone is captured on its intended track; voices are balanced and handling noise is low. |
| Remote | A call and a recording method that supports your devices, ideally with separate speaker recordings. | Guests can hear each other, each file is captured and saved, and everyone agrees to recording. |
Do not assume two USB microphones will automatically appear as independent inputs in every app. Check your hardware, operating system and recorder first. On Mac, Apple documents an Aggregate Device setup for combining audio devices and assigning inputs in GarageBand. A multichannel interface or recorder can be a simpler way to manage multiple microphones, depending on your equipment.
Prepare the room and microphone
- Reduce noise at the source. Close a window, silence notifications and move away from fans or traffic where practical. Soft furnishings can reduce reflections; listen for room echo and computer noise before committing to the room.
- Place the microphone consistently. Speak toward its pickup side at a comfortable, repeatable distance. Use a pop filter or angle the microphone slightly away from direct breath if strong “p” sounds cause bursts. Avoid touching the stand or desk during a take.
- Choose the correct input. In your recording app and system settings, select the microphone you intend to use. Wear headphones so a guest’s voice does not play back through a speaker into the microphone.
- Set a safe level. Ask each speaker to say a typical sentence and a louder one. Lower the input if the meter clips or the recording distorts; leave headroom for unexpected laughs. Turning down a clipped file later does not restore the damaged peaks.
- Record and play back a test. Capture a few sentences and a quiet pause. Listen for the intended voice, hiss, echo, distortion and interruptions. The free microphone test can check a short local sample; it is a separate session, not the full podcast recorder.
Record a solo podcast
Open your recorder, name the session and verify the selected input. Record a brief introduction, then continue through your outline. If you make a mistake, pause, repeat the complete sentence and keep recording; you can choose the better take during editing. Check occasionally that the recording indicator and elapsed time are moving.
Stop and save the file, then listen to the first and last sentences and several sections in between. Keep an untouched copy before editing. A phone is a useful starting point: the iPhone podcast guide covers Voice Memos, microphone placement and saving a copy.
Record a podcast with guests in the same room
If possible, give each person a microphone and record each input to its own track. This gives the editor more control over individual levels, but it does not guarantee complete separation: each microphone may still pick up the other speakers and the room. Make a test with each person speaking alone and together; listen for uneven levels, echo and sound leaking between microphones.
If everyone shares one microphone, place it so each speaker is intelligible and check a normal conversation before recording. The tradeoff is less control over individual voices afterward. Avoid promising that software can perfectly unmix speakers who overlap.
Record a remote podcast
- Agree on the workflow. Choose a call and recording method that works on every participant’s device. Confirm consent and explain how the recording will be used.
- Prepare separate audio where possible. Use a recorder that saves participant tracks, or arrange local recordings on separate devices. A call recording can serve as a reference or backup; test your exact app and microphone combination rather than assuming simultaneous recording works.
- Use headphones and capture a sync cue. Have each participant speak and make a recognizable cue near the start. Keep the original files and align the cue in your editor; check alignment again near the end because separate recordings can drift.
- Verify before disconnecting. Stop the recording, wait for processing or upload to finish, and play each saved file. Confirm the guest can deliver their local file and keep the call backup until the files are safely copied.
For a Zoom computer recording, the host can enable separate participant audio files in the desktop app’s recording settings. Availability and recording permissions depend on the meeting and current app settings. Zoom’s computer recording instructions explain where to find the resulting files. The Zoom recording guide walks through the practical checks.
Save, edit and check the finished episode
- Copy the original speaker files to a second location and label them by episode and speaker. Keep their original timing intact.
- In a suitable multitrack editor, align recordings, remove mistakes without changing the meaning, and balance the speakers. Listen across cuts and reduce distracting noise carefully; heavy processing can damage speech.
- Export a working master and a delivery file that meets your podcast host’s current specifications. A lossy MP3 is useful for delivery but is not a lossless archive.
- Listen to the actual export, including guest transitions and the end. Measure loudness and true peak with suitable tools if your destination requires them. Apple’s audio requirements are one example; requirements depend on the destination and delivery method.
If a competing sound remains in a mixed recording, the separate voice isolator can be tested on supported short files. Compare it with the original: it can alter speech or leave some noise, and AI downloads require an account and credits. It is not a replacement for a clean recording or a full-episode editor.
Ready to publish? See how to start a podcast on Spotify for hosting, upload and RSS distribution choices.
Common questions
Can I record a podcast with my phone?
Yes. A phone and a recording app can capture a solo episode. Use a quiet space, keep the microphone stable and test the saved recording before starting. Check the specific app and device if recording a remote conversation.
Do I need separate tracks for every speaker?
No, a shared recording can work. Separate tracks provide more editing control, but microphones can still pick up other voices. Always verify every track and keep the originals.
How do I avoid clipping?
Test the loudest likely speaking level and reduce input gain when the meter reaches clipping or the test sounds distorted. Leave room for unexpected peaks and listen to the captured file, not just the live meter.
Is a call recording enough for a remote podcast?
It may be usable, but connection problems, processing and interruptions can affect it. Test your service and consider separate local files and a backup, with everyone’s agreement.