Podcast Editing Tips & Tricks
Author: Janae Strickland-Nunn
As a fellow podcaster, I know EDITING is a bad word for some. We usually hope to get a perfect recording on the first go, the most coveted unicorn perfect episode. But we all know that there is always a need to perfect the audio, and if you don't know, you are fooling yourself. In this post, we will discuss ways to make editing your podcast easier and more effective.
Outlining your episode
In the post, Three Reasons I Swear by a Podcast Show Outline, it was discussed why having an outline to your episode helps with your show's structure. Outlining also helps with timestamps when editing. You can finish your talking points; you can write your times you start each of your segments, where you want to insert breaks, and any rambling you want to cut out. You can actively edit as you record and still keep the episode flowing.
Editing Software
I use Audacity to edit my podcast, but there is plenty of other audio editing software out there. Whatever editing software you use, please make sure it is user friendly. If you are new to sound production, don't get the software because it's super expensive or professionals use it. Please do not set yourself up for failure.
Editing Tips and Tricks
Adjust your monitor volume: make sure it's loud enough for you to hear.
Edit the big picture first, then go back in and tidy up the mistakes. If you cut out the stops, the interruptions, and rambling first, you can make sure you have the content you need. Then go back through and tidy up the episode with the smaller details.
Zoom into your sound wave. Using the zoom tool will help you start to recognize your "umm" s, "so" s, "you know" s, and any other mistakes, mumbles, or bumbles.
Leave some of your episode "as is." You want your episode to have a natural flow and some natural "umms" and "so" s.
Look at the bigger picture!! Don't waste time being too tedious in your editing. The goal of editing is to make sure your sound quality is amazing, and your episode has a natural flow. If you become too bogged down in being perfect, then editing can be a chore.
You do not have to dread editing your episode or worry that you might mess something up; that's why they invented the undo button. Take your time, enjoy your episode while making it that much better with editing. Also, check out these other posts on the Blk Pod Collective blog to help you structure and streamline the editing process: Podcast Tools to Streamline Processes and Studio Sound Quality at Home