Have you thought about getting the *Shure SM7B? Does it seem like every podcaster is using this microphone or saving up to buy one? On this episode you'll hear the SM7B, learn some of its history and why it's an industry standard and a podcasting favorite. Why did I buy this microphone and should you get one? Let's dive into the SM7B and find out why I think it's the most used microphone in podcasting.

Full writeup at thepodcastersstudio.com/103

Links mentioned:

• My podcasting classes on CreativeLive.com: The Gear You Need to Create a Podcast and How to Make Your Podcast Sound Great
• SM57 on Steroids: The Shure SM7(B) Story
• SM7B Output Level and Preamp Gain Specifications
• Multichannel CloudLifter
• iZotope RX Elements Version 7
• Patreon which includes "Overheard", the Patron only podcast.

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I post lots of behind the scenes content and gear tests between regular content. Follow me at your favorite!

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See http://thepodcastersstudio.com/102 for complete links and video!

Do you have more noise in your podcast audio than you'd like? Do you know what is causing that noise? Is it your mic? How about your studio or maybe it's your preamp...if you use one. I'm talking with Julian Krause all about the latter but of course we dive into many related topics surrounding preamps and noise, including:

How to test a preamp for noise or find out what its noise floor measurement is.

How the noise you're hearing might be coming from your mic (if it's a condenser) before it comes from your preamp.

Dynamic vs condensor microphones.

Several audio recorders to include the Mixpre, Zoom H5, H4n and H4n Pro, Zoom f8 and more.

Microphone impedance and some of the standard mics you may have used or are currently using.

And how the device Julian made works for testing a preamp and how to make one of your own.

Comparing preamps to other preamps in terms of noise floor specs.

And how not to test a preamp.

Measuring noise levels (of a preamp) in software.

Using low cut filters during recording vs post production.

Gain staging—how to get the most out the device you’re using cause the noise floor exists regardless of your recording level. Can you simply lower your level to lower the noise? Not really. You’ll end up needing to boost levels in post production and the noise will then be audible because it was always there; you just couldn't hear it in your headphones while recording at lower levels.

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Subscribe via YouTube for more BTS videos and podcast tutorials.

Podcasting 101, learn everything you need to start a podcast right now. From choosing your topic, naming your podcast, choosing gear, recording clean audio to editing, publishing and submitting to Apple Podcasts. Start your podcast today!

Visit ThePodcastersStudio.com/101 for a complete transcript and to watch the accompanying video series.

The first Podcasters' Studio that doesn't start with a zero (ex: 001, 099)! Episode 100, we made it! Thank you to everyone who has ever listened and helped the show reach this milestone.

This is a mighty episode filled with all the still relevant tips from the last 99 episodes of The Podcasters' Studio. I relistened to every episode (that was painful) and culled all the tips that I thought would still be useful in 2017. There is plenty of good content left in each of the episodes, I don't include them all here but the tips on this episode are ones that you can take back to your own show right now and grow the show you already have or start the podcast you've always wanted.

Most of the lessons in this episode where culled while listening to most of my back catalog of content. I scrubbed through all my past podcast episodes picking out those things that made me think I could of done it differently or want to change moving forward past episode 100.

See all the notes and links at thepodcastersstudio.com/100

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If you want the best podcast media hosting, these are the two services I recommend. You can use *promo code: podcasthelper on checkout to get your first month free.

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*all links should be considered affiliate links. Using these links helps support this content. I always encourage you to shop around for the best prices at the time you are viewing this. You can read my ethics statement via http://thepodcastersstudio.com/ethics. Thanks for the support!

 

Is this the last Podcasters’ Studio? No. But staying motivated after years of talking about the same subject will be a challenge every podcaster faces if you do it long enough. How do you stay motivated? In most cases, listener feedback and a love for the topic will keep the show going for as long […]

On this fairly opinionated episode, I discuss my thoughts on “cheap” gear, advertising rates, audience numbers and who your podcast’s intro should serve. “Cheap” Podcast Gear Cheap gear is not the same as affordable gear. One I have a problem with, the other I do not. Gear that is made poorly and creates issues like noise […]

Recording multichannel audio is the best way to take total control over your audio. However, it can be difficult and/or pricey to achieve. Technically you can do multichannel with any mixer, even the cheapest ones. How many separate channels you’ll get is a different story. On this episode I talk about how to use an analog mixer to […]

You’ve created your podcast ready RSS feed so what’s next? You need to send it out to the world! There are many places your podcast can be found however you need to submit your show’s RSS feed to multiple directories and apps in order to have people find you. On this episode, I talk about […]

Google is getting their own podcast directory and they want you to submit your podcast now!  In exciting news, Google is finally jumping back into podcasts by announcing that podcasts will be added to Google Play Music. “Podcasts” and “Google” are not two words that have gone together very well over the last five or so […]

International Podcast Day is September 30th, find out what you can do to support and grow the medium of podcasting. The Focusrite Scarlett 2i4* audio interface is a great little device for plugging analog gear (microphones, mixers, etc.) into your computer and getting clean sounding, high-quality audio.  On the previous episode (TPS093) I discussed how […]

How do you get audio from your phone (iPhone, Android, etc.) into your mixer? The simple answer is you plug it in. You can use a basic stereo cable (I prefer this “Y” cable*), plug one end into your phone’s headphone output and place the other end into an available channel on your mixer and now you […]

What’s the value of a new podcast subscriber? Would you trade 20, 50, 100 dollars an episode for a new subscriber? Two new subscribers? A podcast sponsorship can be a hard deal to negotiate and for many smaller shows it’s not likely worth the tradeoff; having to put ads in your content for a small […]

Setting up a mixer can be a difficult task. Even on the smallest mixers there are numerous buttons and knobs that all affect the audio you put into it. Knowing exactly which knobs to turn and when can be confusing at best and can wreck your audio at worst. In this episode I talk about how […]

Of the many benefits of having a great podcast media host, having the ability to seamlessly replace a file is a nice option. With both Libsyn and Blubrry (use code: PodcastHelper for a free month at both), you have the ability to insert a new file in place of an already published one. This allows you […]

This show’s schedule is erratic at best but that doesn’t mean I think any other podcast should do the same. Not if you want to grow your show to its maximum potential. I think a show should maintain whatever schedule it sets for itself. If you are once a week then try to be there […]

Ever wonder when, how or why to use compression when post-processing your podcast? If the answer is yes then this is your episode. Randy Coppinger, professional audio engineer, talks with me about using compression for your spoken word podcast and just as importantly, when not to. We talk about what compression can do for your audio, how […]

Ever wanted to learn how to use the post processing effect EQ? This is two hours of pure EQ talk for your podcast with professional audio engineer Rob Williams. While you still need to get your hands dirty and mess with the settings to truly learn EQ, this episode will help remove the first barrier to […]

Loudness normalization of your audio is a “simple” process for measuring and processing for the perceived level of your audio. Perceived levels are how the human ear interprets levels. In recent years, new standards for measuring perceived level have arisen out of a lot of research and engineering.  Georg Holzmann and I discuss the history of measuring loudness […]

Post processing your audio podcast can be a daunting task. Where do you start? What effects do you use? How to adjust the effects once you choose them? These questions and many more like them can easily scare a podcaster away from doing any polishing of their audio podcast file. But if you’re interested in […]

You’ve decided you want to record Skype interviews or a remote co-host and you’ve heard about using a mix-minus setup. How do you know if this applies to your podcast? On this episode I talk about how to know when you need a mix-minus as well how I’m using a new piece of gear to […]

If you want to record Skype using a mixer you’re going to need how to setup a mix-minus. The video below will show you how to go about setting that up and the linked post below will describe the entire process as well as show you detailed photographs of how to setup a mix-minus for […]

There are many ways to record your podcast. One of my favorites is directly to a digital audio recorder. The Zoom H6 is the newest in a long line of audio recorders but this one stands out amongst them all. With four truly dedicated microphone inputs and the ability to add two more XLR combo […]

I’m back in The Studio after spending a week in Las Vegas attending and speaking at New Media Expo 2014 (NMX). It was, as you could probably guess, a great time. If you’re a podcaster who enjoys meeting other podcasters and learning how to better your show, it’s hard not to have fun at NMX. […]

Are you waiting to publish your podcast until you’ve gotten everything just right? Stop. Just publish. You’re ready. I’ve seen more than one podcast delayed by perfection. The first thing to understand is you’ll never be perfect. This episode is a good example of that. In TPS 79: An Alternative to Skype, I left out […]

Ever have an issue with Skype? Choppy connection, hiss in your audio, disconnected from your interviewee or co-host? These are just a few of the issues some podcasters are experiencing when using Skype. However, Skype, in many cases still remains one of the better ways to connect with remote interviewees and co-hosts. But what if […]

What if you need to move your podcast RSS feed? I tell you how I accomplished this with one of the feeds we have at my work via a special RSS tag (see the links section below for the code). Also discussed is the number of episodes you’ll see listed on your iTunes page. The […]

Have you run into the 512kb limit imposed on your feed via FeedBurner? This episode will give you some solutions about how to fix it or what to be on the lookout for so your feed doesn’t go down. If you’re just weary of the FeedBurner’s future and want to move your feed away, Rob […]

I try a new way of recording my podcast (mic to Fethead to H4n, no mixer) and have a totally off-the-cuff episode filled with other thoughts about recording audio. In other words… I go off “script.” I also talk about SD vs HD video hosting and production. In my opinion, there is no reason to […]

What were the largest hurdles you had to overcome when starting a podcast? Starting anything can be tough. The first sentence of a school paper, an about page on your blog, show notes for your podcast episode, these are all hard things to start but once you do you’re off and running. A podcast is […]

Hangouts On-Air (HOA) have been a great experiment for my newest podcast, Podcasters’ Roundtable. I’ve tried several different live-streaming options and HOA’s have been remarkably effective in getting people to actually show up and participate. The most interesting revelation about this is the live-streams tend to get scheduled only 24 hours in advance of going […]

Protect your WordPress website from malicious hackers, spam and other bots attempting to invade your site by taking some simple steps for non-coders. Plugins are a great way to enhance the security of your WordPress website. Dustin Hartzler from Your Website Engineer talks with me about some of his favorite ways to protect your website. Also included […]

When coming up with a name for your podcast, consider asking a friend what they think. Special guest host David Jackson explains.

Do you have a microphone, mixer or recorder that requires you to turn up the gain settings really loud in order to get a good signal? The FetHead might just be your answer to bringing those gain levels back down and reducing the hiss and noise you’re getting in your podcast’s audio. To be clear, […]

Microphones! Matt McGlynn from Recording Hacks joins me “in Studio” to talk all about microphones (a passion and hobby of his) and specifically those mics that work best for most podcasters. Matt’s site, Recording Hacks, is dedicated to “making audio gear accessible and useful to people.” Recently he has written a couple of great articles […]

I recently spoke on the topic of podcasting at Social Media Week D.C. (#SMWDC) and it presented some great opportunities to use gear that I don’t always use and speak to people face to face instead of from behind the mic. This of course led to some insights that are perfect for podcasters. Public speaking […]

Your website is your podcast’s central hub, its home on the web. It’s where you have an entire archive of all your episodes, links you mentioned in any given show, buttons to follow, share and continue the conversation on social media, profiles of your hosts and easy ways to allow your community to get in […]

Take a behind the scenes listen to the audio workflow that I use to produce an episode of The Podcasters’ Studio. Want to learn how to shoot better video for your podcast, YouTube channel or just your home movies? I take you through the most important steps to getting a more professional look out of […]

Want an easy way to start making money with your podcast? Start using affilate links in your content. It may sound too simple to be effective but signing up for an affiliate program and placing links in your website’s text and/or mentioning them on your podcast is the easiest way to start monetizating your show. […]

The goal of this episode was simple. Find out what happened to Zune.net and podcasts on the Zune Marketplace. To achieve this goal I went straight to the source. I talk to Rob Greenlee the Project Manager for podcasts on the Zune Marketplace. If you listened to episode 065, you heard me say that links […]

First order of business is Zune. It appears that links to my podcast and everyone else for that matter, are broken. That’s because Zune.net is gone. This means that when you click your old link to Zune (if you had one on your site) you are now taken to xbox.com. Zune is gone and so […]

Have you heard that Google might be shutting down Feedburner? Lots of people have but is it true? I have some of my own ideas and great resources for getting a much better picture of what is really going on. You’ll also hear about some resources for moving your feed away from Feedburner if you […]

Rob Walch from Wizzard Media and Libsyn.com joins us once again to talk about all the recent improvements to podcast hosting on Libsyn. Even if you don’t have a Libsyn account or don’t plan to have one anytime soon, you’ll still want to listen as Rob provides many great insights into iTunes, podcasting statistics, hosting […]

Have you ever speaker tested your podcast? Have you done it lately? Speaker testing your podcast means listening to your show the way your audience does, on many different devices.Your audience listens to your show in their car, on their mp3 player, on their computer and on many other devices and in countless environments. To […]

Google announces that it will no longer support their native podcasting application, Google Listen. If you are using the Listen app, you’ll still be able to listen to podcasts however after Novemeber 11, 2012 the search function will no longer work. Google says because of the proliferation of podcasting apps available in their app store, […]

From blogger to podcaster, Jeff Yin shares his experience of starting his very first podcast. Jeff attended Blogworld NYC 2012 as a blogger and quickly learned he’d make a great podcaster after attending several of the podcasting track sessions including Podcasting 101 which I was a part of. One month later, Jeff had taken some […]

We’re back in the Studio with Joe Gilder, audio engineer and podcaster, for part two in our discussion about audio post production for podcasters. On this episode (part 2 of 2) Joe and I open up the audio editor and take a look at the effects we use when post processing our audio for podcasting. Specifically we […]

There’s lots of training online for audio post production. However, most of the information is focused on mastering audio for music. As podcaster’s our main post production concerns involve techniques related to mastering for voice only. Joe Gilder is an audio engineer who masters music for a living however  he’s also a podcaster. So I […]

An interview with Dave Jackson from The School of Podcasting’s Morning Announcements. A “podcast that talks about all things Podcasting. From planning planning, producing, and promoting your podcast along with all the tools and techniques.” With over 250 episodes published, Dave is one of the original podcasters. He was an early digital mentor for me […]

Wizzard Media recently announced that they are implementing a new program that will allow podcast producers, with any Libsyn.com account, to monetize their content. A basic Libsyn account can be purchased for as little as five dollars a month which would give you access to the subscription service. Each Libsyn account will have the option […]

On this episode, Soundcloud.com announces that they will soon be supporting RSS feeds for their audio hosting service. I discuss what I think of the service for use as a podcast audio hosting solution and how you can get into the Soundcloud beta to be a tester for this new feature. Learn what options you […]

On this episode I talk about how to post your podcast feed to facebook automatically including an audio player and how to keep your podcast alive after you stop producing it and paying for hosting. I also discuss the differences between using a hardware versus software based compressor/limiter/gate. This is a non-essential piece of equipment […]

When choosing a mixer for your podcast there are some special considerations that I think each podcaster should think about before making their purchase. Some of these include the number of mic inputs your mixer will allow. Can you grow your show with the mixer you are planning to buy? Can it power condenser microphones […]

Adobe Audition is now out for the Mac. Find out what I like about it, what I think you could use as an alternative and the effects I use when using Audition to process my audio. Also discussed on this episode are virtual cart machines (soundbyte, pod producer, etc). These apps and programs allow you […]

On this episode I interview entertainment lawyer and podcaster, Gordon Firemark. We talk about the many different legal issues surrounding podcasting and podcasters including copyright, fair use, model releases and much more. Do you know your rights if your original content is taken and used without your permission or violates the copyright you have in […]

On this episode I introduce you to a new resource on ThePodcastersStudio.com, the newly redone blog which will be used to share emails that I receive regarding podcasting questions. Now everyone will benefit from the information I exchange with those people who take the time to write into the show. I also introduce you to […]

The importance of having a clean, easy to read, relevant show logo. Learn why your podcast’s show art is so important and how to improve on the one you already have or create one for free. Also find out how to use Posterous to host your podcast for free but reasons why you might not […]

On this episode I talk about making voice calls from within your browser via Gmail, Podcamp Philly 4 and the presentation I’ll be giving, Camtasia for the mac, Gnomedex 10, and I’ll answer a few of your call in questions. Oh and the dynamics of moving your podcast studio! Yep I’m moving to a new […]

On this episode, Vincent, host of This Week in Virology, calls in to talk about his mix-minus setup. Grant wants to know about slow download speeds from files hosted on blip.tv and I talk about having a plan to stay connected to your audience if one or more of your broadcasting channels goes down or […]

Learn how to use your single Libsyn account to create multiple feeds, edit video in the cloud via YouTube, stalk that twitter account that you want but someone else has, and find out one of the most important parts of your podcast studio that you might not have considered. Right-Click to download Links mentioned in […]

On this episode I talk about progress made in my experiments with html5 for audio and video, thoughts about sponsoring your own podcast, and new ideas about how to market your show with the intent of growing your audience. We also have listener feedback sent in by Jerry of My Amateur Radio.com and Steve from […]

On this episode I’m talking about new gear in the studio including a Mackie ProFX12 mixer and the Zoom H4n. I also discuss how I do a mix-minus setup for recording Skype calls. And I’m curious as a podcaster, do you apologize to your audience when you miss your regular schedule? Learn about why I […]

On this episode I give you a Feedburner refresher course. What it’s used for, what it does, and why you might want to use it to add some spice and flexibility to your podcast RSS feed. I also take a few minutes to discuss some of the issues that can arise when choosing a video […]

Learn about why I like having a gmail account for each show I produce. The importance of having a recognizable avatar across all your online communities, and how to use Paypal for free. right-click to download subscribe to The Podcasters Studio Podcast

If your podcast was up for an award, would it be a winner? On this episode you’ll find out which elements of a podcast are judged for The Podcast Awards. Get an inside look at the voting process and use it to make your show stronger. Whether or not you are seeking an award winning […]

It’s time to start producing the best sounding and/or looking podcast possible. Stand out from the crowd by making your show worthy of its content and your hard work.

On this episode I go on a mellow rant about why I think the quality of your audio and/or video should be as good or better than the best podcast. I explain how easy it is to achieve a great quality podcast worthy of all your hard work and I discuss the benefits of giving and receiving feedback.

Visit www.thepodcastersstudio.com to listen to the complete archives, watch podcasting tutorials and listen to Podcast Quick Tips.

Where do you find statistics about your podcast? I hear this question often and with it usually comes confusion about what exactly is going on with the stats you get from Feedburner. On this episode I talk all about the different places to find stats for your show and why Feedburner may not be your […]

A presentation I gave at Podcamp Philly 2009 about how to get the skills of a professional podcaster. I talk about everything from audio to video. How to learn the skills needed to produce high quality podcasts on the level of a professional such as better audio, proper compression rates, better video, lighting and many […]

Going live to the internet is as easy as turning on your camera and connecting to any number of great free services. Broadcasting your podcast live adds a good deal of value to your show including live interaction with viewers, instant feedback, audience building, and an overall additional to your new media arsenal. As long […]

Learn how to get started in video podcasting and some fun YouTube hacks. I talk about what cameras you need as well as other gear needed to start a video podcast. Also discussed are hosting options for you video, audio for video, and editing software options for both the Mac and PC. Once you have […]

iTunes is one of the most important tools for a podcaster. Regardless of how you feel about Apple, the iTunes software and store is something that every podcaster should be familiar with inside and out. On this episode I cover some of the basics of iTunes such as how to get your show listed in […]

Jeff’s back in the studio, virtually via Skype, with part two of our interview. On this episode we talk about twitter strategies, connecting with your audience, SEO, being a more efficient podcaster, content ideas for your show, and we take a look inside Jeff’s studio including what hardware and software he uses to produce his […]

On this episode of The Podcasters Studio I talk with Jeff Roney from Roneyzone Productions. Jeff also produces several other podcasts and incorporates a whole host of voice actors in his original work, New World Army Podcast. In part one of this interview we learn a little about Jeff and his long life (141 episode […]