Podcast Recording Checklist
Bad audio loses listeners faster than bad content. This recording checklist walks you through gear, environment, levels, and backups before you hit record, so you capture clean audio you won't have to fight in editing.
PodcastingPDF6 sectionsfree, no paywall
What you get
- A gear and software setup list to start every session ready
- An environment list to kill echo and background noise
- A levels and test-record routine to catch problems early
- A branded, print-ready PDF you run before every recording
How to use this template
- 1. Set up gear and software. Confirm mic, interface, and recording software are connected and selected. Most failed sessions start with the wrong input selected.
- 2. Treat the room. Record in a soft, quiet space and kill obvious noise sources. The room matters as much as the mic for clean audio.
- 3. Check levels and test record. Set levels so peaks sit safely below clipping, then record a 10-second test and listen back before the real take.
- 4. Protect the recording. Confirm local backups are running so a dropped connection or crashed app never costs you the whole episode.
Still choosing the tool you will run this in? Compare two side by side, or read how each profile is built in our review methodology.
What's inside
2 of 6 sections shown; the remaining 4 come with the free download.
What is a podcast recording checklist?
A podcast recording checklist is the list you run in the ten minutes before you hit record: the signal chain, the room, your gain, a short test take, and your backups. It is a pre-flight list rather than a production plan, and every item is on it because of a problem that cannot be fixed afterwards.
Clipping, echo, a hum from a desk fan, a session that was never saved locally: none of those survive editing, and each one means asking a guest to give you their time again. Running the same five-minute list every session is a great deal cheaper than a re-record.
Gear & software setup
Confirm the signal chain before anything else.
- Connect the mic/interface and select it as the input
- Wear headphones to monitor and prevent echo
- Open recording software and confirm the input shows signal
4 more sections and the PDF are behind the free download.
Tools that help with this
The template does the thinking; these are the products creators run it in. The full software directory has the rest.
Riverside
Riverside is a cloud-based podcast and video recording platform that records locally on each participant's device, in up to 4K video and 48kHz WAV audio.
$0/mo
Squadcast
Squadcast is a browser-based podcast recording platform that captures each participant's audio and video locally on their device, then progressively uploads separate tracks to the cloud in real time.
$0/mo
Zencastr
Zencastr is a browser-based podcast recording platform that records each participant locally and adds AI editing, hosting, and monetization.
$0/mo
Audacity
Audacity is a free, open-source audio editor and recorder available on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
$0
Hindenburg
Hindenburg PRO is a desktop audio editor built specifically for podcasters, journalists, and radio producers.
$12/mo
Categories to browse: Podcast Recording Software, Audio Editing Software.
Frequently asked questions
What is a podcast recording checklist?
It is the short list you work through immediately before recording: confirm the input and monitoring, quiet the room, set gain, record a test take, and verify local backups. It exists to catch the faults that editing cannot repair.
What recording levels should I aim for?
Set your gain so normal speech peaks around -12 to -6 dB, leaving headroom so loud moments don't clip. Clipped audio can't be fixed in editing, so it's always safer to record a touch quiet and raise it later than to record too hot.
How do I avoid losing a recording mid-session?
Always enable local recording rather than relying on cloud capture, have each remote participant record their own track locally, and run a phone as a backup. Most catastrophic losses come from a single connection-dependent recording that drops.
How do I fix echo without buying anything?
Echo is sound bouncing off hard flat surfaces, so add soft ones. Close the curtains, put a rug down, record near a bookshelf or a wardrobe of clothes, and move out of the middle of a bare room. Wired headphones also stop the other common echo, your own speakers feeding back in.
Do I need this checklist for remote interviews too?
Yes, and two items get more important. Confirm the platform is writing local tracks for both participants rather than streaming only, and ask the guest to run their own headphone and room check before joining. Most ruined remote recordings are a guest-side problem you could have caught in five minutes.