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
PodcastingPDFFree
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.
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.
What's inside
Here's a preview. Unlock the free download to get all 4 sections (3 more below).
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Frequently asked questions
What recording levels should I aim for?
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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?
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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.