How To Record A Podcast With One Mic, Two, 3, or 4 Microphones? 14 Tips Shared By Podcasters

How To Record A Podcast With One Mic, Two, 3, or 4 Microphones

Podcasts become fascinating when there are conversations. Of course, if you’re an expert in the subject, you can probably do the podcast independently.

However, there are times when you may need to call in specialists in certain areas. In that case, can you record a podcast with one mic?

You can record a podcast with only one microphone, but sound quality may suffer. As a result, depending on the kind of microphone you use, it’s still a good idea for each participant to have their microphone.

What is the reason behind this? What should you do if you’re only allowed to use one microphone?

Let’s continue reading to discover all you need to know about recording a podcast with just one microphone!

Can You Record A Podcast With One Mic?

Yes, you may use one microphone for a two-person podcast if the microphone is omnidirectional or directional and both speakers are inside the “cone” of maximal sensitivity.

Using a boundary mic or a big capsule condenser in Omni mode shouldn’t be an issue. If one person speaks louder than the other, you may need to experiment to find the optimum location.

Omni microphones take up sound from all directions equally. You could theoretically record as many people as you could squeeze around the microphone and still get good results.

Bidirectional microphones have two equal pickup regions on opposing sides of the microphone. It would enable the two people to sit across from each other and equalize the sound level by sitting closer or further away from the microphone, depending on how loud they speak.

It is possible to use just one microphone, although not ideal. The bottom line is that you can record a podcast with just one microphone and a co-host or guest, but it’s not encouraged.

For one thing, if you conduct post-production work on your podcasts, it will be tough to regulate and blend.

You’ll have to do a lot more editing than you would if you just had one microphone for each speaker. Your podcast’s flow and structure are also more accessible and free-flowing.

Furthermore, adding two or more microphones will almost certainly improve the excellent quality of your recording.

How To Record A Podcast With One Mic?

Using an omnidirectional mic or a mic tuned to an omnidirectional polar pattern is improper to capture two voices with one mic. Omnidirectional microphones gather up a lot of background noise and sound unprofessional.

Using a figure 8 polar pattern and sitting the two talking persons across a table with the mic in between is the best approach to capture two voices with one mic. Figure 8 is a great compact pattern with minimum ambient noise.

Figure-8

Sound originating from both the front and rear of the microphone is most responsive to Figure-8. It misses sound coming from the side whatsoever.

Microphones with this pickup pattern, such as the Shure BETA 181/BI, would be ideal for individuals doing a face-to-face interview. It is especially true if the host sits across from the visitor.

Omnidirectional Microphones

Omnidirectional microphones can pick the sound up from all directions. A device like the Shure VP64A Omnidirectional Handheld can be the perfect option for you if you’re conducting a roundtable discussion for your podcast or have numerous guests.

The issue is that microphones that can pick up sound from all directions will also take up a lot of noise in the background. So, if you’re going to utilize an omnidirectional microphone for your podcast, make sure to keep the noise in the room to a minimum.

How To Record Podcast With Two Mics?

An advantage of recording your podcast with two or more mics is that you may balance out the voices if required.

If a participant’s voice becomes difficult to hear, increase the volume of that participant’s voice without increasing the volume of everything else.

You may also pan two voices to the left or right, making one ear louder than the other. It will simplify your listeners to follow along with the discourse.

Rode Connect is compatible with Rode NT-USB Mini Mics.

It is the most fantastic method to record two USB microphones into one computer. The caveat is that you’ll need to purchase a particular USB microphone for it to operate.

Rode Connect can simultaneously charge up to four NT-USB Mini microphones and record them multitrack. You may also use applications like Skype or Zoom to make distant or online calls.

VoiceMeeter/Audacity

VoiceMeeter is a popular tool for recording two USB microphones on the Windows platform. It is a free virtual audio mixer that allows you to configure a variety of input possibilities.

Within VoiceMeeter’s control panel, you may pick and manage individual USB mics after downloading them. Then, within Audacity, you’d establish an Input and Output source named “VoiceMeeter.”

You may now record with both USB microphones at the same time.

ASIO4ALL/Adobe Audition

You’ll need to use commercial recording/editing tools like Adobe Audition or Reaper for this. With this configuration, you’d also be utilizing ASIO4ALL, a free audio driver.

It also helps if you have two different USB microphones. You can utilize the Blue Yeti and Shure MV5 USB microphones.

Use Separate Laptops

If you and your co-hosts all have USB microphones, you presumably also have computers. You’d just come together in the same room and record your unique audio into Audacity, each on your computer, using this option.

To get started to set up the podcast, watch the video below:

How To Record A Podcast With 3 Mics?

A podcast with two individuals, whether a host and a guest or simply two hosts, is reasonably easy to put together and has a lot of setup choices.

However, it would be best if you had an additional consideration before adding a third person to the equation.

This section will look at the many possibilities for in-person recording when all three persons are present in the same room.

Two Hosts Plus One Guest

The first method is to record onto your computer directly. To do this, you’ll need an audio interface with at least three XLR inputs. The Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 is an excellent choice.

With this option, you’d plug all three microphones into the interface, which would then connect to your computer via USB, allowing you to record all three mics into separate tracks for maximum editing flexibility.

Alternatively, you may utilize a mixer with enough XLR inputs to handle your three microphones instead of a four-channel audio interface. However, your post-production choices are restricted since most USB mixers only output a stereo track to your computer.

Two Hosts In One Location Plus A Guest In A Different Location

A typical scenario is a podcast with two presenters interviewing distant guests over Skype. Again, there are several alternatives here, and we’ll start with my personal favorite, which includes a digital recorder.

This technique takes advantage of the computer’s headphone jack, connected to the digital recorder. Using a jack connection, you may hook a 3.5mm input labeled as channels 3 and 4 on the Tascam DR-60DMKII to feed your guest’s Skype track into the recorder.

Both hosts would then use the two XLR inputs. If your computer fails in the middle of an interview, you can resume where you left off.

Because the hosts are being recorded straight into the recorder, you’ll need a microphone to utilize with Skype so that your guests can hear them. For this, a built-in laptop mic, for example, is usually sufficient.

You could also offer the visitor to download some free software like Audacity, which will enable them to record a local version of their audio.

People In Different Locations

You could use Skype, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or even FaceTime for the talk, but you’ll get the finest audio quality if you record each recording locally. Of course, when it comes to editing the show, you will need to sync all three recordings.

Their unique settings will determine the quality of each person’s audio. Still, if two regular presenters work on the show remotely, it’s essential having them set up with the same equipment to provide a consistent sound.

If that seems too complicated and you need a more straightforward option, applications like Call Recorder for Mac or Pamela for Windows will record your Skype chats and save them to your PC.

How To Record A Podcast With 4 Microphones?

You may record on the same computer with numerous microphones and audio inputs. At the same time, there are a few things to keep in mind first.

Use 3.5mm Jack Mics.

Connecting numerous microphones to a 3.5mm port isn’t straightforward. The gadget will seek to divide the stereo left and proper channels, making things more complex.

Consequently, if you connect two or more 3.5mm recording devices, they’ll all record in mono.

Splitters are available to perform this, and you may find that you profit from it since you may desire to combine audio recordings in mono. If necessary, you may convert to stereo later in your digital audio workstation (DAW) program.

Most belt packs for such systems include a 3.5mm connection to connect lavalier and portable recording equipment. Then, the transmitter belt pack sends the audio to the base receiver, connecting to your computer through a single USB or 3.5mm port.

These systems can typically handle many connections from multiple transmitters simultaneously, leaving just one connection to your computer or recording equipment.

USB Microphones

A USB microphone usually does not need any software installation to operate, making it an excellent alternative for those looking for a simple plug-and-play audio recording solution.

As long as you have enough USB ports to accommodate the number of devices, connecting several USB microphones to the same computer is a reasonably straightforward operation.

Recording at the exact moment, on the other hand, becomes a little more complicated.

Most operating systems, including Windows, will only acknowledge one connection at a time. You can only choose one USB microphone from your system’s audio settings, even if you hook both two mics into the computer.

XLR Inputs

Although some specialist sound cards offer this functionality, most computers do not have an XLR input by default. In essence, the interface or mixer functions as a terminal that combines all of its receiving connections into a single output.

Many of these devices have software for regulating different parts of the user experience, and this software may provide extra choices for splitting connections.

For these devices to operate with your computer’s DAW software, you may also need to install the associated drivers. After that, you may use your favorite DAW to record and edit in real-time.

Utilize A High-Quality Multi-Channel Mixer

While your smartphone or laptop can record sound instead well on their own, they are better suited for remote podcast recording. While recording numerous individuals in one location, you’ll need a mixer with several channels to improve your sound.

Make Use Of A Digital Video Recorder

A digital recorder enables you and your co-host to record on separate audio tracks while utilizing different microphones for podcasting. You can achieve excellent sound quality in your recordings without using a lot of gear.

Conclusion

When recording a podcast with more than one participant, you can go with just utilizing one microphone. But, it will be uncomfortably loud and may harm the audio quality.

Having one microphone for each visitor is the best method to ensure the finest sound quality. Unidirectional microphones, fortunately, are now relatively inexpensive.

Suppose you want to avoid utilizing costly gear and several software packages to record a three-person podcast rapidly.

In that case, the quickest and cheapest option is to use Skype or Microsoft Teams and use the in-built call recording capability.

However, since we believe in pushing manufacturing quality as high as possible, we would not endorse these solutions. Instead, I’d advise you to invest in high-quality equipment to get the most satisfactory outcomes.

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