The Dos and Don’ts of Podcast Editing – Best Practices for Quality Content
Typically, podcast editors do a minimum of “top and tail editing,” chopping off the dead air at the beginning and end of a recording. They also edit out obvious uhmms, short silences, throat clearing, and chewing noises.
They might also compress the audio to keep the overall volume consistent and avoid loud peaks. They might even remove background noise like traffic sounds or equipment noise.
Don’t Overdo It
While music and sound effects can make your podcast feel more polished, it’s important to do just what is necessary. Too many sound effects can distract your audience from your content, so use them sparingly. For example, you don’t want to add a lot of “ba dum tss” drums every time someone says something funny!
One of the best ways to save time during editing is by doing more prep before you hit record. This can include preparing notes, writing an outline, or even deciding on the main point you want to focus on during each episode. This will help you avoid tangents and off-topic musings that can be hard to cut out later in the editing process.
During recording, you can also minimize distractions by moving to an isolated room and telling family members or co-hosts not to interrupt. You can also use click edits to mark where you want to cut out a particular section of an episode: pause, wait a few seconds, and then click your fingers at the microphone three times.
If you are new to podcasting, you may be surprised at how much work goes into editing. However, it’s worth it to create a high-quality show that delivers your message to your audience.
Don’t Forget About Sound Effects
If you’re using music or sound effects, save them in a separate file from the audio track. This will allow you to easily change their volume level and ensure they don’t cover up the voices on the main track. It’s also a good idea to use fade-in and fade-out effects to create smooth transitions between segments or topics. This will help your podcast maintain a consistent pace and make it more enjoyable for listeners.
Another important aspect of using a podcast editor is removing filler words and phrases. While removing every “ummm” or “urghh” is unnecessary, try to eliminate the more obvious ones as much as possible. It will also help you avoid over-editing the podcast and making it feel artificial.
Remember, your listeners are investing up to an hour of their time listening to your podcast, so they expect quality content. Good audio quality will help keep them engaged throughout the episode and prevent them from turning it off halfway through.
As always, listening (and re-listening) to your podcast before it goes live is crucial. That way, you can catch any mistakes or areas where the podcast can be improved. And remember to set aside time for the actual edit! Often, it’s the most tedious and difficult part of podcast production. But it’s the best way to ensure your podcast is high-quality and reflects well on your brand.
Don’t Overthink It
There is a fine line between perfecting an episode and overthinking it to the point of paralysis. Pursuing perfection can be time-consuming, keeping podcasters from getting episodes out, and may lead to burnout or even long hiatuses.
For example, removing every umm and ahh can make an episode feel unnatural and probably sound worse in the long run than simply leaving them in. Also, removing all breaths can make the voice sound artificial and may speed up the delivery too much.
In general, it’s a good idea to avoid as many edits as possible. Obviously, it’s a bit harder to do this than it sounds, but a little prep work before recording can save you editing time.
Using a script before recording will help keep you on track, and planning out the flow of an episode can help ensure that you cover all the points you want to address. Additionally, reducing echo by packing the room with blankets and tapestries (or simply choosing a different recording location) can reduce the number of times you have to cut out false starts and phrases that start to loop.
Lastly, using crossfades between clips can save you time, especially if you must delete words or change the order of two clips. A good audio editing software will let you easily make a crossfade between two files so that the transition is invisible to the listener.
Don’t Be Afraid to Cut Clips
Nearly all big podcasts go through a lot of editing before they get into the hands of their listeners. This gives them the crisp, clean, and polished feel that attracts listeners and keeps them returning. Editing can be labor intensive; if you’re not careful, you can cut things out to make the episode sound less natural. It’s important to remember that every clip you cut should have a purpose in the episode and contribute to the overall story being told.
It’s easy to cut off the beginning words at the end of an ad on a podcast, especially if you’re looking at the waveform on your screen and not listening. Another common mistake is removing breaths or reducing them to a whisper. This can make the podcast sound unnatural as it removes a speaker’s natural cadence and speed of speech. It’s better to fade a breath in and out rather than simply cutting it completely.
It’s also important to use a consistent file naming system and folder structure when editing your podcast. This will help you locate audio clips more easily in the future and save you time. Learning keyboard shortcuts is also a good idea when editing, as it can reduce the number of clicks needed to perform a task.