In the early days of my art podcast, when it was solely an audio-based show, I relied on a combination of tools and equipment to record and produce each episode. Here's an expanded breakdown of the setup I used when I first got started:
Recording Setup:
1. Facebook Messenger Video Chat: I actually use Facebook Messenger's video chat feature to talk with people on the podcast to this day.
Although I didn't record the video footage when I first started, having the ability to see the person I was conversing with during our discussions was a valuable aspect for me.
I'll share more about how I use it for the video podcasts I do in the future.
(Related post: Evolution of My Podcast Video Lighting Setup: From Webcam to RGB lighting)
2. Microphone: For capturing audio, I used a Shure SM58 microphone. However, it's important to note that any microphone compatible with your computer can be suitable for recording.
As a musician, I had several Shure SM58 microphones readily available. So that's why I used that particular mic.
But you can get a USB mic on Amazon for around 30-ish dollars that should work just fine.
3. Digital Recorder: To record the audio, I used small a digital recorder. There are also some great small digital audio recorders for about 30-ish dollars on Amazon.
Using a 1/8-inch cord, I connected the headphone jack on my computer to the input port of the digital recorder.
Then I plug my headphones into the digital recorder so I can listen to both of us while I record the podcast.
This allowed me to simultaneously record both sides of the conversation while monitoring the audio levels through my headphones. This setup provided control over the volume balance of each voice in the final podcast episode.
That was my original audio podcast setup
By leveraging the combination of Facebook Messenger video chat, a Shure SM58 microphone, and a digital recorder, I was able to start producing the audio-only episodes of my art podcast during its early stages.
As I progressed and gained more experience, I refined and upgraded my recording setup to enhance the overall quality of my podcast.