How to test your remote podcast recording software for the first time with Justin Brown

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Episode Summary

Recording the first episode of your podcast is exciting and can be a game changer for you and your company. But many things, usually related to tech, can go wrong. In this episode of Recorded Content, our host Justin Brown shares ten steps for testing your remote podcast recording software and equipment.

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Key Insights

Episode Highlights

#1 Identify All the Participants for the Test Scenario

”If you’re the host, confirm that you’re the host. For the guest, confirm a guest. Get a friend or colleague to join; someone who’s going to jump in and be a simulated guest for this setup.”

#2 Create a Session and a Unique Link for Participants

”Whether you’re using Zoom, Riverside, SquadCast, […] don’t just jump in and say, ‘All right, here’s access to my general Riverside.’ Instead, create that session, create the link, a unique room, and run this like an actual recording you would do with a guest.”

#3 Invite Your Participants to the Session and Share Material

”Send the link you created for that room to the participants and have them join as they would in a real session. In addition, provide any supplemental materials — like guest guidelines — that you would provide to guests.”

#4 Prepare Your Environment

”Put your phone on silent, turn off computer notifications, Slack, what have you, and close out all apps you can. […] And that leads me to my next point: before any recording, you’re going to want to restart your computer. […] You never know what your computer’s going to be picking up from an audio or video perspective.”

#5 Start the Recording Session and Check Your Equipment in the Green Room

”Whether it is Zoom and you’re running a test, whether Riverside or SquadCast, you’re going to want to check your mic levels, check your mic technique, and make sure that it’s aimed the right way and stay at a comfortable range from that microphone. […] You’re also going to want to check your camera frame. Are you clear? Is the camera positioned close to your eye level? And do you look good?”

#6 Check the Equipment and Environment of Other Participants

”Once you jump in, start asking them some questions. Make sure that you can hear them well. How are their mic levels? Do you have an echo when you speak, and do they hear an echo when they speak? If they do, you may have to adjust. Also, check how your guests are positioned within their camera frame.”

#7 Simulate a Real Recording Session and Have a Dialogue With the Participants

”You don’t wanna jump in, hit ’Record,’ and say, ‘All right, looks like this works.’ It may fail after 60 seconds. So run this as a session, spend 10 minutes, 15 minutes there. Hit the record button, and use it as some practice time to do your intro, your lead-in. […] One of the things I’ve told people is if you have a 15- to 30-minute meeting with a colleague, do it over Riverside or whatever your recording platform, and use that as your test.”

#8 Conclude the Session

”Stop recording and ensure that all files have been uploaded, whether Riverside, SquadCast, or Zoom. You’re going to check and make sure that everything worked appropriately, and then you’re going to exit your session.”

#9  Download the Files and Review Them

”Check out your and your guest’s videos, and see if everything worked well. Do you sound good? Do you look good? How did the guest sound? How did the guest look? And then pinpoint any adjustments that you wanna make.”

#10 Run a Second Test

”You’re going to wanna go back through all of this again. Now, do you have to? No, you don’t have to listen to anything I’ve said today. You can go into your first recording session, a live one, and hit ‘Record.’ But what I’m trying to do again is to set you up for success as much as I can.”