Podcasts have been a very popular type of content recently, which is why many bloggers are already running their podcast channels with might and main. If you are thinking of starting a podcast, but you don’t know what equipment and programs are needed for this, where to record and how to create music to begin with, this article is for you.

We have already written about what podcasts are, where to look for them and how to listen. Now let's figure out what it takes to make them.

How to start creating a podcast

After the idea has arisen in your head, you do not need to run headlong to the nearest hardware store for a microphone and headphones. First of all, define your target audience and think about why you are making this podcast in the first place. If it’s just because everyone does it, it’s not worth even starting.

Computer or laptop for podcasting

There are no special requirements for the power of a PC or the best laptop for podcasting. Even a budget model of a decade ago will cope with editing audio recordings. True, the RAM must be at least 8 GB so that the browser does not “slow down”. Through it, you can still upload files to the Internet. In some cases, a PC is not needed at all - if the podcast is completely conducted from the gadget.

If you're serious about podcasting and building from scratch, assume that almost all audio processing programs run faster on processors with good single-threaded performance, so it's not worth chasing an outdated multi-core processor. But in the case of Internet radio, on-the-fly processing by some plug-ins from the iZotope RX 8 editor package can load even the most powerful eight-core processor so much that there are no longer enough resources for other tasks. Some plugins with their graphical interface can heavily load even a discrete video card, but this is rather an exception. An excellent solution would be to build with a semi-passive cooling system.

Microphone for podcasting

There are only three requirements for a microphone for for podcasting:

• High quality voice transmission.
• Do not transmit ambient sounds.
• Don't add anything of your own.

You need as many microphones as there are people speaking. Of course, content comes first in podcasting, so you can start with the simplest options or even record the first time on a smartphone. But if you have already decided to buy a microphone, then it is best to choose from two types.

dynamic microphones. Their sensitivity is low, so you need to speak in them from a minimum distance. Due to this, the microphone isolates the voice well from the room, so the dynamic model is suitable for an ordinary room without special preparation. Dynamic microphones are used in concerts, radio and television, they are also often called vocal microphones. In general, for a novice podcaster, this is an ideal option.