Professional Podcast Audio: How To Mix/Process Your Vocals

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[@imDonDiestro]

Nice. You should cut unwanted frequencies before compression. The compressor will boost unwanted noise. So if you minimize them with EQ, denoise, & de-clicking, before the compressor hits the vocals, it’ll give it a cleaner sound.

[@samsmyers]

Yes that helps!

[@justinthecitymusic]

An awesome video and a fantastic additional tip for everyone. Thanks guys!

[@darthjazzhands4363]

Good tip, thanks. My Yamaha MG10XU has a compressor knob above the slider. Do you recommend using it or recording flat?

[@SephBentos]

Excellent video. A lot of this confirmed stuff I already knew from years of recording music, but it was very reassuring and clear. Me and a few friends are starting a new podcast soon and recording a conversation is something I’ve got very sparse experience with. Thank you!

[@samsmyers]

Great! It’s always good to be reminded of the basics/fundamentals

[@24.Hustle]

That is EXTREMELY over processed

[@TheOlivier117]

thanks for the video! great help, one quetion though, howcome you use a compressor twice?

[@seg_fault]

This is really valuable information, Sam. I'm coming from a filmmaking background and I'm on a quest to make my audio sound better. I don't have great equipment yet and this tutorial is really handy. I didn't think of using Ableton live for this sort of audio processing but I might try it out, it seems very powerful especially with the possibility of music down the road. Please make more of these!

[@samsmyers]

that's great to hear!

[@fsands69]

thanks Sam, this tutorial is so good that it's also painful... made me realise of all the mistakes i've made at podcast production. And I made a lot lmao

[@IsaNachi_TV]

You explain so well. Thank you so much 🙏🏽

[@samsmyers]

Glad it was helpful!

[@QPView]

Yes, this is very helpful 💯

[@samsmyers]

thanks!

[@wamoyer8548]

Thanks for making this video!

[@venturewithspack]

Hey Sam Smyers as someone who has no idea what you are talking about it would be helpful to mention what editing software you're using and what you recommend. Plus what does EQ 8 mean? You mention it like I'm already meant to know what all this means. I'm using GarageBand but it sucks. What is this software?

[@Sam-de5ot]

ableton live

[@BryanRobledor]

EQ 8 is a Plug in inside his software, but you could uso other EQs

[@boyheartbeats5853]

Thanks for the tutorial! great value here

[@samsmyers]

Glad you like it!

[@Miracle_Christian]

Which app do you use to edit

[@Jovan438]

Spot on! Thanks!

[@samsmyers]

thanks!

[@SAiZproduction]

why use 2 comps with same attack and release times? sounds it better than just setting ratio up? 15ms attack is actually pretty high

[@andre.emme.photography9901]

I'd like to know that as well.

[@frankherrgott]

very useful, thank you!

[@pablosanchez3607]

Actually you should use the gate first, and also the desser on my opinion

[@ElythiaMusic]

why 2 compressors?

[@baseballstud9121]

Damn, very helpful man!

[@samsmyers]

glad it helped!

[@SteveStockmalMusic]

Awesome !! Hey, would it be possible to make a tutorial on how to create a presentation like what you have here.? In other words, if I wanted to share ProTools tricks; How do I capture the screen like you have it there? How do I put the little circle with a picture of me in it? How do I run the sound stuff like that. That would be really helpful, thank you

[@samsmyers]

thanks! yea sure. I'm still figuring it all out. But just to give you an idea of how to do it currently -- I record it all into Camtasia 2019, edit it, and then export it into Final Cut Pro to do the final editing.

[@SteveStockmalMusic]

@@samsmyers Oh cool... I don’t think I’ll go big time like you, I just have some students and friends that have asked me. Thanks again

[@javenpalmer]

what software are u using? It would be good if we knew that, could u do this using audacity??

[@samsmyers]

I am using ableton live. It has a free trial on their website! And yes you can apply these concepts in any DAW.

[@julianjelks4961]

Was your voice coming out through studio monitors when you were recording this video?

[@UrbaNSpiel]

Cool

[@rythmahmed]

which software is it?

[@Deerson]

Hey, do you use cloudlifter? what’s your audio interface and what gain did you set up your sm7b

[@samsmyers]

yea I do use cloudlifter. It goes into a neve 1073lb (just because I have one for recording vocals) and then into a foscusrite scarlette 2i4. Idk the gain knob on my 1073lb is set on 35 so idk if that is helpful or what you mean by the gain?

[@Deerson]

@@samsmyers Yeah, thank you! :)

[@MrJuliuz0915]

I didn't know that Elon Musk does podcast editing contents now.... :D

[@Richard_S.]

hello what software are you using to edit the mic?

[@stolimoli]

Ableton

[@LilDevin]

What are the settings on your sm7b? Any roll off?

[@samsmyers]

For the switches on the back? I have everything set flat, so no boosts or cuts.

[@LilDevin]

@@samsmyers forsure just curious haha I have low cut on and I think that’s what’s taking away that warm boom

[@CarlosAndonaegui]

What software are you using?

[@draggabeats]

Ableton Live

[@rbl2700]

What level do you mix it to? 0, -6 ?

[@samsmyers]

For dialogue, yea around -6 or so

[@Grbbbbbb-bg8bs]

What DAW is this please?

[@Stupendous_man]

Ableton Live, he replied to a comment above

[@samsmyers]

yes ableton

[@Fraend]

nice but you ended up with a nasal voice i hear

[@Tomer-lx4qj]

WHAT A NPC

[@baymax001]

You're forehead looks like Tiesto 😶

[@toddmurat2673]

Personally, I think this is not how I would do it.

[@amdenis]

Great video, and good chain. I just hate the found of those SM7B (and most of the SM’s) in general. So freaking grainy, edgy and phased.

[@samsmyers]

What mic do you like better? I'm open to other suggestions!

[@amdenis]

It depends a bit on your environment, and if you have a relatively quiet one, or (if it is noisy and/or poorly optimized acoustically, that you can apply an APHEX or similar processing (or plugins, if hardware is not an option) to your hardware chain. If you have a reasonably quiet and even moderately decent (i.e. good RT60, and low levels of audible acoustical resonance) then a decent large diaphragm condenser mic like a Lewitt 440 pure, or an AKG 414 XLII (about $250 and $1,150 respectively), or whatever you like best at the given price is great. If you need a more “forgiving” (i.e. less sensitive to stray and ambient sounds), then an Earthworks SR314 or an SR40V (about $700 and $800 respectively) would make a HUGE difference. Obviosly, depending on linger term goals and budget, an Aphex Master Channel on the input side can save you a lot of time in post, while giving you back your chest resonance and other niceties that most recording environments don’t support.

[@justforthetv]

You…. are…. ve…ry staccato and monotone lol