Take Your Podcast to the Next Level: Enhancing Your Recording with Sound Pads on the Zoom PodTrak P4

[@JerryCountry]

Chris, Very well done! Just purchased the PodTrak P4 and your info is tremendous! Looking forward to viewing more videos! Cheers!!

[@ChrisSpiegl]

Thank you, I appreciate your comment here 🌸. Happy recording.

[@yasotay]

Your information was very in depth I just got lost in all the details. Working on it and watching multiple times.

[@ChrisSpiegl]

Thank you for the feedback. Hope you will find all you are looking for.

[@docevans3816]

Very Use Full Information. Thanks

[@CliffYates]

thanks Chris, I"m loving the Podtrak4, needed to know how to put my own recording on the sd card for the soundpad. this answered all my questions.

[@ChrisSpiegl]

That’s great to hear. Thanks for your comment.

[@tomfoolerydean]

Could you help wine with an issue? When I add my own sounds to the SD card, the zoom will not register the sounds at all. MP3 or Wav. How do you get new sounds or what file type should I use so they show up so I can assign them?

[@m.jeremyphelan2283]

Whoa, buddy! This information is incredibly helpful... do you have any suggestions for how to focus an ADHD-addled brain trying to consume and process all of this Information? 🤪

[@dna_misterdreams]

Thanks for this!

[@donaldrandell]

Thanks for sharing! Great information.

[@ChrisSpiegl]

Glad you found it helpful.

[@AdventureIQ]

well done-- I use my P4 exclusively now

[@ChrisSpiegl]

What do you record with the P4? Let me know here crsp.li/tgg and I'll check it out.

[@AdventureIQ]

@@ChrisSpiegl my podcast One Dive at a Time, which focuses in scuba diving and wellness. I use scuba to help veterans struggling with PTSD. Its been an effective way to reach out and share. I have used other devices from my phone to laptop. The P4 is just better at keeping things simple and sustainable. I like its portability. My whole “studio” fits into a backpack.

[@reynoldsj]

Thank you! God Bless! 🙏

[@ChrisSpiegl]

You are so welcome

[@estoesfutbolypunto]

Thank you this helped a lot

[@ChrisSpiegl]

Glad to hear!

[@travisminneapolis]

One problem with using the pads for listener questions is I can't find out how to pass that audio back to my remote guests or co-host who I'm talking with on Zoom. It records it, but do you know how to send the soundpad back to my guests?

[@kodycheyne]

Same. Did you ever figure this out?

[@ronspi]

Brilliant!

[@bxbluesofficial]

Hey friend could you record a segment into the P4 from the computer and then add it to one of the sample pads? How long can that sample pad recording need to be? Thanks.

[@ChrisSpiegl]

You can record whatever you want and select that WAV file to be played back on the P4 in the sound pads. I do not think that there is a maximum length in terms of the sound pads assignable sounds. It just plays back whatever file you assign. But if you want to record something from the computer onto the P4 and use that as a Soundpad, why not just convert that audio and directly transfer it onto the SD card?

[@cm4340]

Hello, very instructive video, thanks! I don't have the Podtrak P4 yet, but the owner manual (page 33) precises that it is only possible to assign .WAV / 44.1kHz / 16bits to the sound pads buttons. No MP3? Very frustating to me because I need this feature! Some people on internet say that the Podtrak P4 automatically converts MP3 to WAV / 44.1kHz / 16bits, others say that it doesn't! I'm confused... I don't know if you tried? Your videos about the Podtrak P4 are perfect Chris. Keep going!

[@ChrisSpiegl]

Thank you for the positive feedback. I appreciate it a lot. About the conversion: the device can do the conversion - I have seen it done. However, it can’t do all the conversions. And in my opinion… I would always do the conversion before loading the files into the PodTrak. Reason being that the conversion in the PodTrak is incredibly slow and it doesn’t support all file conversions to begin with. Considering that this is a process that usually is not done daily, I think it’s not really a problem. ☺️

[@cm4340]

@@ChrisSpiegl you're THE ONE! Quick and perfect answer. Thank you so much. I made the research and an easy way to play or convert files (all audio AND video formats) is the great and open source project "VLC" www.videolan.org/vlc/ Available for PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android. If anyone has another idea, you're welcome. Please tell me: DAW? Fre:AC? online websites? Bye Chris, bis bald. 😉

[@ራኢጽባሕ-ወ8ፀ]

Hi Chris it’s Very helpful thank you! One question can I pause when I am recording and continue after while. If yes how ? Thank you in advance

[@ChrisSpiegl]

Yes, you can press the play/pause ⏯ button while recording. Then the recording button will blink until you press the play/pause again. Pressing the Stop Button ⏹ or the rec button will stop recording.

[@eyes659]

Could You tell me what programa can I use to convert MP3 to WAW exactly characteristic I tried yo convert online but the podtrack it does not detect the dile

[@TrailblazingTexas]

Can you download your intro and outtros directly to the p4 with the SD card inside it or only to the SD card first then accessing them when you add back the SD card ?

[@ChrisSpiegl]

As far as I remember, the files get downloaded to the P4 and you can use them even when the SD card is formatted.

[@BrianPhoto]

Thanks for making this content! If you overwrite the sound on the sd card with another sound with similar name, would you be able to play the new sound with the assigned sound pad?

[@ChrisSpiegl]

Not sure why you would have to overwrite any names? You can simply select a different sound in the menu to bind to one of the keys?

[@BrianPhoto]

@@ChrisSpiegl there's only 4 assigned keys so if I had multiple audio to play, I want to try to replace existing files with a different sound. Use case from your example: if I have multiple caller audio files to play

[@ChrisSpiegl]

@@BrianPhoto So, you'd want to replace the files while recording at the same time? That would not work, simply because the SD-Card mode can not be activated while you are already recording. However, if that was your question, you are planning to have the Zoom P4 connected to a computer while recording, so why not just play the audio files on the computer, output the sound to the P4 and that way have them recorded? Much more versatile, and can be combined with programs like Farrago (crsp.li/farrago) for easy sound pad use.

[@BrianPhoto]

@@ChrisSpiegl thanks I will check it out now!

[@ChrisSpiegl]

@@BrianPhoto Good luck and happy recording 🌸.

[@cesarunp]

Olá...tem alguma dica de sites com efeitos sonoros para acioná-los durante uma transmissão a partir do canal 4 pelo usb-c enviado ao computador? Adorei seus vídeos sobre o P4....parabéns!

[@ChrisSpiegl]

Hi Cesar, I do not have any special sites which I could recommend. But I am sure there are some out there which could work for you.

[@barak_ahtha]

Can the "built-in" sounds be deleted/ (overwritten) with my own samples? Can multiple sound pads be played at the same time?

[@ChrisSpiegl]

Yes, the built in sounds can be overwritten with any WAV or MP3 file (as demonstrated in the video). And the sound pads can also be played at the same time as far as I remember.

[@TheDanLovallo]

Chris, first of all great video. Are the files for the 4 sound pads stored on the P4 hard drive once they have been assigned from SD card or must SD card remain inserted even after files have been assigned? Thanks.

[@ChrisSpiegl]

My understanding is that they stay on the SD Card and are only available when the SD card has the appropriate files. However, I don't remember exactly and don't have access to the P4 any longer to test.

[@TheDanLovallo]

Thank you, Chris.

[@JamieSmith-fz2mz]

@@TheDanLovallo I've loaded 4 files up to the 4 sound pads, and you are correct: they reside ON THE SD CARD. This is a bit of a pain in the arse because I will probably lose that card and have to start over.

[@stanleytam5429]

Do any of you know how long each assigned pad could be?

[@kaylaueltschi]

Where do you suggest one buy or make custom sounds or intros

[@ChrisSpiegl]

You can check out Fiverr; on that platform you can get great creatives like that.

[@freekshow]

Can you do this on a computer, like plug it in and do it quicker via some easy software?

[@ChrisSpiegl]

If you mean you'd like to add sound pad sounds via a computer? Yes, you can put any recording onto the buttons. Just put it onto the SD Card and then you can choose it that way.

[@christopperwien8941]

Hey, I assigned a 31 second file (jingle) but it stopped playing after 4 secs or so... I tried, HOLD, LOOP and so forth... stops at the same length ...

[@ChrisSpiegl]

Maybe re-encode it into a 16 bit wav or something. I remember there was something about this possibly being a problem. Also, when loading the effects on, the "transcoding" done by the P4 can take a while because it does not have very much processing power.

[@kaloukeraannou8227]

Hi, do you think the zoom p4 is good for a simple web radio ?

[@ChrisSpiegl]

I would say the P4 would be pretty great for that. I am assuming you'd like to bring in people via phone as well as in studio and mixing all that with music on the computer. Then yes. It's limiting in the amount of inputs you have and maybe the P8 would be more interesting. But to really get started for somewhat inexpensive, this would be great!

[@kaloukeraannou8227]

@@ChrisSpiegl thx

[@cashisclear]

How many sounds can be loaded at once? Is it 11 per pad? 44 total? Or just 4 at a time?

[@ChrisSpiegl]

You can only load 4 sounds at any given time. There are no additional "pages" or something like that. However, you can store pretty much as many sounds on the SD card. But you can't really switch those while you are already recording. You have to assign 4 sounds to the pads, start recording, and you can assign new ones after you stop recording. 11 is the number of sounds included in the P4 default firmware.

[@Shaggy_McPot_Reacts]

Can the sound pad be used during live streaming?

[@ChrisSpiegl]

Hi, I guess what you are asking is if the soundpad will be sent to the USB output? Then yes, you can use the soundpad during a live stream.

[@fangsoffuego]

can the custom sound effects be mp3 files?

[@ChrisSpiegl]

As far as I remember you can load them as MP3 files but the P4 will re-convert them to WAV (which takes a lot of time because the device does not have a lot of processing power). So, when you just convert them in Garageband or Audacity you're better off doing that.

[@ezzel-bendary8762]

Thank you for the tutorial but i was trying to assign the sound pads with one of my sound files and the Podtrak doesn't detect them, I have no idea why? so will you kindly help me with it, if you please? Thank you.

[@ChrisSpiegl]

Probably best to convert the files on your computer and try again. I had no issues when having WAV files.

[@ezzel-bendary8762]

@@ChrisSpiegl thank you so much for your reply, I think it needs to be 44100 16bit

[@ChrisSpiegl]

@@ezzel-bendary8762 That's ideal yes.

[@ezzel-bendary8762]

@@ChrisSpiegl thank you so much 👍

[@andremclean4433]

I get very loud noise from the P4 once I turn the Input Knobs above 5 and the switch is on Dynamic or Condenser mic. (regardless if a mic is plugged in or not and the input is unmuted. Is this a fundamental device flaw? the sound carries through to the headphone or any audio out.

[@ChrisSpiegl]

When you do not have a mic plugged in you should keep the input muted to midget any possible noises. I don't see any good reason to unmute the channel. So if the noise is only present when it's unmuted, I wouldn't worry about it. Generally, when you have an input that has nothing connected the possibility for noise is higher than when something is plugged in since when it's plugged in the circuits are closed and should not give you that level of noise.

[@andremclean4433]

@@ChrisSpiegl thanks.. the noise is there also if the input has a mic plugged in. once the knob is turned above 5. as a result I cant increase the level on the mic without introducing this noise.

[@YcMdattGUY]

I can hear the sound pad when recording but there is no sound when I listen to the track on the computer… do you know why?

[@ChrisSpiegl]

You will have to either listen to the mix track or the soundpad track. The individual microphone tracks will not have the sounds embedded so that you can make changes in the after math.

[@CWTGD]

How to you add sounds to sound pad

[@ChrisSpiegl]

That is covered in: 05:59 How to Assign a Sound to a SoundPad

[@8tungdata]

What I don't like with this device: You can't take out the batteries and simply put them in when you want to use this device. You have always to adjust the time and the date setup if you start it fresh after a disconnection of energy. I would rather use this with usb-power then with with batteries but I don't want adjust the time and date every reboot or new boot. This is verry annoying.

[@ChrisSpiegl]

That's pretty normal on devices like this though. But you can just leave in some batteries and then still run it through USB-C… you don't have to reset the time and the batteries are not really drained.

[@GicaLabe]

I feel a huge void at your right. Maybe you can fit another piece of gear there for me? Anything will be fine. Just anything. A fan might be nice. But anything will do. Really.

[@ChrisSpiegl]

Maybe I should reshoot this video. That’s be a good idea 😂.

[@yasotay]

Super confusing

[@ChrisSpiegl]

Which part, maybe I can help clarify?