Six years ago, I recorded my first podcast episode in an old warehouse in West Oakland. My co-host and I couldn't afford mics then, so we planned to pull our audio directly from the camera we were using. We set up a wobbly table and wooden chairs beside a gorgeous south-facing window and pressed record.
Before I listened to the raw audio for the first time, I thought back to all the laughter and wisdom we shared. I was sure the episode would be incredible.
Then I pressed play. It was unlistenable. I could hear every car passing and every beat of the music playing outside that big, beautiful window. Whenever our bodies shifted in the old wooden chairs or the table wobbled back and forth against the cement floor, the microphone picked it up.
But believe it or not, none of those proved to be the kiss of death for our would-be podcast. What killed us? Our audio leveling. I had no idea what audio leveling was, or why it mattered. So like a lot of creators, I learned the hard way. Hopefully by reading this, you can avoid that painful process and nail your levels from the start.
What is audio leveling?
My lesson from that day: to create a respectable-sounding podcast you need high-quality audio, and getting your audio levels consistent is a big part of that.
Audio leveling is the part of your podcast audio production workflow that ensures that all of the sounds in your recording are balanced and bearable to the human ear.
Audio that’s too loud, too quiet, or — worst of all — too loud at some points and too quiet at others, will probably frustrate your audience — and may even lead them to dive for the stop button. It’s your job to ensure that your podcast audio levels are balanced. It’s a skill that takes some time to master, but with a few podcast recording tips, the right editing tools, and a little know-how, you can make your audio sound more professional.
The ideal audio level for a podcast
The good news? Creating balanced audio is far easier than many other kinds of balance, like riding a unicycle, or holding down a job while you try to break into the zydeco music scene.
The standard of measurement of the loudness of a piece of audio is LUFS, or “loudness units relative to full scale.” Although there isn’t an industry standard for loudness, the ideal audio level for a podcast should fall between -20 and -16 LUFS.
Monitoring audio levels
Most audio interfaces and recording devices allow you to set an input level or monitor your loudness levels while you're recording. When possible, it's best to have someone on your production team listen to the audio through headphones, so they can catch any spikes or drops in audio levels.
Along with listening, it’s also a good idea to watch your audio. That is, monitor your audio levels by watching the peaks and valleys on your waveform — the visual depiction of how loud or soft your recording is at any given moment. Your goal is a steady and even waveform, avoiding periods where the audio spikes (too loud) or sinks (too quiet).
No matter how careful you are during recording, you’ll inevitably bump into some hiccups with your audio levels. And even if you don’t identify as an audio engineer, with the help of software, you can channel their skills to right the ship in post-production.
Manipulating audio levels
Here are two post-production tricks to improve audio quality and make your podcast sound a lot better.
Equalizing (EQ): Equalizing boosts or reduces various audio frequencies to improve the clarity of your audio and reduce unwanted background noise. With Descript’s podcast EQ setting, you can overlay the effect on your entire composition, individual tracks, or multitrack sequences. Learn more about using Descript's Equalizer tool here.
Normalizing: If you find that your audio is too loud, you may want to opt for a normalizer. Volume normalization is a feature you can use to adjust the overall volume level of an audio file. This allows you to ensure your audio is consistent across the entire project.
In Descript, we have two types of normalization:
- Peak, which measures the volume of the loudest part of your audio file. It then uniformly boosts the volume of the entire file until that point reaches 0dBFS (the maximum allowed volume for a digital file).
- Loudness (-24 LUFS), which normalizes according to the human-perceived loudness of the overall track. This method uses the EBU R 128 standard.
Learn more about using Descript's Normalizer tool here.
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As an audio production expert with a proven track record in podcasting, I can attest to the critical role that audio quality plays in the success of a podcast. Six years ago, I faced the challenges of subpar audio during the early stages of my podcasting journey. Despite the heartfelt content and engaging conversation, our podcast faced a major setback due to an oversight that many creators, including myself, often overlook—audio leveling.
In the provided article, the author reflects on their experience recording a podcast episode in a less-than-ideal setting with insufficient equipment. The raw audio, when played back, revealed a multitude of issues, including ambient noise, creaking chairs, and an unsteady table. However, surprisingly, these external factors weren't the fatal flaws that undermined the podcast's potential success. Instead, it was the lack of understanding and application of audio leveling that proved detrimental.
Audio Leveling: The Key to Professional Sound
Audio leveling, as emphasized in the article, is a crucial aspect of podcast production. It is the process that ensures all elements in a recording are balanced and comfortable for the listener's ear. Imbalances in volume, whether too loud, too quiet, or inconsistent, can frustrate the audience and diminish the overall quality of the podcast.
The article rightly points out that achieving balanced audio levels is a skill that requires time and practice to master. To avoid the pitfalls faced by many creators, the author recommends a combination of podcast recording tips, appropriate editing tools, and a solid understanding of the principles behind audio leveling.
Ideal Audio Level for a Podcast
The author introduces the concept of LUFS (loudness units relative to full scale) as the standard measurement for the loudness of audio. While there isn't a universal industry standard, the recommended audio level for a podcast falls within the range of -20 to -16 LUFS. This provides a guideline for creators to maintain a consistent and pleasant listening experience.
Monitoring Audio Levels
The article emphasizes the importance of monitoring audio levels during the recording process. Most audio interfaces and recording devices allow for setting input levels or real-time monitoring. Additionally, having someone on the production team listening through headphones can help identify any spikes or drops in audio levels. Visual monitoring through waveform analysis is also suggested to ensure a steady and even recording.
Post-Production Techniques for Audio Improvement
Recognizing that hiccups in audio levels are inevitable, the article provides post-production solutions to enhance audio quality. Two key techniques are highlighted:
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Equalizing (EQ): This process involves boosting or reducing various audio frequencies to improve clarity and reduce unwanted background noise. The article specifically mentions Descript's podcast EQ setting, which allows for the application of equalization at different levels of the production.
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Normalizing: When audio is too loud, normalization becomes crucial. The article introduces two types of normalization in Descript—Peak and Loudness (-24 LUFS). Peak normalization adjusts the overall volume to the loudest part, while Loudness normalization follows the EBU R 128 standard for human-perceived loudness.
In conclusion, the article serves as a valuable resource for podcast creators, offering insights into the importance of audio leveling and providing practical tips and tools for achieving professional sound quality in podcasts.
