A podcast is an episodic series of digital audio or video files which a user can download or listen to. Users can either use their computers or personal digital audio player to listen to these audios and videos. The term is a combination of the words iPod (a personal digital audio player made by apple) and broadcasting. Since most computers and recording devices only have one headphone jack, you will need an audio splitter to plug them all in. Below are four reasons to wear headphones when recording a podcast:
- It makes one a better presenter. Headphones will make you hear what you sound like to others because it will take your ears (not literally) from the side of your head and put them right in front of your mouth. It becomes an important tool during a podcast because one is able to put control during the adjustment of voice and presentation style on fly. While talking in the microphone, the brain is able to process what its hearing and gives the person the chance to self-review and make minor tweaks. This include changing the tone, volume or any variables that are adjustable when presenting a show.
- Improves mic technique. During a podcast, headphones are more important to both the presenter and the guest. If you are off mic, too loud or popping every time a word with consonant (‘p’,’b’,’k’) is said, wearing a podcast headphones will assist in adjusting the way the mic is being used in the moment.
- Make editing easier. Since editing takes a lot of time, the best thing to at the stage is record everything to make the process easier. The best way to control the audio is to listen to it while recording. Use of microphones makes it better because it will always pick up more than one can hear on his/her own. Microphones are important in situations as:
- Levels that are too high. The headphones is important in checking the levels while recording to avoid going into the red but usually, this is something one should test before starting the presentation. When one is listening while recording, he/ she is able to adjust while going along. This becomes more important during editing because one won’t have to go through each and every section raising and lowering levels which is time consuming and annoying
- Popping is one of those things that are impossible to detect without headphones and it becomes annoying to fix in post.
- Won’t have to micro manage the guest. A guest with no experience of using a microphone, will benefit from wearing headphones because they will be able to hear if they are on mic or not or if they are too loud or soft. This makes the presentation or the presentation flow smoothly because there will be no interruption between the presenter and the guest. If the guests can’t hear themselves they pay little or no attention to the mic and that means there will be interruption. This may make the guest feel a bit uncomfortable and it may put a handbrake on the flow of the interview which means not the best will be gotten out of the guest.
Apart from having the microphones, the headphones are also important requirements in the podcast kit.
