The advantage of podcasting is that anyone can do it. This is a rare medium that can be made almost as easy as consuming. So no two people do this in exactly the same way. There are a large number of hardware and software solutions open to potential podcasts, so the setup goes from NPR Studios to USB Skype rigs (the latter became a default value during the pandemic).
This week we spoke with Jody Avirgan, who co-hosted it “Summer Album/Winter Album” With the host of American indie rock band The Hold Steady, Craig Finn. Each episode found Avirgan and Finn debate whether classic records should be classified as “summer album” or “winter album.”
Avirgan, who previously hosted performances from Radiotopia, Ted, Fivethirtyeight and ESPN, introduced us to his podcast setup. He said in his own words:
“Even when I was working at ESPN/fivethirtyeight, I always had a home recording setup. Since leaving – just in line with the beginning of the pandemic – I made my basement studio my main home. It actually On top is the basement studio apartment’s kitchen, so just behind the frame behind the curtains, there is the refrigerator (unplugged), sink and many cabinets.
“But I hung up a lot of curtains, and I had soft stuff scattered around and put some sound suppression panels on it. I think it’s both comfortable and exciting right now. My mic is Electro-Voice RE27N/D, $500 Studio Mic.
“To be clear: I don’t make 27. When I was in the 30-30 time, we bought this microphone. Three weeks before the pandemic hit, I left ESPN, somewhere there, I wrote them. An email asking if they want me to return to the microphone. I never got a response and I certainly didn’t write a follow-up. So I kept it. That’s probably why Disney stock has fallen 20% in the past five years. It’s a very warm microphone, but it’s a behemoth.
“When I’m on the go, I pack the AT2020-USB+, which plugs it into my computer and can knock out the track from anywhere – usually under a blanket in a hotel closet, which is the natural habitat for podcasts .
“I run the microphone via Focusrite Scarlett 2I2, which is a simple but powerful interface that allows me to control the level of the microphone and go directly to the computer, where I often join people via Zoom or Riverside. I always use Hindenburg to record a local backup File and save it to Dropbox. All roads end up with Dropbox.
“The place I deviates from the typical Podcaster 101 kit is my headphones. Everyone has the Sony MDR-7506 and I’ve experienced my fair share, but I really like the Rode Nth-100 headphones. They’re just more comfortable. , looking a little wet, so far, the filler has not broken down in Sony’s inevitable filling, causing a person to find the black spots in his ears after recording.
“Like many podcasts, I’ve been doing more and more video work lately. I’ve been using the description for years, but with the merger of the audio and video worlds, I’ve done almost all the edits in it. I’m for us The conversation made a social video.This day” and”Summer Album/Winter Album,” but it’s also the original content I’ve been playing on Instagram.
“I do a series every week Try guessing the title On the cover of the New Yorker that week, I recorded it in the description and used the template I built to record it in 20 minutes. Description – I am a loyal fan. It’s very generic and can use a program that seems to be uncomfortable with what Podcasters want instead of Protool.
“I think I have to think about my visual settings, too. I bought the webcam recommended by Wirecutter, but honestly, I prefer the look of the MacBook camera, so I usually use it. In my background, I put some in it. Books to prove that I know how to read. A signed photo by George Mikan about a little run in his “death” and a fake plant worth $28 in IKEA.
“I blocked the view, so I don’t think people can even see the plants there; but I want to know they are there and will always be there because of the plastic forever.”
We have previously asked other podcast hosts and producers to highlight their workflows – the equipment and software they use to get the job done. The list so far includes:
