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How can you balance the levels of tracks in a podcast?

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Balancing the levels of tracks in a podcast is an essential skill for any podcaster or audio editor. It can make a huge difference in the quality and clarity of your sound, as well as the listener's experience and enjoyment. In this article, you will learn some tips and tricks to achieve a balanced and professional sounding podcast, using some common tools and techniques.

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1 What are levels and why are they important?

Levels are the measure of how loud or quiet a sound is, usually expressed in decibels (dB). They are important because they affect how well your listeners can hear and understand your podcast, as well as how comfortable and engaged they feel. If your levels are too low, your podcast will sound weak and dull, and your listeners might miss some details or get distracted by background noise. If your levels are too high, your podcast will sound distorted and harsh, and your listeners might get annoyed or suffer from ear fatigue.

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Jennifer Pak

China correspondent at Marketplace by APM
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Levels are a good gauge but make sure to always record and monitor with headsets on. You never know if your mic is picking up buzzing noises from other devices. Or if you're in a noisy setting you might need to push the mic closer to your mouth or to the source of the sound you want to get better clarity.

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2 How to set the levels of your tracks

The first step to balance the levels of your tracks is to set the input level of your microphone or recording device. This is the level at which you capture the sound before it goes into your editing software. You want to set it as high as possible without clipping, which is when the sound exceeds the maximum level and gets cut off. Clipping can cause distortion and damage your audio quality. A good rule of thumb is to aim for a peak level of around -12 dB to -6 dB on your input meter. You can adjust the input level using the gain knob on your microphone or device, or the slider on your software.

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Jennifer Pak

China correspondent at Marketplace by APM
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I've been told to keep ambient sound levels at -18 dB but I sort of like it just as loud as the voice track (-12dB to -6dB) sometimes to help listeners feel like they're right there with me at the scene.

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3 How to adjust the levels of your tracks

The next step to balance the levels of your tracks is to adjust them in your editing software. This is where you can fine-tune the volume and dynamics of each track, as well as the overall mix of your podcast. There are several tools and techniques you can use to do this, such as changing the volume with a slider or fader, using automation to create volume changes over time, applying compression to reduce the dynamic range, and normalizing the level of a track to match a target level. Compression parameters such as threshold, ratio, attack, release, and make-up gain can be adjusted to control how much and how fast compression is applied. Normalization can help you achieve a uniform level across different tracks or episodes, but it does not affect the dynamic range or the relative levels of different tracks. You can choose a target level, such as -1 dB or -16 LUFS, depending on your platform and format.

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4 How to monitor the levels of your tracks

The final step to balance the levels of your tracks is to monitor them using your ears and your eyes. You want to listen to your podcast on different devices and speakers, such as headphones, earbuds, laptop, phone, car, etc. You want to check if your podcast sounds clear, balanced, and pleasant on all of them, and if there are any issues or inconsistencies that need fixing. You also want to look at your meters and waveforms on your editing software, to see if your levels are within the optimal range and if there are any peaks or dips that need adjusting. You can use different types of meters, such as peak, RMS, or LUFS, to measure different aspects of your levels, such as loudness, average, or perceived volume.

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5 How to balance the levels of different types of tracks

Balancing the levels of tracks in a podcast can be challenging due to the different characteristics and requirements of each type of track. To ensure voice is clear and consistent, use compression, normalization, and EQ (equalization). Music should be complementary and supportive of the voice, so use volume, automation, and ducking to achieve this. Sound effects should be relevant and realistic, so use volume, panning, and reverb to create direction, position, depth, and space. This will help create a podcast that is clear, balanced, and engaging for listeners.

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6 How to avoid common mistakes and pitfalls

Balancing the levels of tracks in a podcast is an art and a skill that requires practice and experimentation. It is important to be aware of common mistakes and pitfalls such as overcompressing, undercompressing, and clipping. Overcompressing can make your podcast sound flat, lifeless, and unnatural, while undercompressing can make it sound uneven and chaotic. Clipping can cause distortion and damage to audio quality, so you should avoid it at all costs. To prevent clipping, you should check your meters and waveforms for any signs of it and use a limiter plugin or feature on the master track. When it comes to compression, you should use it sparingly and carefully only when necessary to smooth out level variations or match loudness standards.

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Jennifer Pak

China correspondent at Marketplace by APM
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Always strive to make sure your original recording is good then you lessen the need to fix stuff in post production. This saves time and improves the overall quality.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can you balance the levels of tracks in a podcast?

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1 What are levels and why are they important?

2 How to set the levels of your tracks

3 How to adjust the levels of your tracks

4 How to monitor the levels of your tracks

5 How to balance the levels of different types of tracks

6 How to avoid common mistakes and pitfalls

7 Here’s what else to consider

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