Podcasts are a great way for students to express their ideas and engage with the greater community. Podcasts can easily be recorded and edited with devices that you already own. Below are some resources to help you get started!
Recording a Podcast
Record audio using your own device. Below are recommendations of audio recorder apps/software to use based on the device that you have:
- iPhone/iPad: Voice Memos (Free App)
- Android: Voice Recorder (Free App)
- Laptop: Audacity (Free Software)
How to use the Voice Recorder Apps on your Mobile Phone
Sound Quality: The devices listed above will capture decent audio but an external mic or earbuds with a built-in mic (ie. Apple Earbuds, Apple AirPods) can be useful.
ITS Podcast Kits: ITS has Podcast kits that consist of an iPod touch and an external Shure microphone available for loan. Learn more about our Podcast Kits.
Editing a Podcast
To edit the audio you recorded, we recommend using a free software called Audacity. Audacity allows you to edit your audio, reduce background noise, add music and much more. Below are some instructional videos that can help get you started with editing your Podcast.
Introduction Videos/Trainings
- LinkedIn Learning Training: Learning Audacity
- Audacity Podcasting Basics
Download Audacity
Import Audio Into Audacity
- Drag & Drop or go to File > Import > Audio > Choose Audio File
- For m4a files, convert to mp3 before importing into Audacity. Use this converter to do this: Cloud Convert m4a to mp3
Delete a Section
- Zoom in to make it easier to select audio
- Click on the Selection Tool icon > Click and drag within the audio (to make the selection a little longer or shorter, hold down the Shift Key and click) > Press the Delete key
Remove Background Noise
Add Music
- When adding music to your podcast, be sure to avoid copy-righted music. Below is a list of resources where you can find free stock music under the Creative Common License.
- Audacity Tips & Tricks: Adding Music & Sounds to Your Podcast
- Import Audio: Drag & Drop or go to File > Import > Audio > Choose Audio File
- Lower Volume: Click Envelope Tool > Click on Highlighted Audio (Top Blue Line) and Drag Down
- Fade In/Out: Click on Envelope Tool > Click on the portion you want to fade and Drag Down
Export Audio
Music for Personal and Commercial Use Resources
- AudioMicro– Over 2,000 free sound effects for use in video or audio projects.
- Free Media Archive– The Free Music Archive is an interactive library of high-quality, legal audio downloads.
- Free Loops– Collection of free loops and audio clips.
- Incompetech
- PacDV
- FreeStockMusic.com
- Jamendo
- Dan-O Songs
Sharing a Podcast
Once you create your Podcast, you may want to share it with others. There are many places you can store and share your Podcast including:
- Google Drive
- OneDrive
- YouTube
- Class Website (Moodle, SharePoint, Teams, WordPress)
ITS Support: If you are not able to find the support you are looking for on this page, please Submit a Ticket by clicking ‘Report an Issue’.