[FAQ]

I’m helping to set up a new podcast for one of the societies at my university, and we’re operating on basically a zero-pound budget. I’ve been tasked with figuring out the technical side of things, starting with editing.

I know the big names like Adobe Audition are the industry standard, but we just can’t afford a subscription right now. I’ve used Audacity a bit in the past for a school project and it seemed alright, but I was wondering if there are any better free alternatives out there these days? I’m looking for something that’s not too difficult to learn but can still give us a clean, professional sound. We’re on a mix of Mac and Windows laptops if that makes a difference.

Any suggestions would be brilliant. Thanks!

[Jeff Bullas]

Short Answer: The key is to master the fundamental editing techniques first, and then apply those skills using any of the top-tier free programs.

Thinking about it this way organises your workflow for a much better result. Your primary focus should be on the process, not the specific product. A professional-sounding podcast relies on a few core techniques, starting with a clean-up edit to remove filler words and tighten the pacing. After that, you apply EQ for vocal clarity and use compression to level the audio volume. That is the workflow that truly matters.

You can practise and apply these exact techniques on any of the standard free platforms. The main ones to investigate are:

Audacity – https://www.audacityteam.org
A long-standing, open-source audio editor that is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

DaVinci Resolve – https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve
A professional video editing suite that includes a comprehensive audio editing page called ‘Fairlight’.

GarageBand – https://www.apple.com/mac/garageband
Available for free on all Apple devices, it includes the necessary tools for recording and editing spoken word audio.

Just remember, the goal is to enhance good audio, not to rescue bad audio. Always prioritise getting a clean recording from the start.

Cheers,
Jeff

• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by Neil Anthony.
• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by Neil Anthony.

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