How to make podcasts with Descript
TLDRIn this informative session, Ariel and Harmony from the Descript community team guide users on how to create podcasts using Descript. They cover the basics of recording, editing, and enhancing audio and video content, emphasizing Descript's text-based editing feature that simplifies the process for beginners. The webinar also touches on remote recording through Squadcast, a platform acquired by Descript, which allows high-quality audio and video recording with guests from anywhere. They discuss various editing techniques, including deleting unwanted segments, using the ignore function to keep bloopers, and correcting transcription errors with the transcription glossary. Additionally, they explore adding music, sound effects, and captions to podcasts, as well as exporting and publishing to different platforms like YouTube and podcast hosting services. The session concludes with a Q&A, addressing questions about storage limits, handling multiple audio tracks, and using Descript's eye contact AI tool.
Takeaways
- 🎙️ **Descript for Podcasting**: Descript is a versatile tool for creating podcasts, offering text-based editing which simplifies the process for beginners.
- 🔄 **Unique Feature**: The standout feature of Descript is its text-based editing, allowing users to edit audio and video as if they were documents.
- 📡 **Remote Recording**: Descript, through its acquisition of Squadcast, facilitates high-quality remote recording, eliminating the need for multiple recording platforms.
- 📂 **Organization**: It's important to set up a folder structure in Descript for efficient organization, especially when working with a team or multiple episodes.
- ⏺️ **Recording & Editing**: Descript supports direct recording for solo work and can import remote recordings for editing, providing a seamless workflow.
- 📖 **Transcription & Speaker ID**: The platform transcribes audio files and identifies different speakers, which is crucial for editing multi-speaker podcasts.
- 📈 **Editing Tools**: Descript offers tools like 'Ignore' for temporary removal of sections, and 'Actions' for bulk edits like filler word removal and gap shortening.
- 🎵 **Adding Music & Sound Effects**: Users can easily add music and sound effects to their podcasts, with options to adjust audio levels and apply effects like ducking.
- 📹 **Video Integration**: For audiovisual podcasts, Descript allows for the addition of captions, music, and the use of video templates to enhance the viewer experience.
- ⚙️ **Scenes & Templates**: The platform enables the creation of dynamic scenes and templates for visual consistency and time-saving across multiple episodes.
- 🚀 **Publishing & Exporting**: Descript simplifies publishing to platforms like YouTube and Buzz Sprout and allows exporting in various formats for different hosting needs.
Q & A
How does one improve the sound quality of a podcast using Descript?
-You can enhance sound quality by using Descript's text-based editing feature, which allows you to edit audio as if you're working with a document. This method is particularly useful for beginners and can help boost the overall sound quality of your podcast.
What is the unique feature of Descript that sets it apart from other editing platforms?
-Descript's unique feature is its text-based editing, which provides a frictionless way for users to record, edit, and refine their podcast stories. This approach is more accessible, especially for beginners, as it resembles editing a document rather than using a traditional multi-track sequence.
How does Descript facilitate remote recording for podcasting?
-Descript acquired Squadcast, a remote recording platform, which allows users to record video and audio in studio quality with anyone, anywhere, and at any time. This integration helps podcasters to record remotely without the need for additional services.
What are some considerations to keep in mind before starting a podcast using Descript?
-Before starting a podcast, consider the gear you'll be using, your recording setup, your editing workflow, and whether you'll be collaborating with others. Organizing your files and setting up a folder structure that works for you and your team is also important.
How can Descript help consolidate tools for creators?
-Descript acts as a one-stop shop for creators, providing a platform for storing media, recording, editing, collaborating, building design assets, and publishing. This consolidation helps streamline the creative process and reduces the need for multiple tools.
What is the process of transcribing and editing a podcast episode in Descript?
-First, you drag and drop your audio files into Descript to start the transcription process. Descript identifies speakers and combines the files into a multitrack sequence. You then edit the transcript, remove or ignore unwanted parts, correct any inaccuracies, and use the ignore function to keep potential bloopers or outtakes.
How can I use Descript to create social clips or audiograms from my podcast?
-While editing your podcast in Descript, you can highlight sections that you want to turn into social clips or audiograms. You can then copy these highlights and paste them into a new composition to create a shorter version of the episode that can be used for social media.
What are some audio effects available in Descript for enhancing the podcast?
-Descript offers various audio effects, including 'Studio Sound' for background noise removal and speech enhancement, 'Ducking' to automatically adjust music levels during speech, and the ability to add sound effects from the stock media library.
How can I add music to my podcast using Descript?
-You can add music to your podcast by sourcing a track, either from your own files or Descript's stock media library, and dragging it into a new scene. You can then adjust the timing of the music track relative to the dialogue and apply effects such as ducking and cross fading.
What is the benefit of using the 'Add Scenes by Active Speaker' feature in Descript?
-The 'Add Scenes by Active Speaker' feature automatically creates a new scene whenever a different speaker starts talking. This helps to create a dynamic viewing experience by showing the active speaker full-screen and allows for easy transitions between speakers.
How can I use templates in Descript to streamline my podcast editing process?
-Templates in Descript allow you to save and apply a set of styles and elements, such as captions, logos, and progress bars, to your podcast. You can create a template on the fly by adding desired elements and saving them as a template for future use, which speeds up the editing process.
What are the options for exporting and publishing my podcast from Descript?
-Descript provides options to publish directly to platforms like YouTube and Buzz Sprout, which simplifies the upload process. Alternatively, you can export your podcast as a video or audio file and manually upload it to your chosen hosting destination or platform.
Outlines
😀 Introduction to Podcast Creation with Descript
The video script begins with a discussion about chicken nuggets made to emulate the taste of non-chicken nuggets. The hosts, Ariel and Harmony, introduce themselves and their roles at Descript. They provide an overview of the podcast movement Evolutions conference, which they recently attended, and discuss the importance of networking and staying updated with podcasting trends. They also mention hosting a Descript Community Coffee hour during the conference and encourage viewers to join their Discord channel for updates on future events.
🎧 Unique Features of Descript for Podcasting
The hosts delve into the unique features of Descript, emphasizing its text-based editing system that simplifies the podcast editing process, making it accessible for beginners. They also highlight Descript's acquisition of Squadcast, a remote recording platform, and demonstrate how Descript users can connect their accounts to Squadcast for high-quality remote recording. The video covers the process of recording remotely and importing files into Descript for editing.
📂 Organizing Projects and Editing in Descript
The script continues with tips on organizing podcast projects within Descript, such as setting up a folder structure and considering the recording setup and editing workflow. It explains how to import files into Descript and begin the transcription process, which includes speaker identification and creating a multitrack sequence. The hosts also discuss the importance of reviewing and editing the transcript for accuracy and clarity.
✂️ Advanced Editing Techniques and Collaboration
The hosts demonstrate advanced editing techniques in Descript, such as deleting unnecessary parts of the recording, using the 'ignore' function to temporarily remove sections for review, and the 'sequence editor' for more detailed audio editing. They also show how to use the transcription glossary to improve accuracy for names and specific terms. The paragraph emphasizes the collaborative aspect of Descript, allowing for comments and suggestions within the editing process.
📈 Creating Highlights and Repurposing Content
The script describes how to identify and create highlights within the podcast for potential repurposing as social media clips or audiograms. The hosts explain the use of the 'actions' tab to copy highlights and create new compositions for shorter content. They also discuss the process of editing the canvas for video podcasts, including resizing and repositioning video elements.
🎵 Adding Music and Sound Effects to Podcasts
The hosts guide viewers on how to add music and sound effects to their podcasts using Descript's stock media library. They cover the process of inserting music tracks, adjusting audio levels with ducking, and adding sound effects like dings for emphasis. The paragraph also touches on the importance of music selection and audio balance to ensure a professional sound.
📊 Utilizing Scenes for Dynamic Video Content
The script introduces the concept of using scenes to create dynamic video content by automatically adjusting to the active speaker. The hosts demonstrate how to apply eye contact AI, add static images to audio-only podcasts to create audiograms, and stitch audio together after removing unwanted sections. They also show how to use templates to apply consistent styling and elements across different scenes.
🚀 Exporting and Publishing Podcasts
The hosts discuss the process of exporting podcasts from Descript, covering the options for direct publishing to platforms like YouTube or Buzz Sprout, and exporting audio and video files for manual upload. They highlight the flexibility of Descript in handling different podcast formats and the ease of exporting for various hosting needs.
🤝 Wrapping Up and Engaging with the Community
The video script concludes with a Q&A session where the hosts address questions from the audience about Descript's capabilities, such as recording and editing for long podcasts, using the eye contact AI tool, and adding static images to audio-only podcasts. They also invite viewers to join their Discord community for further interaction and support.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Podcasts
💡Descript
💡Squadcast
💡Transcription
💡Editing
💡Remote Recording
💡Multitrack Editing
💡Templates
💡Exporting
💡Discord
💡Audiograms
Highlights
Descript is a text-based editing platform that simplifies podcast creation for beginners.
Harmony and Ariel discuss their experience at Podcast Movement Evolutions, an annual conference for podcast industry professionals.
Descript acquired Squadcast, enabling users to record remotely with high-quality audio and video.
Users can connect their Descript account to Squadcast for free access to remote recording tools.
Descript acts as a one-stop-shop for media storage, recording, editing, collaboration, and publishing.
The platform's unique selling point is its approachability for beginners and its text-based editing interface.
Descript's transcription glossary helps improve accuracy by training the AI to recognize specific terms.
The ignore function allows editors to tag sections for possible future use without deleting them.
Harmony demonstrates how to use Descript's sequence editor for more granular audio editing.
Descript enables easy correction of transcription errors with a simple text replacement feature.
The platform provides tools for removing filler words and shortening pauses in the audio for a cleaner edit.
Ariel and Harmony discuss the process of creating social clips or audiograms from podcast audio for repurposing on social media.
Descript allows users to export their podcasts in various formats, including video and audio-only options.
Harmony shows how to add captions, music, and sound effects to enhance the podcast listening experience.
The active speaker feature in Descript automatically adjusts the video to focus on the person who is currently speaking.
Templates in Descript can be customized and saved for quick application in future projects.
Descript offers a free month of Pro with the code 'pod April' for new users or free plan users.
The storage limit for projects in Descript depends on the subscription plan and the amount of content being transcribed.
For long podcasts, it's recommended to split the project into parts to avoid performance issues.
Descript's eye contact AI tool helps to improve the on-camera appearance by adjusting the speaker's eye contact.
Static images or b-roll can be added to audio-only podcasts to create visual content for social media platforms.
To remove unwanted sounds or dead space from a podcast recording, use the sequence editor to highlight and delete the unwanted sections.