Podcasting Microphones For Mobile Recording

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In this post, we are going to take a look at the Best Travel Microphones for Podcasting and share with you some tips & tricks of what to look for in a good Podcasting Microphone. If you have any questions, or if you would like to add your microphone to the list, please feel free to leave a message below in the comments section or tweet to us @PodcastingToday.

Are you looking to take your podcast on the road?

Of course, you are!

For many podcasters, building a show and setting up a home studio is a fantastic adventure, but for many, the real fun part of podcasting is taking your show on the road to conferences and social gatherings.

But what microphone should you take with you?

This is, of course, a simple answer ….  Take the microphone that you currently own!

But seriously … if you are just starting out as a podcaster, and money is an object, or creating a podcasting studio in your school, it's easy to go to conferences and start out your road trip simply by using the microphone built into your phone.  But what if you want to get a little fancy with your gear?

Budget Microphones That Get The Job Done

I started off like any other podcaster, about 9 years ago, podcasting at local conferences and conventions.  I would go booth to booth and introduce myself and ask for an interview.  The only equipment that I had was my iPhone and a nice little microphone called an iRig.  I love the iRig mic because not only was it small in size, it also had three settings that you could use based on how loud the room was. The other nice thing about this microphone is that it fit nicely into my iPhone or iPad and the headphone connection had an extra slot where you could plug your headphones into it for feedback of the recording.

However, like everything else about Apple changs, so did the inputs that were available on newer devices.

It's About The Lightning Connection

One of the microphones that I recently purchased is the Blue Raspberry Microphone.  As I mentioned in my recent review of podcasting microphones, the Raspberry is a really nice microphone that can easily be put in a pocket and comes complete with both USB cable and Lightning cable which makes this a great little microphone for both home and travel recordings.

The Raspberry is a dynamic microphone which means it's going to record just about anything that is happening in the room which is great for anyone sitting at a round table with one input device, but its not the best option when doing booth interviews in busy areas.

Lightweight Recording Options With Multiple Microphones

For the longest time, I was doing quite a bit of recording at conferences such as ISTE but I was never extremely happy with how I was doing it.  My gear was large and heavy.  This lead to several trips to the Chiropractor once I returned home.  In looking for a solution that provided me not only with a great sounding microphone but a way to record with more than one person, I was given a suggestion to try out the Zoom H6 Recording interface.

Zoom H6

The Zoom H6 came into my podcasting gear bag just before the ISTE conference last year.  I can't say enough good things about this.  For starters, I am able to connect six individual microphones to us using the extension capsule. With individual volume controls for each of the microphones, I have created a nice little recording studio that takes full advantage of both the Zoom and my AT2005USB Microphones that I discussed in my previous review.

There are several advantages to recording with the Zoom H6.  In addition to those features listed above, I am able to quickly set up and create recordings that not only have quality audio but video as well.  Because both the Zoom and my iPad create files that have time stamps on it, many of my setups now involve using the iPad and Padcaster for 4K video and in post, I sync up the audio from the Zoom using Final Cut Pro.

What's The Best Advice For Travel Microphones?

My best advice when it comes to podcasting on the road is to think about your back.  I can't say this enough.  When I started out, I would be the guy lugging two or three bags, (some on wheels) through large hallways sometimes miles and miles per day.  It put a big strain on my back and I can't say that it created a better product than the next podcaster.

If budget is a concern for you (and it should be) there are plenty of options out there for you but the reality is that you have to choose the best options that work for you.

If you know someone who is interested in purchasing new equipment for their podcast, please click here to share this post with them on Twitter! #SharingIsCaringClick To Tweet

If you are going to record directly into your phone or tablet then I would recommend the Raspberry.  If you are looking to go and do Person-On-The-Street interviews, then I would recommend going with a Zoom recorder. It's a bit more expensive and would make you carry additional microphones and cables, but that would be a decision that you would need to make when the time comes.

What Is The Most Important Thing To Keep In Mind When Selecting A Microphone?

No matter which Facebook Group or Conference you go to, there is always someone asking the question: “How do I make my podcast better?” The answer is always simple

Just make great content!  

It's not about the microphone, it's not about the mixer, and it's not about the website … it's all and only is ever about creating great content.

Where Can I Get Additional Help?

If you are looking for help starting your podcast, please check out our great channels below or reach out to use with any questions you may have.  We are happy to help.

In Conclusion

We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on this subject (both good and bad). Please take a moment and leave a message in the comments section below.

For Additional Information: www.EducationalPodcasting.com

About the author, Jeffrey Bradbury

Jeff Bradbury, creator of TeacherCast, and father of the famous @EduTriplets Thanks for checking out TeacherCast today. Please take a moment to find me on all of my Social Media channels!

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