Lochlainn Harte

Important Note: The plugins and techniques described below represent my current preferred workflow for podcast audio processing. The world of audio is constantly evolving, with new plugins emerging, personal preferences changing, and the need to adapt to different projects and client requests. This is a guide based on what I find effective right now, but I always encourage experimentation, collaboration, and a willingness to try new things! Consider this a starting point, not a definitive rulebook.

We all love diving into a sea of plugins, twisting knobs, and exploring sonic landscapes. But most plugins, especially those that come bundled with your DAW, are primarily designed with music production in mind. Vocals in music are often treated heavily, sculpted to fit within a complex arrangement. Podcasts, however, demand a different approach. Clarity, consistency, and natural presence are paramount.

While experimenting is fun (and encouraged!), when it comes to crafting professional-sounding podcasts, a core set of specialized tools can make all the difference. Let’s focus on some go-to plugins from Avid and Waves, along with a powerful AI tool, that are specifically helpful for podcast production:

The Core Podcast Plugin Toolkit:

We’re going to focus on plugins that do one of a few key things:

• Clean Up: Remove unwanted noise and room reflections.
• Shape: Adjust the tonal balance (EQ) and dynamics (compression).
• Polish: Add subtle enhancements for a professional finish.
• Enhance: Make the audio better with AI
• Protect: Prevent distortion and ensure loudness standards.

1. The Cleanup Crew:

• Clarity Vx Pro (Waves): This is your podcasting superpower. Clarity Vx Pro is a real-time noise reduction plugin that works wonders on removing background hum, air conditioning rumble, and even some light mouth clicks. The “Pro” version gives you much finer control over the processing, allowing you to target specific frequency ranges of noise without impacting the clarity of the voice. Think of it as surgically removing the bad stuff without making the voice sound robotic or unnatural. Use Case: Essential for recordings made in less-than-ideal environments (which is most home studios!).
  
• Clarity DeReverb Pro (Waves): Room reflections (reverb) are the enemy of clear podcast audio. They make your voice sound distant and muddy. Clarity DeReverb Pro is designed to tame that reverb, making your recordings sound tighter and more intimate. It’s particularly effective for larger rooms or spaces with hard surfaces. Use Case: Essential for any room that isn’t acoustically treated. Adjust the amount of dereverberation carefully – too much can sound unnatural.

2. Shaping the Sound:

• F6 Floating-Band Dynamic EQ (Waves): The F6 is more than just an EQ; it’s a dynamic EQ. This means it can respond to the level of your audio, applying EQ changes only when needed. For podcasting, this is incredibly useful. For example, you can use it to:
  • De-ess (with a twist – see RDeEsser below): While you can use the F6 for de-essing, we’ll discuss a dedicated tool shortly.
  • Control Boominess: If your voice gets boomy in certain words or phrases, you can use a band to dynamically reduce the low frequencies only when they become problematic.
  • General EQ: Of course, you can also use it as a regular EQ to gently shape the overall tone of your voice, adding warmth or clarity. Use Case: The F6 is a versatile workhorse for addressing a wide range of tonal issues in a dynamic and natural-sounding way.*
    
• RVox (Waves): This is a classic, simple compressor designed specifically for vocals. It has just a few controls (Gate, Compression, Output Gain), making it incredibly easy to dial in a great sound. Compression helps to even out the volume of your voice, making quiet parts more audible and preventing loud parts from clipping. RVox provides a smooth, transparent compression that’s perfect for podcasting. Use Case: Apply gentle compression (2-4 dB of gain reduction) to create a more consistent listening experience.
  
• Greg Wells VoiceCentric (Waves): This plugin is part of the Greg Wells Signature Series, and it’s designed to give you a “finished” vocal sound with minimal fuss. It combines EQ, compression, and saturation in a single interface. While it’s great for music, it can also be used subtly in podcasting to add a touch of polish. Use Case: Use sparingly! A little bit of VoiceCentric can add warmth and presence, but too much can make your podcast sound over-processed. Focus on the “Intensity” knob to control the overall effect.
  
• RDeEsser (Waves): This is your dedicated “s” sound tamer. Sibilance (those harsh “s,” “sh,” and “ch” sounds) can be really distracting in a podcast. RDeEsser is designed specifically to reduce sibilance in a natural-sounding way. It’s generally more effective and easier to use than trying to de-ess with a general-purpose EQ. Use Case: Place this before your compressor (RVox) in your chain. Experiment with the frequency and threshold controls to find the sweet spot for your voice.

3. The Polishing Touches:

• OneKnob Brighter (Waves): As the name suggests, this plugin adds brightness to your audio with a single knob. It’s a quick and easy way to add some air and presence to a dull-sounding recording. Use Case: Use with caution! Too much brightness can make your audio sound harsh and fatiguing. Just a small turn of the knob is often all you need.}
• OneKnob Louder (Waves): Another one-knob wonder, this plugin increases the perceived loudness of your audio without necessarily making it peak louder. It’s a way to make your podcast sound fuller and more competitive. Use Case: Use this towards the end of your chain, but before your limiter and loudness meter.
  
• WLM Plus Loudness Meter (Waves): This is essential for podcasting. Unlike music, podcasts have specific loudness standards (usually measured in LUFS – Loudness Units Full Scale). WLM Plus allows you to accurately measure the loudness of your podcast and ensure it meets the requirements of platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, etc. Common targets are -16 LUFS for stereo and -19 LUFS for mono. Use Case: Place this plugin after your limiter on your master bus to monitor your final loudness levels.
  
• Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain (Waves): While designed for mastering music, this plugin can provide subtle, high-quality enhancements to your podcast audio. It emulates the classic EMI TG12410 mastering console used at Abbey Road Studios. Use Case: The key here is subtlety. Use the EQ and filter sections sparingly to add a touch of warmth or air. The “Spreader” module can widen the stereo image slightly (if you’re recording in stereo), but be careful not to overdo it. Avoid heavy compression or limiting with this plugin in a podcast context.

4. AI Enhancement Power:

• Adobe Podcast Enhance: This is a game-changer, especially for recordings made in less-than-ideal conditions. Adobe’s AI-powered tool can dramatically improve the clarity and quality of your audio, removing background noise, reverb, and even making voices sound more “studio-like.” Use Case: Run your audio through Enhance before you start applying other plugins. It can be a lifesaver for recordings with significant noise or reverb issues. However, be mindful that it can sometimes introduce artifacts, so listen carefully to the results. It’s best to use this on the raw recording, rather than after you’ve already applied other processing.

5. Protection and Loudness Standards:

• A Powerful Limiter (e.g., Waves L2 Ultramaximizer): A limiter is your last line of defense against distortion. It prevents your audio from exceeding a certain level (the “ceiling”), ensuring that you don’t get any nasty clipping. While OneKnob Louder increases perceived loudness, a limiter ensures your audio doesn’t actually peak too high. Use Case: Place the limiter after OneKnob Louder and before your WLM Plus meter. Set the output ceiling to -1.0 dBTP (dB True Peak) to prevent inter-sample peaks (a type of distortion that can occur even if your regular meter doesn’t show clipping). Use the limiter to gently “catch” any remaining peaks, not to drastically squash your audio. A few dB of gain reduction is usually plenty. The L2 is just an example; other transparent limiters will work too.

Gain Staging: The Foundation of Good Audio

Gain staging is like setting the foundation of a house. It’s about making sure your audio signal is at a healthy level throughout your entire processing chain. This prevents noise from building up and gives your plugins the headroom they need to work properly.

• The -10 dB Rule (Approximate): A good rule of thumb is to aim for your audio to be peaking around -10 dBFS (dB Full Scale) on your meters after each plugin. This doesn’t have to be exact, but it’s a good target. This means that after your EQ, after your compressor, etc., your levels should be hovering around that -10 dB mark.
• Why -10 dB? This gives you plenty of headroom. Headroom is the space between your average signal level and the point where distortion starts (0 dBFS). More headroom means your plugins have room to work without pushing your signal into the red.
• How to do it: Use the output gain controls on your plugins (and your DAW’s faders) to adjust the levels. Don’t be afraid to reduce the gain if a plugin is making things too loud.
• Input Levels Matter Too: Start with a good, clean recording. Aim for your raw recording to peak around -12 to -6 dBFS. This gives you a strong signal without risking clipping during recording.

Important Considerations:

• Plugin Order Matters: The order in which you place your plugins affects the final sound. Generally, you’ll want to follow this order:
  1. Cleanup: Noise Reduction (Clarity Vx Pro) and Dereverberation (Clarity DeReverb Pro)
  2. Enhance: (Adobe Podcast Enhance)
  3. De-Essing: (RDeEsser)
  4. EQ: (F6)
  5. Compression: (RVox)
  6. Character/Polish: (Greg Wells VoiceCentric, OneKnob Brighter)
  7. Loudness Increase: (OneKnob Louder)
  8. Limiter
  9. Metering: (WLM Plus)
  10. Mastering (Abbey Road TG Mastering last and with caution)
      
• Listen Critically: Always use your ears! A/B your processed audio against the original to make sure you’re actually making improvements. It’s easy to get carried away with plugins, so make sure your processing is serving the clarity and naturalness of the voice.
  
• Less is More: With podcasting, subtlety is key. Avoid over-processing your audio. The goal is to create a clean, clear, and engaging listening experience.
  
• Every Episode is Unique: This is a basic toolkit. You might not need every plugin for every episode, and sometimes you’ll need something entirely different! Use this as a starting point and adapt as needed.

By combining these powerful tools with careful listening, good gain staging, and a focus on clarity, you can elevate your podcast audio from amateur to professional, ensuring your message is heard loud and clear. Good luck, and happy podcasting!