Free Tools for Podcasters
Written by Marisa Ewing-Moody of Hemlock Creek Productions
If you’re like many podcasters out there, you might find yourself with big ideas for your show, but a not-so-big budget to try and bring your project to life. One of the biggest money sinks for podcast editors can be trying to find editing tools and sound effects without breaking the bank. It can also be easy to fall victim to wanting to buy the newest gear, even if it may not be best for your project (audio engineers jokingly refer to this as “GAS”- gear acquisition syndrome). Fortunately, there are plenty of free tools out there, from digital audio workstations (DAWs), to plug-ins, and even sound effects and music. Here’s a list of some free tools I’ve used on some of Hemlock Creek Productions’ projects that I hope will help your show get off the ground without draining your wallet.
Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs)
Reaper- While not free forever, Reaper offers a free 60 day trial for their software, which (as of writing) costs only $60 to own the software permanently, or $225 for a commercial license. Reaper is a robust audio editing software that comes with hundreds of effects for processing your audio, and is compatible with thousands of third party plug-ins. It also takes up very little storage space compared to other DAWs, and is incredibly customizable. You can download custom made tools and plug-ins made by the Reaper community, or even learn to make your own tools yourself through their scripting resources.
Audacity- Audacity is an open source audio editing program that has been around since 2000, and has been a go to for many audio editors looking for a free DAW. It has recently been upgraded to support third party plugins, and has unlimited free audio tracks. It does have some downsides though, including no MIDI/virtual instrument support, and it can become clunky for larger projects, but it can be worth exploring for those on a budget, especially if your podcast only has a couple of speakers.
Pro Tools Intro- Pro Tools Intro, the simpler version of Pro Tools, comes with a wide variety of tools to get your show up and running- 34 plugins, sample loops, and Native Instrument’s Kontakt Player (which lets you play virtual instruments). It’s a great DAW to use for chat podcasts. The downside of Pro Tools Intro compared to the full version is you can only have up to eight audio tracks, eight instrument tracks, and eight MIDI tracks, making it a perfect tool for podcasts with a few speakers, but less so for shows needing lots of tracks, like audio dramas.
Sound Effects
Free Sound- Free Sound is a huge sound effects database where anyone can upload their own sound effects to be used for free. That is both a pro and a con of this site. There are many recordings available of rare sounds, but the recordings can vary greatly in quality. Some are fantastic and sound professionally recorded, while others can be quite amature. However, it is definitely worth checking out for either sound effects you can use directly in your projects, or for finding inspiration. One thing to keep in mind when using this site- some of their sound effects require attribution (a note saying where the sound is from in your show credits), and some can only be used for non commercial projects. Make sure to check the attribution requirements before using any sounds in your show.
Sound Effect Newsletters- There are many indie sound effects catalogs out there. One of the largest is A Sound Effect, which regularly sends out free sound effects through their newsletter, and will also offer free sounds during holidays and sales. You’d be surprised at how large of a sound effects collection you can make by gathering sound effects given away for free.
Public Domain Music- Public domain music is music that is no longer under copyright protection, making it available for use in both personal and commercial projects. There are many sites where you can find public domain recordings available to use. Just make sure you double check with the copyright laws in your country to make sure you can use it, as some sites that list if music is public domain or not are based on specific country’s laws.
Plug-Ins
Blue Cat Audio “Freeware”- Blue Cat Audio has a wide variety of plug-ins for sale, but they do have a “freeware” section available that includes a handful of very useful plug-ins, including their guitar amp and flanger tools. For podcasting, definitely check out their FreqAnalyst and Gain Suite tools. FreqAnalyst shows you a spectral analysis of your audio in real time, allowing you to pinpoint certain problematic frequencies, while Gain Suite allows you to control the gain of multiple audio tracks.
Youlean Loudness Meter- Youlean is an incredibly powerful tool that lets you see loudness data for your show in real time. Its base version is free, and there is a paid version with more features available for $49. It is very helpful when measuring the loudness of your mixes, and can be used to make sure your show meets the loudness standards of the platforms you’re distributing to.
Plug-Ins that come with your DAW- Many downloads for digital audio workstations come with free plug-ins included, such as equalizers (EQs), compressors, and tools that reduce background noise. Before shelling out money on third party plug-ins, take some time to explore the ones that come with your DAW. Some of them are quite powerful.
Are you looking for more tips and tricks to help you create your podcast? Visit the Hemlock Creek Productions blog or follow us on Patreon for more information on creating, producing, and editing podcasts.