Okay, so let me tell you about the time I tried setting up a podcast studio in Austin. I’d been toying with this idea of starting a podcast for a while, and after hearing that Joe Rogan moved to Austin, I thought, “Why not give it a shot here?” It seemed like the perfect place, with its cool vibe and all.
First off, I started scouting for locations. I wanted something central, you know, easy to get to for guests and all that. I looked around the Domain area, checked out some spots downtown, and even considered a place in Travis Heights, near South Congress. It’s pretty much in the heart of everything, which is great.
Then, I went on Yelp to see what other people were saying about podcast studios in Austin. I found a bunch of places: The Block House, Ikoyi Studios, Melrose Podcasts, and a few others. Each had its own thing going on, some were more focused on music recording, while others were more versatile, offering space for video and photoshoots too.
After checking out a few of these spots, I realized I needed to get some equipment. I’m not really a tech expert, so figuring out what kind of mics, headphones, and recording software to get was a bit of a headache. I ended up going to a local store and just asked a bunch of questions until I felt like I kinda knew what I needed.
- Choosing a Location: Looked around Domain, downtown, and Travis Heights.
- Researching Studios: Checked Yelp, found places like The Block House, Ikoyi Studios, etc.
- Gathering Equipment: Got mics, headphones, and recording software from a local store.
Setting up the studio was a whole other story. I decided to convert a spare room in my place into a makeshift studio. I got some soundproofing foam panels online and stuck them on the walls. Let me tell you, that stuff is a pain to put up! I also set up a small table with the recording equipment. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it did the job.
Next, I invited a couple of friends over to test it out. We recorded a few “practice” episodes, just to get the hang of things. It was a bit awkward at first, but we had a lot of laughs figuring out how to use the equipment and getting comfortable talking into the mics.
Finally, I felt ready to record my first real episode. I invited a local musician friend over, and we had a great chat about the Austin music scene. The recording went pretty smoothly, although I did have to edit out a few parts where the neighbor’s dog started barking. Overall, I was pretty happy with how it turned out.
Reflecting on the Process
Looking back, setting up a podcast studio in Austin was quite the experience. It was a lot more work than I initially thought, but it was also super rewarding. I learned a ton about recording equipment, soundproofing, and, of course, the art of conversation. Plus, it was just cool to create something of my own in a city that’s known for its creativity.
