Podcast mixing and music

A good podcast is one you listen to from start to finish without thinking about the sound even once. That’s how it should be. Because the moment you have to reach for the volume, or you’re getting annoyed by an echoey voice, you’re no longer following the story.

I regularly mix podcasts, among others for Kletskous Media. They make podcasts for companies, organisations and private clients, and I take care of the sound. The audio design, as it’s called: the podcast is put together so that it’s pleasant and, above all, fun to listen to.

I also mix episodes of De Stemmencast, a Dutch podcast series about and with the voice actors behind well-known children’s TV series.

Intro, outro and bumpers

A podcast with its own signature tune sticks in people’s minds. That’s why I make intro and outro music that fits the subject and the mood of the podcast. I also make musical bumpers. Those are short bits of music between two topics or before a new segment, so the listener can hear that something new is starting. It gives the podcast some breathing space and a clear structure.

Every speaker clearly audible

There are often several people around the table, each with their own voice and their own way of talking. One speaks softly and sits far from the microphone, another is practically on top of it. I make sure every speaker sounds good and is just as easy to understand. If there’s a hum or an echo in the recording, I remove as much of it as I can.

Keeping the dynamics in check

Maybe the most important part: the dynamics. Quiet passages shouldn’t be too quiet, or you’ll be straining to hear on the train. And when someone bursts out laughing, you don’t want your headphones to fly off your head. I keep the volume in check so you set it once and never have to touch it again. I deliver the final mix at the loudness Spotify, Apple Podcasts and the other platforms expect.

Below you’ll find a compilation of podcasts I’ve worked on.