Category: Wedges of Wisdom

Podcast recording guide

Thinking about starting your own podcast but are not sure where to begin? Don’t fret. Tuber recently started making podcasts and here are our tips on how to make sure your recording experience is a pleasant one.

Where to record

If you do not have recording equipment and do not wish to purchase them, there are a number of recording studios you can book a slot at to put your content together. One option is The Hive Studios Singapore, which is centrally located between Bendemeer and Lavender MRT stations.

The recording process

In a quiet recording studio, the mics will pick up virtually any unwanted sound. These sounds can be distracting during playback and may be difficult to edit out from the final clip without compromising a speaker’s voice and/or content. For this reason, here are some things you would need to take note of:

1. The set up

    • Conduct audio checks prior to recording to ensure audio levels are satisfactory (to minimise the need for adjustments in post-production). Place mics at a comfortable distance away from your speakers to prevent them from accidentally hitting them, especially if a speaker gets animated
    • Do not adjust the mics once recording starts

2. During recording

    • Avoid hitting/tapping the table while speaking
    • Make sure phones and devices are on silent mode (not just on vibration mode as the sound of the vibration could be picked up)
    • If you need a sip of water or adjust your mask, face away from the mic. Similarly, avoid sniffling, lip smacking/licking or other “mouth sounds”, or breathing too hard into the mic fumbling or losing your train of thought is normal; stop, pause for a bit, and pick up from there

3. For easier editing

    • Where there is more than one interviewee, consider using hand gestures (raise a hand or wave, etc) to indicate you would like to speak instead of verbalising it (this is to prevent speakers from talking over one another)
    • Allow for a short pause after a speaker finishes what they have to say (it would make for easier editing where necessary)

Abbreviations and acronyms

If you’re making a reference to something in an abbreviated form, say it out in full during the first mention because listeners might not be familiar with them.

For example, go with “Central Expressway or CTE” at first mention before later referring to it as CTE. The same applies when referring to someone. For example, “Kevin Tan, who’s my colleague/boss from XXX’s YYY division” instead of “my colleague/boss Kevin”.

Granted, some of these things may slip your mind, but do try to observe all of them as far as possible to minimise post-production work. The less of that you have to deal with, the sooner your content can be uploaded to streaming platforms.

Have fun!

Illustration by: Fei

Tuber goes podcasting: Here’s what we learnt

Podcasting is quite common now. So when one of Tuber’s clients wanted in on the action, we jumped at the opportunity. After much brainstorming and fine-tuning, we are proud to announce the podcast went ‘live’ on June 24. Having worked in radio news at the start of my career, a podcast was somewhat familiar territory. After all, all you need is a host, interviewees, a list of questions, mikes and easy-to-use software for editing and uploading purposes. Provided you already have access to a recording studio, which we did not. Our team scoured several sites before settling on The Hive Studios. They have a fully equipped studio that supports recording and editing content. There is an on-site café as well, which we found most useful especially when working on back-to-back recordings in a single day.

The Hive Studio’s recording room

While we searched for a suitable studio, our team concurrently liaised with our client to decide who would host the podcast and finalise a possible list of interviewees. This involved a lot of scheduling among various parties, who were generally very accommodating. Possibly the only complication we faced was the Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) COVID-19 restrictions that came into force on May 16, 2021. Thankfully, we managed to finish all our recordings without breaching any rules. The real challenge came during post-production. Generally, words and phrases like “you know”, “right”, “um”, audible breathing, and other “mouth sounds” and background noise can be distracting and would be snipped. But we also wanted the conversation to flow as naturally as possible, which is something our art director had to keep in mind as he made the edits. There was also the need to ensure audio levels for all the speakers were fairly consistent to avoid a situation where one person sounds as if they were talking over the other.

The Challenge Podcast’s host, Douglas O’Loughlin (left), speaks to seasoned podcaster Rovik Robert in our first recording session held before COVID-19 restrictions were announced in mid-May 2021.

While podcasting is a largely auditory endeavour, other elements cannot be understated. The creative process in putting together a podcast also includes album art and music for branding purposes. In addition, each episode requires short notes that serve as synopses on platforms that host podcasts. Our editorial team also polished transcripts of the conversations so they could be uploaded to the client’s website. There are considerations too for images and blog posts for social media accounts, so that the podcast could potentially reach a wider audience. Which brings us to another important point: Strategy. What are the themes we aim to cover for our target audience? How do we plan to increase listenership? How do we collate feedback? All this information goes a long way in determining the trajectory of the podcast as we plan more interviews and topics. So do give us a listen here (in case you missed it above) and share your thoughts.

Illustration by: Liew Xinyi

An unfamiliar request: How our design intern turned uncertainty into maturity

When I was tasked with this project to create an animation targeted at children, I was hesitant as I’m not the best with kids. Another thing I was worried about was having to work with bright colours as desaturated and muted colours are my go to. To immerse myself in the assignment, I re-watched a few cartoon series that I loved as a child. Charlie & Lola became the core inspiration for this task. I also had a good scroll on Pinterest and Bookdepository to study the design of children book covers to apply suitable themes in my animation.

Syaf’s character designs during the storyboarding process

Having to create a 7-8 minute animation for the first time felt daunting. Learning to destress and care for my mental well-being was important as the animation process can get mind-numbing at times. This is especially when there are mistakes within certain frames and I would have to amend them individually. Because of that, I was often burnt out after a productive day of editing. But I paced myself, and I would get back on my feet soon after.

Syaf’s final characters and their individual roles

After a few rounds of amendments, it was very satisfying to see the many hours of drawing come to life. Compared to my school projects, this new experience at Tuber gave me control over many significant aspects, such as the art direction, colour scheme and character design. An important takeaway was learning to find the middle ground between using my preferred art style and one that caters to the client and the audience.

My favourite part in this journey was having the opportunity to witness the voice recording process. I’ve always been curious about sound design and voice acting. So of course, I was mesmerised by everything during those hours in the studio.

Illustration by: Liew Xinyi

We grow

good work


© Tuber 2023, A Potato Productions Company

Contact us

284 River Valley Road
#01-01 Singapore 238325

+65 6836 4030
info@tuber.sg

We grow

good work


© Tuber 2023
A Potato Productions Company

From new projects and new clients to perfecting what we're good at, we're always learning while having fun at work.

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284 River Valley Road
#01-01 Singapore 238325

+65 6836 4030
info@tuber.sg

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