Podcasting with Audacity

Download and install the free Audacity audio editor for your operating system

Download and install the FFMPEG plugin, a library to import and export various media formats such as M4A, WMA and MP4.

Adjust the interface Meter dB range settings to -36 dB


Blue Yeti settings that work well for me are:

Noise Reduction (dB) 12 – Sensitivity 12.50 – Freq. smooting 7

Compressor Threshold -18 dB – Noise Floor -40 dB – Ratio 2.5:1 – Attack 1.80 secs – Release 11.1 secs

Normalise Remove DC – Normalize peak amplitude to -1.0

Blue Yeti Audio recording steps that do the job for me:

  • import the sound track(s) first, then record the voice track (below)
  • monitor the playback level and reduce the Gain level (e.g. -3.0dB) if appropriate
  • select mono microphone recording
  • remove the background noise with the Noise Reduction effect plug-in
  • compress the voice recording with the Compressor effect plug-in
  • apply Filter Curve EQ user setting (see file below ‘BlueYetiFC’ )
  • use the Auto Duck effect plug-in to reduce background track level (e.g. -20)

ShurePlus MOTIV settings:

MIC Gain 36B
EQ Presence Boost
Limiter enables
Compressor Medium

Audacity settings

Noise Reduction (dB) 12 – Sensitivity 12.50 – Freq. smooting 7

Compressor Threshold -18 dB – Noise Floor -40 dB – Ratio 2.5:1 – Attack 1.80 secs – Release 11.1 secs

Normalise Remove DC – Normalize peak amplitude to -1.0

Sample Rate 44100 Hz

Sample Format 32-bit float

Shure MV7 Audio recording steps that do the job for me (see macro file below):

  • import the sound track(s) first, then record the voice track (below)
  • monitor the playback level and reduce the Gain level (e.g. -3.0dB) if appropriate
  • select mono microphone recording
  • apply the Normalise effect plug-in (see settings below)
  • compress the voice recording with the Compressor effect plug-in (see settings below)
  • apply Filter Curve EQ factory setting Treble Boost
  • apply Filter Curve EQ factory setting Bass Boost
  • apply Filter Curve EQ factory setting Low rolloff for speech
  • apply the Normalise effect plug-in (see settings below)
  • remove the background noise with the Noise Reduction effect plug-in
  • use the Auto Duck effect plug-in to reduce background track level (e.g. -20)

Audacity Forum and on-line Tutorials (below)

Mouse bindings (not configurable)