How to Record a Podcast While Traveling

One of the most important characteristics of a successful podcast is consistency. Sticking to a posting schedule is key to building fans who eventually make it a routine to listen to your show.

Unfortunately, and I know this from experience, travel can disrupt your bigtime podcast recording schedule.

What is the best way to solve this problem?

Hit the record button while you travel! And not just because you want to follow that schedule, but because some of the best conversations you'll ever have will happen while you're on the road and in person with people.

These are often wasted golden opportunities, but not anymore, because I'm going to tell you everything you need to make it work and easy.

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Before you go, it's important to gather and pack the right equipment for your on-the-go recording sessions. In most cases, you won't be taking your usual podcast setup home with you on the road.

That said, if your normal setup includes a relatively small all-in-one production console such as the Rodecaster Pro II, it might be worth bringing along some microphones and an SD card to accommodate your needs. .

In most cases, however, a portable yet powerful recording setup is what you're looking for. Here are some options:

Rode SmartLav+ with mobile interface

The smallest and cheapest option combines a wired lavalier microphone and an interface to a device you probably already have access to: your cell phone.

Whether you're an iPhone or Android user, a Rode SmartLav+ microphone setup can connect directly to your device. Because it's small, you can even clip it to a t-shirt or blouse and it's completely out of the way.

I use this setup when traveling for solo episodes and interviews. If you are going to do an interview, make sure you have a dual mobile interface so you can plug in two microphones to record simultaneously.

This setup is limited in terms of post-editing capability because everything is recorded on a single track, but it is the simplest and most flexible.

For a quick demonstration, check out this video I recorded with my son a few years ago:

Zoom H6N

The Zoom H6N is the portable recorder ultimate that lets you capture the best sound quality while you're away. There are built-in microphones (and ones you can swap out for different recording styles) and 4 microphone inputs for different XLR or TRS cables, which are great for group interviews.

That means you can have up to four different people, on four different microphones, recording to four different tracks at the same time. Instead of using your phone to record, this device uses an SD card to save your files, and it's easy to import them back to a computer when you get home or to your hotel room.

This is the device I usually use when I'm on the go. I bring two microphones - like the Samson Q2U - which connect via XLR, record and the show is on. Make sure you also bring some XLRs...