One of the most annoying things for podcasters and their listeners is hearing background noise when someone isn't even talking. This is especially an issue on interview or panel-style shows with multiple people involved. If participants have fans or other noise in the background when they're not talking that can be very distracting... and is avoidable!
A noise gate can easily solve this problem by only allowing sound through when the input volume reaches a certain level – i.e. when someone is talking and only then. My favorite audio swiss army knife for the Mac, Audio Hijack Pro, allows you to implement a noise gate very easily. Follow the simple steps in this video and the next time you're on an interview podcast (or recording one), you'll sound fantastic!
Software required:
- Audio Hijack Pro (US$32, free for limited 10-minute trial)
- SoundFlower (free, and control-click on the Installer package and choose "Open" to launch it)