Remote Audio Recording Guide: Zencastr
How to prepare your guests for remote recordings with Zencastr
In this time of social distancing, tape syncs and live interviews are out and remote recording is in. I’m here to share how I prep my guests, and provide a cut-and-paste email you can use for your own prep.
Most of this information is specific to using Zencastr, the service I landed on over a year ago for all of my remote recording. I find Zencastr easy to use, and when I have had a question or needed help, the support team has been helpful and quick to respond. You will also find some general tips you can use with any platform.
Let’s get to it.
The Zencastr Guest Prep Email
Dear Person I Get to Interview About Something Amazing,
Our interview and recording will be through Zencastr. Please use this URL to join:[Put the unique link for this Zencastr interview here.]
For Zencastr, you need a Wi-Fi or secure internet connection and your computer (not a phone). You’ll need to use Firefox or Chrome as your browser (Chrome is preferred).
Before we record, please run an internet speed check on your computer. To do that, please go to www.speedtest.net and press “Go.” This check takes about 1 minute. We’re looking for 3MB minimum of both upload and download speed; if your speeds are lower than 3MB, please let me know.
After checking your speed, please visit the Zencastr link above to test that this service will work on your system. Zencastr will run a “health check” to show that everything will work; if the health check fails, please let me know.
On the day of recording: Before you log into Zencastr, please take a moment to close down all programs running on your computer or other Internet tabs open on your browser. Please also disable notifications on your computer, and if your cell phone is in the room, please silence all alerts.
You will be prompted to allow access to your microphone in the upper left hand side of your screen — please do this. If you are using Firefox, please select the “Always Allow” option. This will then make it possible for you to make audio input/output selections from inside Zencastr.
If possible, please wear headphones or earbuds while we record and keep the volume on them low while still being able to comfortably hear. If you have an external microphone and prefer to use that instead of the computer’s microphone feature, let me know. Earbuds with a built in microphone work as well, but if you use this combo, please be careful that the cord and microphone do not brush against your shirt.
General recording considerations: If possible, please set yourself up in a quiet space for the interview, preferably a smaller room with soft surfaces, where you won’t be interrupted. Ideally, this space is free or buffered from outside noise (like barking dogs, sirens, lawn mowers, etc.) and there are no appliances or motor-like equipment running in the space (such as an air conditioner, refrigerator, heater, generator, etc.). If there is some noise, it’s OK, but the less interference, the better.
At the time of our interview, please go to the Zencastr link. Once there, you will be able to see me there as well, and you should be able to hear me and talk to me. If there are any issues, we can exchange messages on the Zencastr page to communicate and fix them.
When we are finished recording, please hang out for a moment so that all the files can download completely.
Optional Language for Backup Recordings
It’s always a good idea to have backup tape just in case there are technical issues. These are instructions for having your guest record their side of the conversation — to self-tape-sync:
Backup audio: I would love to have you record your side of the conversation while we chat, as a backup. For this, please find your phone’s recording program (for Android, it’s Easy Voice Recorder, and for Apple, it’s Voice Memos),. Please put your phone in airplane mode during the recording, and hold the phone/recorder about 6 inches from your face, to one side of your mouth at about chin level (not directly in front of your mouth). When we connect, please press record. I will have you send this to me when we’re finished.
What Zencastr Has to Say
Of course, Zencastr has its own information about what to tell your guests. The Zencastr Guests! What You Need to Know Before You Record video is quite helpful:
Much of what’s in the email above is pulled from this, but for my guests, I prefer the information written out, and I like to cover more than what’s here. Zencastr also has a Zencastr Guest Information doc; my email includes what’s covered there, but gets at a few items in a slightly different way.
The Zencastr doc specifies the system requirements and the required amount of hard disc space and RAM. The “health checks” that Zencastr runs when your guest test drives the URL will check for these same items. I find it easier to have the health check search for these requirements as opposed to asking my guest to do it.
The Zencastr doc also specifies that headphones and a microphone (or an earbud/mic combo) are required; this is necessary to prevent audio leakage. While these items are highly preferable, they aren’t absolutely necessary.
That is, the recording will work without headphones and a mic, but it won’t be as clean; in the least, headphones are really helpful. If your guest isn’t using this equipment, I suggest trying hard not to talk over them or interject while they’re speaking and plan to do some work in post production to remove the leakage that will inevitably occur.
I did check in with ZenCastr about this guest prep email, and they agreed that it covers all the bases. I also want to thank my podcast friend Jenna Spinelle, producer of the Democracy Works podcast, for helpful additions to these email instructions. (She’s had to stop more than one interview to remind guests to not let the mic brush against clothing.)
Now go forth and get those great remote interviews!
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