Tutorials Podcasting

How to Record a Remote Podcast Guest

Beginner · ~45 min

Overview

Recording a remote guest with studio-quality audio is easier than you think once you understand the core problem: video call apps like Zoom and Teams compress audio aggressively for bandwidth. The solution is to record each person locally and combine the files in post.

What You Need

A microphone for yourself (USB or XLR)
A recording app: Audacity, GarageBand, or a dedicated tool like Riverside.fm
A video call app for the conversation (Zoom, Meet, etc.)
A DAW or editor for mixing the two tracks together

Steps

Understand why Zoom audio sounds bad

Zoom and Google Meet apply variable bitrate compression, noise suppression, and automatic gain control, all designed for intelligibility, not quality. The result is pumping, artefacts, and processing smear. Recording the Zoom call directly will always sound like a Zoom call.

Choose your recording method

Double-ender (free): Both host and guest record themselves locally and share the files after. Dedicated platform (paid): Tools like Riverside.fm record each person at full quality locally in the browser, then upload post-session. Use the double-ender for budget setups, a dedicated platform for consistent professional results.

Set up the double-ender

You run Zoom for the conversation while also recording in Audacity separately. Your guest does the same. They record their own voice locally while on the call. After the session, your guest sends you their audio file. You now have two clean, uncompressed tracks.

Brief your guest before the session

Most guests have never recorded themselves before. Send a simple pre-session checklist: record in a quiet room, use headphones during the call (prevents bleed), press record before joining the call, clap once at the start so you have a sync point. Keep it to five bullet points, long briefs don't get read.

Sync the audio tracks in post

Import both tracks into your DAW as separate lanes. Use the clap you recorded at the start: zoom in on both waveforms and drag them until the clap transients align. From that point they'll stay in sync for the whole interview. Delete the pre-clap sections.

Mix and export

Process each track independently. EQ, compress, and noise-reduce them separately before setting final levels. Export as a stereo mix or combine to mono for podcast delivery. Aim for −16 LUFS on the final export.

Pro Tips

Tell guests to turn off their phone and close all browser tabs, notifications are the most common recording-ruiners.
If your guest doesn't have a microphone, ask them to use AirPods with the mic rather than their laptop's built-in microphone.
Always record a Zoom backup even when using a dedicated platform. It's your safety net if local recording fails.
Use our Remote Recording Apps guide to compare platforms like Riverside.fm, Squadcast, and Zencastr.

Knowledge Base

What You'll Learn

Record high-quality audio from remote guests via Zoom, Riverside, or SquadCast. Learn backup recording methods, audio routing, and how to ensure remote guests don't sound compressed or distant.

Remote Recording Platforms

Riverside.fm: Cloud recording + local recording backup. Host and guest each record locally at full quality. $19/month.
SquadCast: Similar to Riverside, slightly easier UX. $10/month.
Zoom: Free cloud recording, but audio quality is compressed. Local recording available for Zoom paid plans.
Skype/WhatsApp: Avoid for professional podcasts. Audio quality is poor, no local recording option.

Setup Checklist

Wired Ethernet connection (not WiFi). Reduces audio dropouts.
Quiet room for guest. Ask them to avoid hard surfaces (desk, walls) behind them.
Microphone positioned 6-8 inches from mouth.
Test call 10 minutes before recording. Confirm audio levels and quality.
Record locally on both sides (host and guest). Internet quality always dips slightly.

Audio Mixing

Remote audio usually needs aggressive noise reduction (traffic, HVAC). High-pass filter at 100 Hz helps. Don't over-EQ, keep natural. Local recordings are almost always higher quality than stream quality. Use those.

Contingency Plan

If video drops, have phone recording backup (iPhone Voice Memos, Android Recorder). Never lose an interview.

Where This Fits

This guide covers one specific part of podcasting. The wider picture. The whole setup from equipment and recording through editing, publishing, and handling remote guests, is in Best Podcast Setup for Beginners, which frames the discipline as a whole and links out to the detailed guides underneath it, including this one. If you are starting from scratch rather than solving a specific problem, read that first and come back here.

FAQ

Q: Is Zoom good enough for a professional remote-recorded podcast?
A: Not ideal. Zoom's free cloud recording compresses audio noticeably. It's fine for a casual show, but if audio quality matters, use a platform with local recording (Riverside, SquadCast) instead.

Q: What's the single most important habit for remote recording reliability?
A: Always record locally on both ends, not just relying on the platform's cloud stream, internet quality dips are common and local recordings are almost always higher quality than what gets streamed.