Word is that podcasting is the old new next best thing in 2015. Twitter especially is in the process of rolling out recorded content with partner SoundCloud, while the successes of podcasts like Serial underline the potency of the medium.

 

Seemingly, there is no better time to pick up the microphone and start wiring up for sound. And here’s how, for free:

Close to the edit

If you own an Apple Mac, then you probably already know about Garageband and its audio editing capabilities. But one tool that is universally free on Apple and Windows operating systems is Audacity. That free aspect does mean that you’ll need to download a few plugins to export your files to MP3 format, for instance, but the core program’s ability to chop, edit, move and generally fiddle about with your audio more than compensates.

Free sounds

Creating podcasts isn’t just about vocalising a script. Often you’ll need sound effects and music to draw the listener in and make your podcasts more compelling. For the former, there is Freesound.org, while Music Alley provides free melodies that are right up your, er, street. The catch that comes along with the free aspect is attribution, and you’re expected to credit any music or sound effects you use. If you’d rather not attribute, you can of course contact the creators directly to see if they’ll let you off. #doubtful

Hosting

Apple has some strict guidelines for hosting sound files, and luckily Archive.org is a free service that passes the test. While paid-for services such as LibSyn and Blubrry plug in to Apple’s iTunes to give you better sound management options, Archive.org does the job if you are simply looking for a hosting service.

Statistics

Did we just mention Blubrry? While its hosting service might not be free, Blubrry does offer a free data analytics service for your sound files. In the vein of Google Analytics for pages of text content, Blubrry lets you see how much reach your sound files have achieved with download figures and other useful metrics.