What is Bleed (Mic Bleed)?
Bleed occurs when a microphone picks up sound from a source it wasn't intended to capture, such as a guest's voice entering the host's microphone.
Why Bleed (Mic Bleed) Matters for Podcasters
Mic bleed (or leakage) happens in multi-person recording setups when the sound of one person's voice travels into another person's microphone. For example, if you and a guest are sitting close together, your mic might pick up their voice faintly in the background. This creates a 'phasey' or hollow sound when the two tracks are mixed together and makes editing difficult—you can't easily cut out a cough from the guest if that cough also 'bled' into your microphone. Bleed is minimized by using directional (cardioid) microphones, spacing guests further apart, using sound-absorbing barriers between speakers, or ensuring everyone wears closed-back headphones so the headphone audio doesn't leak into the mic.
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Explore Background Noise Reducer →Related Terms
AAC (Advanced Audio Coding)
AAC is a standard audio file format that offers better sound quality than MP3 at the same bitrate. It is the preferred audio format for Apple Podcasts and iTunes.
Audio Interface
An audio interface is a hardware device that connects professional XLR microphones to a computer, converting analog audio signals into digital data for recording.
Automatic Gain Control (AGC)
Automatic Gain Control (AGC) is a feature in recorders or software that automatically adjusts the volume levels to keep the audio consistent, boosting quiet sounds and lowering loud ones.
Background Music (Music Bed)
Background music, or a 'music bed,' is instrumental audio played underneath the spoken dialogue to set the mood, pace, or tone of a podcast segment.