What is Mixing?
Mixing is the process of blending individual audio tracks (voice, music, sound effects) together to create a balanced, cohesive final audio file.
Why Mixing Matters for Podcasters
Mixing is the art of balance. A podcast episode might have four tracks: Host A, Host B, Intro Music, and Sound Effects. If Host A is louder than Host B, or if the music drowns out the voices, the mix is bad. Mixing involves adjusting volume levels (faders), panning (placing sounds left or right in the stereo field), and applying processing like EQ and compression. A good mix ensures that the most important element—usually the voice—is always front and center. It transforms a collection of raw recordings into a polished, professional product.
Related Terms
ID3 Tags
ID3 tags are metadata embedded directly into MP3 audio files that store information like the episode title, artist name, album name, and cover art. They help podcast players display the correct information about your episodes.
Metadata
Metadata is descriptive information about your podcast episode that helps platforms, players, and search engines understand what your content is about. It includes titles, descriptions, tags, and embedded file information.
Background Noise / Noise Floor
Background noise (also called noise floor) is the unwanted ambient sound present in your recording, such as air conditioning hum, computer fan noise, or room echo. It can distract listeners and make your podcast sound unprofessional.
Transcription
Transcription is the process of converting spoken audio into written text. For podcasters, transcriptions make content accessible, improve SEO, and enable repurposing into blog posts or social media content.