So you want to be a podcast superstar? Well, while this article might not make you a superstar, the aim is to help you record quality audio using Skype. Skype recording can be a tricky, but the benefits far outweigh the time investment it takes to learn. We use it on the Web 2.0 Show podcast to capture our interview audio and it has allowed us to interview some very big names without being in our interviewee’s location. Or running up large phone bills. This article will cover both Mac and Windows based recording techniques, and we will post follow-up articles covering post-production of the audio and how to upload and track your podcast.
Your mic plays a big role in sound quality. This is not an area I would skimp on, the more you can spend, the better the end result will be.
- Budget choice: Any usb headset with inline DSP. Logitech makes a nice Premium USB Headset 350 that works great.
- Ideal choice: The SnowBall
- High end choice: A Marshall MXL990 and a M-audio fast track USB converter.
If you go with either of the Marshall or the Snowball, remember to use a nice set of enclosed headphones to avoid feedback.
One major note before we go on. Be absolutely sure to go into Skype preferences, then connections, and look at the port number. Ensure that port is forwarded from your firewall to your computer running Skype. This will allow direct connections between all the Skype callers, thus improving bandwidth and latency for everyone (and cutting down on the number of audio cutouts).
Mac Skype Recording
So we’ll start with the setup I use most often, the mac setup. I purchased a Mac mini (powerpc) to play around with and decided that podcasting would be a great use for it. After doing some research I found a company called Rogue Amoeba that makes a recording package called Audio Hijack Pro. When you combine its audio “hijack” ability with SoundFlower, you can create a really nice setup.
I have been through many different iterations of this setup and I have found the following works best, as this is the closest to real time monitoring.
- Install SoundFlower on your Mac, this allows us to input and output sounds from different programs and have it all mix together.
- Configure Skype output to use SoundFlower (2ch). Skype input will be set to Default System Input or your USB recording device.
- Setup a new component on AHP to use the SoundFlower (2ch) as the input and set the output to silence.
- Add a second new component to AHP and set the input to Default System Input or your USB recording device. Choose the output to be silence (You may opt to output the sound to SoundFlower (2ch) and setup a third component to record the mix you have created, then there is no need to mix it later from two files.)
- Add a third component and set the audio source to Application and choose Skype.
- Go into each component you created and click on hijack.
- When you hijack the Skype monitoring component, it will prompt you to ‘instant hijack’ or ‘quit and relaunch’. Just quit and relaunch, it is fairly quick.
Now we will setup the recordings.
- Go into the first two components and choose the recording tab. Set each one to record to mp3, you can setup the naming however you want. (Mp3 recording is VERY processor intensive and I find it can bring my mac mini to its knees if I try to record two at once. If you find this, be sure to use a different format like Apple lossless or wav.)
- Start your skype call.
- Go into the first two components again when you are ready to record. Hit the record button and make sure the red dot shows up next to each (WARNING: This is critical or your audio won’t record… We did this with one episode).
- Record your interview, you can keep an eye on sound levels on the effects tab of each component. It is important to make sure you are staying under 0 and you don’t make the clip light go red.
- When you are finished, hit recording again for the two components. You can also stop hijacking the three components and shutdown AudioHijack Pro.
This process will leave you with two seperate mp3 files. You can use any sound editing programs (I use Audacity) to sync them and mix them together. That’s all there is to Mac-based Skype recording.
While writing this article, ecamm released a Mac-based program similar to Hot Recorder, Call Recorder. I haven’t had a chance to play with it, but it looks pretty straightforward.
Windows Skype Recording
Windows-based Skype recording is actually a bit more straight-forward than on the Mac. Hot Recorder is the windows program that handles everything for Skype recording. It is a $15 purchase, and well worth the money if you are doing everything in Windows. The only downside is that it records both sides of the conversation into one file and this can make things more difficult in post-production if your sound levels are way off.
- Install Hot Recorder and put in your key, the free version will record with limitations, but it can’t convert to mp3.
- Start your skype call.
- Bring up Hot Recorder and hit record.
- When you are finished just hit stop, and fill out the Skype call details. This will name and save your file in an .epl format.
- Now open up Audio Converter, it is under Program Files in the HotRecorder folder. Browse to your file (C:\program files\HotRecorder\PhoneCalls is the default) and choose mp3. Hit convert. You should see a success message.
Now you should have an mp3 file created in the same spot as the .epl file. Windows Skype recording is much easier to setup, but not as flexible in post-production. That’s all you need to know to create clear, crisp podcasts using Skype. Happy Podcasting!
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Although it may not be as easy to use, Audacity might be a nice, free alternative to Hotrecorder. If you play around with it, you can set it to record from your PC’s sound ouput, rather than from a mic input. This achieves the same effect as Hotrecorder. It’s well worth it for people who don’t want to spend the $15.
Great article and great idea with that Skype calling though! Perfect way to record guests for a podcast…
Andrew,
While this is true, I find hotrecorder to be very stable. I have run into issues with Audacity crashing and just prefer to keep things smooth when I interview people.
I find it hard to work with other’s schedules, so the more we get it right the first time - the better for everyone involved.
I will be following up with another piece on how to use audacity to produce a better sounding podcast. Ryan is going to “beta test” the techniques for me with the vitamin podcasts, so look for some improvement there too!
Tech Tip: How to Podcast with Skype…
Excellent writeup (with step-by-step instructions and screenshots!) from Vitamin about podcasting with Skype….
Very interesting and innovative ideas in this article -thanks for the info. One minor note - you might want to correct the typo “podasting” in the subtitle.
tutorial: recording skype-calls…
vitamin.com has a lengthy feature on how-to record skype-calls. skype has become the major tool used by podcasters to do remote interviews, despite there is no built-in way to record both sides of the phone call (what podcasters call a “double-e…
Fixed.
Thanks Doug.
Skylook records Skype calls straight to MP3. Currently it combines both sides into a single file, but the next release will provide the ability to split the sides into separate files. From all reports, the recording quality is better than HotRecorder, probably due to the fact that Skylook intercepts the digital sound stream directly, rather than relying on conversion back from analog to digital. One drawback is that it requires Microsoft Outlook. If you use Microsoft Outlook though, check it out at http://www.skylook.biz .
The Podcast Network (TPN) recommend it, and have a special Skylook offer available for podcasters who join TPN, so that might be worth checking out also.
(Disclaimer: I am one of the authors).
[…] Wanna know how to podcast with Skype? good then click the link… […]
[…] Hier geht es zum Tut. Es ist sowohl für Windows als auch für Mac geschrieben. Quelle: vitamin Tutorials « Gimp: Aufnahmen vermischen […]
[…] Lookie - http://www.thinkvitamin.com/features/blogs/podcasting-with-skype. Related Posts: Random Stuff No Comments […]
On the boagworld.com podcast we use Total Recorder instead of Hot Recorder. The good thing about Total recorder is that you can record the incoming and outgoing audio onto different channels which makes the post production levels much easier to set.
The other thing that REALLY makes a difference is opening the right ports in your firewall to let Skype through. It really reduces break ups in the audio.
Can anyone share the numbers of the right ports that should be opened in the firewall to let skype through.
Merengue,
I think it is 5100 by default, but I point out where to check in Skype in paragraph #3 of the article.
Paul,
Nice find, they really need a better website and some SEO. I didn’t find them off Google when I first looked for Windows recording.
You are right about Skype too, the ports being open makes all the difference in the world! Chris and I ran into that again last night when I noticed my ip had changed, I had to change the forward rule in my router.
[…] Vitamin Features » How to Podcast with Skype (tags: howto podcasting skype tutorials) […]
[…] The guys from the Web 2.0 reveal their secrets on How to Podcast with Skype. I disagree with their mic choices, but everything else is solid. […]
From all the possibilities with tools running on the same machine, I found the only real reliant possibility under any machine with windows to be external recording with monitoring mode.
This will also allow you to record signals differently as in one side for the caller and the second for you / the hosts.
After recording, you take your file per USB from the recorder and can start editing. :)
Nicole,
An external recording process is a great way to handle this type of process. The only problem is that is starts to get costly with equipment, and you also have to worry about delays in passing the audio in and out of the equipment.
My aim was to keep it simple for people who want something quick and easy.
All I gotta say is “Been there, done that, still not happy with skype”
I’ve recorded several VOIP shows with skype and it has yet to please me with the audio quality. I’ve even done everything mentioned in this article only to fully come to the conclusion that it ultimately matters on both of your internet connections.
There’s nothing you can do about lost packets… which are ultimately packets you’ll never get back when it comes down to mixdown time.
If you want a good podcast, the best way is to have the people right their in your office. Unfortunately that’s not realistic and we’re still stuck in the stone-age IMO as far as remote podcasting goes.
The Gizmo Project is great for podcasting, not extra downloads needed. Just make one ID, then make another to send “voice mail” to. It’ll be sent via email to that persons saved email address, and I’m sure there are scripts where you can email and the attachment is uploaded to your webspace.
Gizmo Project is yet another tool that basically can’t do what I want it to do. At the end of the day, you’re left with a 300 meg wav file with all participants mixed into the same track and there’s nothing you can do about that.
Ideally if Apple got their shizzle together with iChat and GarageBand, then all would be just a bit better. The integration idea was excellent however you’re pretty much limitted to what your machine can handle (Mac Mini simply can’t handle it) and GarageBand is going to spit a message at your stating that you have to start over with the recording.
Labi padomi tiem, kas vēlas uzsākt podcasting ierakstus…
Šajā gadījumā padomi ir saistībā ar Skype - kā uzsākt podcasting ierakstus ar Skype palīdzību. Arī mūsu DiggCast ierakstus, lielākoties, ierakstām ar caur Skype, bet izmantojam Skylook.biz programmu ierakstam, un Audacity - apstrādei. Beigās to visu pu…
[…] Vitamin Features » How to Podcast with Skype Great article on podcasting via Skype (tags: podcast tutorial skype howto tutorials) […]
[…] Josh writes an article for Vitamin on How to Podcast with Skype. […]
[…] The Web 2.0 Show reveals the secret behind its flawless audio interviews and teaches you the dark art of podcasting with Skype. Filed under: Technology, Reading, Resources […]
You seem to have used, in regards to the mac version of your documentation, a complicated way to record skype. All I do (and have done many times successfully) is hijack skype directly and record it, and hijack the mic input be it usb or line-in directly and record it. I don’t need a monitor of what I am saying, so I mute the usb/line-in output and within skype I direct the output to my headphones. I then mix the two together in garageband or whatever you audio program of choice is.
I have used multi-mic setups like this, it is far simplier and I don’t get any delay problems. The above way didn’t work for me a year ago when I first read documentation on another site so I simplied what I was doing.
Apart from that, the PC version I will try as I need to learn that anyway.
Good job neather-a-less.
I have found Pamela (www.pamela-systems.com) really easy to use. Compared to Hot Recorder it records directly into mp3 (after som extra installs well documented on the Pamela web site). In addition Pamela contains features as automatic podcast generation, voice mail recordings and e-mail forwarding of the recorded mp3 files.
We are using Skype to continue recording shows with one person in Canada and the other in Australia.
I hijack the mic in one session, and hijack Skype in another session.
As a further “advanced method”, I use an Applescript to start the recording on both sessions in Audio Hijack Pro so that they start at the same time (quicker than having to switch sessions and pressing record manually) to make editing easier afterwords - the files are automatically lined up because they are the exact same length.
[…] http://www.thinkvitamin.com/features/blogs/podcasting-with-skype […]
For those who podcast on a mac, i say just use Ichat and Garageband….its really simple.
http://www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/features/ichatrecording.html
If you record a conversation in Hotrecorder with a voice on the left channel and a voice on the right channel, you can then import/rerecord the one stereo track into audacity or simiilar and then split it. This allows you to have separate level controls if they’re not well balanced
Great tutorial and a great public service. I will post a link to this site from my site, http://www.podcastingtricks.com.
hi!
Today I tried to install the SoundFlower at my Mac Book Intel and it wasn’t work.
I got a quick tutorial in somewhere (thanks to unknown author) for compiling Soundflower on Intel Macs.
I re-published here:
http:/www.elaspod.com.br/Compiling_Soundflower_Intel_Macs.html
For those of you that don’t have Project Center installed, you can download a pre-compiled version of Soundflower.kext :
http://elaspod.com.br/Compiling_Soundflower_Intel_Macs/SoundFlower.dmg.gz
chris
After compiling SoundFlower to my MacBook Intel and trying everthing to record 2 separed channels, which isn’t possible with SoundFlower, I found a simple solution.
Using Audio Hijack i hijacked the SKYPE and also the signal from my Headset Plantronics USB DSP 500.
Skype had the preferences setup to Plantronics Headset.
Inside the Audio Hijack I set up the same schedule time for both…so, i got i way to syncronize and start the record at same time.
Each audio file recorded went to a diferent folder.
So, I got the two audios files in stereo mode recorded.
Finally, I mixed all together using the Garage Band.
ciao
alessandra marfisa
[…] I was researching how to use Skype when I came across this article on the Vitamin Blog. And well, I couldn’t do it any better so I am linking to it. Whether you are using Windows or a Mac, Josh Owens shows you how to use Skype to record a phone conversation for inclusion in a podcast. […]
I have recorded over 50 shows of a soccer podcast using Skype, usually between Melbourne and Perth (about 3,000 miles) but for the World Cup between Melbourne and Seatlle (12,000+ miles) and have been really pleased with the results.
I record on a Mac Mini and use ECamm Call Recorder - couldn’t be easier to use. As soon as you fire up Skype it appears and it’s a smiple task of clicking the start and stop button.
(BTW, I’ve found it helps to record in segements, makes it much easier to edit and manage. With Call Recorder simply stop and start and it generates a new file each time).
The great thing about Call Recorder is that it records the conversation as two separate tracks - although you will need QuickTIme Pro to get at them. If you don’t have QuickTime Pro you can convert the .mov file to an mp3.
I’d rather pay $50 for Call Recorder and QuickTime Pro and take the easy route :)
The only thing that this article doesn’t tell us is how to not sound like a dweeb.
I guess that takes a degree in Radio Broadcasting?
[…] Ever wonder how to record a podcast and interview another person who may not be sitting right next to you? This is the case for many podcasters, and a lot of people turn to the powerful (and mostly free) application Skype to have conversations with people around the world. However, recording these conversations for inclusion in a podcast can sometimes be a bit tricky. However, thanks to Josh Owens from Vitamin one process is now documented in detail for both PC and Mac. If you are interested in recording a podcast and using Skype to connect with other people, you will want to check out this article. […]
I’ve been using Powergramo for week now and the audio quality seems to change each week…. anyone else use Powergramo?
[…] Vitamin, the producers of the Web2.0 podcast have an excellent how-to on using Skype in a podcast. So you want to be a podcast superstar? Well, while this article might not make you a superstar, the aim is to help you record quality audio using Skype. Skype recording can be a tricky, but the benefits far outweigh the time investment it takes to learn. We use it on the Web 2.0 Show podcast to capture our interview audio and it has allowed us to interview some very big names without being in our interviewee’s location. Or running up large phone bills. This article will cover both Mac and Windows based recording techniques, and we will post follow-up articles covering post-production of the audio and how to upload and track your podcast. […]
I used PrettyMay to record Skype calls,and save them as mp3 files in stereo channel.PrettyMay also allow me to share music in a Skype conversation with the contact,so far it works perfectly for me,and it’s free!
URL:http://www.prettymay.net
Good post! For a podcast newbie using Windows XP (Media Center Edition), can you explain this in greater detail:
One major note before we go on. Be absolutely sure to go into Skype preferences, then connections, and look at the port number. Ensure that port is forwarded from your firewall to your computer running Skype. This will allow direct connections between all the Skype callers, thus improving bandwidth and latency for everyone (and cutting down on the number of audio cutouts).
I’m still having lots of latency issues in recording interviews via Skype/Hot Recorder.
[…] How To Podcast With Skype - vitamin - Mein Einstieg in die Recherche. Das dort erwähnte Tool für Windows HotRecorder kostet jedoch $15 bzw. hat ein eigenes Fileformat in der kostenlosen Version. […]
[…] If you’re looking for a tutorial on how to do a podcast wherein you interview people or whatever then this post at Vitamin is a must read. It talks about how to do a podcast with Skype. […]
The free edition of PrettyMay.net however has a 30 minute limit for the call recording duration.
Startups.in/India
Take a look at Pamela for Skype - Pro version. It has complete support for creating podcasts and blogs from any Skype recording. It creates an XML podcast file and can even upload to your server automatically.
Four major blogging APIs are supported and the podcast and blogging templates are fully customisable.
Check it out at www.pamela-systems.com
I am using free new utility SoliCall (www.solicall.com). SoliCall records my Skype calls and in addition SoliCall reduces background noise thus improving the quality of my calls.
BTW, SoliCall works with any softphone (e.g. Skype, Google Talk and Yahoo Messenger).
[…] Hotrecorder also happens to be the tool of choice for the guys of the “Web2.0 Show“. […]
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Excellent Article and Well detailed .
While I dont use Skype to produce a podcast , I do use a Mac and have very good results with Call Recorder for Mac .
The updates are frequent and the quality is fine for me .
If your looking for a quick and inexpensive recording system for Skype , I would highly recommend this software . http://www.ecamm.com/mac/callrecorder/
John Piercy
Excellent resource - thanks! But I think I’m missing something. I’m seeing 3 feeds into AHP:
1. SoundFlower (which is capturing output from Skype presumably to record the interviewee’s side of the conversation - what I would hear in my headset)
2. USB mic (I believe this is for capturing MY side of the conversation)
3. Skype - this is the one that’s confusing me. If I’m capturing Skype’s output via SoundFlower and my input direct from USB, why is this necessary?
Like I said, I’m sure I’m missing something major here, but I can’t reason through this.
Thanks to anyone who replies!
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Hi. I use PowerGramo to record skype calls. I think it’s the best in the world.
http://www.powergramo.com
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I got the i-Sound WMA MP3 Recorder and follow this tutorial to record Skype calls. Works good for me, I can adjust incoming and outcoming levels via mixer.
P.S. I got it for free during GiveAwayOfTheDay offer.
Nice tutorial..
1. SoundFlower (which is capturing output from Skype presumably to record the interviewee’s side of the conversation - what I would hear in my headset)
2. USB mic (I believe this is for capturing MY side of the conversation)
3. Skype - this is the one that’s confusing me. If I’m capturing Skype’s output via SoundFlower and my input direct from USB, why is this necessary?
Like I said, I’m sure I’m missing something major here, but I can’t reason through this.
Thanks to anyone who replies!
[…] Vitamin Features » How to Podcast with Skype […]
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[…] Think Vitamin - an article about podcasting with skype. […]
So now i know that everything is possible but wow podcast with skype. Do you imagine , a very good music performer can perform a really big concert online , leaving of course all the detail’s to a good damn hacker
or conference
veryy good thankss
The new version of skype (version 3.6) has an option “Let skype fix your firewall” under Preferences | Advanced | Connection
[…] There’s really no point in me explaining the mechanics of recording a Skype call. Many others have done it, plus I could only tell you how to do it on a Mac. Also, I’ve found that the recording software I use, Audio Hijack Pro, is updated so often that the directions are constantly evolving (getting easier). If you want more information about recording a Skype call, you can look here, here, here and here. […]
[…] » Skype is favorite utility for recording podcast interviews. Here’s an excellent tutorial on how to record Podcasts with Skype on Mac or Windows. It uses the software discussed above. […]
I have the Logitech USB mic/headset but for some reason, the Realtek HD audio manager does not recognize this… I can adjust the playback and recording parameters in Skype to hear my caller and vice versa, but nothing will record. Any more tips?
Wanna know how to podcast with Skype? good then click the link…
Cool.
I´am Thanks..
Can anyone tell me how to record conversations with skype through adobe audition?
Please help!
Don’t use Hot Recorder! They may have been good once but there is now zero support. I purchased and did not get serial number and no response and am seeking refund.
[…] Podcasting With Skype […]
Hello. Looking for some guidance. I’m currently using a Mac Book to record my podcast. I use Audio Hijack Pro and Skype to record the episodes. Problem I’m having is that all recordings are one track, so if someone is too hot, I can’t adjust his volume. I briefly read the directions above (which are pretty clear,) and I see that it’s possible to record separate tracks, using SoundFlower I think. There are 3 people on our podcast, from different locations, and sometimes 4 with a guest. Is it possible to record 3 (or 4) separate tracks?
Thanks so much!
Cool.
I´am Thanks..
Great job, this really helped me out. I used to only own a PC but recently got a mac. Back in the days I used HotRecorder and was always very disappointed about not getting to different tracks - cutting in all my questions took way to much time which was part of the reason why I stopped podcasting. Now I own a mac and used the descriped setup for some testing. All I can say is: I am amazed - this is perfect and very professionel - THANKS for the great step by step tutorial.
Very thanks for the work.