Simple mic technique can fix your podcast from sounding cheap and amateur to far more professional. Apply these five simple tricks to sound better podcasting!

Demo podcasting microphones * Heil PR40 * Audio Spectrum AS-400 * Nady SP-1 (part of a $28 mic, stand, and XLR cable kit)

1. Get close to the mic A big mistake early podcasters make is talking too far away from their microphones. This makes the audio more susceptible to room noise, reverb, and harsh tones.

Get closer to your mic and turn down your gain (the sensitivity of the mic).

This even works with internal mics, when you combine with other techniques.

1. Don't get too close to the mic On the flip side, getting too close to your mic can be bad, too. This will pick up excessive breathing, mouth noises, and pops from letters like P and T (call plosives).

Depending on your mic, the optimal distance is about four fingers' width away.

1. Talk past the mic Pointing the mic directly at your face causes the most plosives as the puffs of air some letters make will go straight from your mouth.

Pivot the mic around your mouth so you are talking past the mic instead of into the mic.

1. Don't touch the mic Unless you have a noiseless overheard boom arm LINK and shock mount, never ever touch your microphone, stand, or anything touching the mic or stand while you're recording. The creates loud booms in the recording.

2. Avoid noise around the mic What you do away from the mic is just as important as in front of the mic. Avoid loud keyboards, squeaking chairs, cracking knuckles, whispered conversations, background noise-makers, and more.

I’m speaking in the Podcasting 101 track at BlogWorld NYC! Please join me at BlogWorld in New York City on June 5–7. I’ll be one of the panelists in the Podcasting 101 track and presenting on the last day of the conference.

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— Daniel J. Lewis (@theRamenNoodle) May 21, 2012

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