Need to record vocal tracks, interviews, or talk to remote participants? We have everything you need to produce high-quality audio projects. Walk in with an idea, and walk out with digital files. Our staff will assist you in starting and wrapping up your session. For more complex projects, we recommend bringing an engineer.
You can reserve studio time here. For more information, you can email us at info@podcastgarage.org.
Lots of it! The PRX Podcast Garage is attached to a large free parking lot that generally has plenty of available space. There is also public parking along Western Ave.
Our 4-person studio is a Wenger SoundLok sound-isolation room, which is outfitted with:
4 Shure SM7B Vocal Microphones
4 Sennheiser HD 280 PRO headphones
Cloudlifter CL-4 Mic Activator
A dedicated phone line for a remote host or guest, through a Telos digital hybrid telephone interface
Support for a remote host or guest via Skype, Zoom or any browser-based platform
Allen & Heath Qu-16 digital mixing board (for operation by an engineer)
Genelec 8010A monitors
Multitrack recording directly to Adobe Audition
Full multitrack backup recording to a dedicated hard drive
Talkback to all hosts and guests from the control room
27" Intel i5 iMac
A staff member will always be available to start and finish your session. This includes a sound check, starting the recording, and transferring your files to the USB that you bring. We monitor the entire session and will troubleshoot any issues, if they should arise. If you are new to recording, we can also help you with good microphone practices. The Podcast Garage does not have an engineer on staff. If you do need an engineer, we are happy to provide information on how to hire an independent engineer.
Absolutely! Our studio is designed with you in mind. You won’t need to touch any mixing boards or configure any recording software during your session.
That said, we only provide the recordings. We recommend that you take some time prior to reserving studio time to learn basic editing skills in a program like Pro Tools, Audition, Hindenburg, Reaper, or Audacity. YouTube, Lynda.com, and many other websites have great resources to learn the basics of recording, editing, mixing, and mastering with those applications. Hindenburg has an entire library of video tutorials covering a wide array of topics.
In the studio, we record each individual channel (i.e. each microphone, Skype, the telephone) to a computer using standard digital audio software, and to a second hard drive as a backup. Our system records 48,000 Hz and 32-bit float WAV files.
Just your USB or hard drive, your notes, a credit card, and yourself!
Please note: we sell USB drives at cost if you don't have one to take your files.
Please cancel or reschedule at least 48 hours before your session. Otherwise, we will charge you for the session that you originally scheduled as it prevents someone else from booking during that time.
The 4-person studio supports remote participation through a standard telephone line, Skype Zoom, or any browser-based software (like Riverside or SquadCast), patched into the studio headphones. We do not have an ISDN line.
If you plan to connect to remote participants, please make those arrangements prior to arriving. For telephone, you will need to provide us with a a phone number to call directly from our studio telephone line. For Skype, you will need to ask your participants to add the studio on Skype (username: prxpodcastgarage). For Zoom, Riverside, etc, please have a meeting ID or similar; we will not have a Zoom account or Riverside account to host the meeting for you.
We rent professional kits that you can use in the field, with a friend, or at Fenway Park! When you pick up the kit, we'll show you how to record high-quality audio outside of the studio. If you're thinking about buying your own kit, take ours for a spin to see how you like it. We asked lots of local producers for input on their favorite gear - and assembled a kit that can work for everyone.
Each kit is custom-built to meet your needs. Kits can include an array of gear someone would need for standard field reporting or recording, including:
Zoom H5 or H6 portable recorder (with XYH-5 X/Y microphone capsule and wind screen)
Shure VP89 medium length shotgun microphone with windscreen and pistol grip
Rode NTG-4+ shotgun microphone with dead cat windscreen and pistol grip
Shure Beta 87C Supercardioid Condenser Microphone
Shure VP64L omnidirectional microphone
ElectroVoice RE50 omnidirectional microphone with dead cat windscreen
Shure SM7B cardioid dynamic microphone
Shure MV88+ smart phone audio + video kit
Shure SM58 handheld vocal microphone (with wind screen)
Shure SRH440 headphones
5' XLR cable
Table-top microphone stand
One 32 GB SD card
Rechargeable AA batteries (with charger)
Shoulder sling bag
You can rent kits for any length of time anywhere from a week up to a month. You must pick up and return the kit during our open business hours.
For a basic interviewing kit including two mics and two pairs of headphones, the cost is $35 per week. Prices may vary based on the type and quantity of equipment rented. We take payment (credit cards only) when you pick up the kit.
By renting our equipment, you are accepting the terms and conditions laid out in our Equipment Rental Agreement. Please read this agreement before you pick up your equipment and direct any questions to info@podcastgarage.org.
We will give you a quick tutorial on how to use the equipment in the audio field kit when you pick up your rental.
If you're looking for additional information to help with using the field kit, the following resources may be valuable:
How to Mic a Field Interview: http://airmedia.org/how-mic-field-interview/
Zoom H5: http://transom.org/2015/zoom-h5/
Recording Live Events: http://transom.org/2016/recording-live-events/
Want to know more about our gear? Click each photo below for specs and a more detailed description.
PRX Podcast Garage | info@podcastgarage.org
