How to get More Comfortable Behind the Mic
On my wedding day, I was standing inside the church, in front of the alter, welcoming the 200+ guests we had invited as they came in and found their seats.
My friend Alex came up to me at some point at said, “Joey — you look so calm and comfortable. On my wedding day I was a nervous mess.”
It’s true. I was feeling great on my wedding day; I didn’t feel those nerves because I was used to being in front of people, and unlike some talks I gave, this was a friendly audience, ready to help us celebrate.
That experience reminds me of a question I got while speaking at a conference back in 2019: “How do you get more comfortable speaking into the microphone.” I loved it because while I often focus on the technical aspects of creating a podcast, there can be a real issue with getting comfortable recording, especially if you’re doing a solo show. So my answer: get your reps in.
Meant to Perform
In my answer to Travis, the guy who asked the question, I mentioned that I was in Drama Club. In fact, I did it from second grade (around 7 or 8) through high school. I tried out in college but was involved in too many other things…I truly miss being in plays! But that’s beside the point.
The point is that my second grade teacher, Miss McCullough1 knew that I’d be a good performer because of the way I acted in the classroom. And she encouraged that in me. I’m eternally grateful for that encouragement, because I know it made me more comfortable as a public speaker, teacher, and podcaster.
When someone else asked if I recommend taking drama classes (or the like) to be more comfortable, I responded that I never took classes myself, but I don’t recommend it. Here’s why.
I was Uncomfortable my First Time Recording
Even with all of my stage, speaking, and teaching experience, I was a little uncomfortable sitting down in front of my computer to record. You can tell in some of my earlier videos and episodes.
It’s a different experience. There’s no crowd energy or fellow cast members to feed off of. Especially if you’re doing a solo show, it’s just you, your computer and a mic. So it can feel a little weird, speaking as if you’re taking to someone, making eye contact with your camera, having a one way conversation.
Get Your Reps In
There’s a common saying in work out circles that I’ve heard being used elsewhere: get your reps in. Basically, the best way to get good at something is to continually do it. Recording a Podcast is no different.
The best thing you can do is keep recording episodes to get better. I heard some fantastic advice on Episode 500 of Mac Power Users: assume you’ll record a few demos first.
This goes hand-in-hand with my advice of recording 5-10 episodes before you do anything else. It will help you get more comfortable, find your voice, and it will help you get some reps in.
You Don’t Need to Publish Everything
The best part of doing some demo episodes is you don’t need to publish them. Like a QB reviewing a training camp tape, you can listen to those recordings, take note of what you want to change, and try again. Then, after a few tries, publish!
Try, then Publish
Notice I didn’t say, “when you’re happy with the results,” or, “when it’s perfect.” You probably won’t think it’s perfect at the beginning. I still don’t. But 400+ episodes in, and I’m comfortable enough to just hit record and get it done.
- Now Sister Mary McCullough ↩
