Free · 24 lessons · no sign-up
Start your podcast
from scratch
A free podcast course for beginners: 24 short lessons across five levels, from your voice and microphone to editing and publishing, with interactive simulators and no sign-up.
Learn by listening with your eyes
The lessons include simulators. Move the microphone closer or further away, push the gain until it clips, move your voice around a cardioid pattern or hang a blanket in the room, and instantly see what happens to the waveform.
In editing, you cut silences and filler words, EQ a muddy voice, compress it and bring the episode to −16 LUFS. Then a practical exercise has you apply it with your own microphone or your phone.
Peaks between −12 and −6 dBFS: a voice with headroom and no clipping.
Lessons
Each lesson has explanations and an exercise to do on your own; many also have a simulator. When you finish one, mark it as completed. Keep the glossary and the cheat sheet handy.
0 of 24 lessons completed
Level 1: fundamentals
Sound, microphones, gear and the room: what you should understand before you hit record.
- 18 min
What is a podcast
Formats (interview, panel show, narrative, solo), length, release schedule and audio versus video.
- 28 min
How sound works
Waves, frequency and volume, decibels, the range of the voice, sample rate and bit depth.
- 38 min
Microphones
Dynamic versus condenser, USB versus XLR, and polar patterns.
- 46 min
What gear do I need
From your phone to a studio in three tiers, accessories and what to invest in first.
- 58 min
The room
Echo and reverb, DIY treatment with blankets and furniture, and noises to avoid.
Level 2: recording
Mic technique, levels, interviews, your voice and your phone: what's at stake when you record.
- 69 min
Mic technique
Distance, angle, plosives, pop filters and the proximity effect.
- 78 min
Levels and gain
Gain, dBFS, peaks between −12 and −6 and why clipping can't be fixed.
- 86 min
Recording interviews
In person and remote, separate tracks, local recording and a checklist.
- 96 min
Your voice
Breathing, pace, pauses, filler words, energy and looking after your voice.
- 106 min
Podcasting on your phone
Apps, format, placement, phone mics and common mistakes.
Level 3: editing
Cutting, cleaning, EQ, compression, loudness and mixing with music.
- 116 min
Workflow
3-2-1 backups, folders, file names and the stages of editing.
- 128 min
Cutting and cleaning
Silences, filler words, repetitions and breaths, without losing a natural feel.
- 138 min
Noise reduction
Background noise, noise profile, noise gate and how not to overdo it.
- 148 min
EQ
High-pass, mud, presence, sibilance and subtractive EQ.
- 158 min
Compression
Threshold, ratio, attack, release and starting settings for voice.
- 168 min
Loudness and LUFS
Integrated LUFS, true peak and the −16 LUFS target.
- 178 min
Music and sound effects
Theme music, stingers, music beds, ducking and royalty-free music.
- 186 min
Editing step by step
A complete episode in Audacity, from raw files to MP3.
Level 4: content
The idea, the script and the interview: what makes people come back for the next episode.
- 196 min
Idea and niche
Who it's for, your pitch, name, format and a schedule you can sustain.
- 206 min
Script and outline
Script versus outline, the hook, structure and writing for the ear.
- 216 min
Interviewing well
Preparation, open questions, listening, follow-ups and silences.
Level 5: publish and grow
Publishing on the platforms, making the jump to video, and promoting and measuring your podcast.
- 229 min
Publishing
Hosting and RSS, platforms, MP3 format, cover art and metadata.
- 236 min
Video podcast
Cameras, shots, lighting, mics in frame and multicam editing.
- 246 min
Promote and measure
Social clips, titles, collaborations and analytics.
Tools and extras
For practicing, preparing your recordings and keeping the essentials at hand.
Glossary
Every word in the course explained in one sentence.
SummaryCheat sheet
Levels, EQ, compression and LUFS on one page.
CalculatorsTools
LUFS adjustment, MP3 file size and script length.
PracticeExercises
All the course exercises in one list to tick off as you go.
PDFTemplates
Episode outline, interview script, guest sheet and checklist.
About the course
This is Primer disparo's free podcast course for beginners, designed especially for young people who want to start recording and publishing on the right foot. You don't need any prior knowledge or a studio: a phone and a furnished room are enough for most of the exercises.
It goes from the technical to the creative: first sound, microphones and the room, then recording your voice and interviews, editing and mixing, and finally the idea, the script, publishing and promotion. Each lesson combines clear explanations, simulators and a practical exercise.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the podcast course free?
- Yes. All the lessons, simulators, tools and templates are free and you don't need to sign up. If you'd like to support the project, you can make a voluntary contribution by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
- Do I need an expensive microphone to start?
- No. You can follow the course and record your first episodes with your phone. What makes the biggest difference isn't the price of the microphone but the distance to your mouth and a room without echo.
- What editing software does the course use?
- The concepts work with any audio editor. The practical examples use Audacity, which is free, and DaVinci Resolve (Fairlight) is mentioned as an alternative, also free.
- How much time do I need?
- Each lesson takes 6 to 12 minutes to read, about 3 hours in total, plus whatever practical exercises you want to do.
- Is my progress saved?
- Yes, in your own browser. It isn't sent to any server, so if you switch devices you'll start from zero.