Audio 101

A guide to recording spatial audio for 360-degree video

Here’s what we’ve learned from our experimentation with 360 audio recording.

The producer’s handbook to mixing audio stories

Whether you’re making a podcast or audio documentary, this in-depth guide will help you improve the quality of your mixes.

What’s in your bag, Josh Rogosin?

Josh engineers the Tiny Desk Concerts. His kit for recording stripped down, remote music sessions provides lessons in being prepared while staying nimble.

The journey from print to radio storytelling: A guide for navigating a new landscape

Print and audio journalism exist in the same world — but the terrain is different. Let this serve as your map.

What’s in your bag, Gregory Warner?

For this month’s What’s In Your Bag we reached out to Gregory Warner, host of the new NPR podcast Rough Translation.

What’s in your bag, Corey Schreppel?

Corey Schreppel has been an audio engineer for the last 15 years — these are his go-to tools.

Get great sound every time with this field recording checklist

You return from a long day reporting in the field — only to realize you didn’t record ambience. Rats! This post will help ensure that you get the sound you need to tell great stories.

Aerobics for your voice: 3 tips for sounding better on air

To build a strong vocal presence for audio storytelling, you should practice a daily warm-up routine that involves body, breath and voice.

Audio production FAQ: Headphones, levels, mics and more

Our readers have lots of questions about audio production. Find answers here about headphones, levels, microphones and more.

The ear training guide for audio producers

This post will help you identify problematic audio, prevent the most common issues and recognize when it’s time to call for help.

Do you have the ears of an audio producer?

Being an audio editing wizard is not enough to tell great stories. You also need to have highly “trained ears.

Put your audio to the test: Know when to use it or lose it

There are many ways audio can go wrong. Can you still use it in your story? This basic criteria will you decide.

3 simple ways to find story ideas

Next time you’re struggling to come up with a new story or just need a push in a more creative direction, read this.

Which mic do they use? (Mics part 2)

Liz Jones (@KUOWLiz), a reporter with KUOW, contacted us with an idea after the Which Mic Should I Use? post published.

Which mic should I use? (Mics Part 1)

“Which mic?” is one of the most common questions about field recording — and making a decision can be confusing.

Pitching to NPR? Our bureau chiefs share their process

From pitch to production: Here’s a look at how NPR bureau chiefs take stories through the process.

15 principles of show booking

If a good radio show is like a good dinner party, the a booker is manager of the guest list.

‘Butt cut what?’ A glossary of audio production terms

This is the technical lingo you need to know as an audio producer (or someone who talks to audio producers).

Campfire tales: The essentials of writing for radio

Good copy effortlessly leads the listener from one piece of tape to the next. Find out how to accomplish this feat of writing grace.

Exercise: Imagining your story

Plan a story before going out to report it.

Dissecting a good radio story

See an actual script, complete with margin comments, from NPR host Ailsa Chang.

What does a radio script look like?

Not every broadcast radio script looks the same! But there are elements every script should share. And here they are.

Radio 101: The life of a story from concept to air

If you are new to radio, this post should help demystify the process. The first step may be the hardest: finding the story.

A day in the life of ‘All Things Considered’

Back in 2012, ‘All Things Considered’ host Melissa Block and producer Melissa Gray made this story about their own show.

How NPR’s Sam Sanders is finding his voice

Is there a typical public radio voice — perhaps a “white” voice? Is there room for new and different ways of speaking?

‘Would you say it that way?’ Tips on writing for your voice

Why is it so hard to write how we talk? Here are some essentials tips to capture the human voice in your radio writing.

Read this before you record ambience in the field

When it comes time to record ambience in the field, it’s important to capture different perspectives. Here are five approaches.