Ray Ortega aka @PodcastHelper ☮️
@rayortega.bsky.social
Pro Podcast Producer. Audio and Video tips and reviews at http://youtube.com/rayortega. Plays bass 🎸. 🧡 SFGiants
If you’ve ever tried to EQ one mic to sound like another, this is probably the easiest way to do it. Pro-Q 4 EQ Match makes it push button easy to match the EQ of two different mics. Here's how I matched an MV7+ to an SM7B be ear and with the plugin. youtu.be/dOcrCAE8JAk
Can You Make Mics Sound The SAME? Pro-Q 4 EQ Match
YouTube video by Ray Ortega
youtu.be
November 21, 2025 at 9:37 PM
If you’ve ever tried to EQ one mic to sound like another, this is probably the easiest way to do it. Pro-Q 4 EQ Match makes it push button easy to match the EQ of two different mics. Here's how I matched an MV7+ to an SM7B be ear and with the plugin. youtu.be/dOcrCAE8JAk
A podcaster's responsibly to their audience, in terms of gear/production quality, is very simple.
A decent mic, within close proximity, in a quiet location.
Congrats! You have good audio quality and the listener appreciates it whether they perceive it or not.
A decent mic, within close proximity, in a quiet location.
Congrats! You have good audio quality and the listener appreciates it whether they perceive it or not.
August 12, 2025 at 10:29 PM
A podcaster's responsibly to their audience, in terms of gear/production quality, is very simple.
A decent mic, within close proximity, in a quiet location.
Congrats! You have good audio quality and the listener appreciates it whether they perceive it or not.
A decent mic, within close proximity, in a quiet location.
Congrats! You have good audio quality and the listener appreciates it whether they perceive it or not.
Have hiss in your audio? Know where it’s coming from? Do you use an XLR mic? If your podcast or YouTube audio is not as clean as you’d like, learn about EIN and if it’s the cause of your noisy recordings.
youtu.be/nFQEQU9iZ8g
youtu.be/nFQEQU9iZ8g
Avoid The Hiss! The #1 Spec to Pick a Quiet Audio Recorder
YouTube video by Ray Ortega
youtu.be
July 28, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Have hiss in your audio? Know where it’s coming from? Do you use an XLR mic? If your podcast or YouTube audio is not as clean as you’d like, learn about EIN and if it’s the cause of your noisy recordings.
youtu.be/nFQEQU9iZ8g
youtu.be/nFQEQU9iZ8g
Editing podcast audio at work and host bumps the mic arm, mid sentence and the very sharp, wide (enough) freq. that it produces can only be reduced, not removed and the dialog needs to stay.
Looking forward to a built-in AI feature that clones the voice and replaces the messed up audio. (Adobe 👀).
Looking forward to a built-in AI feature that clones the voice and replaces the messed up audio. (Adobe 👀).
July 26, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Editing podcast audio at work and host bumps the mic arm, mid sentence and the very sharp, wide (enough) freq. that it produces can only be reduced, not removed and the dialog needs to stay.
Looking forward to a built-in AI feature that clones the voice and replaces the messed up audio. (Adobe 👀).
Looking forward to a built-in AI feature that clones the voice and replaces the messed up audio. (Adobe 👀).
Shure MV7+ versus the legendary SM7B!
Can the MV7+ using it's USB output sound as good as the iconic SM7B? I compare both mics so you can hear the difference and decide for yourself.
youtu.be/ZIW8KFrKUiY
Can the MV7+ using it's USB output sound as good as the iconic SM7B? I compare both mics so you can hear the difference and decide for yourself.
youtu.be/ZIW8KFrKUiY
Shure MV7+ vs SM7B - Do They, Can They, Sound the Same?
YouTube video by Ray Ortega
youtu.be
May 20, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Shure MV7+ versus the legendary SM7B!
Can the MV7+ using it's USB output sound as good as the iconic SM7B? I compare both mics so you can hear the difference and decide for yourself.
youtu.be/ZIW8KFrKUiY
Can the MV7+ using it's USB output sound as good as the iconic SM7B? I compare both mics so you can hear the difference and decide for yourself.
youtu.be/ZIW8KFrKUiY
Push button ready, podcast studio, even in your lame bedroom 👀 youtu.be/C3T9BiwIzbk @elgato.com
This Makes Any Mic Sound Great—Even in a Bad Room! Elgato Voice Focus Full Demo
YouTube video by Ray Ortega
youtu.be
May 5, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Push button ready, podcast studio, even in your lame bedroom 👀 youtu.be/C3T9BiwIzbk @elgato.com
YouTube "Podcasts", are not podcasts. Why is that important to you as a podcaster or someone who wants to start one?
And what if you’re neither those but have a YouTube channel and want more views? Here you go! youtu.be/a_-7d4KF8gM
And what if you’re neither those but have a YouTube channel and want more views? Here you go! youtu.be/a_-7d4KF8gM
Podcasts vs YouTube: A Must Know Difference!
YouTube video by Ray Ortega
youtu.be
April 25, 2025 at 6:17 PM
YouTube "Podcasts", are not podcasts. Why is that important to you as a podcaster or someone who wants to start one?
And what if you’re neither those but have a YouTube channel and want more views? Here you go! youtu.be/a_-7d4KF8gM
And what if you’re neither those but have a YouTube channel and want more views? Here you go! youtu.be/a_-7d4KF8gM
Do Podcast Playlists on YouTube actually work? Get more views for your podcast (or just a collection of like videos) by creating a podcast playlist on YouTube which gets you into YouTube Music and boom, new views you wouldn’t have had otherwise. #Podcasting youtube.com/shorts/5YkCn...
Get More Podcast Views in YouTube Music!
YouTube video by Ray Ortega
youtube.com
April 23, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Do Podcast Playlists on YouTube actually work? Get more views for your podcast (or just a collection of like videos) by creating a podcast playlist on YouTube which gets you into YouTube Music and boom, new views you wouldn’t have had otherwise. #Podcasting youtube.com/shorts/5YkCn...
"From job interviews to dating, we subconsciously judge one another based on sound quality when we interact digitally"
Second study with these results. Now I have two sets of scientific data to make the case
Get yourself a USB mic (min.) & get it close.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/to-w...
Second study with these results. Now I have two sets of scientific data to make the case
Get yourself a USB mic (min.) & get it close.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/to-w...
To Win Trust and Admiration, Fix Your Microphone
From job interviews to dating, we subconsciously judge one another based on sound quality when we interact digitally
www.scientificamerican.com
April 10, 2025 at 12:13 AM
"From job interviews to dating, we subconsciously judge one another based on sound quality when we interact digitally"
Second study with these results. Now I have two sets of scientific data to make the case
Get yourself a USB mic (min.) & get it close.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/to-w...
Second study with these results. Now I have two sets of scientific data to make the case
Get yourself a USB mic (min.) & get it close.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/to-w...
Finally! Instant reverb removal. The Wave XLR from @elgato.com has been available for a few years but it didn’t catch my attention until last month when they released a plugin called Voice Focus which removes reverb in real time. Hear the samples!
youtu.be/DVA7Z_0i2m8
youtu.be/DVA7Z_0i2m8
End Reverb Problems in Your Podcast Audio - Elgato Voice Focus
YouTube video by Ray Ortega
youtu.be
April 6, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Finally! Instant reverb removal. The Wave XLR from @elgato.com has been available for a few years but it didn’t catch my attention until last month when they released a plugin called Voice Focus which removes reverb in real time. Hear the samples!
youtu.be/DVA7Z_0i2m8
youtu.be/DVA7Z_0i2m8
I've been podcasting so long that I once made an episode about... the Blackberry podcast store!! 🤣
February 17, 2025 at 8:01 PM
I've been podcasting so long that I once made an episode about... the Blackberry podcast store!! 🤣
Substitute teacher in elementary school kept calling me Raymond. Repeatedly corrected them, my name is just, Ray. By the third time, I got loud, that’s not my name! Sent to principal’s office. Made my case. Facts (back when they mattered) on my side. Innocent;) Sent back to class.
February 12, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Substitute teacher in elementary school kept calling me Raymond. Repeatedly corrected them, my name is just, Ray. By the third time, I got loud, that’s not my name! Sent to principal’s office. Made my case. Facts (back when they mattered) on my side. Innocent;) Sent back to class.
All mics are USB mics. And if your response is, "I never thought about it that way." That was the true goal;) 🤔https://youtube.com/shorts/0vibGACJt_g?feature=share
All Mics Are USB Mics 🤔
YouTube video by Ray Ortega
youtube.com
February 6, 2025 at 9:12 PM
All mics are USB mics. And if your response is, "I never thought about it that way." That was the true goal;) 🤔https://youtube.com/shorts/0vibGACJt_g?feature=share
The #Target rollback makes zero business sense to me. It has to be just pure cruelty from the top. Happy to return the favor. Punish the f*ck out of em. Take your biz elsewhere, there are plenty of same options.🖕
January 27, 2025 at 4:25 AM
The #Target rollback makes zero business sense to me. It has to be just pure cruelty from the top. Happy to return the favor. Punish the f*ck out of em. Take your biz elsewhere, there are plenty of same options.🖕
Boring Test Video returns with a listen to the MV7+'s USB vs XLR output. Do you hear a difference? Is one of them "bad"? 🥱https://youtu.be/p9dDklWJv8E
MV7+ USB vs XLR Output: Is One Bad?
YouTube video by Ray Ortega
youtu.be
January 22, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Boring Test Video returns with a listen to the MV7+'s USB vs XLR output. Do you hear a difference? Is one of them "bad"? 🥱https://youtu.be/p9dDklWJv8E
Still really excited about this. Working on version 1.1 right now. Updated design. Looking really clean.
No friggin' way did I just create my first Chrome extension using ChatGPT! Worked (even better than planned) on the first try. Unreal. Details and release at some point soon-ish, I guess LOL.
If you're a creator that uses screenshots and/or does screen recordings, you might love it.
If you're a creator that uses screenshots and/or does screen recordings, you might love it.
January 17, 2025 at 3:23 AM
Still really excited about this. Working on version 1.1 right now. Updated design. Looking really clean.
The ATR2100 has been a widely recommended, budget mic. in podcasting for a long time now. Great audio, good price.
However it has one major drawback I've noticed over the years... sibilance.
If you have one, almost certainly it needs de-essing. Here's how I handle that youtu.be/D2yc4IBUS3o
However it has one major drawback I've noticed over the years... sibilance.
If you have one, almost certainly it needs de-essing. Here's how I handle that youtu.be/D2yc4IBUS3o
Remove The Worst Sibilance - Notch Filter De-essing
YouTube video by Ray Ortega
youtu.be
January 16, 2025 at 11:21 PM
The ATR2100 has been a widely recommended, budget mic. in podcasting for a long time now. Great audio, good price.
However it has one major drawback I've noticed over the years... sibilance.
If you have one, almost certainly it needs de-essing. Here's how I handle that youtu.be/D2yc4IBUS3o
However it has one major drawback I've noticed over the years... sibilance.
If you have one, almost certainly it needs de-essing. Here's how I handle that youtu.be/D2yc4IBUS3o
This is actually leveled audio. Everyone in this podcast ep. sounds equally loud. "Loudness," how humans perceive sound, is partly a function of the tone of a person's voice (high vs low) ex: most people perceive 2–4 kHz louder than lower frequencies. Here's how I 'level' audio youtu.be/_vecHTGK7Yo
January 15, 2025 at 10:34 PM
This is actually leveled audio. Everyone in this podcast ep. sounds equally loud. "Loudness," how humans perceive sound, is partly a function of the tone of a person's voice (high vs low) ex: most people perceive 2–4 kHz louder than lower frequencies. Here's how I 'level' audio youtu.be/_vecHTGK7Yo
No friggin' way did I just create my first Chrome extension using ChatGPT! Worked (even better than planned) on the first try. Unreal. Details and release at some point soon-ish, I guess LOL.
If you're a creator that uses screenshots and/or does screen recordings, you might love it.
If you're a creator that uses screenshots and/or does screen recordings, you might love it.
January 15, 2025 at 6:01 AM
No friggin' way did I just create my first Chrome extension using ChatGPT! Worked (even better than planned) on the first try. Unreal. Details and release at some point soon-ish, I guess LOL.
If you're a creator that uses screenshots and/or does screen recordings, you might love it.
If you're a creator that uses screenshots and/or does screen recordings, you might love it.
Harsh sounding but your podcast is likely to remain amateur if you can't elevate the quality of your guest's audio.
A few steps to change this:
- When scheduling your guest, ask what options they have for a microphone and use in this order (USB, earbuds, computer).
- Try to avoid the webcam mic.
A few steps to change this:
- When scheduling your guest, ask what options they have for a microphone and use in this order (USB, earbuds, computer).
- Try to avoid the webcam mic.
January 14, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Harsh sounding but your podcast is likely to remain amateur if you can't elevate the quality of your guest's audio.
A few steps to change this:
- When scheduling your guest, ask what options they have for a microphone and use in this order (USB, earbuds, computer).
- Try to avoid the webcam mic.
A few steps to change this:
- When scheduling your guest, ask what options they have for a microphone and use in this order (USB, earbuds, computer).
- Try to avoid the webcam mic.
New review of an unexpected mic. The MV7i is also an audio interface. Plug any other mic. or even instrument into the combo XLR port on the bottom and it outputs 2 channel audio via USB-C. Full review:
youtu.be/d23GevNtyks
youtu.be/d23GevNtyks
Shure MV7i Review - Also an Audio Interface!
YouTube video by Ray Ortega
youtu.be
January 12, 2025 at 8:11 PM
New review of an unexpected mic. The MV7i is also an audio interface. Plug any other mic. or even instrument into the combo XLR port on the bottom and it outputs 2 channel audio via USB-C. Full review:
youtu.be/d23GevNtyks
youtu.be/d23GevNtyks
Got the day off, donated to www.habitat.org, thanks Jimmy. RIP
Habitat for HumanityLogoCloseLogo
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that helps people in your community and around the world build or improve a place they can call home. Donate, volunteer and raise your voice in support...
www.habitat.org
January 10, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Got the day off, donated to www.habitat.org, thanks Jimmy. RIP
New, the Shure MV7i, a very unexpected mic.
A 2 channel, audio interface built into the mic means you can plug any other microphone or instrument into the XLR combo input and get two separate audio channels into your computer or mobile device via 1 USB-C connection.
youtube.com/shorts/QSWUN...
A 2 channel, audio interface built into the mic means you can plug any other microphone or instrument into the XLR combo input and get two separate audio channels into your computer or mobile device via 1 USB-C connection.
youtube.com/shorts/QSWUN...
Unexpected! Shure MV7i
YouTube video by Ray Ortega
youtube.com
January 7, 2025 at 8:18 PM
New, the Shure MV7i, a very unexpected mic.
A 2 channel, audio interface built into the mic means you can plug any other microphone or instrument into the XLR combo input and get two separate audio channels into your computer or mobile device via 1 USB-C connection.
youtube.com/shorts/QSWUN...
A 2 channel, audio interface built into the mic means you can plug any other microphone or instrument into the XLR combo input and get two separate audio channels into your computer or mobile device via 1 USB-C connection.
youtube.com/shorts/QSWUN...
When the sibilance is so bad, it sounds like someone is whistling in your ear. Don't let that happen to your audience! youtu.be/D2yc4IBUS3o
Also, what is sibilance exactly? My definition here apparently is debatable, that was unexpected.
Also, what is sibilance exactly? My definition here apparently is debatable, that was unexpected.
Remove The Worst Sibilance - Notch Filter De-essing
YouTube video by Ray Ortega
youtu.be
December 23, 2024 at 9:14 PM
When the sibilance is so bad, it sounds like someone is whistling in your ear. Don't let that happen to your audience! youtu.be/D2yc4IBUS3o
Also, what is sibilance exactly? My definition here apparently is debatable, that was unexpected.
Also, what is sibilance exactly? My definition here apparently is debatable, that was unexpected.
👏 This is what I was waiting for.
as of this week, when you verify your account by updating your username from a default like emily.bsky.social to your website @emilyliu.me, your former bsky.social username is reserved for you automatically (and prevents impersonators from claiming it). you can revert back to it at anytime
How to verify your Bluesky account - Bluesky
Here's how to verify your Bluesky account by setting your website as your username.
bsky.social
December 19, 2024 at 3:34 AM
👏 This is what I was waiting for.