Skill Levels

This level is for people who have not recorded audio before, or who have recorded but are not happy with the results and want to understand why. It covers the absolute essentials: what equipment you need and do not need, how to set it up in a normal room, how to record a clean take, and how to produce a complete episode from start to finish.

The goal of Foundations is not to make you an audio engineer. It is to get you to a point where you can produce a listenable episode with what you have.

Who this is for: Complete beginners. People who have tried recording and found the results disappointing. Anyone starting from scratch with no audio background.

At this level, you can record and produce an episode, but you want to improve the consistency and quality of your output. Intermediate focuses on the gap between functional and good — the editing decisions, audio processing techniques, and workflow habits that separate occasional producers from consistent ones.

This level also introduces episode structure in detail, covering how to plan and script episodes before recording so that editing becomes less necessary.

Who this is for: Creators who have published at least a few episodes and want to improve quality. People who can produce an episode but find the process inconsistent or time-consuming.

Advanced production skills for creators who want to move beyond functional audio into intentional audio. This level covers multi-track production, narrative audio techniques, sound design for podcasting, and the craft decisions that distinguish a produced show from a recorded conversation.

The show branding module at this level addresses how audio identity — theme music, sonic signature, consistent tone — contributes to a show's recognizability.

Who this is for: Experienced producers who want to develop their craft further. Creators working on narrative or documentary formats. Anyone producing a show where audio quality is central to the content itself.

The Publishing level focuses entirely on what happens after production is complete. Distribution, show notes, directory submission, RSS configuration, and the basics of how podcast discovery works. This level can be taken independently of the others — it does not require audio production skills.

Creators who already know how to produce audio but have not yet published, or who have published but want to improve their distribution setup, will find this level directly applicable.

Who this is for: Anyone who has produced episodes but has not yet published. Creators who have published but are uncertain whether their distribution setup is correct. People who want to understand how podcast discovery works.