Inside a Podcast Mixing Session: A Studio Walkthrough

A podcast mixing session is where raw recordings become a polished, easy-to-listen-to episode. In practice it follows a clear path: import and organise the tracks, edit for content and pace, clean and balance each voice, add music and structure, then master the whole episode to a consistent loudness. Here is what actually happens, step by step, when a studio mixes a podcast.

Understanding the process helps you record better material and know what professional finishing adds.

Organising and editing the session

The session starts by importing each speaker's track — ideally recorded separately — and lining them up in sync. The editor then works through the content: removing false starts, long pauses, tangents and the worst filler words, and tightening the pace so the episode moves. This content edit is where a good listening experience is really won, long before any processing.

Cleaning and balancing voices

Next, each voice is treated. Noise reduction removes hum, hiss and room rumble; EQ shapes the tone so voices are clear and consistent; and compression evens out the gap between loud and quiet moments so every word is audible, even on the bus or in the kitchen. When two people were recorded on very different mics or in different rooms, this stage brings them into the same sonic world.

Adding music, sound and structure

With the voices sitting well, the editor adds the episode's furniture: a music intro and outro, transitions between segments, and any inserts or adverts, all balanced so music supports rather than competes with speech. Consistent fades and the same top-and-tail each week give the show a recognisable, professional shape.

Mastering to a consistent loudness

Finally, the whole episode is mastered to a standard loudness — commonly around -16 LUFS for stereo podcasts — with peaks controlled so it sits at the same volume as other shows on the platform. The result is an episode that sounds the same from week to week and needs no volume riding from the listener. airaphon offers full podcast production — editing, cleanup, mixing and mastering — from its studio near Tunbridge Wells in Kent, working with podcasters across London and the South East.

You can hear examples of airaphon's audio work on the showreel. If you would like your podcast professionally mixed, email enquiries@airaphon.com.

Frequently asked questions

What happens in a podcast mixing session?

The tracks are imported and synced, edited for content and pace, cleaned and balanced with noise reduction, EQ and compression, given music and structure, then mastered to a consistent loudness for release.

Why record each speaker on a separate track?

Separate tracks let the editor control each voice independently — fixing noise, balance and timing per person — which is far harder when everyone shares one mixed track.

What loudness is a podcast mixed to?

Commonly around -16 LUFS integrated for a stereo podcast, with peaks controlled, so the episode matches the volume of other shows after platform normalisation.

Can mixing fix a noisy recording?

It can reduce noise, balance levels and add clarity, but it cannot fully recover detail that was never captured. A clean recording always gives the mixing engineer the best starting point.

How long does it take to mix a podcast episode?

It depends on length and how much editing is needed, but a typical interview episode is often turned around within a few working days at a dedicated studio.