OK, you've figured what you need in terms of software and hardware, so now what? Just press record? That will work, but I have a few tips before you dive in, to help you get the best results.

The most important thing to remember is to trust your ears. What matters at the end of the day isn't what mic you used, or which effects you applied, or even how much time you spent compulsively tweaking your recordings. All that matters is how it sounds. That said, here are some reminders:

• Don't ever record into a microphone that is positioned where it can pick up sound from your speakers. Turn those speakers off and plug in some headphones.
• Record at a high level. You will have less background noise if you record loud, compared to recording soft and turning up the volume later. Just remember that if you make the signal too "hot" by turning the level up too high, that will cause the recording to "clip," resulting in unpleasant distortion.
• Try adding a little bit of an effect called compression, if your program has it. This will help your levels stay consistent.
• All of the mentioned programs have noise reduction features that can help clean up a noisy recording.
• Using an EQ and other effects judiciously can help to color your sound, but don't overdo it.
• Either buy a windscreen for your microphone, or if that isn't possible, cover your mic with a sock. This will block out hard "P's" and "S's".
• Try converting to higher bitrate MP3s * 128kbps or above. Many programs default to 64 kbps, which sounds horrible.
• If you include background music, make sure that it is "podsafe," meaning legal to broadcast. Most songs have a copyright license, which means you can't use it without permission. Good sources for music you can use without getting sued are Creative Commons and the The Podsafe Music Network .
• Never yell into the microphone... unless you're a punk rock podcaster.

Happy Podcasting!

Special thanks to Christiaan Stoudt for contributing his expert knowledge to the preparation of this article.