Spotify wants to help newbie podcasters sound like the pros
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Spotify helps amateur hosts clean up their audio with a new background noise reduction tool in the Anchor podcast app.
The feature is called Audio Enhancement, which takes the form of a new button on the Anchor recording screen. According to the announcement (opens in new tab), all you have to do is record a podcast as normal, and if you’re listening to the audio, tap the button to mute the background noise, which also brings your voice to the forefront. Audio enhancement can be toggled on and off during playback, so you can switch back and forth to compare the two. Despite what the preview video hints to (opens in new tab)you can use headphones with a microphone to record if you don’t want to hold the phone to your face.
Good – for beginners
In the announcement, Spotify touts Audio Enhancement as the “most valuable audio editing tool” and you can have a great-sounding podcast even if you’re recording in a “loud coffee shop, on the subway, or with babies crying in the background.” However, we recommend that you do not store your recording studio at home just yet.
We’ve tested the feature ourselves, and while it dampens ambient noise, it’s not by a wide margin. Conversations and music in the background are still clearly audible, although there is more focus on your voice. Admittedly, the phone used in the test was not a high-end device. It is possible that the quality of Audio Enhancement depends on the type of smartphone you are using. Still, as an on-the-go tool, it’s a pretty cool tool for amateurs who don’t have much equipment.
We asked Spotify if a phone’s quality affects its function. This story will be updated if we hear anything, but if you want to try it out for yourself, it’s already available on the iOS (opens in new tab) and Android (opens in new tab) versions of Anchor.
The future of Spotify
Spotify has spent the past year and a half expanding its offerings beyond music. Not so long ago, the long awaited audiobook support eventually got to US users, giving them access to over 300,000 titles with more to come. Video podcasts have also appeared for select shows, but it is unknown if this feature will grow or suffer the same fate as Car thing (opens in new tab).
That said, people are still asking the same question: Where’s the high-res audio Spotify promised nearly two years ago? We may not have long to wait as recent reports have revealed that a potentially higher level for Spotify, called Spotify Platinum, which can come with high-resolution audio, among other features. No new official information has surfaced since then, but we’re still eagerly awaiting an official reveal.
If you’re interested in becoming a podcaster but don’t know where to start, take a look TechRadar’s list of the best podcast hosting providers. These provide you with a way to store large media files for distribution and download.