Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to some of the most important questions you might have for us.
Of course if you do not find what you need here, please email me and ask about anything that I have not covered here.
Questions About Budgets and Costs
What exactly is a wave?
Well there are ocean waves and sound waves, light waves and others.
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How much do the courses cost?
Course prices range from free starter videos, to mini-courses under $50, to multi-module deep-dives under $200; bundles save even more. And the current “big” course is for podcasters, audiobook narrators, voiceover actors and other spoken audio content creators. That one includes live support and is $397.
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Do I need expensive gear to start?
Nope. A decent USB mic, headphones (of any kid, really), and free/low-cost software are enough to get rolling. Could be a total of well under $100.
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Questions About Courses
Are the courses beginner-friendly or advanced?
Both. We start from square one with “The Newbies Guide To Audio Awesomeness 1: The Basics With Audacity” and scale up to pro-level multitrack recording and mixing in Reaper with “The Newbies Guide To Audio Awesomeness 2: Pro Recording with Reaper”.
You can get free videos here from both courses to get an idea. Then if you want to dive deeper as a spoken-word content creator (podcaster, audiobook narrator, voiceover actor, etc.), there’s also free videos from “Professional Talkers: How To Record High Quality Audio For Podcasts, VoiceOvers & More” I teach how to use 3 different recording programs – Audacity, Reaper, and Adobe Audition. And we have weekly support calls to help you through it.
Which recording software (DAW) do you teach?
I start with the program called Audacity for free entry-level recording. Then if you want to get into professional workflows, especially for music recording, I also teach Reaper, which is both super-affordable AND has all the capabilities of the most popular (and expensive) recording software.
Questions About Equipment and Software
Do I Need To Know What EQ Means?
No. If you want to know, I’ll show you. But it’s not required at all!
Which microphone should I buy first?
A large-diaphragm condenser USB mic. The RØDE NT-USB+ is my choice. If it is in your budget, choose an affordable XLR condenser mic (such as an Audio-Technica AT2035) with an audio recording interface to plug it into – such as a Focusrite Scarlett Solo.
Do I really need acoustic treatment?
Well in 2025, I’d say it is not imperative. Putting acoustic absorbing foam on your walls can REALLY help prevent a lot of room echo – that “bathroom” echo sound. But there are other things now that you can do.
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Questions About Home Brew Audio
Do you offer 1-on-1 help if I get stuck?
Yes I do. You can book a one-hour Zoom session for personalized troubleshooting or gear guidance.
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What is Home Brew Audio exactly?
It’s a collection of courses, articles, gear reviews, and coaching that show regular folks (non-techies welcome!) how to record, edit, and produce professional-quality audio at home without breaking the bank.
Questions About Recording Quality
Is Audacity good enough for professional sound?
Absolutely! Audio quality is rarely (if ever) to do with what software you use these days. Audio quality is rarely (if ever) about what software you use. It’s a lot more about the microphone quality and other issues. If you capture clean audio and apply basic editing, Audacity can deliver broadcast-ready tracks. My lessons show you how.
I’m brand-new to recording. Can I really get PRO results at home?
Absolutely. With today’s gear and the bite-sized training in our courses, great sound is mostly knowledge and technique—not giant budgets. (Category – Questions about recording process, terms & difficulty, Questions about quality level of recordings.
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Questions About Technical Problems
Can I fix mistakes after recording?
Yes. And not only AFTER recording. You can do it WHILE you are recording – as you go – as well! Check out the post and video below.tech
What if I’m not tech-savvy?
You’re my favorite kind of student! My step-by-step videos assume no prior tech experience and explain every click in plain English.
