Using Soundboard

How to use the Soundboard to play audio clips during your recording. How to add and delete clips. How to adjust clip volume.

Updated over a week ago

The Soundboard feature is available for users on the Professional plan and allows hosts to play and record audio clips while recording.

Using the Soundboard for an episode in the ‘Record Audio and Video’ recording mode is shown below.

In this article:

What Is The Soundboard And Why Use It?

The Soundboard is a feature that allows you to import up to ten audio clips and play them while recording. You and your guests hear the audio clips that you play live on the call. Then, when you stop the recording you get a separate ‘soundboard track’ MP3 file that contains just the audio clips played at their corresponding times.

Whether you are playing your podcast intro, background music, sound effects, or sponsor segments, using the Soundboard can save you editing time later. Without the Soundboard, you would need to manually add these audio clips in an audio or video editing software program outside of Zencastr, which increases production time and complexity.

Adding Clips

To get you started, the Soundboard comes pre-loaded with 4 default audio clips. You can have a total of 10 clips, in MP3 or WAV file format, on the Soundboard.

To add an audio clip:

  1. From the Dashboard, open an episode.

  2. On your computer, navigate to the location/folder where your clips are saved.

  3. Drag and drop each file into an available square on the Soundboard.
    OR
    Click the plus icon in an available square on the Soundboard, select the file, and click Open.

Deleting Clips

To delete an audio clip:

  1. From the Dashboard, open an episode.

  2. Hover your mouse over a clip on the Soundboard.

  3. Click the x on the clip.

Adjusting Clip Volume

We recommend adjusting the volume of your clips before you start recording. If you prefer, you can also adjust the volume of your clips while recording.

To adjust a clip’s volume:

  1. From the Dashboard, open an episode.

  2. Hover your mouse over a clip on the Soundboard.

  3. Place your cursor over the volume slider at the top of the clip and drag it to the left to lower the volume or to the right to raise the volume.

Playing Clips While Recording

To play a clip while recording:

  1. From the Dashboard, open an episode.

  2. Click Start Recording.

  3. Click on the clip at the appropriate time.
    OR
    Use the number keys on your keyboard as a shortcut. The numbers correspond to the order the clips are loaded on the Soundboard. Press 1 to play the first clip loaded, 2 to play the second clip loaded, etc.

  4. Let the clip play through in its entirety or click on the clip again and it will fade out and then stop.
    OR
    Let the clip play through in its entirety or press the corresponding number key (1, 2, etc.) again and it will fade out and then stop.

Downloading Soundboard File

  1. After you stop the recording, you will see a ‘Soundboard track’ appear above your track with an MP3 button.

  2. Click the MP3 button and the soundboard file downloads to your computer.

Related Questions

I have more than ten clips. Can I add different clips for different episodes?

Clips uploaded to the Soundboard are not episode-specific and are instead available to use in every episode. If you have more than ten clips, you would need to delete one clip before adding another.

Is there a limit on the length or file size of the audio clips that I can upload?

The only requirement is that the audio clip be in the MP3 or WAV format. There is no limit on the length or file size, however note that larger clips will take longer to upload.

What does the loop icon on each clip do?

The loop icon plays the clip on a loop, i.e. after the clip finishes playing through the first time it restarts and plays again, unless stopped. To turn looping on/off, click the loop icon.

How do I restore a default clip that I deleted?

If you deleted one or more of the four default audio clips (Intro/Outro, Dramatic Piano, Drums, and Ballpark) contact Zencastr Support via chat or email and we will provide you with the audio files so that you can reupload the missing clip(s) to your Soundboard.

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