In short: This glossary defines about thirty podcast terms used in recording, audio levels, editing, delivery and publishing. Each entry gives a short definition you can use on a call or in a brief. Terms are in alphabetical order, and a term that depends on another links to its own entry where it helps.
Alignment level
The reference level a signal chain is set to, so that the same test signal reads the same value on every device. In digital audio the reference is set a fixed distance below full scale. The EBU recommendation puts it at minus 18 dBFS, and some facilities use a lower level for 24-bit masters.
Autocue
A display that shows the script to a presenter while they look at the lens. It is used for scripted delivery, and the text is usually set to scroll at a speed the presenter can follow. The how to read autocue guide covers the habits that make it work.
Bitrate
The amount of data per second in a compressed audio file, measured in kilobits per second (kbps). A higher bitrate gives a bigger file and usually keeps more of the original detail, so the choice is always a trade between size and quality.
Chapter markers
Timestamped section titles inside an episode, such as 00:14:40 for a new topic. Some apps show them and others do not, so put the same timestamps in the show notes as well.
Clipping
Distortion that happens when a signal goes above the highest level a device can record, so the top of the wave is cut off. Once a file has clipped, the lost detail cannot be fully restored, which is why levels are set before the take.
Compression
Reducing the gap between the loudest and quietest parts of a signal. It is used on voices to keep levels even, and it is easy to overuse, which makes speech sound flat and tiring.
Crossfade
A short overlap in which one sound fades out as another fades in. Editors use it to join two clips without a click or a sudden change of room sound.
DAW
A digital audio workstation: the software used to record and edit audio, such as Reaper, Logic Pro or Pro Tools. The choice of DAW matters when a client's files have to open in a particular programme.
dBFS
Decibels relative to full scale. It measures the level of a digital signal down from the maximum the system can record, so zero is the ceiling and every reading is below it.
Delivery spec
The written list of file formats, levels, names and dates that a platform or client needs. Follow the delivery spec over any general advice, including advice in this glossary.
Ducking
Lowering background music automatically while someone speaks, so the voice sits clearly on top. It can be done by hand or with a setting in the editing software.
Episode
One instalment of a show, with its own audio file, title and written notes. A show is the series, and each episode is a single release within it.
Feed
The file, usually in RSS format, that lists a show's episodes and tells podcast apps where to find the audio and the artwork. A show is listed in directories through its feed.
Gain
The amount a signal is boosted or cut at the start of the chain, set on an interface or a desk. Setting gain is the first step in levelling, and it should be set before anything else in the chain.
Headroom
The space between the level you are recording at and the point of clipping. Leaving some headroom gives an unexpected loud laugh or cough room to pass without distortion.
Hosting
Storing a podcast's audio files and feed on a service that podcast apps can reach. The host is the place the feed points to, and it can be changed, but the feed address then needs to be updated everywhere it is listed.
ISO recording
Short for isolated recording. Each microphone or camera is recorded on its own track, so each can be edited on its own. It takes more storage and more care on the day, and it gives the editor far more options afterwards.
Lavalier microphone
A small clip-on microphone worn on the chest, usually hidden under clothing. It keeps a constant distance from the mouth, which makes its level steadier than a microphone on a stand.
LUFS
Loudness units relative to full scale. It is a measure of how loud a whole programme sounds, which a peak meter cannot show, because a peak meter only shows the highest level in the file.
Master
The full-quality version of the finished edit, usually uncompressed, from which every delivery file is made. Keep it safe, because a compressed file cannot be turned back into a master.
Noise floor
The level of background hiss or hum when nothing is being said. A lower noise floor leaves more room for the voice, and the best way to lower it is at the source, by choosing a quiet room and controlling the kit.
Pink noise
A noise signal with equal energy in each octave, so it sounds balanced to the ear across the range. It is used to check how a room and its speakers behave.
Plosive
A burst of air from a hard consonant such as "p" or "b" that thumps the microphone. A pop filter reduces it, and the speaker's distance and angle reduce it further.
Room tone
The sound of a room with nobody speaking. Editors record a short stretch of it at every location, so that gaps between words can be filled with the same background sound.
Sample rate
How many times per second a digital audio signal is measured. The common rates for podcast and video work are 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz, and the rate should match across a project.
Show notes
The written summary, links and credits that sit with an episode. They tell a listener what the episode covers and where to find what was mentioned.
Slate
A spoken label at the start of a take, giving the show, episode and take number, so the take can be found in the edit.
Sync clap
A sharp sound made on camera and microphone at the same moment, used to line up picture and sound in the edit. It gives the editor one clear point to match.
Trailer
A short episode or clip that introduces a show to new listeners and says who it is for. It is usually published before the first full episode.
Transcript
The written text of an episode, with the speakers named. It is useful to readers and gives search engines text to read.
WAV
An uncompressed audio file format, used for masters, recordings and test files. It is much larger than a compressed format at the same length, and most editing software opens it without trouble.
Wild track
Sound recorded on its own, without the camera running, for use in the edit. Room tone is one kind of wild track, and a wild line of dialogue is another.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Alignment level, read 5 November 2026
The picture at the top of this page is an illustration, not a photograph of a client or a real job.
Questions we get asked
What does dBFS mean in podcasting?
Decibels relative to full scale, the level of a digital signal measured down from the maximum. Zero is the ceiling, so every reading sits below it.
What is the difference between show notes and a transcript?
Show notes summarise the episode and link to what was mentioned. A transcript is the full text of what was said, with the speakers named.
What is a sync clap?
A sharp sound made on camera and microphone at the same moment. It is used to match picture and sound in the edit.
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