Podcast production giants become one as Descript acquires SquadCast
Arielle Nissenblatt fills us in on the best kept secret in podcasting
Descript has acquired SquadCast. The visual editing tool and remote recording platform announced this week they are joining forces to create a one-stop shop for podcast production.
Descript is used by video and audio editors and is probably best known for being a visual text editor; enabling podcasters to edit their shows by cutting text in a document. The platform also boasts a number of useful features including a filler word removal tool and a studio sound boost button.
SquadCast has been a leader in remote recording tools for the last few years. Podcasters who previously used Zoom (or even Skype) to record remote interviews have turned to SquadCast because of the way it captures audio from each speaker. High quality recordings are made for each participant locally, then uploaded to the cloud, ready to be downloaded for editing later. The result is a high quality recording, superior to the audio you can get from a Zoom call recording.
The Descript x SquadCast announcement wasn’t one I saw coming, and many in the podcasting community were surprised to hear the news. Descript community manager Arielle Nissenblatt said: “For the past two and a half months I have been asking people questions about their editing habits, their recording habits, stealthily trying to understand what people are doing and then bringing that information back and then trying to create the best possible post production tool as possible.
“I think it is the perfect tool for podcasters. I've been using SquadCast and then going right into DS script with my recordings and I produce podcasts much faster now.”
Hear more of what Arielle had to say in this week’s All Things Audio podcast
✂️ Cut The Tape
Descript has acquired SquadCast.
If you subscribe to either platform then as of this week, you have access to the other platform too. If you already use Descript you just have to make a SquadCast account. If you already use SquadCast and want access to Descript, you just need to create a Descript account and link the two.
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Hear our chat with Arielle Nissenblatt on this week’s All Things Audio podcast. We have some success with speakers joining the Space from desktop and discuss the continued silence coming from Clubhouse and the possibility that Threads may be adding voice notes.
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Tonebenders is an all time favourite podcast of mine. This episode spotlights the sound of hit HBC comedy-drama Succession. Promising insights into how the dialogue was handled, as well as an in depth look at the sound on the ‘game changing’ third episode, this one is top of my weekend listening list.
Shout out to SRP reader
who joined me in the SRP Substack chat this week after I started up an introduction thread. Do drop by and say hello, let me know what you are working on and if there’s anything you would like me to cover or share in Stop. Rewind. Play.I’ll be back in your inbox next week - Suze