Before you start

Find a quiet place and connect your headphones or earbuds. Use the built-in microphone, a compatible USB microphone, or an audio interface. Wired headphones avoid Bluetooth monitoring delay. If you need help choosing a mic, see Choosing a Microphone.

Turn on Do Not Disturb, check your battery and available storage, and make a short test recording. Speak at your normal show volume, play your loudest pad, and listen back. Adjust the mixer so the microphone and sounds are balanced without clipping.

You do not need to change every effect to get started. For a walkthrough of the mic controls, EQ presets, and your own voice preset, see How to Get Studio-Quality Sound on Your Phone. If room noise is a problem, the Noise Gate guide explains what to adjust. Keep detailed pad editing for the Advanced Soundboard Guide.

Prepare the episode

Load your sounds

Tap an empty pad to load a sound. Start with an intro, an outro, music beds, transitions, sponsor spots, and listener clips. Arrange them in episode order so the next sound is easy to find.

Music

An intro to establish the show, music beds beneath your voice, and an outro to close the episode.

Transitions

Short cues for moving into a new segment without stopping the conversation.

Recorded clips

Sponsor spots and listener clips, ready to play when they support the conversation.

Episode order

Arrange pads in rundown order so the next cue is visible when you need it.

Capture the performance

Record the microphone and pads together

Tap the red recording button before the show starts. Backpack captures the microphone and every soundboard cue together.

Roll the intro

Start the intro just before you speak. Give it a moment to establish the show, then let your voice come in over the music.

Listen while you record

Connect headphones and tap the mic

Always wear connected headphones or earbuds

Always wear connected headphones or earbuds while recording. Keep them connected throughout the session.

Turn the mic on or mute it

Tap the large microphone button at the bottom of the screen to turn your mic on or mute it.

Run the show

Play clips and transitions

During the episode, trigger transitions and clips when they support the conversation. Keep the board in rundown order so you never have to hunt for the next sound.

One live mix

Let the outro finish, then save

When the episode ends, let the outro finish, tap Pause, then tap Finish to save the recording.

The saved recording contains your microphone and soundboard together. Listen to the beginning, loudest part, and ending before exporting or sharing it with your podcast host or editor.

You can also make a transcript, show notes, highlights, or a reel from the recording with Backpack’s optional AI tools. Keep your board for the next episode and replace only the clips you need to change.

Read the video transcript

Here's how to use a soundboard while recording a podcast in Backpack Studio.

Build a small board with an intro, an outro, music beds, transitions, sponsor spots, and listener clips.

Tap the red recording button before the show starts. Backpack captures the microphone and every soundboard cue together.