How to Record a Podcast With a Remote Guest
Your guest is based in Edinburgh. Or London. Or Auckland. They can’t come to the studio, but you still need to record a great episode.
“Do you offer remote podcast recording?”
This is one of the most common questions we get asked at Podcast Studio Glasgow, and the good news is that remote podcast recording is very workable, as long as you set it up properly.
The bad news is that ‘just jump on Zoom and hit record’ produces exactly the kind of audio that makes listeners reach for the skip button.
Here’s how to do it right.
The core problem with remote recording
When your guest is in a different location, you have two separate audio environments to manage instead of one. Their room acoustics, their microphone, and their internet connection are all out of your control. The risk is that one side sounds polished and the other sounds like it was recorded in a biscuit tin.
The way to solve this is to choose the right recording tool and, ideally, ensure that at least one side of the conversation—the host—is recorded in a controlled, professional environment.
Zoom vs Riverside: which should you use?
This is the first technical decision most podcasters face. Both let you have a conversation with someone who isn’t in the room. The difference in what they actually record is significant.
| Zoom | Riverside.fm | |
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Compressed, degrades with connection issues | Local recording — studio quality regardless of internet |
| Video quality | Compressed stream only | Up to 4K local recording per participant |
| Separate tracks | No — mixed to one track | Yes — individual tracks for each guest |
| Editing flexibility | Limited | Full — fix guest audio independently |
| Guest setup | Just a Zoom link | Browser-based, no download needed |
| Cost | Free / £12.99/month Pro | From $15/month |
| Best for | Internal calls, quick chats | Podcast production you actually want to publish |
The core technical distinction is this: Zoom records a compressed audio stream—essentially a digital photograph of what the call sounded like. Riverside records locally on each device and uploads the raw files, so you end up with full-quality audio from both sides, regardless of how good or bad the internet connection was during the call.
For anything you intend to publish and promote, Riverside (or a similar local-recording platform like Squadcast) is the right choice. Zoom is fine for a rehearsal or a low-stakes internal conversation, not for a show you're building a brand around.
Why the host's setup in a remote podcast recording still matters — a lot
Even with the best remote recording software, you can't fully compensate for a poor recording environment on the host's end. And because listeners hear the host on every single episode, any acoustic problems you introduce there are permanent fixtures of your show.
Compare two scenarios:
Scenario A: Host records from home - Laptop microphone, or basic USB mic. Background hum from a boiler or road traffic. Acoustic reflections off hard walls. The audio sits flat in the mix and requires heavy processing to make it usable. No video recorded, or a single webcam angle in inconsistent natural light.
Scenario B: Host records from PSG - Rode Procaster dynamic microphone on a treated acoustic set. Clean, isolated audio with no room noise or interference. Multiple camera angles captured simultaneously — wide shot, close-up, cutaway — giving the editor real material to cut with. The host looks and sounds like they're anchoring a proper show. The guest sounds like a guest.
That difference matters more than most people realise before they launch a podcast. When you publish, listeners compare your show to every other show they listen to — including those with larger broadcast budgets. The host's audio quality sets the professional register of the whole episode.
What we do differently at the Podcast Studio Glasgow for remote recordings
When you record a remote episode at Podcast Studio Glasgow, we set up a full multi-camera shoot of the host, while your guest joins via Riverside from anywhere in the world.
In practical terms, that means:
The host is captured on multiple camera angles simultaneously, giving your editor clean cuts and proper visual coverage
The host's audio is recorded directly through our studio chain — Rode Procaster into RODECaster Video (which benefits from high-quality processing), not through a compressed video call
Your guest's audio is captured locally on their device via Riverside and synced in post, so both tracks are clean and editable independently
You leave with broadcast-quality host footage and a professionally recorded guest track, ready for editing
The result is a genuinely professional episode, even when half the conversation is happening remotely. Your guest brings the content; the studio brings the production value.
Ad hoc remote recording: what it costs
If you want to record a one-off remote episode at PSG, studio time starts at £85 per hour. That includes the multi-camera setup, audio through our studio chain, and raw files to take away for your own editing. No packages, no upsells.
Book directly at podcaststudioglasgow.com.
Building remote recording into a longer-term production setup
If you're launching a show or scaling up an existing one, our Podcast Production Partner Programme is built for exactly this kind of hybrid workflow.
The programme gives you six dedicated monthly recording slots at the studio, with remote recording capability built in as standard. Your guest can be anywhere; we handle the studio side, the technical setup, and the production workflow. You show up, have the conversation, and we take care of the rest.
The commercial investment is £1,500, and there are currently six partnership places available.
It suits businesses and organisations that want a consistent, well-produced podcast without the overhead of managing the technical side themselves. Scottish Water, NHS Education Scotland, and the Scottish Drug Forum have all worked with us on exactly this basis.
In summary
Use Riverside (or Squadcast) instead of Zoom for anything you're publishing
Prioritise the host's recording environment first — that's the constant across every episode
Multi-camera studio recording of the host gives your editor real material to work with
Ad hoc remote recording at PSG starts at £75/hour
The Production Partner Programme (£1,500, 6 places) includes remote recording as standard
