You’ve recorded. You’ve cleaned up the audio. Now comes the part that makes your podcast feel like a show: sound design.

In this episode of Snohomish Podcast Playground, Trent breaks down how to add music and sound effects in a way that supports your story (not distracts from it). You’ll learn a simple workflow for layering audio, how pacing and silence can make moments hit harder, and the licensing basics you need to understand before you publish anything.

What we cover

• Why music and sound effects can add emotion, tension, and impact—even to simple stories
• A practical workflow: edit your voice first, then layer music and SFX on top
• How to use sound effects to create scenes (crowded street, rain on a tin roof, etc.)
• Why pacing matters: matching your voice cadence to the “movement” of the music
• The underrated tool: silence (and why it can be more powerful than constant audio)
• Where to find royalty-free music and sound effects (including Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/)
• Licensing basics: “royalty-free” doesn’t always mean “free for anything”
  • Attribution requirements
  • Personal-use vs. commercial-use restrictions
  • Why it’s worth reading the license before you publish
• When it makes sense to record your own sound effects instead of downloading them
• Examples to listen to for inspiration (including Trent’s “Seybert” episode and “From Pitch to Puget Sound”)

The big takeaway

Sound design is where your podcast becomes immersive. Take your time, follow the license rules, and use music + effects to make listeners feel the story—not just hear it.

Produced and edited by Olivia Blomberg

Snohomish Podcast Playground is part of the Snohomish Podcast Network
Music: https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-have-fun-382760/