It's Sunday evening, and you've just recorded an hour-long interview that went brilliantly. Great content, fascinating guest, genuine chemistry.

But now? Now comes the editing.

You fire up your DAW, stare at that intimidating waveform stretching across your screen like a mountain range, and think: "This is going to take me four hours. Again."

We've all been there. That's why our team designed Alitu to follow a different approach - one that simplifies how you edit podcasts, assists with the repetitive tasks and cuts editing time by hours.

The Problem with Traditional Podcast Editing

Here's the thing about editing podcasts the "normal" way: it's just ... laborious!

When you're editing in Adobe Audition and a lot of other DAWs, you're using an tool meant for audio engineers, not podcasters. You end up:

• Playing audio at 1x speed (because there's no easy speed-up option)
• Hunting for mistakes by staring at waveforms, listening to every word
• Trying to remember where that awkward tangent was
• Scrubbing back and forth to find the right cut point
• Snipping out every last um and ah yourself

It's like trying to edit a book by looking at the ink density on each page instead of, you know, reading the words.

Enter the Hybrid Approach: Text Meets Waveform

This is where Alitu's audio editor (we call it Alitu Waves) flips the script. Instead of hunting through waveforms, you can edit your podcast the same way you'd edit a document.

Here's my workflow for a typical hour-long episode:

Step 1: The Broad Strokes Edit

I skim through the transcript like I'm reading an article. When I spot:

• That story I told twice (happens more than I'd like to admit!)
• The five-minute tangent about my cat
• The part where my guest's doorbell rang
• Those rambling sections that made sense in the moment but... don't

I just highlight the text and delete. Done. The waveform above updates instantly, showing me exactly what I'm cutting.

Step 2: Review and Refine Your Cuts

Here's the vital bit that makes all the difference: I review every cut I just made.

I hit the preview button, and Alitu automatically plays a few seconds before and after each cut. This lets me:

• Check the cut sounds natural
• Make sure I didn't clip off the start of a word
• Ensure I didn't catch any breaths that make it sound choppy

When something needs tweaking, I use the waveform view above the transcript. The cut handles are precise and easy to grab - I just drag them to adjust where the cut starts or ends. No zooming in and out, no complex keyboard shortcuts (although there's some of those there for you power-users too 😁).

(Optional) Step 3: Speed-Edit the Details

This is only for the perfectionists. You know who you are, you still NEED to listen to every word to be truly happy putting it out there!

That's fine - but do it fast, at least! Crank the playback speed to 1.5x or even 2x. Why? Because I can still understand what's being said, but I'm literally cutting my listening time in half.

While speed-listening, I'm hunting for:

• Those smaller ums and ahs (though wait - I'll show you an even better way to handle these automatically!)
• Awkward pauses that break the flow
• My crutch phrases (mine is "basically")

Pro tip: Use the search function in the transcript! Type in your crutch phrase and jump straight to every instance. No more hoping you caught them all.

Your Task #1: Time your next editing session. Then try editing at 1.5x speed and compare. Let's see how much time you save.

The Magic of Automated Cleanup

Before I even start editing, Alitu's already done the heavy lifting:

• Background noise? Gone.
• Volume levels? Balanced.
• Voice EQ? Applied.

Then I hit those magic filters:

• Filler Word Removal: Catches most ums and ahs automatically
• Silence Trimming: Removes those long pauses without making it sound rushed

I still review what they've done (always trust but verify!), but it means I'm starting from a much cleaner place.

Adding the Polish

Once the content is tight, I can focus on the creative stuff:

Background Music and Sound Effects

I can drop music or sound effects under any section - perfect for:

• Covering up a rough edit transition
• Adding energy to an intro
• Creating atmosphere during a story
• Emphasizing a key moment with a subtle sound effect

Just drag it where you need it, adjust the volume, trim to length. No need to switch to a separate, complex multitrack view.

Strategic Silences

Sometimes you need to let content breathe. I add half-second pauses:

• After a powerful statement
• Before a punchline
• Between topic transitions

The Occasional Bleep

Sometimes guests drop an f-bomb. Or share something they shouldn't. One click adds a bleep. Your choice whether to use the comedy "BLEEP" or just silence it out.

The Hidden Productivity Booster: Clip Harvesting

Here's something I discovered by accident: while I'm editing, I'm also building my promo library.

When I hear a great 30-second story or insight, I:

1. Select it in the editor
2. Save it as a clip to my library
3. Keep editing

Later, those clips become:

• Social media audiograms
• Podcast trailers
• "Best of" compilation episodes
• Email newsletter content

Your Task #2: During your next edit, save THREE potential promo clips. Even if you don't use them right away, you're building a content stash for a rainy day.

Real Numbers from Real Podcasters

It's pretty common for podcasters to spend anything from 4x to 7x recording time in editing their show. That means 4-7 hours editing a 60-minute episode. But now? A rough timeline for me might look like:

• Broad strokes edit: 15 minutes
• Review and refine cuts: 10 minutes
• Detail pass at 1.5x: 30 minutes (optional!)
• Polish and clips: 15 minutes (optional!)
• Total: 25 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes

That's a 60-minute episode edited in under half the listening time, theoretically. And only just over, even if you add in the full listen. And honestly? The end result becomes better because I've got the time to focus on planning and storytelling instead of technical fiddling.

Is This Approach Right for You?

This type of editing works great if you:

• Value your time (who doesn't?)
• Want to focus on content over technical perfection
• Are editing interview or conversational shows
• Need to create promotional content alongside your main episodes
• Are tired of the traditional DAW learning curve

Alitu's approach is not for you if you're creating highly produced, NPR-style documentaries with complex sound design. But for 90% of podcasters? We believe it's the sweet spot of efficiency and quality.

Your Next Steps

1. Track your current editing time - You can't improve what you don't measure
2. Try the broad strokes approach - Even in your current editor, try skimming the whole episode first before getting into details
3. Experiment with playback speed - Start at 1.25x and work your way up
4. Build that clip library - Future you will thank present you

The goal isn't to rush through editing. It's to spend less time on the mechanical parts so you can focus on what matters: crafting a great listening experience for your audience.

Because at the end of the day, your listeners don't care if you spent 3 hours or 30 minutes editing. They care that you delivered value, told great stories, and didn't waste their time.

And now? You're not wasting yours either.