Mixing, exporting, and publishing a finished episode

Once a session is recorded, the work moves to mix and publish. The Studio module handles both — re-mix in the browser, export to the formats podcast directories accept, and (optionally) push to a connected distribution channel.

The post-session workflow:

1. **Open the session's Episodes tab** — every recording lands here as an episode draft.
2. **Pick the multitrack edit view** — your channel strips are still there with the recorded waveforms underneath. Move, trim, fade, delete bad sections, ride levels.
3. **Add chapters** (optional) — drop chapter markers at key moments. These export as Apple Podcasts chapters and embedded MP3 chapters.
4. **Insert post-only ads** (optional) — drop a sponsor read onto an empty section of the timeline. Different ads can be inserted for different distribution channels — the dynamic-ad-insertion feature drops the right ad based on which platform is fetching the file.
5. **Set master metering target** — usually -16 LUFS integrated for podcast platforms. The auto-leveler can run a final mastering pass to hit your target loudness.
6. **Render** — exports to your chosen format (see Format options below).

Format options on render:

- **MP3** — 128 kbps mono or 192 kbps stereo. Universal compatibility; smallest file. Most podcast platforms.
- **AAC** — 96 kbps or 128 kbps. Better quality per byte than MP3. Apple Podcasts native.
- **WAV** — uncompressed master. For archival or further mastering elsewhere.
- **FLAC** — lossless compressed. For archival.

Per-platform variants:

- **Podcast RSS feed** — the platform hosts an RSS feed at `/podcasts/{slug}/feed.xml` that you submit once to Spotify, Apple, Amazon, Pocket Casts, etc. New episodes land in your feed automatically when you publish.
- **YouTube** — set an episode artwork or a static-image video; the platform renders an MP4 and (if you've connected your YouTube account in Settings → Integrations) uploads as a new video on your channel.
- **Builder site embed** — every published episode is available via a player block you can drop on your website's Builder pages.
- **Live Stream archive** — sessions that were live-streamed via the Live Streaming module are auto-published to the same RSS feed once you mark them "ready" in the Episodes tab.

Compliance / loudness checks:

Before publish, the platform runs:
- LUFS measurement (must be within target ± 1 LU).
- True peak check (must be ≤ -1 dBTP).
- DC offset check.
- Mono-compatibility check (if stereo).
- Inappropriate content scan (the platform's image-moderation pipeline applies to thumbnails; explicit-language detection runs on the audio).

Failing checks block publish with a "Fix these first" panel — the issues are usually fixable in one or two timeline edits.

Distribution analytics:

Connected distribution destinations report back: download counts per episode, listen-through percentage, geographic breakdown, average listener age (where the platform reports it). The Episode's "Performance" tab aggregates the data so you don't have to log into 6 directories.

Pricing:

Render and self-hosted RSS hosting are included. YouTube upload uses your YouTube account quota. Third-party distribution analytics (Spotify, Apple) require connecting your existing account; the platform doesn't charge for the integration.