Riverside makes it ridiculously easy to record a podcast, capture remote or in-person interviews, and edit with AI all in one place. How to Use Riverside: Beginner Walkthrough for Podcasts and Videos lays out a simple workflow. Set up a studio, hit record, then let Riverside handle clips, transcripts, and cleanup.
Below is an AI-assisted summary of the key points and ideas covered in the video. For more detail, make sure to check out the full video above!
What Riverside actually does (beyond recording)
Riverside isn’t just a “hit record and hope” tool. It’s built for creators and businesses that want systems and processes to get content out faster.
Key areas inside Riverside:
- Recording: Podcasts, interviews, and video (including screen share)
- Editing: A built-in editor with timeline controls and layouts
- AI tools: Audio cleanup, captions, transcripts, clip creation, and more
- Repurposing + scheduling: Turn long-form into short clips and schedule posts
- Podcast hosting + analytics: Optional hosting with analytics in the dashboard
- Business extras: Email list + newsletter tools, and even a website builder
Start with the Riverside dashboard (and don’t skip the AI shortcuts)
After creating a free account (or logging in), Riverside drops you into the dashboard, where you’ll see recent projects and quick access tools.
From the home area, there’s also fast access to AI features like:
- AI Translate
- Magic Audio (audio cleanup)
- Long-form to short-form clips
- Show notes, captions, transcribing, AI voices
On the left side, Riverside also includes a Planner for scheduling content across platforms. It’s a handy business tool: create once, then distribute everywhere.
Schedule content with Riverside Planner (easy low-hanging fruit)
Riverside’s Planner lets scheduling social posts publish automatically.
What to do:
- Choose New social media post
- Create content inside Riverside (or pull from your projects)
- Schedule posts to publish across supported platforms from one place
If the goal is adding value and staying consistent, this is a no-brainer to reduce admin time.
Record in Riverside Studio (beginner setup in 10 minutes)
Riverside gives a few starting paths (record, edit existing, go live, schedule a webinar, schedule a recording session). For most people, recording starts in the Studio.
- Create a project and open the Studio. Pick Record (or Open Studio) to start setting up camera and audio.
- Confirm devices before joining. Set your name, then choose the correct camera, microphone, and speakers/headphones.
- Tell Riverside if wearing headphones. Select Yes/No so Riverside can manage echo cancelling and background noise removal when needed.
- Choose browser or app (Mac prompt). Mac users may be prompted to continue in the Mac app for slightly higher quality, but the browser keeps things flexible across devices.
- Join the Studio and name the project. Add a clear project name straight away so files stay organised later.
Dial in settings: resolution, frame rate, audio, and backups
Inside Settings, Riverside includes quick settings plus deeper options. Beginners can keep defaults, but it pays to understand what’s available.
Key setup decisions:
- Recording mode: Audio + video, or audio only
- Resolution: Up to 4K, but anything marked with a lightning bolt requires a paid plan
- Recommendation: Record at 1080p minimum, or 4K if available, so content is covered across platforms
- Frame rate + audio sample rate: Adjust based on the workflow
- Noise reduction: Helpful when recording in a noisy environment
- Automatic internet backups: Enable for extra protection
- Live streaming connections: Link the platforms to broadcast to
Use layouts, screen share, and the built-in “script” (teleprompter-style notes)
Once inside the Studio, Riverside works like a streamlined live production setup.
Useful Studio tools:
- Preview window: See exactly what’s being recorded
- Layouts: Swap picture-in-picture and other layouts in real time (similar vibe to StreamYard)
- Share: Bring in a screen share or slides, and choose whether to include tab/system audio
- Script: Private on-screen notes (like a teleprompter) that viewers and guests won’t see
Bring in remote guests or extra cameras (including a phone)
Riverside supports guest invites via link or email, plus in-person options.
Common setups:
- Invite via link/email: Riverside generates a unique guest link
- Add an in-person guest / extra camera: For example, connect a phone as a second angle
- Pinning: Choose which camera stays “main” while switching layouts live
Before recording, Riverside also lets adjusting echo cancelling to tidy up guest audio.
The big Riverside win: local recording (not just cloud)
Riverside records locally on each participant’s device, then uploads the high-quality files after.
Why it matters:
- If someone’s internet drops mid-session, the recording still exists locally
- After stopping, Riverside shows upload status per guest
- Guests should not close the browser/app until uploads finish
After recording: AI clips, separate downloads, and the editor
When the session ends, Riverside takes into the project area and starts generating “Made For You” AI clips.
From Recordings, access:
- The complete recording (all participants/sources combined)
- Separate downloads per participant/device (useful for pro editing workflows)
To edit, hit Edit to open Riverside’s editing tool. It includes:
- A familiar sidebar interface
- A timeline
- Separate camera tracks (not flattened into one file)
- Easy layout switching, plus manual resizing if needed
- Text/titles with adjustable timing
Riverside AI tools that save a stack of time
Inside the editor’s AI tools, Riverside speeds up cleanup and repurposing.
Options include:
- Remove pauses (with intensity control, like 0.5s, 1s, 1.5s+)
- Remove filler words
- Find fluff and recommend cuts
- Magic Audio (make audio sound more “studio,” apply to host/guest separately)
- Smart muting (mute anyone not talking to avoid background noise)
- Smart camera switching (auto-switch based on who’s talking, similar idea to Descript)
There’s also the Co-Creator chatbot to:
- Edit a first draft
- Remove fluff
- Suggest improvements
- Generate extras like a thumbnail or an Instagram caption
- Help generate “magic clips”
Export, share for review, and publish
Once edits are done, Riverside supports exporting and distribution.
Publishing options:
- Export to download, with options like audio level adjustments and background noise removal on export
- Share for review via link (great for guest feedback before going live)
- Publish as a podcast using built-in tools
- Direct sharing to platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok
- Scheduling across platforms via the Planner
- Automatic transcription, including per-speaker text, plus search-and-edit via transcript
Get your next episode out faster (without the dodgy workflow)
Set up the Studio, run a quick test recording, and keep recordings at 1080p minimum so quality stays solid everywhere. Use local recording plus automatic uploads to avoid internet drama.
Lean on markers, transcripts, and AI tools to cut the cruft and repurpose faster. Done is better than perfect, ship, learn, and iterate.
