Killing pops while recording

J

Joza

New member
Hi =)

I'm not a singer, just a songwriter / wannabe mixing engineer, but sometimes it would be helpful to record demo vocals for my songs, so I got T.Bone SC400 (I choose it quite randomly) and some cheap preamp from Behringer.

However, my voice is extremely weak, so I need to use high input volume and/or close distance. That of course makes the background noise rather high, but more severe problem seems to be that the consonants and all kinds of clicks and pops become overly emphasized.

I have some knowledge on how to edit those out, but it takes awfull amount of time (for it being just a demo recording) and it still doesn't sound too good. So I was thinking if anyone had some tips for the recording phase?

I've read somewhere that having the mic come downwards and be slightly higher than mouth helps, and I just ordered new better quality pop screen, but is there something else that could be done?
 
There are a number of techniques to reduce popping.

1 You can learn to sing words with plosives ('p' & 'b', for example) less explosively.

2 You can sing less directly into the mike, e.g. sing to one side, or over the top.

3 You can invest in a pop shield.
 
A Popperstopper is what you need.

Rycote have just launched a new one at a good price. You can either buy it on its own or as a "Studio Kit" complete with USM shockmount.

045003_RISK_USML_TLM103.jpg
 
Thanks for the replies. As I implied in my opening post I do have a cheap pop filter but that wasn't enough to do the trick, so I invested in slightly more expensive (I don't know if there will be any difference) and if it still doesn't work I'll try Richard's idea and combine them. And also I could try gecko's 2. idea and sing even less directly to the mic than currently.
 
You could also try singing across the mic. There'll be no sibilence or plosives unless you sing out of the side of your mouth !
 
Joza said:
Hi =)

However, my voice is extremely weak, so I need to use high input volume and/or close distance.
Click to expand...

How weak?

Unless you're basically whispering, you shouldn't need to get too close that a normal pop filter wouldn't work.

How close are you singing to the mic?
 
Armistice said:
How weak?

Unless you're basically whispering, you shouldn't need to get too close that a normal pop filter wouldn't work.

How close are you singing to the mic?
Click to expand...

Well I don't know the desibel amounts but because of my disability (and also never having learned proper singing techniques either) it really is quite weak, not too far from a whisper.

Usualy the distance has been about 20cm. The humming of computer is already clearly audible there, so I'd guess increasing distance wouldnt work too well.
 
Having the mic above the mouth about nose level and pointed at the chin might help it get out of the way of the stronger bursts of wind. That's pretty much where I need to position a headset mic on myself. Otherwise I sound like an asthmatic chain smoker, and aside from a rare cigar, I don't smoke.

I've got a cheap nylon pop filter and a metal one that I use in combination. I can put that < 1" from the mic element and my nose pretty much touching the nylon one in front and completely protected. I can't even blow on the thing and make wind noise. I use a velcro cord tie to basically mate the two filters at the flex arm. Mostly to keep them from bumping each other and making that noise. They both have their own clamps that clamp and different enough locations. The nylon one had some useless mic clip type mount, so I bought a proline quick release mic clip and swapped out the part to give it a quick clamp mechanism. Some drawer foam stuff to help it be snug on the small part of the boom arm. And its pretty easy to get it where it needs to be. And other DIY ideals that are probably less good. Sometimes I just use a fake fur sock since it takes far less rigging. But getting close can mean a mouth full of fake fur. Many means to an end.
 
Joza said:
Usualy the distance has been about 20cm.
Click to expand...

That's not really that unreasonably close. (I usually position myself something more like 6-10 cm from the mic. (I also usually use a cheap dynamic...))

A pop-filter should be completely adequate for your needs.

If you can't afford to drop $20+ on what is essentially a wire frame with nylon on it, make one out of a coat hanger and some stockings! :D
 
Thanks for the help guys! I attached the new pop-filter and changed the mics angle and those worked very well, way better than I had expected. All the annoying sibilance and pops are gone. :) So all I need to do now is learn to sing. ;) Though I propably should sacrifice a thought for how to get the mic further away from the computer but still close enough to the screen, mouse and keyboard.. But I'll save that problem for some other day.
 
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