Mouse clicking sound when Podcasting - Need advice

B

Boberg

New member
Hello!

I've recently started to do some Podcasting, and I just have 1 issue. Always when I sit and speak, you can hear my mouse clicks, which is very annoying for viewers.


I'm using a Blue Snowball microphone, and it picks up so much sound around me.
Also, I'm using X-Split for recording (it's a streaming program).

Do you have any advice how to reduce background sound, especially mouse clicks?

Thanks in advance!
 
Put the mic closer to your mouth. Aim the mic at the intended source and away from the unwanted sources. You could shop around for a mouse that doesn't make as much noise. It's pretty much that simple.

Gain adjustments will have no effect on the relationship between the desired source and the undesired source but it may be necessary if you get closer to the mic.
 
You reduce background sound by reducing background sound... if you don't want it recorded, then don't make the noise, or arrange yourself or your equipment so that it's not picked up, or not picked up as much.

Understanding the polar pattern of your microphone helps as you can point the null towards your mouse, if you have no other options - it should reduce the amount of pick up but not eliminate it completely...
 
A silent mouse would certainly help but, to go into more detail about what others have said:

Your mic is most sensitive to the front and has little or no pickup directly behind it so, if you can arrange your desk so the mouse is straight behind the mic, this will minimise pickup.

Besides this, make sure you have some form of shock mount to isolate the mic from vibrations on the desk. Even a silent mouse might "bump" the desk when clicked.

Finally, be aware of the physics of sound. Every time you double the distance something is from a mic, the amount of sound reaching the mic from that source is quartered. So, let's pretend the mouse is as loud as your voice (it probably isn't). If your mouth is six inches from the mic and the mouse is a foot away, the mouse will only be a quarter as lound. If you can get it two feet away, it'll only be an eighth as loud. Or, if you can move your mouth from six inches to three inches, that will make it 4 times louder than it used to be.

So, as others have said, if you can get closer to the mic and speak louder while putting the mouse a bit farther away and in the dead zone behind the mic, all that put together will help a lot.
 
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