Don't use pop screens?

  • Thread starter Thread starter therage!
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therage!

therage!

Wicked Machine
"The other thing I'd say is, left to my own devices, I rarely use pop shields either because with the tools that are available now, you can deal with those kinds of problems with Pro Tools and I think people sing better into a microphone without the distraction of the pop shield."

That comment comes from an article in Mix and it's John Porter saying it.

Not only do I use a screen for plosives but it helps eliminate spit on my mic and keeps me at a certain distance from the mic. I honestly don't see the distraction of a pop shield, I like them!

http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_recording_vocals_3/
 
why make work for yourself just because you can 'fix it in protools' - that's it - the world's gone crazy!

i actually have a singer who prefers the popscreen cos it helps her forget there is a mic on the other side of it!

go figure
 
I want to get a pop screen just to help with noise and to keep myself a consistant distance from the mic.
 
I like using one because a lot of singers like to "eat" the mic onstage. The pop filter keeps them from getting too close to my mic without making them consciously think about moving back all the time
 
I guess I'm dumb. I prefer to set things up so they work right and get recorded right, rather than take a chance on recording something that will never sound right even with the "magic" of pro tools....Maybe he has a lot of time on his hands, AND tin ears.
 
I like a pop filter because I tend to close my eyes when I sing. This helps me concentrate on the vocal, but I tend to also move in too close to the mic, so the pop filter keeps me away...
 
It's like a shock mount: if you don't have shock mounts on your mics your clients will go elsewhere.
 
Indeed. Shockmounts are just so darn cool looking.

I dont mind singing into a pop screen. I have an extra one, and one of my friends even wanted to have it so he could play with it... talk to people through it in public without a mic, etc.

In a pinch it could serve as a minimal excuse for a confession booth.
 
mattamatta said:
Indeed. Shockmounts are just so darn cool looking.

I dont mind singing into a pop screen. I have an extra one, and one of my friends even wanted to have it so he could play with it... talk to people through it in public without a mic, etc.

In a pinch it could serve as a minimal excuse for a confession booth.
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LMAO! I've gotten suggestions from others on the board (the thread is on here) about making them out of panty hose and a wire coat hanger ( a really good idea if your stuck for a quick solution). But could you imagine your friend taking THAT out in public, and then explaining to folks what is was made out of? :D
 
You miss the point. The REAL fun is explaining to a young female person why you need her pantyhose.
 
lpdeluxe said:
You miss the point. The REAL fun is explaining to a young female person why you need her pantyhose.
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Never thought of it that way. I guess my mind isn't as far in the gutter as my wife would have me believe :eek:
I would have just gone into a bargain store and bought 'em and missed all the fun! :o
 
here we go again. if you use sheer nylon french stockings it improves the sound of your mic/pre and everything else in your life.
and your wife will love them as a christmas present ....
 
manning1 said:
here we go again. if you use sheer nylon french stockings it improves the sound of your mic/pre and everything else in your life.
and your wife will love them as a christmas present ....
Click to expand...
Yep, I brought it up again. Maybe I have a fetish I didn't know about :confused: :o
 
Honey?

Yes dear?

Do you know anything about all my panty hoes missing?

Of course not, why?

Oh.... just wondering.
 
So there have been some amusing posts here, but have any of you guys ever considered that John Porter's technique may be working for him? He may not have a problem with stuff that a pop screen will fix. Maybe his singers have better technique than the ones that we often have to work with. Maybe he has them sing at a slight angle to the mic which would reduce a little proximity as well as air flow directly to the diaphragm. I have done plenty of recordings that were great with no shockmount or pop screen. I have also done plenty that had tons of extraneous noise even with both. Also, try a recording sometime without your pop screen. A screen does help tame the plosives, but it also changes the HF response of the mic. There really are good arguments for doing it either way. There is no right or wrong to me. There is only what works for you and what works for me.
 
There is only what works for you and what works for me.

Very true, but what I believe we started with was a dogmatic statement about poppers.
 
Lately ive been doing alot of recordings without the popscreen without having to worry about plosives. I try it without it first and then put one up if they need it. If they are soft singers and pretty consistent you dont need to worry as much. This way i can get my mic closer, put it up to nose level and aim it down a little bit. Keeps the plosives and and gives a little more natural sound.

I think the only thing i dont agree with him comment is that hes doing it just because he can fix it in protools. But Xstatic is right, if it works for him then it doesnt matter what hes doing.

Danny
 
Condensation on a capsule is not good. Even if they're not spittling in to the mic expelled breath is still wet. Without a screen it brings down the life of a capsule drastically. You'll start to notice over time that the mic isn't as "bright" or when it's really about to go there will be periodic crackling noises.

Most small condenser mics (and some large) will completely go silent if the breath is heavy enough (almost sounds like a slow release gate).

Also, ribbon mics HATE wind stress. I'll even use a pop screen if I'm using a ribbon on a bass or guitar.

I know how to clean capsules properly but even cleaning them lessens the life. My ribbon mics I send out to get the ribbons replaced and that's a turnover of about one to three weeks, I can't afford that wait for mics I use all the time especially if that can be avoided as much as possible.

So for me it's not just 'plosives but also extending the life of my mics.

--Adam Lazlo
 
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