Mouth noises - I can't get rid of them

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BoukenJima

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Greetings HomeRecording,

I've had a trouble with mouth noises in my recordings for quite some time now and despite trying a lot of different things and searching the internet I just haven't found a measure against them yet. Since I'm really not sure what else I can do and lack the expertise to properly troubleshoot my way out, I thought maybe it'd be a better idea to ask in here and give you as many details as I can so that someone more experienced might find a solution.


Now what I do is spoken (video game) reviews and discussions on YouTube. I just finished a new video so this is my current "level" of production and the freshest example I can provide. In this video and most others I recorded I still notice a lot of extra noises that in my opinion hurt the overall sound quality quite a bit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnOc3XIdiBE


I had this issue before when I was recording with a cheaper Samson Go! Mic, which led to me buying a more expensive AUNA MIC-900B (still a USB microphone though) and a pop-filter. - Didn't solve the issue though, I just feel like if at all it is slightly more sensitive to these noises than before.

I definitely keep my mouth hydrated enough and only record few enough lines per recording session to not strain my voice anymore. I also tried sitting at different ranges from the mic and forcing myself to enunciate much more than I normally would, which helps somewhat with the but the problem's still there.

Now my recording and video editing process looks like this
1. record in Audacity
2. save files as FLAC (might be totally unsuited for this, I really wouldn't know)
3. load them into Sony Vegas Pro
4. edit the video
5. render as .wmv

I often felt the noises get slightly worse when I load the audiofiles into Vegas Pro and start editing, but that might be my imagination.



So is there anything I can do to fix this? Maybe change the equalizer or position the mic in a very specific way? Use another file format or maybe another recording program?
Also if you notice any other audio issues or issues in general, please let me know.


Thanks in advance.
 
One of the things a higher quality mics offer is that detail in the captured audio.

It sounds like you have a challenging manner of enunciating, very "sharp" (deliberate and punctuated) manner of speaking. Not everyone is born for voice overs.

All that said, I thought your voice was fine and you really seemed into the content, and that would be more important to me as the listener. Your injection of a few comedic lines definitely lightens it a bit as well.

We're almost always our worse critic.
 
You might try a few things, lower the gain on your mic, move further back from the mic, dry your mouth before talking.

I think though your biggest problem is probably too hot a mic. Turn it down and record, then bring the gain up afterwards in Sony, they have a few audio plug ins to increase the gain.
 
DM60 said:
You might try a few things, lower the gain on your mic, move further back from the mic, dry your mouth before talking.

I think though your biggest problem is probably too hot a mic. Turn it down and record, then bring the gain up afterwards in Sony, they have a few audio plug ins to increase the gain.
Click to expand...

But avoid using any heavy compression, as that will often bring out those unwanted details.
 
Mouth noise is a big problem when recording spoken word. In fact spoken word is the hardest of all recording as there is no place to hide. Some people have no problem with mouth noise others just can't avoid it, on top of mouth noise there are mouth clicks and swallows.

I seem to get a lot of the meditation relaxation spoken word and this is even worse as they are usually whispering, "Breath in, breath out, breath in breath out" etc etc so the mic gain is through the roof to get a signal LOL.

I recorded a guy once that had a mouth noise problem and he used to eat some dry cracker biscuits before recording as this used to dry his mouth and reduce the noise, in his case it seemed to work. Sometimes drinking before the take makes the mouth noise worse so try the dry mouth approach and see if it helps.

Alan.
 
For mouth clicks and glottal clicks, try eating some tart green apple, like Granny Smith apples, before recording. As you said, hydration is the key. Much like an athlete, you need to hydrate well and early, before recording. Also, I have used a peppermint tea, to drink while recording.
Dale
 
Well, thanks to everyone so far. Some say the mouth needs to stay hydrated, others that it needs to be dried out. Guess I'll have to experiment a lot with the microphone gain and with what I consume for preparation.
 
BoukenJima said:
Well, thanks to everyone so far. Some say the mouth needs to stay hydrated, others that it needs to be dried out. Guess I'll have to experiment a lot with the microphone gain and with what I consume for preparation.
Click to expand...

Moist, not wet.
 
BoukenJima said:
Some say the mouth needs to stay hydrated, others that it needs to be dried out.
Click to expand...

By hydrated, I am talking about your whole body. You need to maintain a good hydration rate for your tissues. You will lose your internal moisture through respiration, causing the throat, mouth, and vocal cords to dry. If you are well hydrated beforehand, you can sip, to maintain moisture in the mouth. Like DM60 mentioned "moist, not wet."
Another trick some VO artists will do is swish and spit a little virgin olive oil. I cannot attest to this remedy because I have not tried it.
 
I only have extra virgin in my house... I wonder if that will do... :confused:
 
Supercreep said:
lolwut
Click to expand...

Exactly. Never tried myself. I just figured I'd file that away as "information only" and don't see myself trying that one. There are commercial products available like Entertainer's Secret or Thayer's Dry Mouth Spray that do the same thing basically. I just choose to make sure I drink plenty of water each day. My goal is 100 ounces a day.
 
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