pop filters... making them

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sandwiches

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hi, i'm sick of recording my vocals and finding its been stuffed up because at the start of one verse, there's a big blowing noise.

anyway, i heard there's a solution. you can get a thing called a pop filter.

anyway, i've been doing a little research.

which ones are better? the ones you fit on the mic or the ones that are like a circle and you sing into it?

are there any disadvantage in using them? i would've thought that the sound would somehow be different to not using the pop filter.

also, they seem quite expensive. is it okay to just make your own? and if so, how? and what materials would i need?

thanks for any help in advance.
 
I bought one last night that clamps on my mic stand for $20. It's my first experience using one and to me, it made a huge improvement. I don't know if it's the sound going through the fabric or just mental, but the sound quality does seem to be better. I think partly due to not trying to control my voice while up on top of the mic to control pops.

I've heard that using a pop filter will roll some high-end off, but for a guy like me, that's not too much a concern.
 
I bought one of those nice 6" models from an internet seller for $19. Faster, cheaper than fiddling around trying to make my own.

I've been notorious all my life for wasting hours of time building something, instead of forking over the cash and getting on with it. The $19 filter I bought is well made, and provides instant gratification.
 
You can also buy a Stedman filter which is metal instead of nylon/fabric.
 
DIY

I agree with posts above... for $20 just buy one, but your question was how to make one.

Take a wire hanger and straighten the hook out. Attach the straightened hook to the mic stand with electric tape then bend the rest of the hanger to form a circle in front of the mic then stretch pantyhose over that loop.

It is ugly and cheap looking, but at the end of the day, it works just as well as the $20 ones.

Jim
 
Even better. buy an embroidery hoop, then stretch a nylon stocking over it. If you are using a side address mic and a shock mount you can usually just tie the embroidery hoop to the outer ring of the shockmount. It looks as good as the pro ones and you can replace the nylon as you wish.
 
Royer makes a really nice metal pop filter. I highly recomend them. The holes are designed to diffract air away from the microphone. Nylon/mesh ones suck. They get all stinky. metal ones are easy to wash.
 
A decent pop filter will not affect the sound.
My pop filter eliminates probably 90% of all pffts and behhhsss tehhhss and keeps the sound intact. Cost me $30au
Scott
 
The embroidery hoop suggestion is the best if you don't want to spend a few bucks. I personally want to pick up a Stedman filter, which I think is like $35 and made of metal. Many pros use them.

Warren
 
Sweetnubs - the Royer is a Stedman...good choice indeed
 
do i need to have a mic stand to use the pop filterS?

cause i don't have one.
 
sandwiches said:
do i need to have a mic stand to use the pop filterS?

cause i don't have one.
Click to expand...


Erm..... well, pretty much.

If you haven't got a mic stand, you might want to invest a little. Again, they're only about the same price as a pop shield.

Many hand held dynamics have basic pop shields built in, but tbh, its not going to do the job in a studio.
 
sandwiches said:
do i need to have a mic stand to use the pop filterS?

cause i don't have one.
Click to expand...

errrrrr, how exactly do you manage to record properly without a mic stand?
 
I think it is possible. Take your right hand and hold mic. Take left hand and hold filter in front of mic. Tape lyricsheet to forehead. Presto!
Anything is possible. Heck - Ive been recording guitar without strings, drums without heads, and cymbals without stands. Some of my most guarded studio secrets. :D
 
.

I took a 6" wide roll of cellotape, put it in the toe of some pantyhose, pulled it tight and tied it in a knot. Cut off the remaning pantyhose and jam your newly made pop filter in a mic clip on a mic stand, position that in front of your mic. hey presto! instant results
 
visa said:
errrrrr, how exactly do you manage to record properly without a mic stand?
Click to expand...

i usually just sit in front of my computer, with the lyrics either on the screen or over the keyboard and i just hold the mic in my left hand.

is that bad?
 
sandwiches said:
i usually just sit in front of my computer, with the lyrics either on the screen or over the keyboard and i just hold the mic in my left hand.

is that bad?
Click to expand...
I imagine your recordings are very noisy, if not from the hand noise, then from the computer fan and hard drive.
 
crazydoc said:
I imagine your recordings are very noisy, if not from the hand noise, then from the computer fan and hard drive.
Click to expand...

well i'm certainly not a pro so i can't tell for sure, but from my experience, i haven't really had much problem with noise actually. i think maybe my mic may not be very sensitive since it's a dynamic mic, it may not pick up everything.

but it does pick up some natural noises, like just hum from the lead or the mic. but i usually run it through noise reduction with a sample of the noise and it removes pretty much all of it. i keep my hand really still when i'm singing, so i don't get too much hand noise (although sometimes i kick the lead by accident and have to redo it).

a mic stand would definately help. i just never thought it was that essential to have one, i mean, people in live situations just walk around stage with a microphone and they don't seem to get too much hand noise.
 
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