Make Your Microphone Work For You

There are many ways to set up a microphone. Keep in mind, every set up is different. Each room that the mic is in has ambient sound that needs treatment. Excessive background noise such as birds chirping or having your mic set up in an open area can impact your desired sound.

Below are four tips to optimize your studio sound:

Microphone Placement – Distance Between Your Mouth and the Mic
Your mouth should be no more than about six inches from the mic so that you are heard clearly, minimizing the chance of background noise. Keep in mind that the closer you are to the mic, the lower your tone. Male voice over artist may gravitate toward that heavier sound, while female voice actors may not.

Microphone Setup – Speak Right Into the Mic
High frequencies are directional, so keep your head positioned in front of the mic without turning your head to the side. You always want to respect the polar pattern (area around the mic that picks up the sound) when recording. The alternative is a dull, muddy and sometimes hollow sound coming from your voice recording.

Microphone Control – Aim the Mic Toward Your Mouth
Positioning your mic above or below your mouth can help to minimize popping or plosives. You may not want to point your mic directly at your mouth depending on the type of mic. Different mics have different types of polar patterns; take a boom or shotgun mic for example. It is designed to pick up a very narrow area like a straight line directly at the end of the mic. On the other hand a condenser mic has a cardioid shape polar pattern and talking at the end of it would not be the preferred for the best sound quality.

Microphone Filters – Must Use a Pop Filter
A trusty pop filter can give you extra protection for your recording against those hard “P’s" or "plosives.” It will also help keep a perfect recording distance from the microphone. 

Lastly, recording microphones can be very sensitive depending on the type. It's important to wear headphones while recording so that you can hear what your microphone is picking up. 

Good luck, you got this!