How To Attach A Pop Filter To A Blue Yeti

Sometimes when Musicians HQ mentions gear, we'll include our affiliate link & may earn a committee at no cost to yous. This doesn't impact the products we mention.

When recording sound with a microphone, you sometimes terminate up with an annoying popping sound in the background. A popular filter is one recommended way to forbid these popping sounds, simply is it necessary with a Blue Yeti microphone?

Yes, regardless of what brand of microphone you are using, you should endeavor to apply a pop filter. Pop filters are very cheap – only a few tens of dollars fifty-fifty for the best ones – then they are undoubtedly worth buying. Without a pop filter, you could end upwardly with occasional popping sounds in the background of the audio the microphone records.

Why are pop filters required for a blue yeti?

Popping sounds occur on microphone recordings commonly caused by saying or singing words containing the letters b or p.

If yous put your hand just in front end of your mount and try saying a few words beginning with the letter P or B (puppy or biscuit for case), you volition notice a small puff of air when you say those particular messages.

In contrast, keep your hand there and try some words containing softer sounds (orange or rice for example) and you lot will notice no sharp puffs of air.

These puffs of air acquired by these letters are referred to every bit plosives. This is a phenomenon that affects all microphones, including the blue yeti.

Why are plosives bad news for recording?

This puff of air causes a sharp spike in the volume of the recording picked up by the microphone. This precipitous rise in volume will lead to clipping, a distorted sound when the soundwave peaks above the 'maximum output volume'.

Y'all can come across from the epitome below, which shows a bones soundwave that there is a certain amount of 'headroom' in an audio signal when y'all are recording which allows yous to enhance the volume slightly equally yous talk or sing softly and more loudly.

Only a plosive causes such a jump in volume that the sound wave goes in a higher place the maximum output aamplitude and that part of the soundwave is but lost (clipped off).

The reason this is such bad news is that there is no existent mode to get that clipped sound dorsum. The data is never captured past your recording software.

It is very difficult to edit your audio recording to get rid of plosives afterward and go along it sounding normal.

There is nothing worse than getting to the end of a podcast interview or perfect vocal take and realizing you have to practise information technology all again!

How does a pop filter help?

A pop filter is one of the easiest ways to avoid these popping sounds.

Information technology is effectively a small shield that y'all identify betwixt yourself and the microphone to end those annoying blasts of air from plosive sounds.

The pop filter contains a semi-transparent textile. This could exist densely woven, tightly stretched nylon on cheaper models like the one in the picture beneath.

Or it could be a metal grill on more expensive models.

It is a very low tech device compared to many other things in the dwelling house recording studio. But it doesn't need to be any more complicated than this.

A practiced microphone such equally a blue yeti deserves and requires a good pop filter.

What blazon of pop filter should I use with a Blue Yeti?

Several different popular filters work well to reduce popping sounds with a blue yeti microphone.

There is a filter that is made by the same manufacturer, which may be the best choice. Simply in that location are many different pop filters that work well with the blue yeti, even though they were not specifically designed for it.

The company that created the bluish yeti besides created a popular filter for their company's microphone. This is the blueish universal pop filter. One great matter almost this popular filter is how flexible it is. Yous can adhere it to the stand that holds the microphone and adjust it to the exact position you want.

The pop filter I personally use is the Auphonix vi-Inch Pop Filter. It works fine most of the time, you tin can only attach it to the bass of the Bluish Yeti or if you are using a microphone stand up you lot tin can attach information technology to that.

Be wary of buying a metal shield type pop filter such as this one. As they specifically state they are not suitable for the Blue Yeti.

What distance should a pop filter be from the Blue Yeti?

Some people presume a pop filter should be placed right up against the microphone. Only actually they are more effective when placed further away.

The pop filter spreads the sharp audio caused past the plosive noises in all directions, stopping the sharp gust of air hitting the microphone in one spot. Merely it withal needs some space to do this, which it won't have if y'all place it right adjacent to the microphone.

The usual best exercise rule is between 2 and three inches from the microphone.

This gives enough space for the plosive noise to spread out simply it ways you aren't so far away that you risk losing quality and detail in the vocal recording.

Is a windscreen the aforementioned as a pop filter?

You will probably recognize these devices from news reporters' microphones. They are small caps often made of foam that fit over the end of the microphone.

They are there to serve a similar function as the pop filter. Except instead of shielding the microphone from unwanted wind caused by your voice, they shield it from unwanted air current caused by the weather.

Windscreens are great if you lot are planning on doing recording outside or on the move. Potentially podcast interviews where you lot won't always exist in your own studio.

You may be tempted to but get a windscreen instead of a popular filter equally they are cheaper and don't tend to 'make it the way' as much. All the same, if you lot aren't going to exist out and about and most of your recording is to be done in your habitation studio, a popular filter is still a ameliorate pick.

Windscreens exercise soften plosive sounds simply they don't guarantee the complete elimination of them. I have recorded on the move with a windshield and nonetheless ended up with plosive sounds.

If you desire to guarantee a smoothen recording with your Blueish Yeti I would recommend getting a pop filter.

Other means to stop plosives in the meantime

So yous may have ordered your pop filter but are waiting for information technology to arrive. Or perhaps you want to know what to do if you ever observe yourself recording without one.

Well, there are a few tips and tricks of how to record without one and minimize those plosive sounds.

You tin, to some extent, consciously avert blowing too much air toward the microphone when speaking into information technology. Being especially careful when speaking words that comprise b and p sounds.

Yous can also make sure to speak into a microphone at the right distance. If you are too far away, the audio will be likewise quiet, and if yous are too close, the mic will record unwanted noises. You can examination your microphone by using words that kickoff with b or p at different distances. See how close you can go to the microphone without causing popping sounds.

Some other play a trick on is to avert aiming your oral cavity directly at the microphone. Aim your mouth but slightly to the side of it. Your mic will all the same tape your phonation loud and clear without y'all speaking directly at it. Gusts of air must hit your microphone straight on to cause popping sounds.

Can yous make your own pop filter?

Yep, although it could audio worse and non be every bit reliable equally a skilful shop-bought filter.

Just putting a sock over the microphone might be enough to forbid popping sounds, simply the audio quality volition be unacceptably depression.

If you want to give making a pop filter yourself a endeavour, you should utilise nylon rather than cotton. Nylon volition not reduce the quality of the sound nearly as much as most fabrics will.

Attaching nylon to a metal disc of the right size might requite you a passable filter. You will as well demand a manner of attaching the disk to your microphone. Using bendable just strong metal wire, such as a coat hanger, might be the best way to go. It might work half decently well if you exercise a good job making it, but a store-bought filter is ameliorate. Store-bought filters are also much more adjustable than annihilation you could make past mitt.

The video below shows y'all how to practise this step by step.

Can I use two pop filters to exist extra safe?

It should non exist necessary to do this. A single filter, unless information technology is of poor quality, should be more than than enough to foreclose the air from getting through. Some people might become skillful results with 2 filters, only a unmarried filter should be plenty. Two filters may reduce the quality of your voice recording.

Concluding remarks

And so in conclusion, it is well worth investing in a popular filter for your Blue Yeti microphone.

In relation to most equipment in a home recording studio, they are very inexpensive. And although you lot tin can utilize techniques and tricks to try and minimize plosive sounds. A popular filter will give you peace of heed to then you can speak or sing loudly and clearly straight into the microphone without worrying most the recording being ruined.