How Does A Pop Filter Work

(Alisa Apps Featured in Photo)

A popular filter is a simple mesh shield we place in front end of a microphone. Typically made of nylon or metal, they clamp to a mic stand with an adjustable gooseneck.

For nearly close-miked song recording applications, they are a must. So why are pop filters so important?

What does a pop filter practice?

A pop filter's chief purpose is to reduce the acoustic energy of plosive sounds in the human phonation; these are primarily words that starting time with the letters 'b' or 'p.'

Nosotros've all heard broadcast announcements that accept a ton of loud clicking and banging noises in them. We don't hear these things when speaking to each other, but a microphone greatly amplifies the noise.

The problem gets much more noticeable when the vocalist or speaker is close to the microphone. This is because the bodily blast of plosive air is concentrated closest to the mouth itself. The air tin hit a mic sheathing and so difficult that it saturates information technology, or it can even clip the preamp. Evidently we want to avoid this in the studio, lest nosotros ruin our song have.

Some microphones take a high-pass filter y'all can switch on or off. Since plosives are low-end cloth, this can be helpful. Nonetheless, though, we accept the problem of bodily physical air hitting the capsule.

To make matters worse, all directional microphones are susceptible to proximity consequence.This is a bass build-up that occurs when the mic is very close to a sound source. You can see how this would farther amplify plosives in the human being vox.

Condenser microphones are peculiarly decumbent to popping considering of their light, sensitive diaphragms. Dynamic mics accept a lilliputian more resistance considering they tolerate high SPLs so well, only they definitely aren't unaffected by plosives.

To assistance solve all these problems, engineers place a pop filter a few inches in front of their microphone capsule!

Related:Recording Vocals in Your Dwelling house Studio

How does a pop filter piece of work?

Honestly, there's nothing fancy nigh a screen in front of a microphone! What does a pop filter practise, then?

The way it works is very simple: the majority of the sound travels through the mesh with no resistance. There tin be some loftier-finish loss, but information technology'due south fairly inconsequential. Plosives, though, hit the screen and intermission up. The concentrated nail of air gets dispersed by the filter, reducing its impact on the microphone.

Lots of pop filter designs actually accept two layers of mesh spaced an inch or so autonomously. Any passes through the first layer gets caught by the 2d, making them very effective for fifty-fifty the worst plosives.

Just don't forget to place the filter at least a couple inches away from the microphone sheathing itself. This ensures layers of protection — vocaliser > pop filter > 2-3″ air gap > microphone.

Finally, pop filters can block saliva from catastrophe upward all over your microphone. Gross! Actually, though, over years and years of use, saliva can actually corrode the internals of your mic. We definitely don't desire that!

Is loftier-frequency loss a concern?

Yes and no. Almost engineers volition probably tell y'all the highs absorbed past nylon pop filters hardly make a departure on the sound. If you lot are noticing problems with high-end attenuation using nylon filters, try using a metal i!

A metal popular filter has more widely spaced mesh. This lets the higher frequencies pass correct through, just the holes are nevertheless small plenty to break upwardly plosives on impact.

Are pop filters necessary for good recordings?

You might retrieve subsequently all nosotros've discussed the answer would exist a resounding 'yes.' Realistically, though, information technology'southward a 'no.' Though they're helpful — and require basically zip effort autonomously from purchasing one — a pop filter isn't 100% necessary for a quality recording, or even to reduce plosives.

Related:Recording Vocals [Tips from the Pros]

Y'all can minimize plosives through microphone technique, i.e., positioning the capsule slightly off-centrality to the vocalist so he/she isn't singing direct into it. (This helps reduce some sibilance too!) Experienced vocalists sometimes manage their own plosives past turning slightly away from the mic or bankroll off a few inches when singing loudly.

Lots of cool toys have fabricated our lives much easier in the studio, but there'due south withal no replacement for knowledge, experience, and great mic technique!

Removing plosives while mixing (filter fails)

Pop filters aren't perfect. If y'all're editing and getting set to mix your vocals, but the pop filter didn't do its job on the way in, you lot aren't out of luck.

Zoom in closely on the give-and-take where you lot hear the plosive. It should be right at the beginning — the very start letter of a 'b,' 'p,' or fifty-fifty 't' give-and-take. Select the transient where the sound is most offensive. Now we want to print a high-pass filter right onto the plosive.

Some DAWs call this "selection-based processing" or something similar — Pro Tools calls it AudioSuite. With the plosive selected, pull up an EQ and set a high-laissez passer to somewhere around 200 Hz for the most offensive plosives. Print it and listen back. Did that exercise the fob? If not, try setting the EQ to a higher frequency to minimize that low-end energy.

If y'all made the right clip pick, y'all should have transparently reduced the low-cease on the plosive without hurting the rest of the word or phrase!