Reddit mentions of Shure PS-6 Popper Stopper Pop Filter with Metal Gooseneck and Heavy Duty Microphone Stand Clamp
Sentiment score: 2
Reddit mentions: 2
We found 2 Reddit mentions of Shure PS-6 Popper Stopper Pop Filter with Metal Gooseneck and Heavy Duty Microphone Stand Clamp. Here are the top ones.
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Four layer screen reduces audible "P and B" popsUltra durable gooseneck for flexible positioningRugged mic stand clamp for secure mountingFor use with all shure vocal microphones
Specs:
| Color | Original Version |
| Height | 2.5 Inches |
| Length | 11.5 Inches |
| Number of items | 1 |
| Release date | October 2010 |
| Weight | 0.75177631342 Pounds |
| Width | 7.5 Inches |
I took a listen through some of your recent audios. You're doing a very good job! I'd love to know what mic, interface, software, ect. you are using. Your sound is clean, clear, and free of most of the noise normally associated with home recordings. Because of the fact that you're starting point is actually very good, I'm going to go a bit more in-depth than I normally would.
I'm interested in your reference to "condensing". While there are condenser microphones, the only condensing I know inside of audio deals strictly with file size and sound quality. It could also be that compression is called condensing in the Audio program you are using. I know Audacity in particular has a "condense" feature for their file sizes, but I've had trouble pinpointing down exactly how it compresses the files and what the resulting quality is in regards to the original.
The easiest things you can do to make your audios sound more clean and professional are going to be fairly simple in your case. Let's start at the top of the chain and work our way down.
Microphone
Whatever you are using is pretty good. The level is good, the quality is perfect for what you are doing. I wouldn't recommend upgrading at the moment, unless you want to invest some serious cash.
You should look at either a pop filter if you want to invest some money, or a change in mic technique if you do not. I noticed several consonants popping on your recordings, which could either be breath or just the mic loving your consonants. A few inches more of space between you and the mic could help alleviate that. Facing the mic at a slight angle, not head-on, can also help with this.
If the pop filter is out of your price range, or you want to try before you buy, grab a metal coat hangar, bend it into a circle, and pull 2 pairs of nylons over it so you make a circle of fabric. Rubber band or tape them in place, and hold or place it it halfway between your mouth and the microphone.
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The Software
I know everyone on here LOOOOOOOOVES Audacity. And that's great! It's a lovely, lightweight audio editor that I know nothing about, because I primarily use Logic and ProTools HD. I learned on these programs, and never picked up some of the free audio editors to see what was what.
Therefore, I'm going to actually recommend Reaper. It's a pro-level, lightweight audio editor that has an unlimited free trial, and the license is only $60 if you decide you want to buy it. It is a professional audio editor that's been used in 2 different studios I've worked in. It has full MIDI integration, supports mono and stereo multi-tracking, and comes with a full suite of plug-ins built in.
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The Editing Process
I'm going to give you a list of my signal chain, from start to finish, with a broad overview of the settings I use on each. Please, feel free to leave another comment or PM me if you need more explanation, and I'll be happy to help. It should be noted that in most audio editing software, the signal is passed through the plug-ins in order from top to bottom. The order does matter, and can drastically alter the sound.
Pre-editing - Noise Reduction plug-in.
I actually hate these, but if you must use them, please use them at the very start of your process. And if you find a good setting and get a decent result, print/render/record the effect onto the track so you can have the clean audio, but pull off the noise reduction plug-in. I don't like to have these running while I'm doing the other steps.
1st - Notch filtering.
For Parametric EQ Plug-ins:
Use a Parametric EQ plug-in, set all of the bands to a narrow Q/Width, the narrowest it will go. Next, boost one up to +12 db, while playing the audio. Move the band up and down the frequency spectrum until you find an unpleasant sound, like a hissing, pop, or other unwanted attribute. When you find a problem frequency, leave the band where it is, and turn the gain down to somewhere between -8 db and -12 db, depending on the severity of the sound. Repeat 3-5 times.
For Graphic EQ Plug-Ins
Use a Graphic EQ Plug-in, and play the audio. As it plays, pull each frequency slider up to +12 db, then back down. If you find a frequency that brings up any "problem noise", reduce it down to -8 db to -12 db. Repeat 3-5 times.
2nd - General EQ
I prefer to use a parametric EQ Plug-In for this step. I try to keep my editing subtractive rather than additive, but boosting some areas up +3-6 db is pretty normal. This is the step where you set your Q or width fairly wide, and pull areas up or down to see what sounds good.
For you personally, I would try a little dip in the high-mids with a medium-width or Q. Somewhere between 4.7khz and 9khz may help clear up some of the sharper "S" and "Th" sounds.
3rd - Gentle Compressor
Compression is a pretty hard subject to tackle in a short post. If you want more in-depth, again, feel free to PM me and I'm happy to help.
I tend to set this compressor at a 2:1 ratio, a threshold that activates when I'm talking but not when I'm whispering, and the fastest/shortest attack and release times it will allow me.
4th - More Agressive Compression
This is to smooth out some of the louder noises that may pop through. I again set my attack and release as fast/short as they will go, and use a 4:1 ratio. I then play my audio in a part where I am talking fairly loudly, and move my threshold up and down slowly until the compressor is only kicking on for individual parts of words, not whole words, and only on ones that are fairly loud. Again, this is hard to explain in short format, but I can elaborate more.
5th/Last - Reverb, Vocal Effects, and other Pretty Pretty things
Now you can have fun and really be creative. Your audio should be clear and pretty clean, and putting these effects after EQ and compression is the way to go.
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I hope this helps, and please let me know if I wasn't clear or you want more info on anything!
There are really only two types of pop filters, and they're not genre-dependent.
A standard nylon pop filter works great, IMO the most important aspect is the quality of the gooseneck and the ability to adjust the angle at the top. For these reasons, I like the Shure PS-6.