In today’s digital age, whether you’re podcasting, streaming, or attending virtual meetings, having clear and professional microphone audio is crucial.
Even the best content can be overshadowed by poor sound quality. If you’re struggling with a hiss and background noise or simply want to enhance your overall audio clarity, this guide on how to make your mic sound better is for you.
We’ll dive straight into practical tips and techniques to improve your mic’s performance, ensuring your voice comes through loud and clear. From adjusting settings to choosing the right accessories, these steps will help you achieve studio-quality sound without breaking the bank.
First, let’s address some of the most common mistakes people make with their microphones and how to avoid them to ensure the best sound quality possible.
Common Microphone Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
1. Incorrect Mic Positioning
- Problem: Placing the microphone too far or too close can distort sound quality.
- Solution: Position the mic about 6-12 inches from your mouth and slightly off to the side to avoid plosive sounds.
2. Ignoring Room Acoustics
- Problem: Recording in a noisy or echo-prone room can significantly affect audio quality.
- Solution: Use soundproofing techniques such as foam panels, carpets, and curtains to minimize background noise and echo.
3. Using the Wrong Microphone Type
- Problem: Not all microphones are suited for every purpose.
- Solution: Choose a mic that fits your needs (e.g., dynamic mics for live environments or condenser mics for studio recording).
4. Neglecting Mic Maintenance
- Problem: Dust and debris can accumulate and affect performance.
- Solution: Regularly clean your microphone and use a pop filter to protect it.
5. Skipping Audio Testing
- Problem: Going straight into recording without testing can result in unnoticed issues.
- Solution: Always do a test recording to check for any problems and adjust settings as necessary.
How To Improve Your Mic Performance
Reduce Background Noise
Background and ambient noise are a fact of life, and although our brains are pretty good at filtering them out and concentrating only on what is important, microphones will pick up every sound they can hear. Condenser mics are especially sensitive to background noise and will record everything.
Background noise can distract your audience and make your voice sound muffled and unclear. Reducing background noise will improve the sound of your mic and recordings.
Ensure your windows are shut, any unnecessary electrical equipment is switched off, and no other voices might be heard nearby.
Keep Any Noise Sources Behind the Mic
Although you should turn off unnecessary electrical equipment, some things are necessary for your recording. Computers and laptops are necessary, but they can make noise that your mic will pick up.
You may need to alter the settings on your mic to set up this pattern correctly, but once you have, make sure that your mic is positioned in front of anything likely to make a noise.
You won’t be able to eliminate the noise generated by anything behind the mic completely, but you can greatly reduce it.
Keep Your Mic Off Your Desk
If you’re recording at home with a standalone microphone, the mic may have come with a short stand that was meant to be placed on your desk. This is a common feature with cheaper, entry-level microphones.
When recording anything that requires you to use your keyboard, having the mic sit on your desk means it might pick up the sounds of your computer keys being pressed or clicked. Using a mouse could also capture the sounds of your mouse moving or being pressed.
Putting the mic on your desk also means it could be affected by any movement of the desk itself. Even something as seemingly insignificant and quiet as picking up a glass of water or putting it back down will cause your desk to bump slightly, and the mic will pick up the vibrations from this.
The best solution for using a mic boom is to attach your mic to your desk or another piece of furniture. Boom arms clamp onto a solid surface and suspend your mic, giving you more freedom to position it and avoiding these types of background noises.
Position Your Mic Correctly
Many condenser microphones have a powerful range, which means they can pick up your voice even if the mic isn’t too close. However, keeping your mic further away just increases the possibility of background noise interfering and lowering the recording quality.
The optimal distance for a microphone varies from model to model, but generally speaking, you should sit around 6 to 10 inches away from your mic as you record.
If you’re too far away, you increase the risk of your voice echoing or sounding light and tinny. In contrast, if you’re too close, you may find that your recorded voice sounds distorted or clipped.
Check your microphone’s instructions and do thorough soundchecks to find the right distance, as this will greatly improve the sound of your mic.
You should also consider whether your mic is a top-address or a side-address mic. Top-address mics should be spoken into at the top, whereas side-address mics need to be spoken into from the side. If you speak into the wrong part of the mic, your recordings will not sound as clear and crisp as they should.
Check the information that comes with your mic to see if it is top-address or side-address. If, for any reason, you can’t find the information, look online for your make and model, and you should be able to find it.
As a last resort, you can try recording from both the side and the top and see what sounds best.
Set Your Gain Correctly
Gain refers to how loud your final recording will be and how sensitive your mic is. If the gain is set too high, your voice will be too loud, making the recording sound distorted.
If your gain is set to 100 percent, you can almost guarantee that your recording will be clipped and won’t sound as good as it should.
To avoid this, you should reduce your gain. Some mics have a slider, so you can change it directly on the mic, but for others, you will need to change the device settings on your computer.
The best setting for your gain will differ from microphone to microphone. A good place to start is at 75 percent, and you can dial it back further if your recordings are still clipped. This is another circumstance where doing a sound check will save you a lot of time and trouble.
Final Thoughts
We hope these tips help you make your mic sound better. Optimizing your setup, avoiding common mistakes, and using the right accessories can significantly improve audio quality.
Remember to test your setup before recording to catch any issues early. Clear audio elevates your content and ensures your voice is heard. Happy recording!
