Mic technique
The same microphone can sound like a professional studio or a phone call depending on how you speak into it. Distance, angle and consistency are worth more than new gear, and you can learn them in an afternoon.
Distance changes everything
Your voice loses strength very quickly as you move away from the microphone: every time you double the distance, the direct level drops by about 6 dB. The room, on the other hand, keeps sounding more or less the same. So if you move back, the microphone picks up proportionally more echo, more fridge and more street, and less voice.
The classic reference is a hand span, but it depends on the type of microphone. Try it in the simulator above: move the distance from 2 to 60 cm (about 1 to 24 inches) and watch how the level, the bass and the amount of room change all at once.
| Microphone | Rough distance | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dynamic (podcast or stage) | 1–3 in (3–8 cm), about two or three fingers | It's not very sensitive: if you move back, the voice drops and you have to turn the gain way up (and the noise with it) |
| Studio condenser | 4–8 in (10–20 cm), a hand span | It's very sensitive; too close exaggerates bass, plosives and mouth noises |
| Desktop USB | 4–6 in (10–15 cm) | Many are condensers; raise them on a boom arm or stand instead of leaving them on the desk |
| Lavalier | On the chest, 6–8 in (15–20 cm) from the mouth | The distance is fixed; make sure it doesn't rub against clothing |
| Phone | 4–8 in (10–20 cm) | Its microphone is on the bottom edge: point it at yourself |
You don't need a ruler. With your thumb on your chin and your little finger stretched out you have a hand span (about 8 in / 20 cm); two or three fingers together are about 2 in (5 cm). Make the gesture before each recording and you'll always have the same reference.
The proximity effect
Directional microphones (cardioid, supercardioid, figure-8) have a quirk: the closer you get, the more bass they pick up. It's the proximity effect, and it's the radio host's trick for sounding warm and “late-night”.
- Used well, it gives the voice body and intimacy, especially thin voices.
- If you overdo it, the voice sounds muddy, boomy and unclear.
- Omnidirectional microphones (many lavaliers) barely have it.
What matters isn't just the distance you choose, but that it doesn't change: if you lean in and out during the episode, the bass rises and falls, and that's far more noticeable than a slightly low level.
The angle: speak slightly off-axis
When you pronounce certain consonants, your mouth pushes out a jet of air. If it goes straight into the capsule, it hits it. The simplest solution is not to speak dead-on:
- Place the microphone slightly off to one side or a little below your mouth, pointing toward it.
- That way your voice still enters along the mic's axis, but the air from plosives goes past it.
- Check where the capsule is on the microphone: some are spoken into from the tip (end-address) and others from the side (side-address). Speaking into the wrong side is a more common mistake than you'd think.
Don't
The microphone right in front of your mouth, an inch away, taking every “p” head-on.
Do
The microphone a few fingers away, slightly angled, with the capsule pointing at your mouth.
Plosives and pop filters
Plosives are the bursts of air from p, b and, to a lesser extent, t and k. In the recording they show up as a dull, low “pop”, with a peak in the waveform. You can soften them when editing, but they rarely disappear completely.
- Mesh pop filter (fabric or metal), a couple of inches from the microphone: it stops the air without dulling the voice. Turn on the pop filter in the simulator and you'll see the pops disappear.
- Foam over the capsule: useful on dynamic mics and to take out some air, though it protects a little less than a well-placed mesh.
- The angle from the previous section, which is free and works.
Hang a strip of paper towel in front of your mouth and say “Peter Piper picked a peck of peppers”. You'll see how much it moves. Now turn your head slightly: the paper barely moves. That's the air your microphone needs to dodge.
Keep the distance for the whole episode
At the start we all sit well positioned. Twenty minutes in, you lean back in your chair, turn your head to look at your guest or lean over to read a note. Every movement changes the level and the timbre.
- Use a boom arm so the microphone comes to you, not the other way around.
- Put your notes or screen behind the microphone, so you keep facing it while you read.
- If you gesture a lot, anchor one elbow on the desk: it helps you stay in place.
- If you're going to laugh loudly or shout, pull back a little; that's what singers do.
Handling noise
The microphone doesn't just pick up what you say, but also what you touch. Bumps on the desk, mugs, pens or rings reach it through the air and, above all, through vibration via the stand.
| Noise | Where it comes from | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Dull low thumps | Bumps on the desk carried through the stand | A desk-clamped boom arm with a shock mount, or a desk stand on a towel |
| Rubbing and creaking | Touching or adjusting the microphone while you speak | Position it before you start and don't touch it |
| Clicks and snaps | Mouse, keyboard, a pen clicking | Silence the keyboard; use a tablet or paper that doesn't rustle |
| Clothing rustle | Lavalier mic against a shirt or sweater | Tape it down with no slack; avoid noisy synthetic fabrics |
| Electrical hum and crackle | Damaged cables or loose connectors | Check the cables and don't step on or stretch them |
Many of these noises can't be heard in the room but do show up in the recording. Put on closed-back headphones and listen to the signal before and during recording. If you hear something odd, stop and fix it: it's much quicker than cleaning it up later.
- Dynamic a few fingers away; condenser a hand span away.
- Getting closer adds bass (proximity effect); use it in moderation.
- Speak slightly off-axis and use a pop filter against plosives.
- Keep the same distance the whole episode: boom arm and notes behind the mic.
- Don't touch the microphone or the desk while recording.
Your turn: your ideal distance
Record the same sentence full of p and b sounds at three distances and two angles, and pick the combination that sounds best with your microphone.
- Record “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers” at 1, 4 and 10 inches (3, 10 and 25 cm), first head-on and then off-axis.
- Listen on headphones and note the bass, echo and pops in each take.
- Choose your distance and angle, and write them down so you always repeat them the same way.
Frequently asked questions
How far should you speak from the microphone?
As a reference, about 1–3 inches (3–8 cm) for a dynamic and a hand span (4–8 inches, 10–20 cm) for a condenser. The most important thing is to keep the same distance throughout the recording.
How do I get rid of the “pop” on p and b sounds when recording?
Use a mesh pop filter or foam, place the microphone slightly to the side so the air doesn't go straight into the capsule, and don't get too close.
What is the proximity effect?
It's the bass boost that happens with directional microphones as you get closer. It adds warmth to the voice, but too much makes it muddy.