Making a pop filter for your home studio microphone
Have you seen them black circle things in front of vocal mics at the big studios? Those things people think stop the spit?
Those things are actually called pop filters or popless. There purpose is to stop the pop that some people's voices make when singing words that start with a "P" or other powerful words like that. It usually comes when you have to push more air that usual, and it makes the mic distort briefly. The popless filters the air flow, but doesn't change the sound of tone of the voice.
If you (like myself) have gone to buy one of these units for your home recording studio, then seen the price! you'll know there far too expensive. Music stores usually charge a lot of money for these little things, But you can make a totally effective popless is you know what to use.
Go to you local needle works supply of craft store and go to the sewing section. There you should find small round wooden frames that come in pairs, They fit inside one another, and the outer frame can be tightened.This is the frame of your pop filter.
After this, find some thin nylon material like woman's stocking, Take the wooden rings apart and stretch at least 2 layers of the nylon over the smaller ring and then tighten the larger ring around the smaller ring with the nylon between them, make sure the nylon is stretched tight.
That's the basic part of the popless, now you need to attach it to the mic stand, which can usually be come with some wire of some sort, and some tape, be creative and muck around with the best way to attach it.
Another way to make a pop filter is to instead of buying the wooden frame, simply get a clothes hanger, and bend it into a circle and put the stocking around it. and then put some tape at the base of the circle and your done!
Pop filters are defiantly a good thing to have when recording, cause there's nothing worse than your vocals singing the best take of the day and it being ruined by a pop in the mix.
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