Help with voice recording

dominicw78 · Post by **dominicw78** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 6:45 am

I just made some vocal recordings of a girl speaking/narrating but not singing. It's a great recording in terms of low background noise, but there is another problem. You can really notice the saliva in her mouth when she speaks popping and squelching.

I didn't have a pop shield but did use foam over the mic. From my limited experience in recording vocals it doesn't sound like a popping wind breathy problem, it's like I describe saliva squelching noises. Any advice in how to mask this or minimise it? Also how to avoid next time I record.

I haven't used a de-esser before but from what I understand it might not be the solution.

Any advice much appreciated!!!

mrvapour · Post by **mrvapour** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 9:52 am

I know that the 'ess' sound is called called a siblant sound, while the 'puh' is called a plosive sound, which the de-esser and a pop shield would take care of.

That doesn't really answer yur question though, sorry. maybe if the person didn't stand so close to the mic? Then you wouldn't pick up the squelch. Listen to the Al Green song 'simply beautiful', he's a bit squelchy on that. You can tell he's really close to the mic.

dominicw78 · Post by **dominicw78** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 1:01 pm

mrvapour wrote:I know that the 'ess' sound is called called a siblant sound, while the 'puh' is called a plosive sound, which the de-esser and a pop shield would take care of.

That doesn't really answer yur question though, sorry. maybe if the person didn't stand so close to the mic? Then you wouldn't pick up the squelch. Listen to the Al Green song 'simply beautiful', he's a bit squelchy on that. You can tell he's really close to the mic.

I think you're right Mr Vapour. Too close to the mic. She was speaking quietly so moved closer to the mic and so then all the mouth noises were recorded. Looks like I'll have to do them again, put her further back and tell her to project more.

I wonder if a foam cover does as good a job as a pop shield also or if I should try and use a pop shield instead?

mrvapour · Post by **mrvapour** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:14 am

I think the foam cover may be for if you're outside in the wind. A pop shield would work great for those plosive sounds. I got one cuz my vocals would peak if I said or sang anything beginning with 'p'!

Hope that helps

cavern · Post by **cavern** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:43 am

yeah...a de-esser or some high frequency cuts. also, check out antares vocal tool plug-ins....pretty certain there's one specific to this problem.