VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

griffitd · Guest

I am still getting plosives during my recordings. My buddy told me to exercise by turning my head slightly away when I get to a hard sound like a "b" or a "p". I get really excited when I am delivering, but I try not to get too excited because my levels go up to red. I have turned the gain down on my interface(M-audio 410), but still get some red.

I have a STEDMAN Proscreen 101 attached to my mic, but it does not seem enough to resolve the "p" and "b" sounds.

Is there an option on Pro-tools where I can pre-tune and compress the sound, but still get a good tone and a recording?? I hope I asked the question correctly,.. I am still learning how to engineer this software.

I did buy "Pro-Tools for Dummies".. it wouldn't be too hard to guess what I will be doing tonight after work!

Your help would be greatly appreciated!

Cameron

Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 7:12 pm Post subject:

It isn't about the software. It's about proper mic technique. Try putting the mic to the side of your mouth. Also if you have a pop screen, you may have it too close to the mic.
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ricevoice · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 7:18 pm Post subject:

Another easy trick for editing out plosives is highlighting just the pop in the voice track, then applying an EQ filter to just that little part, dropping out the low end (which is where the plosives live)... may take some trial and error, but it can be a lifesaver.
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Edo · Guest

Is your popscreen very close to the microphone membrane by any chance? Then you would still experience plosives for the air caught by the popscreen still moves a lot of air right behind it. It's best used a couple of inches away from the mic roughly halfway between your mouth and the mic.

If you want to fix the problem with software... try using some EQ and cut the spectrum at about 85-95Hz quite a bit. This will help reduce plosives like P and B sounds. Also give a little boost on the 4k-7k highs to cut through using the sibilants, and thus increasing intelligibility. In the picture you'll find easy anti-plosives settings in a standard Digirack plugin.

I do however want to remind you that you'd better avoid problems rather than try fixing them down the road. Smile

griffitd · Guest

Right on! I will try that out..

Hart · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 8:37 pm Post subject:

The best thing to do with plosives is just not have them in the first place. Say "P" with your hand in front of your mouth and you'll feel the air move. Practice until you feel very little air. It really doesn't take much to make a P or a B.

You can also put a pencil in front of your mouth (I'm having a moment, somebody remind me which VO book that's in) to deflect the air before it gets to the mic and pops the diaphram.

Proper micing and the proper mic help tremendously as Jeff said.
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TheVoiceOfBob · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:37 pm Post subject:

All great advice!

While practicing how to reduce those plosives, try it with a smile. Smiling while saying those "P"s and "B"s often dramatically reduces their effect.

As stated, best to reduce them as much as possible, then use the software for any leftovers. That will reduce the amount of work you have to do within the software.
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griffitd · Guest

This site rocks with such a wealth of information and advice. Thanks again for all your input.

mahalos
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Deirdre · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 11:15 pm Post subject:

I know I posted this somewhere else in this forum, but I'll be damned if I can find it.

This is another Pro Tools EQ setting to kill the clunk of plosives. (as suggested, select only the pop in the wave form and apply the EQ)

All the other advice is spot on— and I recall that Jeff McNeal had some nifty way of defeating the plosive issue. As Edo said, it's always better to fix the problem on the way into the mic, rather than in post.

Did you look up "plosive" in the archives?
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ccpetersen · Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:54 am Post subject:

That pencil trick is amazing!
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Jeff McNeal · Guest

Did someone say Jeff McNeal? Bitchin

This question has been asked before and I'm with the others in the "proper mic technique" camp. If you need software or a Stedman filter or whatever, then you're doing something wrong. No offense, but you don't need either of those things.

It's an easy fix. Put your palm in front of your mouth and say something with plosives. Now, extend your upper lip slightly forward and say it again. That's really all there is to it. You'll immediately feel that the puff of air is now redirected at a much lower point on your palm, if not gone all together. In either case, it's enough to direct the puff of air below the mic capsule.

I disagree with the notion of smiling to lessen the plosive, because when you smile, your smile comes through on the read quite naturally, and you may not be reading something that is suitable for that kind of delivery at the time.

Practice this upper lip technique and soon it will become second nature -- and you'll not only never hear a plosive again, you'll astound and amaze studio engineers galore!

This technique, by the way, is probably as old as broadcasting. It comes courtesy of Professior Anthony "Tony" Georgilas, at Pasadena City College, circa 1978 when I learned it in "Radio 101". Prof. Georgilas had been around microphones for a very, very long time at that point.

bobsouer · Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:48 pm Post subject:

Jeff,

Thank you for passing along this excellent advice. I think I remember seeing a post from you somewhere in the archives about this technique, but I'd forgotten all about it. Great reminder. This time I think I'll hold on to it for good.
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ccpetersen · Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:21 am Post subject:

Actually, I learned that trick in choir, too... and it turns out that I do it without thinking about it... most of the time.

Great reminder!
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Jeff McNeal · Guest

As an addendum to the above, pulling the lower lip back a little as an alternate to pushing the upper lip out works just as well, if not better, depending on the individual. Do whichever is easiest.