Causes of recorded voice being muffled｜Microphone distance, direction, order to correct room noise

The recorded voice is dark, doesn't come through, or sounds like it's covered in cloth. In such a case, if you add too much high frequency, the core of the voice may remain intact, but only the noise and sibilance may stand out. If you check the recording conditions first, you may be able to improve it more naturally than with EQ.

1｜Too close to the microphone

When you get close to a unidirectional microphone, the low frequency increases due to the proximity effect. While it gives off warmth, it tends to obscure the clarity of the words. The starting point is about 10 to 20 cm from the mouth, and if your voice has a lot of bass, move it a little further away. If you change the distance, readjust the input gain.

2｜Breathing too much from the front

Placing the microphone directly in front of your mouth will make it easier to hear plosives and sibilant sounds. By placing the capsule slightly above or to the side of your mouth and pointing it diagonally toward your mouth, you can avoid strong breaths while still maintaining brightness. Popguards also serve as distance markers.

3｜Not checking the front and back of the microphone or the directivity

Some side-address condenser microphones are difficult to tell from the front just by looking at them. Check the sound pickup surface by checking the logo surface, mark, and instruction manual. If there is a directivity switch, check to see if it has unintentionally become omnidirectional or figure-directional.

4｜Reflected sound from the room muddies the midrange

When placed close to walls or desks, the direct sound and short reflected sounds overlap, making the midrange of your voice thin or muddy. Move toward the center of the room, avoid hard walls behind you, and place a thick bedding or sound-absorbing material behind the singer's back. It is more effective to limit the area where the voice hits first rather than just surrounding the area immediately behind the microphone.

5｜Input is recorded too large

No need to push the peak to the limit. Even if the strong parts fall within the range of -12 to -6 dBFS, there is plenty of room for 24-bit recording. If you record on the verge of clipping, you won't be able to restore the hardness or distortion of your voice.

6｜The accompaniment is too loud and the way you sing has changed

When the accompaniment of headphones is loud, the singer unconsciously tenses up and the angle of the mouth changes. Try lowering the accompaniment a little and slightly removing one ear to create a monitor balance that allows you to produce sound without strain.

Before recording, record 3 patterns with different distances, angles, and standing positions for 30 seconds and compare. If you choose a take that has the least amount of processing and the words are easiest to hear, you can significantly lighten the EQ and de-essing in the post-processing process.