Help With Using Mic

[fineyoshipie]

Hello all i just got a blue yeti microphone and its great and all but its just not work that well as i see other people using it. I do pc gaming youtube videos and i can hear my mouse and keyboard there not that loud but im not sure how to use this mic correctly. I don't have a mic stand or a pop filter there just a bit more money then i have. so if any one knows how to fix my issue please help

[Cornucopia]

Is the mic on the same desk/table as the keyboard & mouse? If so, the transmission path is probably strongest through the table. Isolate the mic by placing it on a different structure, or by hanging it, or by getting a mike stand ($25 when I last checked).

Scott

[jagabo]

There is no such thing as a mic that doesn't pick up background noise. Remember the inverse square law. You always want the mic to be as close as possible to the source you want to record, and as far as possible from other noise sources. People with better isolation may be using headsets.

[fineyoshipie]

Is the mic on the same desk/table as the keyboard & mouse? If so, the transmission path is probably strongest through the table. Isolate the mic by placing it on a different structure, or by hanging it, or by getting a mike stand ($25 when I last checked).

Scott

Even if i hold the mic away from the the desk and click its still there i have seen many many youtubers and commentators use this mic for this and there is no keyboard or mouse clicking

[aedipuss]

Not all keyboards and mice have a mechanical click.

[Cornucopia]

That one should have been obvious to me, but WHOOSH!

Good one, aedipuss.

Scott

[hello_hello]

Would this be the mic to which you refer? If so, you appear to have bought a mic which has multiple capsules and can be configured different ways.

I know nothing about that mic, but according to the info from the page I linked to:
"The Yeti features Blue's innovative triple capsule array, allowing for recording in stereo or your choice of three unique patterns, including cardioid, omnidirectional, and bidirectional, giving you recording capabilities usually requiring multiple microphones."

You can read about the differences here, but if you primarily want only your voice to be picked up, you'd want to use the cardioid pattern, which is the most directional. If you're using it already then I guess this post won't help.
Otherwise by design the mic should do exactly what you don't want it to do. The cardioid pattern (if the manufacturer isn't lying) should give you a microphone which behaves more like this type in terms of "directionality".

Microphones are also prone to amplify any vibration to which they're subjected. How much depends on the design. For a mic you'd hold in your hand it's often referred to as "handling noise". You'd pretty much hope, looking at the design of the mic, it could sit on a desk and not be bothered by mouse clicking or typing in terms of amplifying vibrations through the desk. Assuming of course it comes with the stand in the picture on the page I linked to.
I'd guess most of the unwanted noise you're hearing is due to the fact it's operating in stereo, omnidirectional, or bidirectional mode.

[jagabo]

Otherwise by design the mic should do exactly what you don't want it to do. The cardioid pattern (if the manufacturer isn't lying) should give you a microphone which behaves more like this type in terms of "directionality".

A cardioid pattern does note give 100 percent rejection of off axis noise.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardioid_microphone#Microphone_polar_patterns

So it will still pick up substantial background noise.

[hello_hello]

A cardioid pattern does note give 100 percent rejection of off axis noise.

Of course, but it's somewhat relative. If the mic is being used in stereo or omnidirectional mode then it should be rejecting much less "unwanted" noise. Plus there's the proximity effect to which you referred. Not having used the mic myself, I did wonder when you're using it in cardioid mode where the "front" would be. ie which bit do you point towards the noise you want to pick up? I guess the manual would tell you.

[aedipuss]

don't use automatic level setting. set the level manually for the loudest your voice gets. maybe -10db, to allow for things like a cough to not clip. then use a compressor to level things out. the mic should be around 6 inches from your mouth, not on the other side of the keyboard. get a movable stand so the mic can be positioned directly in front of your face.

[jagabo]

A cardioid pattern does note give 100 percent rejection of off axis noise.

Of course, but it's somewhat relative. If the mic is being used in stereo or omnidirectional mode then it should be rejecting much less "unwanted" noise.

I didn't want the OP to set his hopes too high.

[hello_hello]

Maybe this answers my previous question. http://bluemic.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/netsol/Yeti_Pop1.jpg