contents contents
full screenprintcontentsfull screenprint42 VIDEOMAKER >>> JUNE 2019
the right approach for less frequent
setups where wear and tear are less
of a concern--or, if you’re the kind of
person that gets a kick out of a good
DIY project.Filters and Fuzzy Things
No matter the shape, design or materi-
al, the central concept here is that you
are putting something in front of or
around of the chassis to prevent wind
from blowing across the microphone’s
capsule. Each design is gauged on its
acoustic transparency, meaning how
little the structure’s design and materi-
als interfere with the overall clarityand frequency response. Otherwise,
we could just get away with sticking
the mic in a box and calling it a day.1. Windscreens
Foam windscreens are snug fitting
pieces that slide over the microphone
chassis. They use open cell foam to
help absorb and diffuse sounds and
work best indoors. Think back on
all the black foam pieces you see at-
tached to shotgun and camera mics.
2. Blimps
These are encompassing structures
that cover the whole microphone as-
sembly, down to the mounting system.
If we’re looking at a shotgun micro-
phone, the assembly will extend all
the way to the boom attachment.
Wind can also cause mechanical
noise. It can sometimes resonate and
move across the boom and attach-
ments. That’s why sealing up the
bottom assembly is key to preventing
excess movement.
3. Dead cats
A “dead cat” is a specific kind of
fur-covered, scruffy lookin’ blimp
designed to take the edge off in
what can be referred to as high wind
The best wind noise reduction is
achieved at the time of recording
by using every tool in your arsenal;
everything afterward will always be
a fix, at best. This doesn’t mean that
you can’t come up with creative solu-
tions, because at the end of the day,
nature does what it wants. So, here
are a few ways to help you weed out
wind noise.
Firstly, there is plenty of equipment
out there designed and sold to help
reduce wind noise. The benefits of us-
ing prefabbed kits are that these tend
to hold up well to fieldwork, and most
of the branded stuff out there lives up
to what it says on the box.
The limitations can be more price-
centric in some cases and whether
it will fit a specific bespoke setup
remains to be seen, since a lot of
products can cater to shotgun micro-
phones. That is not to say that stereo
microphone products don’t exist. That
said, a tailored DIY solution might beAUDIO
If you’ve ever recorded an out-
door event or shot a scene on
location, you probably know the
frustration of having wind noise
creep into your audio track.
by Blag Ivanov11 Ways to combat wind noise
Windscreens are the
most common and
most basic way to
reduce wind noise in
a recording. These
foam shields fit
directly over the mi-
crophone to provide
limited protection.385 C04 Audio.indd 42 4/23/19 2:07 PMVIDEOMAKER >>> JUNE 2019 43
and frequency response. Otherwise,
we could just get away with sticking
the mic in a box and calling it a day.1. Windscreens
Foam windscreens are snug fitting
pieces that slide over the microphone
chassis. They use open cell foam to
help absorb and diffuse sounds and
work best indoors. Think back on
all the black foam pieces you see at-
tached to shotgun and camera mics.
2. Blimps
These are encompassing structures
that cover the whole microphone as-
sembly, down to the mounting system.
If we’re looking at a shotgun micro-
phone, the assembly will extend all
the way to the boom attachment.
Wind can also cause mechanical
noise. It can sometimes resonate and
move across the boom and attach-
ments. That’s why sealing up the
bottom assembly is key to preventing
excess movement.
3. Dead cats
A “dead cat” is a specific kind of
fur-covered, scruffy lookin’ blimp
designed to take the edge off in
what can be referred to as high wind
AUDIO
by Blag IvanovAUDIO JUNE 2019
conditions, all while providing a high degree
of transparency. A dead cat uses artificial fur to
block and reduce wind noise while still allow-
ing for clear pickup.4. Furries
Think of a furry as a shrunken down dead cat or
similar fur covered wind cover. These fit over a
lavalier’s capsule and help block and reduce the
audibility of wind and clothing noise.
5. Go Away, I’m Hiding!
We’ve covered a heap of lavalier techniques
in our article on wireless lavs. One particular
method is concealing or hiding the microphone
on or around your talent. This can be in their
clothing or strapping the microphone directly on
their person.
The key is to break the wind’s line of sight and
access to the capsule without muffling the voice
of your subject.
6. DIY
Fake fur and open cell foam are the name of the
game here, we’re not talking about building retro
80s costumes either. This might be the right ap-
proach if you find yourself needing something
that is price restrictive or unavailable. I can see
a custom blimp construction project for a non
standard or larger microphone array as a good
candidate. While there are products available out
there, it might be more practical to build some-
thing that tailors specifically to your setup.
7. Finding cover
A simple change of perspective or positioning
can be very helpful. Try taking cover behind a
tall car or truck, ducking around a wall, or mov-
ing behind a tree. Obviously, this is not always
going to be realistic. Desert shots don’t have
much in the way of cars, walls or trees. In the
cases where you do have some cover and a shot
can be altered to work with a small rotation or
step to the side, you shouldn’t hesitate to test.
Post-production solutions
There are many noise reduction tools and
plugins that can help reduce or remove distract-
ing wind noise in your recording. Tired of using
plugins? While there’s nothing wrong with using
them, you can also opt for a more practical and
old-school approach that incorporates the basic
principles that make up a lot of plugins. There is
joy to be found in discovering and applying DIY
sound editing techniques.8. Filtering
The majority of location recording is dialogue-
based, so by that logic you can start cutting
unwanted frequencies that fall outside what’s
typical for the human voice. Low frequencies
carry the most energy and can be highly disrup-
tive. Unless the talent has a hefty baritone, a safe
starting point is using the Low Cut Filter on your
recorder. These typically roll off frequencies
below 150 Hz, so you’re not cutting much out of
the average dialogue range.
A blimp covers a microphone with a protective shield that works to minimize
wind noise. Blimps usually cover the entire microphone and the mounting as-
sembly for more complete noise reduction.Hiding a lav under the talent’s clothing both keeps the mic out of sight and
protects it from wind. Just make sure the signal isn’t muffled and that nothing
is rubbing up against the mic.385 C04 Audio.indd 43 4/23/19 2:07 PM