D&d 5e stat block maker. The Blue Yeti condenser microphone is perhaps one of the most widely used and most loved microphones at its price point. It is commonly used by artists, vloggers, and talk-show hosts alike. But, how can you get the absolute most out of your purchase? This article will cover how to get started with your new microphone, how to reduce noise with free software, and more.
post #1 of 20Old02-13-2015, 01:25 AM - Thread Starter
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Blue Yeti Mic picks up lots of Interference through USB cable
**Mods, I didn't know which section to put this in, so feel free to move it wherever appropriate**
I just received the Blue Yeti ( http://www.bluemic.com/yeti/ ) a few days ago and let me first say that I am happy with this mic, and it does not appear to be defective in any way. The problem I am having is that the USB cable is picking up a great deal of RFI, which causes a high-pitch whine in the background of all my recordings (btw, I always have the gain at the lowest setting). Here is an audio clip: http://vocaroo.com/i/s1APmNyf4usB. I almost completely eliminated the whine by connecting the mic to my PC with an 8-inch mini-USB cord that came with a Sansa clip, but that isn’t useful to me. When I reattached only the 10 foot mini USB cable which came included with the Yeti, the whine came back. I purchased several of these http://www.tripplite.com/usb-2.0-hig..-3-ft~U023003/ “double-shielded” USB extenders in 6 foot and 10 foot lengths, hoping they would solve my RFI problems, but using them results in the same high-pitched background noise as using the long mini-USB or my old USB extension cables from Monoprice. - Do I have to connect something on the double-shielded USB extension cables to ground for the shielding to work? So, now I am in need of a way to connect my Yeti AT LEAST 10 feet from my PC’s USB port without picking up this RFI. 12-15 feet would be preferable to allow for movement of the mic on the stand, and neat cable management. The area has Bluetooth and WiFi dongles, and a WiFi router, and there’s nothing I can do about that. I just need a USB cable that will not act as a 10 foot antenna and don’t know where to look next after trying the so-called “double-shielded” USB cables from Tripp-Lite and having no success.
Last edited by Hail the Potato; 02-13-2015 at 01:39 AM.
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Could you turn off or unplug your wifi router temporarily while you are recording? I have experienced RFI from a router (Belkin model) recently that drove me to purchase a new one (Netgear model).
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Yeah, that what you sir are hearing is your microphone picking up electromagnetic interference from your computer. Ain't no usb cable of any kind gonna help you there, because mic is most likely the one picking up most of that noise. I'd run few tests before smashing motherboard to pieces.
1. Try grounding your computer properly 2. Try sticking your mic in laptop (borrow one if u don't own it) that isn't plugged into electricity 3. Try moving mic as far as possible from computer and see if it picks up interference there 4. If you have yeti pro, use XLR cable and external DAC (i dont think it will help though if your computer is cause of interference) I had similar problem when recording guitar, using external DAC, when I used overdrive effects I heard static because pickups interfered with my computers electromagnetic field. It was inaudible when i was listening a clean signal. But solution to my problem was simple, i just had to move about 7-10 feet from computer and static was gone. I had no option of grounding my computer in a better way though I am still not exactly certain on cause of static (most people can hear it in speakers, especially when moving mouse) but i blame ****** motherboard or ****** USB ports.
post #4 of 20Old02-13-2015, 11:18 AM - Thread Starter
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Thanks for the replies. I have tried turning off the WiFi radio and disconnecting both the WiFi and BT dongles but I still am picking up the RFI. Here is a clip of that: http://vocaroo.com/i/s1BHCzxywnKi
The reason that I believed the USB cable to be picking up the noise is because there seemed to be less noise when I connected only the 8 inch mini-usb between the mic and PC, but listening to it again, I still hear the noise in the recording that I made in that situation. EDIT: Wrong. Listening yet again (and again) I hear none of the whine at all in this clip taken using only the 8-inch mini-USB cablehttp://vocaroo.com/i/s0OsQHax8pv1 So if the PC is the source of the noise, what else can I do? I have tried moving the Mic away from the PC, but the longer the cord I use, the more interference I seem to pick up. Do I have to return the Yeti and buy a Yeti Pro? If so, how do I connect that XLR cable to my PC? Would that eliminate the noise? EDIT: Users in other threads have reported the same issue on at least one Yeti Pro, so that's not the answer Thanks again
Last edited by Hail the Potato; 02-13-2015 at 09:14 PM.
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It sounds like you believe RFI is getting into your cable and messing up what is being recorded. That's not what's happening. If it were, the USB protocol would have trouble delivering any data at all, and you'd be recording garbage at best, not an intelligible recording with some 'whiny' artifacts.It may be the high frequency transmission through the USB cable is 'leaking' and the mic is picking that up..but..I don't know. I'd do as suggested, move the mic/computer to separate isolated areas and see if you can recreate it in that environment.
Originally Posted by donkimizer
Yeah, that what you sir are hearing is your microphone picking up electromagnetic interference from your computer. Ain't no usb cable of any kind gonna help you there, because mic is most likely the one picking up most of that noise. I'd run few tests before smashing motherboard to pieces. To the part I emphasized, unless I'm reading you wrong, I think you have the wrong root cause analysis. I read this as you feel the computer's EM field was being messed with by the overdrive causing static. I'd venture it was the other way around.1. Try grounding your computer properly 2. Try sticking your mic in laptop (borrow one if u don't own it) that isn't plugged into electricity 3. Try moving mic as far as possible from computer and see if it picks up interference there 4. If you have yeti pro, use XLR cable and external DAC (i dont think it will help though if your computer is cause of interference) I had similar problem when recording guitar, using external DAC, when I used overdrive effects I heard static because pickups interfered with my computers electromagnetic field. It was inaudible when i was listening a clean signal. But solution to my problem was simple, i just had to move about 7-10 feet from computer and static was gone. I had no option of grounding my computer in a better way though I am still not exactly certain on cause of static (most people can hear it in speakers, especially when moving mouse) but i blame ****** motherboard or ****** USB ports. I can remember my really old crappy tape deck -- if I got my cordless phone close enough to it I could hear interference picked up (I presume) by the tape heads. That's probably a more close approximate to what's going on here..the phone didn't care much, the pickup did. I'd guess an overdrive circuit would be prone to similar interference, no?
Last edited by DreamWarrior; 02-13-2015 at 11:36 AM.
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Try a different PC and see if it has the same problem.
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post #7 of 20Old02-13-2015, 11:44 AM - Thread Starter
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http://vocaroo.com/i/s19HJ2vLtkwO Here is what's confusing me. The above recording was made using only an 8 inch mini-USB connected directly to the back of my PC. When I use the only the short USB, the noise is not a problem (though maybe it is being drowned out by the sound of my heater running - PC is in the basement, ~4 feet directly below my desk, btw) If the noise is coming from the PC, shouldn't it be louder when I use the shorter cord, with the mic only inches from the case? Why does the noise get worse with longer and longer USB cords? What is meant by grounding my PC properly? I have a PSU connected to ground through a 3-pronged outlet. Is that not enough?
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If the noise is coming from the PC, shouldn't it be louder when I use the shorter cord, with the mic only inches from the case? It's electrical noise, not acoustic
Why does the noise get worse with longer and longer USB cords?
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bottom line, the Yeti has an analog to digital converter built into it, which is the only way it could transfer data via the USB port. It's transferring digital data, not analog sound over the USB connection. Whatever EMF interference does to a digital signal, it does not cause typical induced noise. Most likely (I suppose) it either is correctable by the digital system or results in silence because the data is too corrupted to read. So the noise is coming from the mic, somehow. Whether it's induced by the computer, or some other source, it just cannot be the connection that's causing the problems you are experiencing, AIUI. FTR, I'm not familiar with normal condenser or dynamic mics having an induced noise problem like guitars do. The guitar pickup is sensing, AIUI, electromagnetic effects caused by the strings vibrating above the pickup. The pickup will also sense other electromagnetic noise in the air, like hum from fluorescent lights. It's why humbucking pickups were invented. I think of mics as immune to those effects, just because I never hear them . . . . But maybe the active electronics in the Yeti are subject to EMF from whatever source and that's what you're hearing.
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I assume you must be changing the mic location when you change cables (since the cable length is so high) -- have you tried leaving the mic in the exact same position when you record and just swap the cable? Then maybe try routing the cable differently and see if it changes.. Maybe something else in the room is picking up the high frequency transmission in the cable.
All I can tell you is it's not interference getting *into* the USB cable that's causing this. The USB transmission is high frequency differential signals and if it is effected by anything it'll come in the form of USB protocol errors and loss of communication to the device at worse or data corruption at best. It could not manifest as an artifact in an otherwise intelligible recording.
post #11 of 20Old02-13-2015, 02:22 PM - Thread Starter
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I appreciate the responses, and I understand the explanation of the technology you guys have provided here, but compare these two sound clips:
The first is with the Mic placed right next to the case, connected with two 6-foot double-shielded USB extension cables and the 8-inch mini-USB cable: http://vocaroo.com/i/s1VE7ynzV4HL This second clip is with the mic in the exact same position as in the first clip, but connected to the PC with only the 8-inch mini-USB cable: http://vocaroo.com/i/s0OsQHax8pv1 I can hear my case fans in both clips, but I only hear the high-pitched noise in the clip recorded using the extension cables. I will do more testing later tonight when I am free and will post the results
post #12 of 20Old02-13-2015, 06:22 PM - Thread Starter
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I found a thread on the Audacity forums about this http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewto..p?f=46&t=76126
It seems that a few other people have been having this same issue with USB cable length and high-pitched whine (frying mosquitoes, as it is called, apparently). And it does not seem to be exclusive to the Yeti, as someone with a Yeti Pro reported the same issue. **********Here is an excerpt from a post in that thread where someone compares the audible interference when using cables of different lengths******************************************* ******************************************** Here i've tested 3 usb cables, i'll attach recorded sound and frenque analyze if someone also want to investigate this. 1. Standard USB cable i got with blue yeti (near 2m): http://vocaroo.com/i/s0iIZU5pUbJ5 I actually can hear this noise comming from my PSU i think, maybe i am mistaken. This noise comming right after i connecting Blue Yeti with this cable. 2. 50cm usb cord http://vocaroo.com/i/s1wGL6ZNai7Q Better 3. 15cm usb cord http://vocaroo.com/i/s1MhH89dDhe1 Much better, i actually can't hear any noise now, but cable is really short. http://imgur.com/a/LNsU6 - here pictures of frenque analyze for all tests. Maybe someone can tell me what could be a noise source. - gdlk *************************************End Excerpt******************************************* **** ************************************************** ******************************************** Same exact situation as me. The only solution posted in that thread seems to be RMAing the Yeti for a replacement and hoping for the best. I contacted Blue about this yesterday, and depending on their response, I may just try to RMA and see if the problem occurs on a replacement as well, and if it does then I'll just try another mic. My PC: CPU: i7 2700k Mobo: Gigabyte Z77X-UD5H rev.1 PSU: Seasonic X-Series 750W GPU: GTX 670 OS: Windows 8.1
Last edited by Hail the Potato; 02-13-2015 at 08:50 PM.
post #13 of 20Old02-13-2015, 08:23 PM - Thread Starter
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I found this post: http://sound.stackexchange.com/quest..-in-recordings
wherein a poster going by 'Andy aka' said this: 'following a discussion in comments it became clear that the owner of the mic had its gain set at minimum. THIS IS NOT IDEAL AT ALL. Analogue gain needs to be set near maximum to ensure that sufficient signal feeds the analogue to digital converter or you will get noise and noticeable fragmentation of the signal due to trying to digitize a weak signal and not getting enough 'bits'. Nearly all ADCs have a small amount of 'digital' processing signal imparted to the analogue signal they are trying to capture.' So, I cranked my gain all the way up and guess what.. much less whine. Here are some sound recordings at various levels of gain from 0-100%: 0% - http://vocaroo.com/i/s009ntH3CBrh 10% - http://vocaroo.com/i/s1vju6oWzSjC 25% - http://vocaroo.com/i/s1fFv7wPux0n 40% - http://vocaroo.com/i/s1GEfOeBecBI 50% - http://vocaroo.com/i/s1g6jEzhRQXm 55% - http://vocaroo.com/i/s0mSg6efLEhq 65% - http://vocaroo.com/i/s1sDPjm8TWvZ 75% - http://vocaroo.com/i/s18Jn2PJKhcv 80% - http://vocaroo.com/i/s1KNNRtsiQU5 100% - http://vocaroo.com/i/s05Af0XAyLOx The whine starts to become tolerable at around 75% gain, and it's even less noticeable at 100% gain. I'm still not thrilled with the amount of noise I can hear even at 100% gain, so I am still strongly considering RMAing and trying again. Do you think I should be happy with that 100% gain result, or should I expect better? As mentioned in the original post, I had been using the mic at 0% gain for all my previous tests, so I still don't fully understand why the USB cable length would make much of a difference since the USB cable is not feeding the ADC (by the time the data reaches the USB, it has already been digitized). Yet I, and others in other threads have noted an increase in noise when using longer USB cables. Even at 0% gain, I had no whine at all in a previous test using only the 8-inch USB cable. http://vocaroo.com/i/s0OsQHax8pv1 So it's obvious to me that both gain and cable length are involved, likely in some interconnected way, but this is over my head a bit.
Last edited by Hail the Potato; 02-14-2015 at 01:23 AM.
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Originally Posted by DreamWarrior
To the part I emphasized, unless I'm reading you wrong, I think you have the wrong root cause analysis. I read this as you feel the computer's EM field was being messed with by the overdrive causing static. I'd venture it was the other way around.
Yeah, I wrote that sentence totally wrong. I wanted to say that guitars pickups are picking up EM field of computer. In similar fashion if you move guitar closer to guitar amp you will hear microphonics. Overdrive is not the cause, it just emphasises it. Sorry for confusion
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Originally Posted by Hail the Potato
I found this post: http://sound.stackexchange.com/quest..-in-recordings Can't believe I didn't notice your gain was very low, basically, idea is to crank the gain all way you can without introducing clipping to recording.wherein a poster going by 'Andy aka' said this: 'following a discussion in comments it became clear that the owner of the mic had its gain set at minimum. THIS IS NOT IDEAL AT ALL. Analogue gain needs to be set near maximum to ensure that sufficient signal feeds the analogue to digital converter or you will get noise and noticeable fragmentation of the signal due to trying to digitize a weak signal and not getting enough 'bits'. Nearly all ADCs have a small amount of 'digital' processing signal imparted to the analogue signal they are trying to capture.' .. As mentioned in the original post, I had been using the mic at 0% gain for all my previous tests, so I still don't fully understand why the USB cable length would make much of a difference since the USB cable is not feeding the ADC (by the time the data reaches the USB, it has already been digitized). Yet I, and others in other threads have noted an increase in noise when using longer USB cables. Even at 0% gain, I had no whine at all in a previous test using only the 8-inch USB cable. http://vocaroo.com/i/s0OsQHax8pv1 So it's obvious to me that both gain and cable length are involved, likely in some interconnected way, but this is over my head a bit. Anyway, USB cables have maximum length allowed of 3 or 5 meters iirc, can't be more because of round trip delay and given that while recording it performs isochronous data transfer you can probably easily lose some data given imperfections of your system. There is one thing i forgot to mention and it might help. Instead of using your primary sound driver, install and use ASIO4ALL driver (or just ASIO if your sound card allows). It will dramatically lower latency while recording and you might get better results.
post #16 of 20Old02-13-2015, 11:46 PM - Thread Starter
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Originally Posted by donkimizer
Can't believe I didn't notice your gain was very low, basically, idea is to crank the gain all way you can without introducing clipping to recording. I output sound through my GTX 670's HDMI output to my Onkyo NR-515 Surround Receiver, so I am using Nvidia's HD Audio drivers. Is there a way to use ASIO4all (or any other drivers - or soundcards) and still output through the GPU's HDMI?
Anyway, USB cables have maximum length allowed of 3 or 5 meters iirc, can't be more because of round trip delay and given that while recording it performs isochronous data transfer you can probably easily lose some data given imperfections of your system. There is one thing i forgot to mention and it might help. Instead of using your primary sound driver, install and use ASIO4ALL driver (or just ASIO if your sound card allows). It will dramatically lower latency while recording and you might get better results.
Last edited by Hail the Potato; 02-14-2015 at 12:02 AM.
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Originally Posted by Hail the Potato
I output sound through my GTX 670's HDMI output to my Onkyo NR-515 Surround Receiver, so I am using Nvidia's HD Audio drivers. Is there a way to use ASIO4all (or any other drivers - or soundcards) and still output through the GPU's HDMI?
Well that just brings more questions. Why are you set that way? And what are you actually doing with mic (podcasts? singing?)?http://www.asio4all.com/ With asio4all you can simply pick inputs and outputs, its very easy with your onboard soundcard, i have no idea if its similar with GPUs audio controller. Here are few more troubleshooting tips: 1. try avoiding GPU audio controllers and use only motherboards instead (both inputs and outputs) 2. unplug all other USB devices except mic (even mouse and keyboard..plug them back in when u wanna stop recording), just for a test 3. try to move/squirm/rub your long usb cable over the floor/carpet while recording, see if it produces additional audible noise (classic XLR cables would pick up static for sure) No.1 is a shot in a dark, but that reminded me of a time when i had really weird interference between my graphic card and USB ports. Apparently, smartphone plugged into USB port made my GPU lag horribly when playing games, god knows why.
post #18 of 20Old02-14-2015, 01:10 AM - Thread Starter
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Originally Posted by donkimizer
Well that just brings more questions. Why are you set that way? And what are you actually doing with mic (podcasts? singing?)? My rig is built as gaming/HTPC machine which feeds into my surround sound reciever. Connected to the NR-515 I have 2 Polk Monitor 75s, a CS2 center, a 12' Klipsch RW-12d Sub, and a couple of cheap satellites. So, with my setup, sound and video must both pass through a single HDMI into the receiver. From the reciever and the GPU I can connect to 3 displays: 2 monitors and the HDTV.http://www.asio4all.com/ With asio4all you can simply pick inputs and outputs, its very easy with your onboard soundcard, i have no idea if its similar with GPUs audio controller. Here are few more troubleshooting tips: 1. try avoiding GPU audio controllers and use only motherboards instead (both inputs and outputs) 2. unplug all other USB devices except mic (even mouse and keyboard..plug them back in when u wanna stop recording), just for a test 3. try to move/squirm/rub your long usb cable over the floor/carpet while recording, see if it produces additional audible noise (classic XLR cables would pick up static for sure) No.1 is a shot in a dark, but that reminded me of a time when i had really weird interference between my graphic card and USB ports. Apparently, smartphone plugged into USB port made my GPU lag horribly when playing games, god knows why. I could use the Toslink connection for when I'm recording, I do have that connected and ready. I'll try that tomorrow. I use the Yeti for voice commands without having to wear a headset all the time to control Windows, mainly using Voice Attack. Also, some screen capture videos I make to show friends and relatives how to use and fix their PCs, and I plan to use it for Skype and stuff like that. I know it wasn't necessary to spend $95 on a mic to fill those needs, but I like to splurge on certain things. I will try disconnecting all USB ports tomorrow, but I have come pretty close to that already, even turning off my router's WiFi radio and shutting off all lights and devices in the room, including the monitor (could still give commands via Voice Attack even with no screen or mouse and keyboard), but none of that seemed to have any affect on the amount of whine produced. System Specs: i7 2700k, Gigabyte Z77X-UD5H, GTX 670, Seasonic X 750, Onkyo NR-515
Originally Posted by scruff67
lol.reading that again I can see how you thought I thought that.
Last edited by Hail the Potato; 02-14-2015 at 01:40 AM.
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Depending on recording tools you use, if you dont solve a problem, you can always use some sort of noise gate or declicker to clean up recording from static.
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Hi Hail the Potato,i have bought yesterday a blue yeti and i have the same issue.
high-pitch whine in the background of all my recordings with the gain at the lowest setting. Same as your first audio clip. I have used 2 different usb cables 1) the cable in the package,2M. 2) a hdd usb cable,i think 1M Same problem.I don't have 15cm cable to try.i have a lot of micro usb cable like that but no mini. I have notice when i tourn up gain to 50% or higher the sound disappear (i think is only because ambiental sounds cover it).
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After unboxing the microphone and plugging in the micro USB cable, you will want to get associated with the hardware. When recording, do not face the top of the microphone directly towards you. Instead, have the top facing vertically. This is because the microphone is inside the device’s line parameter – making it what is known as a “side address microphone.”
The microphone offers two adjuster knobs on the side of the microphone stand to fold it inwards for storage or outwards for recording. On the front side with the Blue logo, you will find the mute button which glows solid red if audio is not muted. Below that you will find the headphone volume control. This controls the level of the volume output to headphones plugged into the microphone’s 3.5mm jack. On the backside there will be a knob for adjusting gain and one below it for changing the recording pattern. On the bottom of the microphone you will find a 3.5mm audio jack and a mini USB port.
Adjusting Gain
Gain, simply put, is the level of allowed sound input to the microphone. This is as volume would be to speakers.
Gain can be adjusted via the central knob on the backside of the microphone and should be centered to start. The indicator will be vertical if gain is centered. Plug in a pair of earbuds or headphones to the bottom of the microphone (preferably noise canceling) to monitor the live audio feed. If you hear static or noise, adjust the gain down until the audio is more clear. Likewise, if directed audio is not crisp, bring the gain up. For a clearer listening experience, turn up the volume knob.
Recording Patterns
Stereo – Blue describes stereo as providing a “realistic sound image.” With the left and right channels active, any sounds from the front or back will not be too loud or overpowering. In a way, this is the best mode for a cleaner sound with more subtle highs. It is commonly used for recording sounds like guitar solos.
Cardioid – This mode uses the front-facing microphone to record directly in front of it. Its area of influence spans out like that of a cone and does not pick up well on sounds beside or behind it. This makes it one of the driving modes for how-to guides on the computer, gaming commentary, and monologues.
Omnidirectional – Omnidirectional uses all microphones within the dome to capture all sounds around it in an equal amount. This is great for recording live music or nature sounds.
Bidirectional – This mode is perfect for interviews. It uses the front facing microphone (where the logo is facing) and the one directly behind it to capture sound while disabling the two side microphones.
Select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box. This will put Windows into a Clean Boot State.If the clean boot helped you fix the error, fine! Now click Disable all.Click Apply/OK and restart the computer. Else in the General tab, also click to clear the Load System Services check box, click Apply/OK and restart.To configure Windows to use the normal startup state, simply undo the changes.Best to always create a system restore point first!See this post if the in Windows 10. Msconfig windows 8.
Recording Audio and Reducing Noise in Audacity
Alien skin snap art. Audacity is free software for Mac and PC that allows for the simple functions of recording audio and reducing noise. The Blue Yeti can really pick up quite a bit of background noise, so while recording monologues in a quiet place to start is a great idea, you will want to apply a noise reduction to double up.
1. Start by downloading and running Audacity.
2. Select the Blue Yeti as the recording device from the drop-down menu. If it is not there, re-plug in the Yeti and restart Audacity.
3. Verify that the Yeti’s mute button is glowing solid red and press the red Record button in Audacity.
4. Wait about five seconds, then begin speaking. When you have finished recording, press the Stop button.
5. Now, click and drag to select the first five seconds of audio. This is the “silence” before you began speaking.
6. Click “Effect” from the menu bar, then “noise reduction.”
7. Select “Get noise profile” from the window.
8. Now select your entire audio track by clicking “Edit,” “Select,” “All.” Alternatively press “Command + A” (or “Control + A” for Windows/Linux) on your keyboard.
9. Again, select “Effect” from the menu bar and then “noise reduction.”
10. This time select “OK” from the menu box. That is it! Audacity will now reduce the small waveforms that were visible before the speech waveforms start.
Final Thoughts
With knowing the basics of using the Yeti, you are now ready to start creating. For overall better sound, you may wish to purchase a wind screen to prevent a loud “popping” when speaking in certain pitches. Also, consider a microphone stand to speak while standing. But, all in all, the Blue Yeti is nearly perfect for anyone looking to get started with sound.
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