You’re on-location filming and your using a shotgun mic on a boom pole to capture dialog. Suddenly, the wind gusts at just the right moment and the perfect take is lost due to wind noise on the mic. Fortunately, there are a number of windscreen options out there that can help reduce or practically eliminate wind noise altogether.
Foam windscreens that usually come with the mic are designed for use indoors. For example, they help reduce noise if drafts of air blow on the mic from an air conditioner. It’s not a good choice outdoors.
A softie is the next choice and is the most economical. It features synthetic fur on the outside and a small chamber of air on the inside helping reduce wind noise. It works fairly well in most situations. Once the wind picks up, however, you will start to hear wind noise.
For most windy situations, a zeppelin or blimp windscreen system is the best choice for wind protection. It surrounds the mic with a chamber of non-moving air while still allowing the necessary frequencies to pass through it. There’s a lyre shock mount system that holds the mic in the center of the tube and reduces vibrations from the boom pole.
An additional synthetic fur exterior, often called a dead cat or windjammer, can be added for the best wind protection. A little brush is included to keep the fur from getting matted which can reduce frequency response.
There are a number of companies that offer blimp windscreen systems. I’ve had a good experience with Rycote over the years. Rode offers a similar solution and uses the Rycote lyre shock mount in their design. If you’re having wind noise problems in your recorded audio, then it’s time to seriously consider the proper wind protection. If you found this article helpful, please share with your friends and colleagues. MichaelTheSoundGuy.com