Every time I post a studio picture on my Instagram I’m asked the question, ‘Why do you have three pop-shields?’

What is a pop-shield?

A pop-shield is a thin barrier of either fabric or metal which allows sound to pass through but deliberately disrupts the airflow to avoid ‘plosives’ hitting the microphone.

When you say a word which starts with a ‘p’ or ‘b’ a small burst of air is released and when this hits the microphone it causes distortion and spoils the sound. To avoid this distortion mic-technique is important.

When I see one of these words approaching I move my mouth ever so slightly to the side of the mic so that burst doesn’t cause a direct hit but is still captured. When combined with the pop-shield a great sound is recorded.

Why have 3 pop-shields?

For me personally, I’ve found having additional pop-shields helps me create that great quality sound. It avoids constant re-recording when plosives come into play. So why do I have three pop-shields? Because it improves the quality of the audio I record.

Whoever said I was only allowed one?!