Most Effective Setup for Coding/Typing Lectures

MichaelPog
MichaelPog Posts: 992 rolemodel rank
in Audio and video solutions

What is the most effective setup to minimize the amount of noise picked up from the keyboard and mouse, while recording screencast that involves a lot of typing, such as in the case of coding?

- a headset with microphone next to your mouth?

- a microphone mounted from the top to provide the longest distance from the keyboard?

- a dynamic microphone with a low gain that just sits on the table or hangs on a mount?

-some magical keyboard/mouse that just doesn't make any noise?

- reducing the noise in post-production?

Thank you!

Comments

  • TomPhillips
    TomPhillips Posts: 16 trailblazer rank

    I used to use the Blue Yeti but found it so much easier using a lavalier / lapel mic (I use the BOYA BY-M1 Pro, very good price and decent quality). The Blue Yeti yielded better quality audio however I've had no complaints with the BOYA BY-M1 Pro. It's always easier to try and capture your audio as high a quality as possible rather than trying to fix bad audio in post. With that said I usually record in my kitchen with no sound dampening (tiled floor, slightly echo-y), and I use audacity for cleaning the audio. I also have an M1 MacBook air, which has a fairly quiet keyboard.

  • PhillipBurton
    PhillipBurton Posts: 405 visionary rank

    Dear Michael,

    You might want to investigate a "noise gate". It reduces the amount of noise, such as typing, when the volume is fairly quiet.

    For example, have a look at the dbx 286s Preamp. On the right-hand side, you will see an "Expander/Gate". You can set the threshold (the minimum volume when the gate will NOT be engaged), and the Ratio (how much the volume will be reduced by).

    I also use a Heil PR40 microphone, which is cardioid, so it focuses on one particular direction, together with a Heil PL2T microphone boom, so the microphone is not on the desk, near the mouse/keyboard, but in the air. To connect them together, I use a Scarlett Solo and a couple of cables.

    I also use auphonic.com to level the sound, so that it is consistent from video to video.

    Have a listen to the sound in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnTxOqlSUzY to hear the end result. You can hear the keyboard if I press enter loudly, but it's fairly quiet otherwise.

    If anyone does find a magical keyboard/mouse, please let me know!

    I hope that helps.

    Regards,

    Phillip

  • MichaelPog
    MichaelPog Posts: 992 rolemodel rank

    Thank you so much @PhillipBurton
    . The audio does sound very good.

    I have one question though:

    What is the advantage of using a Gate on the preamp vs simply using a noise gate in post production using Garage Band or Udacity?

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