Are You Making This Field Recording Mistake? Forgetting Wind Protection!

Before you invest in a new microphone, make sure you've thought about wind protection. Recording outside comes with a host of challenges, and wind noise is one of the most common. So, before you start asking, "What's the best mic for my needs?" be sure to consider wind protection. With some research and preparation, you'll be better equipped to capture high-quality recordings in any conditions.
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Thanks,
Libby and Marcel

[@pepeye]

Wind protection is such an important topic when it comes to field recording. I've been using the Sennheiser Ambeo in-ear binaural microphones for a while (which are really great), but they do not have any protection from the wind and my first recordings (especially down at the coast) were unusable. But then I had the inspiration to ask my wife (who is an avid knitter) to knit me a headband from scrap wool using a tight weave. I asked her to include over-sized sections for the over-ear areas (yes it looks dopey so I just pull a hoodie up over it). My knitted dead cat works marvels and is so easy use. Even high wind noise is constrained enough not to overpower the microphones so you can experience the wind in a pleasant way.

[@Gedagnors]

Thank you so much! Really great channel! Just bought Zoom H8 and started recording music, ambience and sounds for sound design! So happy to learn a lot of tricks from your video! And thank you for taking us with you when you travel! Sound and ambience - is something I really miss when I watch photos/videos. And in these weird times you bring the joy of communication, travelling, etc. Great work, thank you!

[@MVMullins]

This is a great comparison demonstration. I want to thank you for inspiring me to get serious about sound recording and I just picked up your bundle, downloading it as I type this. Since I have limited funds, I figured out how to fabricate my own furry windscreens. Knowing how to sew comes in handy here and so far I'm really happy with the results.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you so much for your support Mark. So glad to hear that you could make your own windscreen.

[@EQAVOX]

Thanks so much for this video. I've been recording for a long time, but I am new to field recording. My issue really comes with trying to protect my EM272 Clippys from wind. I recently made a sort of DIY mini blimp from a bird feeder and some faux fur. This seems to be really, really effective. However, I'd really like a way of protecting them from wind in a smaller capacity. The adventure continues ...

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Hi! For a smaller and more portable wind protection solution for your EM272 Clippys, you might want to consider windjammer fur specifically designed for lavalier mics. These are usually small and lightweight, but can do a decent job of reducing wind noise. Remember that positioning can also play a significant role in wind reduction. Try experimenting with different orientations and placements to see what works best for you. The adventure truly does continue :) Keep exploring and happy field recording!

[@JasonBatterham]

Amazing video! Very helpful in helping me decide whether to get a Tascam X8 with wind protection or not.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you for watching Jason!

[@kyma5882]

Your videos are much more beneficial to my students than my lectures.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Ha Ha Ha! Thank you so much for watching. It made us smile. Just use it it some parts of your lectures. :)

[@TomKaszuba]

Another superb presentation. Thank you very much.

[@keinpodcast4053]

Das Windfell des NT-SF1 ist enttäuschend. Du hast etwas ganz Wichtiges angesprochen: Nämlich dass der Wind ja auch am Gehäuse eines Recorders oder Mikrofons auftrifft und genau deshalb gibt es ja Windkörbe. Was den H1n angeht, da hatte ich auch schon überlegt, kleine Runde Schaumstoffplättchen direkt auf die Kapseln zu kleben, als Unterstützung des Windfells. Aber gut, am Meer ist der Wind einfach immer stärker als anderswo, da hilft es oft nur, ein windgeschütztes Plätzchen zu wählen, den LoCut Filter bei 80Hz einzuschalten und die Mikrofone bzw. den Recorder möglichst nah an den Boden zu bringen, wo der Wind meist viel weniger stark ist. Oder man macht eine Langzeitaufnahme und schneidet danach die ruhigsten Aufnahmen zu einer zusammen. Wie immer, tolles Video, tolle Arbeit. Viel Spaß in Seoul. Viele Grüße - Til.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Oh ja, der Rode Windschutz ist enttäuschend. Deshalb habe ich es nicht auf den Camino mitgenommen. Ich habe gerade das Sennheiser AMBEO mit dem Cinela-Windschutz bestellt und hole es ab, wenn wir wieder in Europa sind. Thanks for watching Til!!

[@christiannikodemus]

Another great video, I just got the rode blimp for my work and I found it so funny that it comes with a comb! Haha I also had a sound teacher once that worked on a movie that had cannonballs flying through the air and for this, they recorded wind distortion with an SM57 out of a car window, that was really interesting to me because before that I thought wind noise was only bad, Haha but it can be used for sound design too!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you Christian! Yeah you're recording a lot of crazy frequencies when recording such "unpleasant" sounds. :)

[@murugananthamtamilarasan2095]

Thank you so much sir..... your information is vert useful

[@benjaminbong]

Thank you for this video! And looking forward to your videos in Malaysia! Do let me know if you need some local information 😊

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you! Will do!

[@barx3218]

Just noticed that you're website is on my University's recommended list! :)

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Oh thats cool! What university is it?

[@barx3218]

@@FreeToUseSounds Leeds Beckett School of Arts, Audio Engineering course. Between them and the 2 of you i've been inspired to order an NTSF1 and Zoom F6. You should be on commission!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

@@barx3218 Ah that is so awesome! I ordered the Sennheiser AMBEO with the Cinela wind protection. I pick it up when we're back in Europe. I can't wait to compare them with each other.

[@cryptotrader2779]

Thanks Marcel. Great test as usual. It was very surprising when I first started recording, to find out how useless recorders are without wind protection. Even a very very small breeze affects the sound. I got my Usi's last week so I ordered the Comica CVM-MF1B off Amazon for only $10 for three after reading the reviews. They work very well I must say, and after a few tests I'm super happy for the price they cost and may order three more, because 6 of the Comica will still be half the cost of 2 Bubblebees. I also have the Zoom windscreen that fits the H1n and H6 but I find that is just OK. I really need Rycotes for them.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you for watching and your continues support. The company you mentioned does aggressive marketing. We requested them to stop emailing us about product reviews, which we would never do, yet we continued to get emails. Nice to hear they work for you but I felt like telling you.

[@cryptotrader2779]

@@FreeToUseSounds Oh OK, I never knew that. That's not good or nice. They were recommended first by a guy in France who makes and sells his own mics like the Cippy/LOM's called Earsight Microphones, and that's the main reason I got them. Very sorry to hear you had so much hassle from them.

[@andrewvlahos6797]

@@FreeToUseSounds Wow, that's annoying. I also just got these for ušis because they were much less than windbubbles. I will consider other companies on future purchases now.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

@@andrewvlahos6797 Much appreciated Andrew and we're glad to read that you care about such matter. It's very important to us that we ONLY make videos about the gear we love and also use.

[@cryptotrader2779]

@@andrewvlahos6797 Yes, it is not great for any company to act like that. It's a shame because they're actually pretty good and super cheap. I think I will also go for Bubblebees in future or look elsewhere.

[@Bob_C]

I own the Zoom H1n and don't have a furry wind protector for it yet. This video was especially informative. Thanks Marcel and Libby.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Pleasure Bob! 🥳

[@ebjor]

Hey, which windprotection can you recommend for my ambisound pair of SE8 microphones?

[@paulasciuk5504]

Another fab video, Marcel & Libby! Thank you! I would ask what microphone and windscreen would you use in a high wind setting? I want to capture the howling wind and lower the noise as much as possible.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Hi Paula. As you may have seen, I use the Cinela Albert with the Sennheiser MKH 8040 and the Rycote Cyclone with the Schoeps microphones. I use these setups in high wind situation. The better choice is the Cinela Albert.

[@TheRelaxingAmbienceSounds]

I have Rycote Portable Recorder Kit for Zoom H1n but it's not enough for heavy winds. Is there anything else where I can fit Zoom h1n?

[@Daniela77111]

Hey Marcel, thank you so much for this Video comparison. 🙏🏼Even if there was no strong winds, the difference between the devices can be heard. The Cinela is incredible and even if all the setup is pricey, it’s worth it. I’m wondering if all the handheld recorders like H1n could do better if all the device would be completely inside of a bigger windshield so that no wind at all “squeeze” between the device and the small windshield for the mic. 😃 You two have a great time in Seoul!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

It was you Daniela who asked the question:) So glad you watched the video. Today we are out an about and filming another video here in Seoul.

[@Daniela77111]

@@FreeToUseSounds ich weiß, deswegen freue ich mich und bedanke mich für den Vergleich. ☺️ Bin sehr gespannt auf dem nächsten Video.

[@shibashisnath2417]

Thank you for inspiring me☺️. Have learnt a lot from you and currently started recording. Have one question....can I control the gain of external mic on my zoom h1n using the gain dial? The dial works perfectly fine for inbuilt mic but have no idea about external mic

[@CitizenJane-]

Thank-you very much. I've just upgraded from a 1980s Sony micro cassette, to a zoom H1n. I'm in a mountain/wilderness location and this winter I'd like to record the wind, which comes in at all different heights and speeds and directions. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks again :)

[@MountainMariner]

Just curious how someone would go about recording….WIND? True, natural wind sounds.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thats a great question and I forgot to mention it. I use the Rycote and Cinela to record wind. Wind alone doesn’t create the sound. You need grass, trees, leaves or even a crack in the door to get these eery and windy sounds.

[@MountainMariner]

@@FreeToUseSounds Thanks for the reply. Might make a good video idea for you! I’m just starting to research getting into high end audio. All nature sounds.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

@@MountainMariner That is definitely a great idea. Have to wait for wind and in Seoul it’s hard to record with all the traffic.

[@macmund]

Thank you. What headphones would you recommend for beginners to use with the zoom h4n pro?

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Hi! I think the Audio Technica ATH30x are nice or the good,old Sony MDR 7506. Can't go wrong with them :)

[@benjaminbong]

Wow the difference between the cinela setup vs the other is amazing! Or was it because there was less wind when you were recording with it?

[@FreeToUseSounds]

That is what you get with a Cinela product.

[@yijae-soo2984]

안녕하세요? 좋은 정보가 많군요!

[@ErtywekPL]

Cinela Albert definitely gives best result

[@EduardoBarba6]

Thank you guys! 🤗

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Our pleasure!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Thank you all for your support! Our All In One Bundle 2.0 is finally out. Get $5 off and receive over 1.6TB of sounds from all across the world recorded by us! ►ftus.gumroad.com/l/allinonebundle/FTUS5

[@maksspiga1106]

What would be a reasonable option to increase wind protection for LOM usi pro/clippy when Bubblebee wind bubbles are not enough? thanks for the video, beautiful as always!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

You can message Rycote, tell them what microphones you have and they give you a selection.

[@andlopper]

Thank you very much Marcel for your advice. I am interested in the tascam portacapture x8 and would like you to recommend a windscreen for this portable audio recorder. Greetings. Andrew.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Hi Andres, Bubblebees is working on a new model. I’m not sure when its out yet.

[@toddcamnyc]

I always wanted a pair of those 8040 mics because they’re one of the few that go very high in frequency response, up to 50khz. How much attenuation do you get in the high end with all these thick layers of wind protection? Also, I’d love to see a review of the 8040s showing a spectrogram of just how much more high frequency information they can capture.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Hi Todd, they go way beyond that. Impulse response or a railway squeak is beyond 80kHz. Amazing mics for sound design.

[@duuster-audio]

me too I wanted them, and then I wanted the 8020 as they have an even larger frequency response. But then I tested them I saw the huge amount of noise they produce from 15KHz upwards ! So I sent them back. No good for sound design, unusable.

[@toddcamnyc]

@@duuster-audio I had the same issue with an Earthworks mic. It claimed a 40 kHz top end. It was very noisy around 30 kHz. I went through 2 returns. Both had the same issue. There’s no way to find this info in the specs because self noise is only measured in the audible range.

[@duuster-audio]

@@toddcamnyc I was tempted by Earthworks as well, the MC50 if I remember well or QTC50. I think specs refer to testing at 1 KHz so indeed that doesn't mean anything. For high frequency range I finally opted for the Sanken CO100K ! And that is just what you hope it is 🙂

[@FreeToUseSounds]

@@duuster-audio I was just going to recommend this one. Dream microphone for sound design :)

[@dominikhaering]

Sehr gutes Video. Bin immer noch auf der Suche nach einer Lösung für meine Usi Pro. Die Bubbles die man mitbestellen konnte sind für Wind natürlich ungeeignet. Schön wäre eine Kapsel wie Cinella wo ich beide Usi Pro drin verstecken kann. Kennt ihr da eine Lösung?

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Hallo Dominik, ich persönlich habe keine Lösung aber Du könntest Rycote eine Mail schreiben. Die haben viele verschiedene Körbe. Die Halterung für die Usis müsste man einschrauben können aber für die Kabel müsste man Kabelkanäle bohren.

[@nunodeazevedo]

I actually bought 3 or 4 dead cat covers for my Zoom h1n, but my main problem is that the mic is very sensitive. I bought it to used it connected to my camera, but every lil touch I do, sometimes even the headphones wire slowly rubing on the camera, is captured by the zoom mic. Any advice or settings that maybe could help? Thank u

[@FreeToUseSounds]

Oh this is not a good idea because the more you cover the microphone the more quality of the sound is lost. Everything has its limitations and in order to get better audio in higher wind, you need to look for better gear. One option could be putting your H1n inside a blimp.

[@benjaminbong]

I bought a microphone holder that the h1n can fit with its hand grip. The microphone holder has a hotshoe mount that can mount onto your camera. I'll link a picture soon.

[@nunodeazevedo]

@@FreeToUseSounds hehehe, i dont use the 4 dead cats, i bought 3 or 4 to see wich one would work better, and wind part is ok, is covered, the prob is using the H1n as a external microphone on top of the camera or hand holding, every lil touch its captured.

[@FreeToUseSounds]

@@nunodeazevedo Oh I see. I miss read that. :)

[@benjaminbong]

I added a link to a comment but it seems like KZbin has taken it down. The thing I described helps a lot with handling noise.

[@rachelkarengreen99]

Korea is the most beautiful country in the entire world.

[@hardikpatel1598]

cinela best

[@가자-k9f]

대한민국!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@FreeToUseSounds]

That's where we are. :)