This article will show you how to make your own microphone pop-filter. A pop-filter is a small screen that goes between a microphone and your mouth to prevent sharp popping sounds (known as plosives) like “P” and “B” words from overloading the mic level and distorting. Commercially available pop-filters are expensive and can often cost 20 dollars or more. The pop-filter you can build here will cost less than $6 dollars.
Parts List:
1 Wooden Embroidery Ring (6 inches) - .50 cents
1 Pair Generic Black Pantyhose - $1
Wooden Dowel (5/16th in Dia.) - .69 cents
Mini Clamp - .37 cents
Regular Clamp - $2. 09
2 Washers, 1 Lock Washer, #4 Bolt (3/4 in) & Nut - .85 cents
Tools Needed:
Wood Glue
Scissors
Small Screwdriver
Awl
Small Saw
Sandpaper
I bought most of the materials at a popular home supply store and got the wooden embroidery ring and pantyhose at a local big-box retailer. I used a Leatherman tool so I didn’t need the separate awl, saw, and screwdriver as this pocket tool has all three tools (and more) combined.
Begin by applying some light sandpaper to the wooden embroidery rings. The rings I bought were slightly rough around the edges and sanding will help prevent them from ripping holes in the nylon mesh. Next take the wooden dowel and cut off a 12 inch length piece. The dowels sold at my local supply store are 48 inches long - enough to make 4 pop-filters. Sand any burrs off the cut ends and also the dowel itself to remove any rough spots.
Next take the outer wooden ring and lightly sand an area near the screw mechanism. The rings I used were lightly coated with a sealer and I needed to expose the bare wood so the glue holding the dowel and ring together would bond better. Lying them both flat on some old paper, I lined up the ring and dowel to look like a lollipop and glued them using some carpenter’s wood glue. Set this aside and give it time to dry.
While the glue is setting you can prepare the nylon mesh screen. Take the pantyhose the cut one of the legs off at the top of the thigh. Take the inner ring from the wooden hoop and insert into the nylon leg. Carefully slide the ring down the leg and into the toe area. Make the nylon stretchy and taut but not too tight. Take the loose leg material and tie it in a tight knot close the the wooden ring. Cut the extra material off.
Once the glue has dried, insert the inner wooden ring with the stretched nylon into the outer ring and tighten the screw mechanism to hold it firmly in place. I positioned the inner ring so that the nylon knot was tucked into the screw connector area and out of the way. This finishes the pop-filter itself. We now need to build a clamp that will hold our filter to the microphone stand and allow for some positioning and adjustment of the screen in front of the microphone.
The two metal clamps I bought had plastic shrink wrapped handles but I was able to tell they had small holes under this covering. This was going to allow me to connect them using a small bolt. The large clamp would connect to the mic stand and the little clamp would hold the dowel in place.
Using an awl or similar sharp pointed tool, poke a starter hole through the handles of your clamps. Take a #4 bolt and thread a plain washer on it. Poke this through the small clamp’s handle from the outside. Next push the bolt through the larger clamp’s handle hole. On the inside of the large handle you now need to place a regular washer, then a lock washer, and then the nut. Tighten by holding the nut and turning the bolt with a small screwdriver. Your clamp is now complete.
Insert the dowel into the small clamp’s jaws and then attach the large clamp to your microphone stand and position the mesh screen in front of the microphone. You’re now ready to record or broadcast!
Related Links:
Make Your Own Pop Screen (Another way to make your own…)
The X-Plosive: A DIY Pop Filter (…still another way…)
Build Your Own Microphone Pop Screen (…and yet another way.)
MXL990 Condenser Mic (highly recommended)
August 22nd, 2005 at 8:19 am
Awesome, I’ve been thinking about making one of these for years. So far, holding my shirt front in front of my mouth has worked pretty well. Thanks for posting!
Say, how did you build that sweet condenser mic?
August 22nd, 2005 at 8:23 am
The MXL990 is quite a deal/steal. Sounds great and at 60 bucks you can’t lose! The build quality is pretty good, comes in a decent case and includes the shock-mount plus another solid type mic stand mount.
August 27th, 2005 at 5:22 am
HOW TO Make Your Own $6 Microphone Pop-Filter
This article will show you how to make your own microphone pop-filter. A pop-filter is a small screen that goes between a microphone and your mouth to prevent sharp popping sounds (known as plosives) like “P” and “B” words from …
August 27th, 2005 at 12:42 pm
I usually just hold the thinnest piece of paper I can find in front of the microphone. This would certainly be more convenient, however.
August 27th, 2005 at 3:23 pm
Very nice work. I made it and use it now. I was wondering if you play guitar, and if so, have you ever built a box to carry your pedals that can be set down on stage and used to keep them organized. I’ve been working on a few concepts, but none that seem very good.
August 27th, 2005 at 3:30 pm
Well…my background is as a drummer. I do dabble in guitar and have begun to assemble a home studio.
I’ve seen the fancy pedal boxes you mention in live situations. Seems to me a bunch of velcro would be a main ingredient for making one of those. I know you can get adhesive backed velcro strips in craft and sewing stores.
October 5th, 2005 at 10:35 pm
Heh. My friend John used to make these, and referred to them with an alliterative title. I can’t remember precisely what it was, but it was something along the lines of “the Perfect Pantyhose Popper Stopper.”
(also: Hi Dean!)
October 24th, 2005 at 9:04 pm
I don´t tryed yet but…
i´m gona try to make one.
Thanks for posting! =)
December 2nd, 2005 at 1:27 am
great idea man..
January 4th, 2006 at 3:52 am
or.. you could go buy one with a gooseneck and not have to deal with clamps and ghetto rigs. lol
January 9th, 2006 at 9:09 am
[...] a. skateboard dolly: 1, 2, 3 b. home-made steadicams: 1, 2, 3 c. jib arm / crane: 1, 2 d. car mount: 1, 2, 3 e. the aforementioned Depth of Field reducer f. other: 1, 2, 3 [...]
January 14th, 2006 at 1:04 am
# dan Says:
January 4th, 2006 at 3:52 am
or.. you could go buy one with a gooseneck and not have to deal with clamps and ghetto rigs. lol
the idea is that this is at a fraction of the cost.
February 27th, 2006 at 11:41 pm
I use one of those toy tennis rackets that has like a thin elastic material instead of strings. works perfectly. Cost: $0.
March 15th, 2006 at 6:55 am
Hey…names Jay…im 17 and im tryin to make it into rap. I havnt been rappin for long but i got same good feed back for some of my tracks. The only complaint i got was “TO GET A GOOD MIC” lol. Well i just would like to ask u guys what is a good mic u can suggest for me. Im not a pro yet i record at home using cool edit pro 2. Some help please?
March 15th, 2006 at 7:41 am
Jay - how about a Shure Beta 58…or a Shure SM 57? I suggest you go into your local music store and see if you can try either of those mics.
March 23rd, 2006 at 4:13 pm
For Jay,
Check out the MXL 990! It’s really cheap and a high quality condenser (recording) mic. Some of the “live-use” mics don’t work very well for recording voice. Good luck.
March 29th, 2006 at 11:52 am
cool stuff..
shouldn’t have wasted my money on gettin that pop filter….
May 10th, 2006 at 5:36 pm
Any recommendations on a decent podcasting microphone that *doesn’t* require a preamp? With your pop filter design I could almost use what I have, but it is old and sound pretty flat.
May 10th, 2006 at 8:23 pm
Sam - how about the “Blue Snowball” mic?
May 11th, 2006 at 11:48 am
Thanks! Here are some other options I’m looking at just in case someone else had a similar question.
Samson C01U
or
Shure SM57 (needs preamp so the cost is higher, but tempting since it gets such sweet reviews)
with M-Audio MobilePre USB Mobile Preamp
June 6th, 2006 at 2:06 pm
[...] From Dean Sabtino’s nextplease blog [...]
June 8th, 2006 at 1:46 am
THANK YOU! YOU JUST SAVE ME A BUNCH OF MONEY ON WITH THIS PROJECT!
Do you know, or have any recommendation of the name of the fabric type that is best for making “T” & “D” filter and “B”&”P” filter as well?
Thanks, and please give me a e-mail reply to: nang_i_yang_18@yahoo.com
-Nang Yang
August 4th, 2006 at 2:50 pm
[...] 5. ** This is huge! A Pop Filter. Normal Pop Filter (Used between your mouth (Even for cheaper mics, btw) and the mic) (http://www.zzounds.com/item–RAXPOMT), Less Expensive DIY version (http://www.deansabatino.com/2005/08/21/67/). You really need one, really. To the people who don’t think so, I have raw lines that had to be re-recorded to play you. [...]
August 10th, 2006 at 7:02 pm
hello. i have a problem recording for sum reason it sounds pretty bad when i record its like a scratchy wierd sound and i dont understand why it is im gonan build one of these to see if it helps much but im not sure if it will. what programs do u guys recomend for recording??? and what mics do u guys recomend
September 6th, 2006 at 11:59 pm
[...] This article will show you how to make your own microphone pop-filter. A pop-filter is a small screen that goes between a microphone and your mouth to prevent sharp popping sounds (known as plosives) like “P” and “B” words from overloading the mic level and distorting. Commercially available pop-filters are expensive and can often cost 20 dollars or more. The pop-filter you can build here will cost less than $6 dollars. [Read More…] [...]
September 25th, 2006 at 5:12 am
hey dean, wat is the MXL990 mic like??
i am searching for a wuality mic for voice sound dubbing. would this mic do the trick u reckon?
September 25th, 2006 at 10:35 am
Zander - Yes - the 990 is fine for dubbing. It’s a little bit bright but with a pop filter and some EQ it sounds great. A real deal at 70 bucks.
October 7th, 2006 at 9:54 am
My friends and I just started our own indie rap label. We were thinkin about spending $40 on a pop filter by now we don’t have to shell out any cash! Thanks! Also, I have a CAD GXL2400 mic. Have you heard of this mic/brand and is it good compared to others for the price ($80)?
October 10th, 2006 at 12:59 am
I used your method for putting the nylons onto the embroidery ring, and the gooseneck idea from the article you linked. Thanks for the tip!
I just got a new SM57, and I didn’t shell out hte 15$ for the windguard/pop filter attachment. Glad I didn’t now.
I’ve heard of a lot of people using those MXL 990’s are they really that great? What’s so special about them? I’ve been a fan of the SM58’s and 57’s myself.
\/\/
October 28th, 2006 at 4:17 am
i bought the mxl990/991 combo for 99 bucks. great deal, comes with case, and 2 mics, the 990 is large diaphram and 991 is small diaphram. great bargain for the price, and ive been using them for a year, i suggest this for your first mic for home recording acoustic guitar or vocals.
November 6th, 2006 at 8:48 am
Can I do this in any way with a metal hoop? That way I don’t need to go out and buy just one small wooden hoop.
January 15th, 2007 at 3:30 am
I was about to spend about $50.00 dollars on a professional dual screen popscreen, and then I ran into this site. I couldnt belive how easy it is to make one and I promptly slapped accross my self very hard for even thinking about buying instead of building. I should build my Dual screen pop filter and post it on my site with in the month. Thanks alot for your inspiration. ..X..
March 28th, 2007 at 12:12 pm
ON PODCASTING…
Because I did some podcasting for IMAO, and because blogdaughter Michele of Letters From New York City suggested it in the post where I mentioned the upcoming PodCamp Conference in NYC (April 6th & 7th, 2007, and there’s still time……
June 6th, 2007 at 10:19 pm
yes, i really like this… but, i wanted to know if the pantyhose material is the best, and if it is enough…I have a lot of supplies, but i want to make sure i get the best type of material. Thanks
June 7th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
[...] selberbauen: Hier und hier. Abgelegt unter: Allgemein Geschrieben von: [...]
July 2nd, 2007 at 12:56 am
[...] Nextplease: How To Make Your Own Microphone Pop Filter [...]
July 6th, 2007 at 9:57 am
Where do you buy all stuff for built it.
thank’s
August 27th, 2007 at 5:58 am
My solution was way faster, but it doest look as awesome as yours! I just put a pany over a coat hanger and used tape to mount it to the stand:
http://www.secondhandsuperheroes.com/site/images/recfront.jpg
January 7th, 2008 at 12:28 am
Wow this was a great idea. Saved me money. Looks tacky but I painted the dowel to match my stand. Makes me look less polish now. Nice and neat.
May 4th, 2008 at 4:33 am
[...] recipe I am going to test first is the M-Audio preamp along with a ghetto homemade pop filter and a mixture of microphones I have laying around (ranging from cheap ones to so-so quality). [...]