# getting the popping P sound out of my lecture recordings **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 18, 2008, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-the-popping-p-sound-out-of-my-lecture-recordings/453364 "2008-06-18T17:09:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-the-popping-p-sound-out-of-my-lecture-recordings/453364/1 "2008-06-18T17:09:59Z")
Hi. I use a simple USB headphone-mic set up to record some lectures and found that it works amazingly well. I put the mic a little above my mouth to reduce some of the noise that comes with P sounds (and S sounds), but is there anything else I can do to the mic to reduce that without muffling the sound overall? ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-the-popping-p-sound-out-of-my-lecture-recordings/453364/2 "2008-06-18T17:14:40Z")
Make a wind screen/pop filter. Basically pantyhose over a coat hanger and talk through that. It will kill any plosives or wind noise from your mouth. Also, learn how to speak into a microphone. You can attenuate those harsh sounds yourself and still have it sound perfect. It’s also easier to edit if you’re doing it in software. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-the-popping-p-sound-out-of-my-lecture-recordings/453364/3 "2008-06-18T17:16:24Z")
Fashion a little foam (foam rubber, not Styrofoam) ball, and put the mic inside that. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-the-popping-p-sound-out-of-my-lecture-recordings/453364/4 "2008-06-18T17:18:30Z")
[Here’s](http://www.jakeludington.com/project_studio/20050321_build_your_own_microphone_pop_screen.html) some step-by-step instructions if you want to get a little crafty. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-the-popping-p-sound-out-of-my-lecture-recordings/453364/5 "2008-06-18T17:23:10Z")
Some say elevating your mike angle closer to the tip of your nose will get rid of the air blasts that cause popping p’s and still be clear. Mght look a little funny. ---
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-the-popping-p-sound-out-of-my-lecture-recordings/453364/6 "2008-06-18T18:00:34Z")
[QUOTE=astro] Some say elevating your mike angle closer to the tip of your nose will get rid of the air blasts that cause popping p’s and still be clear. Mght look a little funny. [/QUOTE] Not as funny as panty house over a coat hanger stuck between my mouth and a headphone! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-the-popping-p-sound-out-of-my-lecture-recordings/453364/7 "2008-06-18T18:02:04Z")
[QUOTE=beowulff] Fashion a little foam (foam rubber, not Styrofoam) ball, and put the mic inside that. [/QUOTE] Is there something around that house or that the hardware store would sell that might have said foam rubber in it that would work? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-the-popping-p-sound-out-of-my-lecture-recordings/453364/8 "2008-06-18T18:04:13Z")
[QUOTE=drhess] Is there something around that house or that the hardware store would sell that might have said foam rubber in it that would work? [/QUOTE] Sure, a seat cushion, but don’t let your wife catch you! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-the-popping-p-sound-out-of-my-lecture-recordings/453364/9 "2008-06-19T00:38:24Z")
Learn how to speak without popping your p’s. Back when I was in college, it was just a matter of prounouncing the “p” a little more like a “b.” It’s not all that hard to pick up once you practice a bit.