Post No. 5 - 321 Days Left - Pop Filters

     When it comes to recording vocals, a pop filter is an essential tool that no studio would be caught dead without. In order to produce plosive consonants (such as "P" in the word "pop"and "T" in the word "Take"), vocalists must release a puff of breath which can be picked up as a "pop" by an unprotected microphone. To keep this "pop" from happening, a sheer shield, known as a pop filter, is placed between the vocalist and the microphone. The filter dissipates troublesome puffs of air while allowing sound to go reach the mic with negligible interference.

     I found several decent pop filters for under $20 on amazon; however, I have heard of people making pop filters out of a wire coat hanger and a pair of nylon pantyhose. Simply bend the hanger to a desired shape, cover with the pantyhose and attach to the mic stand so that it stays between the mic and the vocalist. Since this is the Budget Album Project, I had to opt for this approach. I found an unused wire hanger in my closet, bummed a worn out pair of panty hose from of my mom and made a pop filter that has proven to be very effective. Here's what it looks like attached to my gear:

The price (free) was the best part. If you're not feeling this creative, I recommend the Nady MPF-6 Pop Filter, available on amazon for $17.25 (free shipping). As always, please consider buying through the following link. It won't cost you anything and it will help me add to this project.

Nady MPF-6 Nady 6-Inch Clamp On Microphone

Added to Gear/Expenses:
Homemade Pop Filter (Free)