There are different reasons why your microphone sounds muffled. It could be due to the distance between the microphone and the source sound, bad positioning of the microphone, background noise, wrong microphone choice, blockage of the microphone, or busted equipment.
Either way, there are quick fixes for some of these problems, like tinkering with the sound settings, editing, fixing audio drivers and correct positioning and audio source. Of course, this won’t be the case if you have a broken mic.
Muffled Microphone Sound Due to Distance
Muffled microphone sound is a quick and easy fix due to the distance between the source sound and the microphone.
Using your microphone too far away from you is synonymous with you yelling at a friend from 15 feet away. Both your friend and the mic would not be able to pick up what you are saying, resulting in a muffled sound.
How about if your microphone is too close? The microphone sound will still sound muffled.
This is because of the proximity effect, which is the phenomenon that results in an increase of low-frequency response that makes the sound muffled.
Both of which are fairly easy to fix. All you have to do is either go nearer or farther from the microphone.
Ideally, the sweet spot is 6 to 12 inches away from the microphone. However, if you still feel like it isn’t picking up the sound too well, you can adjust as you see fit. If it still sounds muffled, maybe it’s due to a different problem.
Bad Positioning of Microphone
Bad positioning of your microphone is another reason why you sound so muffled in your recordings.
Most beginners tend not to think about the positioning when setting up their recording setups. When trying to record yourself, you have to be mindful of where your mic is facing. It should be upright and directly facing your mouth.
In solving this problem, all you have to do is check your microphone position. If it is not in the correct position, flip your mic and test if you still sound muffled.
Another thing to check is if it is angled away from you because this might cause the sound to be softer than it should be.
Lastly, try and record with it directly in front of your mouth because moving around while recording might result in inconsistencies throughout your recording – you will either have a softer audio quality or a muffled one.
Background Noises
If you are in a recording studio, this is less likely the reason why you sound muffled. However, if you’re not in a recording studio or somewhere with excellent acoustics, don’t check this off your list.
The awful background noise will, for sure, be picked up by your microphone, which will make your voice sound muffled.
Of course, like the previous two problems, this can be fixed by acoustically treating your recording area to minimize the background noise that your microphone picks up. You can also try and record in a quieter room.
One of the ways to fix this is to add absorption padding around the walls and floor of your room. This will help in absorbing the bad acoustics that bounces off your walls and floor. Moreover, this will also help in absorbing any other ambient noise that might come into your studio.
You can also fix it by purchasing a portable vocal booth which works wonders in giving you a quiet and acoustically treated area to record your vocals.
Wrong Choice of Microphone
If you are experiencing muffled sounds from your microphone, there is a chance that you are using the wrong mic. You should also check the mic quality.
Now, this does not mean that you have to get a more expensive microphone. It just means that there are different types of microphones for different purposes.
For example, most recording microphones are condenser microphones because the top priority is the sound quality. However, for the case of live performances, it is more suitable to use dynamic microphones.
Condenser Microphones
Condenser microphones are designed to give a wide frequency range, low noise, and high fidelity.
These microphones have a thin diaphragm with a backplate, a strip of metal, that has a static charge when electricity is applied. When you use this type of mic, the sound waves coming from your instrument or voice will cause the diaphragm to vibrate, creating a current.
Phantom power is needed to be able to provide the electricity that the condenser mic needs. It is usually in the range of 9 to 48 Volts.
These microphones are quite expensive compared to other microphones due to their sound accuracy. Other than that, they are also quite delicate and can break easily, which is why you should handle this microphone with care.
Dynamic Microphones
However, the primary concern for stage microphones is robustness and how it handles background noises and feedback.
Dynamic microphones have a diaphragm containing a metal coil between the magnetic field of two magnets. So, the sound waves hit the metal coil, diaphragm, and magnets resulting in a conversion of sound energy to electric signals.
Usually, these are dynamic microphones, and unlike the condenser microphones, they do not really offer good sound quality, but this is not really a problem since they are more known to be used in an uncontrolled area where the inconsistencies are not usually if at all, noticed by the audience.
These mics are considered ‘indestructible,’ which implies they are unlikely to shatter. They are also, for the most part, cheap, which means they can be readily changed.
Condenser and dynamic microphones are two different types, so make sure that you get what you need. If you have a different mic lying around, you can test it out if it works better for you.
Microphone Blockage
This is another problem you might encounter when trying to record. However, this is more likely if you are using phone or laptop mic because they have smaller ports that make it difficult for the mic to pick up sounds, especially if the opening is blocked by debris.
For recording studios, your microphones might have windscreens or another type of cover. In this case, your windscreen might be covered in debris that makes it difficult for the sound to reach the mic resulting in a muffled voice.
It’s either that or the cover is too thick for higher frequency sounds to go through the cover, making the microphone register only lower frequencies, resulting in muffled sounds.
Busted Microphone
A busted microphone could also be the cause of the muffled sound. This is most likely the reason if you have other issues with your mic.
Some of these issues are:
- Distorted or strange outputs
If your mic makes crackling sounds, static, or your voice is distorted, and no matter how you tinker with the input jack, it doesn’t get fixed, then it might be busted.
- Does not pick up sound.
This is an obvious sign that your mic is broken. You can change the wire that connects your mic to your equipment, but if that doesn’t fix it, then it’s best to replace it.
- It makes a sound when you shake it around.
This means that there’s something broken inside of the mic. This might happen if you keep dropping it, especially if you use condenser microphones since they are more delicate compared to other types of microphones.
Once you have a broken mic, it would be difficult to try and fix it, especially if you are not an expert. You will save yourself a lot of time if you just go out and buy a replacement.
How Do You Get Rid of Muffled Vocals?
If you already have a good recording session, however, the vocals are somewhat muffled, and you don’t want to re-record, then you can edit it.
Usually, the problem with muffled voices in a recording is the high energy of the lower frequencies. You can edit this by adjusting the EQ or equalization settings to manipulate the audio recording.
Using EQ to Fix Muffling
There are usually EQ settings in audio engines where you can process your recordings.
To try and remove the muffled sounds, you can filter frequencies below 100Hz – this is because even baritones will have difficulty reaching frequencies lower than this.
Ideally, it would be best if you did not tinker with the volume when adjusting the EQ since it might cause you more problems. Reduction is usually what you are to do to clear up vocals.
However, if you are still not satisfied with the clarity, you can tinker with the higher frequencies, but you have to be careful. Just do small boosts until you get the clarity that you want.
Conclusion – Why Does My Microphone Sound so Muffled?
In conclusion, you should be aware of how you position yourself and your microphone to avoid muffled sounds. Moreover, you should make sure that you buy and use the microphone for its intended use. Remember that expensive does not always mean better quality. Moreover, you can always edit your tracks after recording to ensure its quality before you produce them.
