Any tricks to reducing hand noise

[Lisa Bennett]

I have a hand held cabled dynamic mic. If I barely move my hand at all it picks up noise. Are there any tricks to help reduce this noise or something that can go over the grip area? Going to try some type of tape to see if it helps but if you have some DIY tricks, please share.

This is the only hand held I have right now unfortunately.

[Brian P. Reynolds]

What make / model of microphone?

[Richard Crowley]

Some mics are inherently more sensitive to handling noise, and some are less sensitive.
Some mics are DESIGNED for hand-held use, and some even are "double-shell" to isolate handling noise.

Possible remedies depend on many factors not in evidence here.
Obviously, withholding the identify of your microphone forces us to try to guess what you are talking about.
Also, how you are using it may provide some hints how to improve things.

[Lisa Bennett]

It's not a fancy mic. I failed to give more info in the post. It says it is a dynamic omnidirectional mic.

Using it for interviews with a mic flag for branding.

Will try holding it along with the cable in same hand to see if it can be reduced somewhat and perhaps a little tape just to see if it helps any.

Just slightly moving a finger I can hear it in the headphones. Going to do some testing tonight. Thinking there might be something I can use on the hand grip to reduce hand noise. Trying tape this evening and re-testing.

Certainly, I need a better mic, I realize that..... :(

[Edward Carlson]

If the only thing written on the mic is "dynamic omnidirectional," then you need a better mic! Gold standard for news (in the states, at least) is the ElectroVoice RE50. If you've ever seen a man-on-the-street news interview, they were probably using an RE50.

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Lisa Bennett

I have a hand held cabled dynamic mic. If I barely move my hand at all it picks up noise. Are there any tricks to help reduce this noise or something that can go over the grip area? Going to try some type of tape to see if it helps but if you have some DIY tricks, please share.

This is the only hand held I have right now unfortunately.

Loop the cable and hold that as well as the mic - this method does reduce handling noise due to the cable.

[Dave Baker]

Try a piece of pipe insulation, the foam tube type (Armaflex it's called here). It comes in several wall thicknesses, 1/2" would be easier to hold. Put the mike into it and hold by the foam.

There's also a sticky tape version which is much thinner, you could wrap some around the mike. Either a DIY store, or maybe cadge a bit from a heating or air conditioning engineer.

Better still, make a shock mount. For example, a piece of tube of a substantially larger diameter, cut 8 slots in four pairs opposite each other at each end and put elastic bands through the slots in an X. Where the bands meet will be a square where you can push the mike, it should hold quite firmly.

Dave

[Don Palomaki]

As noted, low cost mics tend to produce much more handling noise. You can mitigate it with a shock mount on a pistol grip, or perhaps by padding the mic body as described above.

Mics designed for hand held use in professional/production environment will do much better. The $35 dynamics are generally non-starters for quality sound.

Which mic and pick-up pattern to use will depend on your applications and preference for the mic's sound.

[Lisa Bennett]

Lots of great information. Thank you for all of the replies.

Looking into trying the foam today.

I was able to reduce a good part of the noise last night using some tape and holding the cable with the mic.

[Jonathan Levin]

If your hand is not in the shot and you are just picking up sound, how about adding to the above wearing some soft cotton gloves.

[Rick Reineke]

Buy a 'real' mic. With most of the low cost mics, the element is hard-mounted to the mic body, picking all kinds of unwanted handling noise. Even if there's no handling noise, there's many other compromises in sound and build quality. (cheap is cheap)
I see pre-owned RE50's all the time for around $100 USD. There are also brand new H/H omni mics from Audio Technica and Shure for around $100.
BTW, a cheap cable can also produce noise via poor shielding, picking up EMI, RF, or micro-phonics, or just contributing to the handling noise. A woven type shielded cable is recommended for H/H use. I prefer the 'star-quad' type cables from Canare, Belden and Mogami, which will likely last an entire career, barring any catastrophic accidents. They are also much much easier to work with (coil/uncoil) before and after a shot.

[Lisa Bennett]

I agree I do need a new mic. Will look into the brands you mentioned.

Glove is good idea but hand for this instance will be in shot.

Appreciate all of the tips.

[Bruce Watson]

Originally Posted by Lisa Bennett

I have a hand held cabled dynamic mic. If I barely move my hand at all it picks up noise.

Handheld, but when you handle it you get noise => get a better mic. In the USA, the standard for reporters mics (that is, designed for reporters to use) is the http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/102900-REG/Electro_Voice_16502345_RE50N_D_B_N_DYM_Dynamic.html. It's almost totally immune to handling noise, and surprisingly immune to wind noise, and holds a flag well too. In Europe, the standard is the http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/475910-REG/Sennheiser_MD42_MD_42_ENG_Handheld_Microphone.html, for similar reasons.

Avoid the temptation to use a non-omni mic. Don't go there. Unless conditions are really extreme (only a handful of events, like the superbowl or world cup finals) you want an omni for this duty. I've used my RE50N on very noisy trade show floors with just amazing results.

[Paul R Johnson]

This is the sure fire way to spot a fake Shure mic from a real one. The fakes all have rigid plastic capsule mounts and are very prone to handling noise, real ones have a soft rubber mount inside, and are quiet.

[Don Bloom]

EV RE50
Shure SM63 (love the look and the sound)
Sony 635? I believe that's the model number

These are but 3 of the top 5 or 6 HH mics used around the country for run and gun interviews that have great sound and little if any handling noise. Best part is they're all under $150.00 which while it is an investment of some cash, if you plan on using more than once than it will pay for itself in short order.