Want to sound just like your favourite podcaster, voice-over artist or singer? If yes, you should know that the acoustics of your recording space are just as important as the microphone you're using. A reflection screen is a quick, low-cost solution for keeping those unwanted sonic reflections out of your recordings and leaves you with a drier, more neutral sound.
Clean Studio Recordings With a Microphone Reflection Screen
Professional recording studios are generally furnished with absorber panels and diffusers to control the acoustics of the room. Without proper acoustic treatment, most rooms will simply sound either hollow, dead or echoey - issues that even the most expensive microphone on earth wouldn't be able to counter. If you're recording in an untreated bedroom, a reflection screen can be set up to build a mini vocal booth, without the need for a large stack of acoustic panels. On the other hand, adding a handful of absorber panels and setting these up behind a reflection screen is an easy way to improve the acoustics some more. Your options are wall-mountable panels or absorbers that come mounted on a stand.
Mounting a Microphone Reflection Filter Onto a Stand
Installing a reflection filter requires a sturdy stand - preferably a model that doesn't have a boom arm since the combined weight of the microphone and the reflection filter can cause the arm to drop. Already got a boom mic stand? In most cases, the boom arm can simply be removed.
A Compact or Standard Reflection Filter
Since reflection screens are like little vocal booths, standard models aren't necessarily very small. Luckily, there are also various compact reflection screens out there. These models are made of thinner material and are perfect for on-location recordings since their lightweight design not only makes them easier to transport, but more stable when they're set up in combination with a small desktop microphone stand. That being said, larger reflection screens will always be more effective than smaller models.
Frequently Asked Questions About Microphone Reflection Screens
What's the difference between a reflection filter and a pop filter?
Reflection screens block off the back and sides of your microphone to counter reverb, while pop filters are placed between your mouth and the microphone to limit the impact of popping sounds, like the little bursts of air you produce when you form P, B, S and F sounds.
How do reflection screens work and what's their effect?
Recording in a room that hasn't been acoustically treated usually results in hollow or otherwise poor sound. A reflection screen shields the microphone against any sound that bounces off the walls, resulting in a drier, more neutral and professional-sounding take.
Which microphone stands are compatible with reflection filters?
Reflection screens are best mounted onto a straight microphone stand since boom microphone stands usually struggle with the extra weight. You also want the reflection screen to face forward, so a boom arm would only get in the way.
