Windscreens & Shockmounts
Introduction to Shockmounts
Two of the worst problems that plague location sound recording are rumble and wind noise.
Rumble can be defined as unwanted bass vibrations transmitted through objects into the mic capsule itself. Examples of rumble include ground or floor vibrations caused by nearby traffic, heavy footsteps, and building/structural vibrations. In addition to rumble, a closely related malady is that of handling noise -- created by the friction or light tapping of human fingers, either directly against the microphone itself or conducted through whatever means by the microphone is supported (e.g. fishpole).
Introduction to Windscreens
Before we get into a discussion of windscreens, a preliminary word about wind noise. There are two types of wind noise that will affect your soundtrack: acoustic wind noise and contact wind noise. Acoustic wind noise is sound of the wind blowing in the environment. It may be the howling that the wind makes blowing through trees and between buildings. It is a form of ambiance, just like traffic noise. Because it is a generated background noise in our environment, it cannot be controlled by a windscreen.
Audio Gear