Audio
June 15, 2025
Our sound and lighting courses can be found here!
In this review, I demonstrate one way I hide a lavalier microphone under a polo shirt and avoid clothing rustle noise.
If you’d like to learn how to make great dialogue audio for your film and video projects, please have a look at my courses including processing dialogue audio in Adobe Audition and DaVinci Resolve/Fairlight, recording sound, how to use the Zoom F4, F6, F8, and F8n, and how to get the most from the Sound Devices MixPre series of recorders. Our latest courses cover Sound for Live Streaming with the ATEM Mini and an Intro to Izotope RX. See our school website for more info!
Demonstrating a method for hiding a lavalier microphone under a polo shirt's button placket to help manage clothing rustle. Using a Shure TL48 lavalier, run it down inside the clothing (normally using a mic drop weight to help thread it through without going too far under someone's clothes).
Key materials: Rycote adhesive-backed "stickies" (double-sided tape), fur from Bubblebee to place over (not covering) the microphone grille to reduce friction noise as clothing moves, and a Bubblebee cable saver — a silicone piece you thread the cable through on both ends and wrap partway around, creating a spring-like strain relief so tugging or friction on the cable further down doesn't transfer up into the microphone capsule.
Process: thread the cable through the cable saver and wrap it a few times about 15cm down the cable, then attach the mic to one side of the sticky tape, apply the fur over (not blocking) the capsule, then place the mic near the bottom of the button placket (farther from the chin/throat generally sounds better), and button the shirt back up. Demonstrated with arm movement showing some manageable rustle but well controlled overall. The fur is the biggest factor in taming clothing noise. Thanks to Bubblebee and Rycote for providing the materials. Get out there and make some great sound.