How to Stop Mic from Picking Up Keyboard Noise

There is nothing more annoying than having your microphone pick up the background noise. Whether you’re a gamer or a professional that wants a successful Zoom meeting, eliminating the keyboard sound from your video or audio recordings is a timeless process.

Let’s look at how to stop the mic from picking up the keyboard.

Select the Right Microphone

Most importantly, focus on the microphone you want to use. To reduce background noise and sound reflections, get a microphone that records what is directly in front of it. For instance, a cardioid microphone is a good example. Due to its heart-shaped pattern, it is designed to pick up sound from the front of the microphone.

While it does gather sounds from the side, it has a weaker signal. Cardioid microphones reject sounds behind them. Since cardioid microphones have one recording direction, you can reduce the noise that it picks up.

Some people like headset microphones. They keep the microphone towards your face, and you don’t have to stay too close to the mic while streaming or gaming. On the other hand, there is one disadvantage. Because the headset microphones are closer to the speaker’s mouth, it picks up breathing and plosive sounds. Make sure you place the microphone below your lips and on the side of your mouth.

There are some headsets with in-built microphones, making them suitable for gaming. Also, it allows you to speak and listen hands-free. But in professional scenarios such as broadcasting, where you’ll need high-quality audio, an in-built headset isn’t the best option. For instance, If you have a microphone with no headset, test out different microphone positions. You’ll be surprised at what mic placements have better sound results.

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Some microphones aren’t good for recording without background noise. For example, if you have a condenser microphone, removing ambient noise will be difficult. That’s because the condenser mics are more likely to pick up background noise (i.e., keyboard noise). These microphones collect sound in a circle, making it impossible to avoid keyboard noise.

Reducing Keyboard Vibration

The surface you use will determine the loudness of your keyboard. For example, if your keyboard is on wood or another firm surface, it will create noise.

Fortunately, this is the easiest to fix – invest in a foam pad and place it underneath the keyboard. When in use, the foam pad will reduce the keyboard’s sounds by absorbing the extra vibrations.

Reduce Keyboard Sounds

When you type, your microphone picks up the keyboard noise. If you’re using a mechanical keyboard, the springs underneath the keys are loud when you type.

As a result, it records the sound of your individual keystrokes. Here are some ways to eliminate the typing noise.

Keyboard Pads

Keyboard pads are noise-reducing devices that cover your entire keyboard. Pads offer more security, and they’re easier to install. For better noise reduction, consider getting a thicker pad.

O-rings

When you press down on a keyboard, you’ll hear a click. The microphone picks up that loud sound, and it can be annoying to others listening.

O-rings are rubber rings designed to prevent pressure added to the keys. O-rings are a popular choice for keyboard modifications, but they are difficult to install.

Find Acoustic Foam

Adding acoustic foam to your room seems like a drastic step, but it does wonders for improving your audio quality. If you need to remove keyboard noise and don’t need high-quality audio, you might not need acoustic treatment.

Acoustic foam is used to absorb sound in the room. It reduces the room’s natural reverb and sound reflection. If there is an issue with keyboard noise, the acoustic foam is designed to absorb it.

At least, it can reduce the echoes and sound reflections, which helps the noise removal tool target keyboard noise.

Keyboard Reducing Software

If you’ve done everything to quiet your keyboard, it’s time to think like an audio engineer and look for noise reduction software. You can find software that uses real-time noise cancellation for the sounds your mic picks up. This gives you a clearer sound for audio recording.

Noise Gates

Some audio software companies provide noise gate and suppression software that operates in real-time. For example, the noise gate removes the noise before listeners hear you if you’re live streaming. You can even set up a basic noise gate.

Start by setting a noise threshold. Next, the noise gate will eliminate noises that are higher than that level. While most noise gates lack precision, the more advanced programs are more accurate.

Advanced programs require you to record background noise, which acts like post-production software. Start by uploading the ambient noise to the software. After that, the noise gate will remove any audio that sounds similar to the sample.

You might need an extra plugin if you’re using a DAW like Ableton, Logic, or FL Studio. Most DAWs come with in-built plugins designed to remove noise from your recordings.

Silent Mechanical Keyboards

Hopefully, the previous tips will help you with sound reduction. However, it’s still difficult to remove all keyboard noise on recordings or video calls

In this scenario, you should consider getting silent keyboards. Mechanical keyboards are known for creating unwanted noise – each key has its own switch, making a “clicking” sound when pressed.

Mechanical keyboards sound louder than average. However, silent keyboards have switches that use noise prevention material to reduce noise. In most scenarios, the key switch has shock absorbers and reduces the keystroke’s travel distance.

Before getting mechanical keyboards, always manage your expectations. Even though they’re called “silent’ keyboards, they still create noise. On the other hand, the noise is quieter than normal keyboards.

There is a chance that your microphone will collect those sounds. If this does occur, they are less likely to become noticeable.

Conclusion

Now you’ve learned how to stop the mic from picking up the keyboard. With these methods, your audience will be able to pick up your voice and not the keyboard noise.

To conclude, if you’re attempting to optimize your sound quality, having a keyboard reduction system will get the job done.