Stopping bleed from headphone

[bruno]

Any tips. I've got some closed cup Shure headphones - but whenever recording acoustic, I always get some bleed from the drums - particularly at the end of the track. I guess I should plan the recordings better and program the drums before recording the acoustic, but I don't tend to work that way. Was thinking of getting some headphones with better isolation - so any ideas, or external limiters?
B

[Oldrottenhead]

i use http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Goji-Tinchy-Stryder-On-Ear-Headphones-White/172411856951?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D38661%26meid%3D488920e00b634c19adc1b0ef735ca582%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D172411861767 tho i added a metal frame from the headpiece of an older pair of headphones to tighten them, after i accidentally stood on them and broke the headpiece, there is absolutely no leakage and they are great for monitoring and actually great for mixing and mastering.

[cuthbert]

I have a set of Shure closed headphones that are pretty good at keeping the sound in the ears rather than getting picked up by the mic - but they are not perfect. On occasion I have done a little cleanup in Audition, but doing so is time-consuming.

I haven't tried it recently, but you might want to try adding a noise gate at the output of your mic preamp. I did that in the past back in analog days, but getting the gate just right can be a bit fiddley, too.

[64Guitars]

Though I can't speak from personal experience, I would imagine that a good set of In-Ear Monitors or Earphones would help a lot.

https://www.shure.co.uk/products/earphones


If you're currently recording your guitar with an omnidirectional microphone, try switching to a directional mic, preferably mounted on a stand and aimed down toward the guitar so that most of the headphone bleeding is rejected by the mic's directional pickup pattern.


When you're recording, the mix that you're monitoring doesn't have to be anything like the final mix. So try reducing the drum track level. Unless you need it for time-keeping, it probably isn't important to hear the drums while recording your guitar. Just play along to the other tracks instead. If you need a count-in, make a separate count-in track of one or two measures in length instead of relying on the drum track for the count-in.

[Blooby]

I use ear buds (at low volume) for recording acoustic. If the sound still bleeds through, I will put a pair of shooting ear protectors over the top. I didn't invent this, by the way, but it works great.

An alternative is to get drummers' earphones, which tend to isolate the sound pretty well. Vic Firth has an affordable pair.

Blooby

[Flash Harry]

IEMs are the way to go. Ear buds at a push

[Hook]

I don't care about bleed through...or traffic noise...or kid sounds...dogs barking...nature noises...
Most times in the car I don't even put headphones on until it's recorded.

[cuthbert]

I use ear buds (at low volume) for recording acoustic. If the sound still bleeds through, I will put a pair of shooting ear protectors over the top. I didn't invent this, by the way, but it works great.

An alternative is to get drummers' earphones, which tend to isolate the sound pretty well. Vic Firth has an affordable pair.

Those are both really good ideas. I already have hearing protector earmuffs and ear buds - I'm going to give this a try next time.

For around the same price as the Vic Firth phones, KAT Percussion KTUI26 phones get lots of good reviews. I'm guessing neither have really great sound, but they both look like they could be good at isolating the audio to reduce mic pickup.

[bruno]

Thanks all for the comments - I'll try the IEM covered over with the closed cap headphones - and see if that cuts down the bleed. Else I'll have to try some other monitor headphones :-) I like the idea of getting shooting ear defenders - although I'm not sure that there is much of a market for those in the UK, so have no idea where to get those :-)
B

**update * - just been on amazon, and there's lots of shooting ear defenders, quite surprised.

[Mach]

I've used Audio-Technica ATH M50's for quite some time and I've had really great success with not having bleed with these closed end cans. They are also very comfortable so keeping them on for long lengths of time is no problem.
Not exactly isolating phones , but still one of the best I've found in the low to med price range. Vic Firth makes some good drumming phones that sound great also.

Mach