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Blue Yetis are known for their crystal-clear recording capabilities. However, they’re loaded with so many patterns and other adjustments that it can be difficult to make your singing sound true to life. Fortunately, there’s a four-step process to get the most out of your vocals while using a Blue Yeti microphone.

The best settings for using a Blue Yeti for singing include choosing the cardioid pattern to ensure the microphone only records what’s in front of it, setting the onboard gain to -10, and editing your recording through a digital audio workstation. Place the mic about 10 in (25.4 cm) away from your mouth.

In this article, I’ll explain everything you need to know about achieving the best singing quality from your Blue Yeti. I’ll also show you a handful of reasons why your mic might not sound as good as you’d hoped.

1. Choose the Correct Pattern

Blue Yeti microphones come with multiple recording patterns. You can cycle through them on the front of the device. Leads Rating explains the cardioid recording pattern is the best setting for singing with your Blue Yeti. This polar pattern only records everything in front of it, making it much easier to get a crisp, clear audio clip.

Here are the remaining recording patterns and why you might consider them for singing:

• Stereo recording pulls nearby noises from all directions while the backside is semi-muted. This setting is ideal if you have two people singing at the same time. Keep in mind that the stereo recording setting won’t provide clear results unless you’re sitting within two feet of the side or front of the microphone.
• Bidirectional recording isn’t very useful when it comes to recording vocals. It opens the polar pattern to receive incoming noises from the front and back of the mic while the sides are muted. This setting is usually used for recording podcasts with a guest. However, you could use it if you’re stuck in a small space with a second singer.
• Omnidirectional recording pulls sounds from all directions. This setting should almost never be used for singing with a Blue Yeti. Not only does it drastically increase the chances of recording white noises, but it also pulls away from your voice’s clarity. However, it could be used if you have three or more singers in a soundproofed room.

The cardioid setting is almost always the best option for singing with a Blue Yeti. For optimal results when recording two or more voices, use the cardioid setting and record each clip separately. You can layer them in a DAW (digital audio workstation) to make it sound like everyone’s singing at the same time.

Note: The Blue Yeti has a polar pattern knob at the base of the mic. Simply turn the knob to the desired setting. You can use this knob while recording to test each variation, deciding which one best suits your singing needs. If you don’t like the cardioid polar pattern, try the stereo setting.

2. Set the Onboard Gain

Your Blue Yeti has two primary settings: Gain and Polar Pattern. Now that the polar pattern is set, you should know the importance of the gain knob. E Mastered recommends setting your gain at -10, without letting it get below -18 or above -6. Gain is measured in decibels (dB), with each dB making a significant difference.

Many people often confuse gain and volume. Here’s the best way to separate them when singing into your Yeti Mic and making setting adjustments:

• Volume is how loud the recording sounds when it’s coming through the headphones, speakers, or other audio equipment. Increasing the volume doesn’t affect the input on most audio interfaces and other recording devices.
• Gain is how loud the audio signals are when they go into the recording device and the audio interface. If the gain is too high, it’ll sound foggy and muffled. If the gain isn’t high enough, your audio recording will sound patchy because it’s not picking up enough sounds.

Note: Singing gain settings are different from instrumental gain settings, especially if you’re recording through an external mic (such as your Blue Yeti). Make sure you adjust the gain accordingly.

Check out: Gain Vs. Volume Explained

3. Proper Mic Placement Is Key

Knowing where and how to position your Blue Yeti is perhaps one of the most overlooked settings. While it might not be a knob or button on the mic, the position can make or break your recording. It needs to be close enough for optimal clarity but far enough to prevent plosives (you should also use a pop filter for singing).

Consider these tips when using a Blue Yeti for singing:

• Keep your microphone about 10 inches away from your face when you’re singing. If your Blue Yeti is too close, it’ll sound muffled and unprofessional. If it’s too far away, you won’t be able to hear your voice as clearly. Keep in mind that you should set the gain prior to finding the proper positioning. You can alter both settings afterward.
• Blue Yetis record from the front, not the top, so ensure you have the top pointed toward the ceiling. The microphone’s rounded top often misleads people into believing it’s the receiver. Look for the ‘Back’ label on your Blue Yeti to know which direction it should face. You can rotate the mic with its hinges to achieve a better setup.
• If you don’t have acoustic foam in your recording room, keep the mic away from windows, doors, and other areas where sound can enter. The fewer echoes, the better. Walls, hardwood floors, tiles, ceilings, and other obstacles don’t absorb soundwaves; they echo them around the room, sending them into the Blue Yeti mic.
• Make sure the front of the mic is pointed at you, especially if you’re using the suggested cardioid polar pattern. The stereo setting will let you record from the sides, but the best quality comes from the front. It’s also good practice to get used to pointing the microphone directly at your mouth (the front, not the top!).
• Put the Blue Yeti on a stable, level surface. If your Yeti pics up random bumping sounds when you accidentally touch the table it’s on, consider getting a shock mount. Use a leveler tool to ensure the Blue Yeti is flat, then check if it moves randomly. These small adjustments will prevent pops, sound wave spikes, and other recording issues.

Once you have all the onboard settings and proper placement ready to go, it’s time to learn the best DAW settings for using a Blue Yeti for singing. These adjustments play a major role in the final audio clip. They can also add unique effects that greatly improve your voice (or make it much worse than it actually is). Read on for more information.

Check out: Blue Yeti Position

4. Use a Digital Audio Workstation Settings for Your Yeti Mic

Digital audio workstations are almost unavoidable for those who want to record their vocals with a Blue Yeti. This software allows you to adjust the ambiance, compression, and many other important settings.

Some of the most popular digital audio workstations include:

• Image-Line by FL Studio
• Apple Logic Pro
• GarageBand
• Steinberg Cubase
• Ableton Live
• PreSonus Studio One
• Avid Pro Tools

Best DAW Settings for Singing With a Blue Yeti

There are many other options, both free and paid. Search for your preferred DAW, then consider these best settings for using a Blue Yeti for singing:

• Compression: This adjustment lets you prevent loud sounds from clipping the recording. When something (your voice, in this instance) gets too loud, it can spike and clutter the recording. Adjust the compression after recording your singing to ensure nothing is too loud. Your sound waves should be relatively level and steady.
• Gain: Much like the onboard gain setting on your Blue Yeti, any DAW will let you change the gain. Most default gain settings are perfectly acceptable for singing. That being said, I highly recommend ensuring it’s on the same level as your Yeti microphone. The last thing you need is white noise generated from unequal gain settings.
• Low, Mid, and High EQ: These settings let you control which of these wavelengths is dulled, muted, or highlighted. For example, if you want more bass in your vocals, you could increase the Low EQ setting. On the other hand, if you prefer highlighting your higher octaves, raise the High EQ knob.
• Reverb and ambiance: Reverb and ambiance are common DAW settings that let you choose the echoed qualities of your recording. Lots of reverb makes it sound like you’re recording a live performance at a concert (with sound carrying steadily), whereas increasing the ambiance makes the audio clip sound fuller.
• Noise gate: The noise gate works as the opposite setting of compression. Where the compression prevents loud noises from recording, the noise gate lets you choose the lowest dB recorded. This is an excellent way to improve your vocals if there’s a lot of background noise. Increase it until you can hear your voice, but not anything else.

Some high-end digital audio workstations have additional features. If you’re worried about making the previously mentioned setting adjustments, you can look for the DAW’s singing default options. Many DAWs (such as GarageBand) have several microphone default settings that let you adjust the recording without messing with knobs, sliders, and other options.

Why Does My Blue Yeti Mic Sound Bad When I Sing? 

Your Blue Yeti mic sounds bad when you sing because you’re not using the correct polar pattern, the gain is too high, or you recorded with a higher headphone volume than recommended. Additionally, too much white noise can cloud a vocal recording, and your DAW can have negative side effects.

Here’s a detailed look at each of these Blue Yeti issues and why you should avoid them:

• You’re stuck between polar patterns (or you’re using the wrong one). If you don’t turn the knob until it clicks, your Blue Yeti will be stuck between multiple recording patterns. This means it can open the sides or back to record without you knowing about it. Make sure you have the knob firmly placed in the correct position (cardioid or stereo).
• According to The Podcast Host, you should set the gain as low as possible without muting yourself. This will allow you to avoid picking up background noise while ensuring your voice is quite clear. You can move a bit closer to the mic or raise your voice if you’re having trouble with random soundwave mutes in your DAW.
• You might have your headphones too loud, which makes the draft sound clearer and better than the final recording. This is a common beginner mistake, so don’t worry. Increasing your headphone volume while recording lets you hear your voice clearly, but most of the white noise doesn’t show up until you’re done recording.
• Excessive amounts of white noise and background noise can hinder your Blue Yeti singing recordings. Echoed vocals throughout the room, sounds from outside, other people talking in the neighboring room, and even ceiling fans can make your Blue Yeti sound awful. This isn’t the mic’s fault; it can happen to the best mics available.
• Default DAW settings (or messing with them too much) can undoubtedly alter your Blue Yeti mic. Many digital audio workstations have default settings that affect compression, gain, low, mid, high, and more. Make sure you adjust the settings with the aforementioned suggestions (or choose default singing settings, if possible).

Making the necessary adjustments will help your Blue Yeti sound significantly better. There’s a reason dozens of professional singers, podcasters, and other recording artists use Blue Yeti microphones. The onboard settings are a major part of the recording but don’t forget to play around with the DAW to find what suits your musical taste.

Check out: Best Blue Yeti Microphone

Final Thoughts

While Blue Yeti microphones are some of the best budget-friendly recording mics on the market, they need a few setting changes to reach their full potential. Remember, your room’s acoustics also play a major role. Consider adding acoustic foam to dampen echoes and incoming noises from outside the recording room.

Sources

• https://www.thepodcasthost.com/equipment/why-is-my-blue-yeti-fuzzy/
• https://emastered.com/blog/how-to-record-vocals
• https://www.leadsrating.com/microphones/make-yeti-sound-better/

Blue Snowball is one of the most popular USB microphones available in today’s market. While the mic is usually effortless to set up, some Mac users have reported problems using it. So, how can you best use Snowball on Mac, and what issues should you look out for?

To use a Blue Snowball on Mac, adjust the device’s settings to make sure it’s recognized by the operating system. Snowball is compatible with all current OS versions, and most issues stem from a bad USB connection or improper setup.

Read on to find out how to use your Snowball on a Mac. Below, I’ll also give you some tips on common issues and how to troubleshoot them. Let’s get started!

1. Invest in a Good-Quality Adapter

This mic is designed as a plug-and-play unit, so you shouldn’t need any extra gear to set it up. But if you’re using Snowball on a MacBook Air, you’ll need an adapter to connect the USB-A to the Lightning port. I suggest only buying official Apple cables. Although third-party lightning cables are available at a lower price, they are often fraught with problems.

2. Open Sound System Preferences

You should already be familiar with this tab, as it’s where you typically customize your entire Mac. Access it by opening up the Apple menu (click on the logo) or through the settings icon on the dock. Then, click on the Sound icon to access sound settings. Then, navigate to the “Input” tab and click on it. 

3. Select Your Microphone

Under “Choose a device for sound input,” you should find your microphone (named Blue Snowball, in this case) if it is recognized by your Mac. Double-click its name to choose it.

If you don’t find your mic listed here, I’ve mentioned a few troubleshooting tips below to help you fix that.

4. Adjust the Volume

You should now find a volume slider that you can adjust to change the input volume. That is, the gain of the signal the microphone will feed into your computer for recording/processing. Take some time to experiment with different input levels, as doing so will significantly affect the final results of your audio recording.

Common Problems When Using Blue Snowball on a Mac

Despite the simple and straightforward plug-and-play system, USB microphones like the Blue Snowball often have problems connecting to Mac computers and laptops. Below are the most common problems you may encounter and how to fix them. 

Blue Snowball Is Not Recognized by Mac

If your computer doesn’t recognize your Blue Snowball microphone, don’t worry—this happens a lot. This problem is actually common among all USB or external microphones connected to Mac computers and laptops. 

For many users, it’s usually because they haven’t chosen the correct microphone during the setup process. However, some report that the microphone doesn’t show up in the list of options at all. 

One way to try to fix this problem is to keep your Blue Snowball plugged in while rebooting your device. This will give the system a chance to refresh the drivers and iron out any errors.

Bad USB Connection

As expensive as Apple products may be, their lightning cables are notorious for getting frayed and damaged sooner than expected. Even if there’s no visual damage on the cable, there may be some internal damage that will surely disrupt the USB connection. 

Before you go out and splurge on a new cable, you need to be sure that the USB connection isn’t the problem. It’s easy enough to check—use the cable for a different purpose and observe if it’s working normally. If it isn’t, replace the cable. Otherwise, there’s no need to get a new one.

Hissing Sound 

Many Mac users also report crackling and hissing sounds when recording using their Blue Snowball microphone. Obviously, this can seriously reduce audio quality. So, if you hear any background crackling noise on your recordings, it’s best to fix the problem at its root. 

At the back of your Blue Snowball microphone, you’ll find a switch marked 1, 2, and 3. These are microphone pick-up patterns, which you should already be familiar with if you intend to record anything professionally. 

According to the Blue Snowball user guide, these pick-up patterns are as follows:

• Position 1: Cardioid
• Position 2: Cardioid (-10dB pad)
• Position 3: Omnidirectional

If you’re hearing crackling and hissing sounds, it’s probably because you have the microphone set at position 1. Changing to position 2 or 3 will reduce this sound, but it’s best to experiment on your own. 

The Microphone Volume Is Too Low

Some Mac users have reported that while everything else works just fine, their microphone input volume remains too low despite adjusting it. This problem may arise if the microphone’s volume settings are stored in the PRAM or NVRAM. 

Resetting the PRAM and NVRAM will delete any existing settings and allow the system to start afresh. Here’s how you can do that:

1. Turn off your Macbook by clicking on “Shut Down…” after clicking the Apple icon menu.
2. Turn on your Macbook. 
3. Immediately press and hold the following keys: Command + P + R. 
4. Continue holding the keys until your Macbook restarts (around 20 seconds). You should see the Apple logo appear, disappear, and then appear for the second time. 
5. Reconfigure your microphone settings as explained above.

Blue Snowball Is Not Working on Some Apps

Some users have noticed that their microphone works just fine when recording for the most part, but tends to stop working on certain apps or editing software. This problem usually occurs because the app does not have permission to use the microphone. 

This feature in Mac is a safeguard against malware and other malicious software. Luckily, granting permission to individual apps is simple enough. Here’s how: 

1. Click on “System Preferences” from the Apple icon menu.
2. Navigate to “Security & Privacy”.
3. Click on the “Privacy” tab.
4. Click on “Microphone”,  it should be on the left-hand side of the window.
5. You should now see which apps are allowed to use the Blue Snowball device. Find the relevant app and grant permission by clicking the check mark.
6. If the app already has permission, remove the check mark and grant permission again to reset.
7. Test your microphone on the app in question.

If you’ve followed these steps and the mic still doesn’t work on certain apps, try uninstalling and reinstalling the app. Otherwise, there might be a problem with the app itself. Contact the app developers for help.  

Troubleshooting Tips

The Blue Snowball is an excellent choice for Mac users because of its effortless installation and setup. However, you might occasionally find yourself in need of troubleshooting to figure out what is causing problems with the microphone.

Here are a few tips on troubleshooting your Blue Snowball on your Mac:

• Check that your system is fully updated and that it meets the system requirements for using the Blue Snowball.
• Ensure that the USB connection is not disrupted.
• Reinstall the microphone to ensure it is installed correctly.
• Test the microphone on other devices to ensure it is not faulty.
• Reset PRAM. 
• Turn on the dictation feature. Even if you don’t intend on using this feature, turning it on will enable your Mac to download all the installation files, which in turn helps things run smoothly. 
• Try restarting to Safe Mode. (Shut down the Mac and hold the shift key during start-up until it boots in Safe Mode). Configure and test the microphone in Safe Mode, then restart your Mac as usual.

Why Use the Snowball Instead of the Built-in Mic on Your Mac

As with most other laptops, Macbooks generally come with a built-in microphone, which isn’t particularly bad to use. But using a Snowball allows you to access more features, especially direct monitoring and microphone pick-up patterns.

You can also use the Snowball to record multiple sound sources—for example, when you have a guest on your podcast. Additionally, if you want to record musical instruments, the built-in microphone simply won’t do the instruments justice. Snowball is perfect for directing pick-up patterns and reducing excess noise.

If you don’t intend to record anything using your Blue Snowball, it can still be an excellent mic to use for dictation and other purposes. For example, you can use it for online meetings (on Zoom, Skype, etc.) You can also use it during live streaming, gaming, or other situations that require a microphone.

Most users buy the Snowball for recording purposes, and Mac is perfect for post-editing. Here are some ways you can use your Mac and Blue Snowball together for professional-quality recordings:

• Record multiple music tracks of yourself playing each instrument and edit them using your Mac to form one soundtrack. 
• Record a podcast with multiple guests (even two or three, as you have 4 USB ports on your Mac). 
• Record a vlog using the camera on your Macbook. The Snowball will record clearer audio.

Software To Record and Edit Audio on Mac

You can use whichever software you prefer to record and edit your audio. For example, there’s an official app by Blue called Sherpa. However, the mic is also compatible with most major audio recording apps, so, you can pick and choose the app of your liking when you need to tweak the settings on your Blue Snowball. 

The following are the most popular audio recording apps for Mac users to pair with Blue Snowball.

Audacity

Audacity is a free, open-source audio recording and editing app that will be powerful enough for most applications. It supports a wide variety of plugins and has all the essential effects and editing tools, including:

• Pitch change
• Noise reduction
• Compressor
• Echo, distortion, reverb, etc
• Transitions
• Mixing

Audacity may not have the most polished interface, but it’s hard to beat when you consider it’s free.

However, if you plan to make music, you’ll need something more robust.

Logic Pro X

This is the first app to include Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio tools, which are highly sought after for audio recording. You can make the most out of your Blue Snowball on your mac using this software, as it provides professional editing options. Here are some of the features you’ll find:

• Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio tools
• Free version available
• Easy installation
• The system is optimized for use on the latest Mac OS. 
• Includes settings with reduced plugins to save CPU power and reduce latency

MuLab 8

This lesser-known software is highly suitable for home studios and newbies in the audio recording/editing field. You can use this software to produce professional, high-quality audio. More importantly, its workflow is pretty straightforward and easy to follow. Here’s what you can expect from this software:

• Time stretching and pitch shifting
• Exceptional workflow makes it easy to get editing done
• Affordable price
• Full-featured MIDI
• Numerous effects and plugins
• Free version available

GarageBand

Considered a great audio recording and editing software, Garageband is a great tool to use if you want to produce high-quality audio. Its user interface is intuitive and offers fast performance.

GarageBand is better known for being an easy-to-use DAW. Just like Logic Pro X, it’s developed by Apple and a Mac exclusive. If you want to dip your toes in music production with the help of your Snowball but don’t want to commit to a professional DAW, GarageBand is the perfect place to start.

Here’s what you can expect when using Garageband:

• Professional user interface
• High-quality editing options and features.
• 24-bit recording
• Third-party plugin support

I must mention that Garageband does not offer a free version.

Final Thoughts

Setting up and using Blue Snowball on your Mac shouldn’t be too much of a hassle. If you follow the setup process correctly, you shouldn’t face any major problems. Even so, troubleshooting potential issues is simple enough, and there’s no shortage of audio recording and editing software available for Mac users. 

A professional-quality recording is just a few clicks away, and Blue Snowball is extremely easy to use. Record vocals, podcasts, and music using this affordable mic on your Mac and get professional-sounding results at home.

Sources

• AARP: USB? USB-C? Lightning? Making Sense of Connectors
• Apple Support: System And Kernel Extensions In macOS
• Administrivia: About NVRAM and PRAM
• Indiana University Bloomington: Introduction to the MIDI Standard

Discord is a great platform to build a fan base for your home-based podcast, and it’s a place where you can interact one-on-one with your listeners. If you’ve noticed that your Blue Snowball tends to stop working on Discord, you’re not alone. 

Blue Snowball not working on Discord can be due to settings, updates, permissions, or even connectivity issues. Making sure the Blue Snowball is set as your default microphone and has all the appropriate permissions can ensure the mic never stops working on Discord.

This article will review a wide variety of methods you can use to try and get your Blue Snowball to work consistently on Discord. There are no complex fixes involved, so you should be able to resolve the issue quickly. Here are all the things you should check regarding the Snowball not working on Discord and the easy ways to fix them.

1. Ensure You Aren’t Muted on Discord

This may sound strange, but there is a great chance that you are muted on Discord. This might be happening accidentally, meaning you are muting yourself and forgetting about it. 

The most likely explanation for this is that you’ve set your microphone on “toggle to mute.” The setting allows your mic to remain muted unless you’re pressing on a specific key-bind. 

In any case, verifying whether you’re muted on Discord is no big deal. Here’s what you need to do to check if you’re muted and unmute yourself:

1. Open Discord
2. Make sure that the mic symbol doesn’t have the “no” symbol on it, and toggle it if needed.
3. Click on Settings and toggle the user volume to ensure you aren’t deafened.
4. Ask other members of a Discord server to set your user volume at the highest possible setting.

Lastly, check if a moderator has muted you on a specific server. Checking your mic on a number of servers will help you figure this out. 

2. Change the Input Device on Discord

As you’d expect, the default setting on Discord is to choose your computer’s default microphone as a voice input device. The problem can be exacerbated if you use multiple microphones as well. 

Often there is an error when plugging in external microphones like the Blue Snowball, where it remains a secondary device instead of replacing the default mic.

You can check the chosen input device on Discord by clicking on the settings icon and navigating to “Voice & Video.” Under INPUT DEVICE, you should see your microphone’s name. 

If it’s set to another microphone or set as default, you can select the correct option via the drop-down menu. Stay on this window because there are other settings you might want to adjust from here. I’ll discuss them in the next steps. 

3. Adjust the Microphone Sensitivity on Discord

As with several other platforms and programs, Discord allows you to set microphone sensitivity to optimal levels. This means that you can tweak your microphone to record fewer or more wavelengths of sound.

In layman’s terms, that would be setting the microphone to listen to very quiet sounds or ignoring quiet sounds and listening only to louder sounds. If this parameter is not properly configured, you’ll find that the microphone will only work if you’re very loud. 

Luckily, adjusting microphone sensitivity is pretty simple:

1. Navigate the “Voice & Video” tab in Discord’s settings.
2. Under INPUT SENSITIVITY, you should see a green bar. If the bar is green, it has been set to automatically determine the input sensitivity.
3. If not, uncheck the automatic input sensitivity button to set it manually.
4. Talk into the microphone with a neutral voice—not too loud, not too quiet. Make sure you’re not speaking directly into the microphone, and remaining at a normal distance away from it. 
5. Set the microphone sensitivity according to the size of the bar when you’re speaking. 

4. Update Discord Permissions

Windows has a fairly decent firewall system in place that usually works smoothly but can be overzealous at times. If you’ve recently updated your Windows operating system, you might find that the Discord app doesn’t have permission to use audio devices. This is a safety precaution set in place by Windows to prevent those with malicious intent from using your microphone. 

However, without the relevant permission settings, Discord won’t be allowed to use any audio devices through your computer.

Here’s how to fix that:

1. Click on the Settings wheel icon from the start menu. (Alternatively, you can press Win+i)
2. Click on “Privacy” then “Microphone” on the left pane of the settings window.
3. Click on “Change”
4. Ensure that the toggle for “Allow apps to access your microphone” is set to “on.” 
5. Scroll down, and search for Discord under “Choose Which Microsoft Store Apps Can Access Your Microphone.”
6. Ensure that the toggle next to Discord is set to “on.”

5. Adjust the Microphone Settings

You’ll find a physical switch on the back of your Blue Snowball, marked 1-2-3. This is also a setting for audio gain or sensitivity, which is different from volume. It’s basically a parameter regarding how sensitive the microphone should be to sounds that are nearer or farther away from the microphone. 

Toggle the physical switch on the back to see if this is what is causing your mic to stop working on Discord. It helps to have someone else listening to you through the platform. 

6. Check the Connection

Blue Snowball connects to your computer via the USB port. Sometimes you might find that you haven’t connected the cable to the USB port fully, which would stop the mic from working. 

However, it’s worth noting that this problem will not be Discord-specific. That is, you wouldn’t have been able to use the mic anywhere else. 

Also, even though the Snowball supports all USB ports, connecting the microphone to the USB 3.0 port on your laptop or PC is preferable. To fix USB port issues, plug out the microphone and plug it back in. You should find that any issues have been resolved.

7. Set Blue Snowball As the Default Audio Device

Most people setting up a home studio for podcasting will only have one external microphone. However, if you’re using your home studio for other recording purposes, you might have been using multiple microphones, and switching between them as per your recording needs.

You’re free to use as many microphones as necessary for your home studio. However, this might interfere with their functioning as the default audio device. 

Since you’ve already set the Blue Snowball as your input device on Discord, it might be helpful to consider setting the Snowball as the default audio device overall.

Here’s a quick guide on how to set your Blue Snowball (or any other microphone) as your computer’s default audio device:

1. Click on the Settings wheel icon from the start menu. (Alternatively, you can press Win+i)
2. Click on “Systems” then “Sound” on the left pane of the settings window.
3. Click on “Sound Control Panel” in the right pane. 
4. Switch to the “Recording” tab in the new window that opens.
5. Right-click your preferred audio device (Blue Snowball in this case) and click on “Set Default.”

8. Reinstall Snowball Drivers

If the problem still persists, you may want to resort to more drastic measures than just tweaking the settings. There may have been an error during the installation of drivers for your Blue Snowball. 

Luckily, deleting and reinstalling drivers isn’t very complicated unless you’re especially tech-illiterate. 

The Snowball drivers’ function is to ensure optimal performance and better connection to the mic.

Here’s what you have to do to reinstall them:

1. Connect your Snowball mic to your computer.
2. Open up the start menu.
3. Type “Device Manager” and click on the result
4. Expand “Audio Inputs & Outputs”
5. Right-click on the Snowball microphone driver. 
6. Click “Uninstall device.”
7. Expand “Sound, Video, And Game Controllers” 
8. Right-click on the Snowball microphone driver. 
9. Click on “Uninstall device.”
10. Disconnect your Snowball microphone from the computer.
11. Reconnect the microphone after a few minutes. 

If connected to the internet, your computer will automatically install the relevant (latest) drivers for the Snowball microphone because the data is saved on a microchip within the device.

9. Manually Disable Audio Devices

Sometimes there is a glitch in the connection between audio devices and the computer. This is probably from switching between different microphones—the embedded one, the Snowball, and any other external mic you may have tried using.

Many users have reported that disabling (and subsequently re-enabling) their audio devices helps reconfigure the connection with audio devices and get rid of any existing glitches. 

This is how you can manually disable your audio devices:

1. Unplug your Blue Snowball
2. Open Device Manager (you can search for it by typing into the start menu)
3. Expand “Audio Inputs & Outputs”
4. Right-click on any connected microphones and click on “Disable device.”
5. Restart your computer.

Once you’re done with manually disabling other audio devices, you can reconnect your Snowball and start using it.

10. Update Other Drivers: USB, Audio

After you’ve exhausted all the possible updates and tweaks regarding your Blue Snowball microphone, you may need to consider updating other drivers that are involved in this process. This would mean the USB drivers and the audio driver. 

Even if you haven’t ever done anything regarding these drivers, they may be corrupted over time. Windows does a fairly good job of automatically updating and fixing corrupt drivers, but it’s not perfect. There are several paid tools you can find online that help you automatically scan all the drivers installed on your computer and update or fix them as necessary.

If you aren’t willing to purchase driver scanning software, you can still update the driver manually.

Here’s how to update your USB drivers manually:

1. Run the Device Manager
2. Expand “Universal Serial Bus Controller”
3. Right-click on a USB driver
4. Click on “Update Driver” 
5. Click on “Search Automatically For Updated Driver Software”
6. Repeat the process for all USB drivers.

11. Run Windows Troubleshooting

If all else fails, it won’t hurt to run the Windows Troubleshooting program. This program is designed to diagnose hardware and software errors whenever possible. Your Blue Snowball might be working great on other applications, but it still might have a few errors that need to be addressed.

You can find the Windows troubleshooting utility by searching for it in your PC’s start menu.

I highly suggest that you troubleshoot the following three different widgets:

• Playing Audio: This program is responsible for playing audio after it has been recorded via the mic.
• Recording Audio: The recording audio is responsible for recording the sound that your microphone sensors are picking up.
• Speech: The text-to-speech utility on Windows might be interfering with your microphone’s performance. 

Windows troubleshooting is an automated process whereby Windows will detect and fix problems that it finds after you’ve run the utility.

Here is how you can do that:

1. Launch the Settings app (Win+i or the settings wheel)
2. Click on “Update & Security” then “Troubleshoot.” 
3. Click on “Additional Troubleshooters”
4. Under “Playing Audio,” click on “Run The Troubleshooter” and allow Windows to run the troubleshooter.
5. Under “Recording Audio,” click on “Run The Troubleshooter” and allow Windows to run the troubleshooter.
6. Under “Speech,” click on “Run The Troubleshooter” and allow Windows to run the troubleshooter.
7. Restart your computer.

While this process is not guaranteed to bring results, it has been known to find errors and glitches that need to be fixed. Make sure you have a stable internet connection while Windows is troubleshooting to ensure that the system has access to data from its servers and other information online. 

Conclusion

While it can be frustrating when your Blue Snowball mic stops working on Discord, there are many solutions to the problem.

If you want to proactively prevent this from happening, here are a few things to try:

• Avoid switching microphones so that your favorite one is always set as the default on your computer.
• Keep your microphone plugged in, even when turning off the computer.
• Keep your microphone clean.
• Update drivers and software regularly. 

By following the steps mentioned in this article, there is a high chance that you won’t suffer from your Blue Snowball not working on Discord anymore.

Sources

• SlurpTech: How to Enable Toggle Mute & Push to Mute on Discord
• Analog Dialogue: Understanding Microphone Sensitivity
• eMastered Blog: What is Gain & How It Differs from Volume
• BlueMic: Snowball

The Blue Yeti is an excellent mic for singing in home recording studios—as it records crisp audio and allows you to plug in headphones to hear yourself sing. It’s also great for a podcast, video, or streaming studio. But what if you can’t hear yourself on a Blue Yeti? 

You probably can’t hear yourself on your Blue Yeti due to ambient noise or an incorrectly configured mic. Solutions include soundproofing techniques, proper recording methods, and adjusting the settings and configurations of your microphone.

Keep reading to learn how to control ambient noise on your Blue Yeti. I’ll also cover the best configuration settings, positioning, and other ways to tweak your Blue Yeti to give you optimal recording every time, regardless of what you’re recording. 

1. Use Acoustic Foam Panels To Block Ambient Noise

If you struggle to hear yourself on your Blue Yeti—ambient noise may be the culprit. Only some have the budget to build a fully equipped home studio, but that shouldn’t prevent you from creating the best quality audio recordings.

 Ambient noise is a problem that all recording studios need to address. Serious recording studios spend millions of dollars on getting rid of it. 

Ambient noise is a surrounding noise that results from fluctuations in the wind and reverberation (resonance) from hard surfaces in the room. In large-scale acoustic spaces such as opera theaters, you’ll notice that designers enhance the surrounding walls with softer and sound-absorbing materials such as wood and cloth. 

At home, you might not have the luxury of going that far. However, acoustic foam panels are an excellent makeshift solution that drastically reduces ambient noise and reverberation. You can test their effect by recording anything in your bathroom without acoustic panels and then with the panels surrounding you.

The Foamily Acoustic Foam Egg Crate Panel is an affordable 4-pack available on Amazon, which does the trick. They’re lightweight and absorb a lot of ambient noise. 

Last update on 2024-03-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

You don’t need to install them; just lay them around the microphone. When you finish recording, you can stow them away with ease. For those more serious about building a home studio, consider hanging these panels on the wall behind you and in front of you—those are the two walls with the most resonance and will contribute significantly to reducing ambient noise.

2. Invest in a Pop Shield if You Can’t Hear Yourself 

A pop shield is another relatively affordable investment you’ll want to make if you can’t hear yourself on your Yeti due to noise. This tool is a round screen-like filter that you can attach between you and your Blue Yeti microphone.

Essentially a pop shield is a filter. Pop shields eliminate loud noises from plosives in one’s speech by putting a barrier to stop the influx of air. Without it, the wind blowing towards the microphone from breathing and talking would drown out the rest of your voice. 

You probably recognize pop shields from people (usually news anchors) recording outdoors because they are used to block out noise from the wind.

3. Reduce the Gain on Your Blue Yeti for Clearer Sound

You’ll find a hand knob on your Blue Yeti marked “GAIN.” You’ll want to play around with this knob until you get the optimum gain level for your recordings.

Audio gain is a measurement of how much sound the microphone will absorb. Only some manufacturers equip microphones with a method of adjusting audio gain, which is one of the significant positive features of the Blue Yeti.

Generally speaking, you’ll want to reduce the audio gain as much as possible. Lower microphone gain means that the microphone will only absorb (and record) sound from a smaller diameter around it rather than recording ambient noise farther away.

The overall result of reducing gain is to focus the recording mainly on your voice. However, you wouldn’t want to minimize gain if one microphone records more than one person (such as in a podcast). The better approach would be to get two Yetis and reduce the sound gain on both. 

While I suggest reducing the audio gain, a range of frequencies is considered low. Ultimately, nothing will replace trial and error to get the perfect audio gain for the tone you wish to have in the final recording.

4. Adjust Input Volume To Hear Yourself on Your Yeti

Although the Yeti has its audio gain controller, it might be better to adjust the same setting using your computer. Only some programs use the same recording configurations, so changing gain through the software is more nuanced. 

The setting to configure for adjusting audio gain is input volume, which controls which volume you will record through the software. It’s important to note that gain and volume are different. That is why I recommend tweaking both until you get the best results.

Audio gain controls the tone of the sound from the surroundings to the microphone. Input volume, on the other hand, filters the loudness (not the tone) of the sound when it exits the microphone and enters the software.

5. Play With the Blue Yeti Microphone Sensitivity Settings

The Blue Yeti also comes with a handy feature that allows you to adjust how sensitive to noise the microphone should be. You can find these settings on the software automatically installed on your computer when you set up the microphone. 

If these settings are incorrect, you may need help hearing yourself on your Blue Yeti.

Many confuse microphone sensitivity and input volume—but they differ. While you can use software to change both settings, each has different parameters. Microphone sensitivity measures how well it can convert sound energy from sound waves detected into electrical energy stored as a recording.

In other words, it measures how the microphone will record sounds. You’ll need to ask whether you want to record quiet or loud sounds. Generally speaking, you want a highly sensitive microphone to record soft sounds and the opposite for loud sounds. 

Here’s how to adjust the microphone sensitivity settings on your Blue Yeti:

1. From the Dashboard of the Blue software, navigate to “Settings.”
2. Click on “Microphone Settings.”
3. Select your microphone.
4. Adjust the default setting (0 dB) higher or lower according to your preference. 

Adjust these settings while recording. That is, plug in your headphones and start talking as you tweak the settings—this is the only way to get it right. 

6. Position Your Blue Yeti Mic To Hear Yourself Clearly

Never underestimate the effect the correct positioning of your mic has on the quality of your recording. For example, you could set up your microphone’s gain and input volume (along with other parameters).

If you position yourself too far away, you’ll find those settings are slightly off. The same goes for if you sit too close to the microphone. Thus, you might struggle to hear yourself because you are out of your Yeti’s range.

Experts recommend positioning your mic around 6-12 inches (15.2cm-30.4cm) from your face or the sound source. This number changes significantly depending on what you’re recording. For example, those recording ASMR videos might place the microphone closer for more sound effects. 

On the other hand, if you’re recording vocals for a song you’ve written, you probably don’t mind keeping some distance between you and your microphone. For podcasting, invest in a pop shield and position the mic further from your guests because only some people speak in the same tone.  

Also, consider which polar pattern setting (see below) you’ve chosen for your Blue Yeti. When positioning your microphone, you want to be in the center of its polar pattern so that you have some leeway regarding movement, but you’re far away from the dead zone that isn’t recording.

7. Learn How To Use Yeti Polar Patterns

Blue Yeti microphones feature four modes based on polar patterns. Choosing the correct polar pattern will allow the microphone to absorb more or less background noise according to your preference, but you must select it correctly. 

Polar patterns describe the direction and diameter of space from which the microphone should pick up noise. It’s like a setting that tells how far the microphone will listen. Here’s what you need to know about choosing the correct polar pattern. 

Cardioid

This polar pattern allows the microphone to be most sensitive right in front and not in the opposite direction. This option is the best for single-person recordings.

It’s also great for vocals because you can effectively block the rest of the room. This blocking is handy if you have no other means of keeping out ambient noise. Some people would call this type of microphone a unidirectional microphone. 

Supercardioid

This setting is more suited for a live stage because it focuses more closely on sound than a cardioid microphone. The directionality of this type of microphone is very narrow, but it can be helpful if you have a band playing in your home studio and you want to record the sound of one instrument more than the others.

Super cardioid microphones minimize the amount of noise directly next to the microphone. 

Omnidirectional

This polar pattern describes the microphone recording everything from all directions. Of course, there are drawbacks to this approach. Namely, you register more ambient sound when using a pickup pattern like this. 

I would highly discourage using the omnidirectional microphone setting for recording vocals. However, if you have multiple podcast guests and one mic—this might be the best solution (other than buying additional microphones, that is.) 

Figure 8 (Bidirectional)

As you’d expect from the name, a bidirectional polar pattern describes a microphone that records in two directions. That is the front and back of the microphone. This type might be suitable for duet vocals but not ideal for vocal recording from a single person. 

Bidirectional microphones are also helpful in recording musical instruments. So long as you keep the players to the front or back of the microphone, you have excellent control over your recording. You can isolate the sound from two instruments while ignoring the music from others. 

Choosing the correct polar pattern on your Blue Yeti will allow you to use the mic more effectively. It will also ensure that you don’t unintentionally speak to the blind spot. For example, if you’ve set the mic as Cardioid, then speaking into the back of the mic will record little or none of your voice.

8. Soundproof Your Studio for Better Yeti Audio 

Lastly, systematically soundproof your room if you invest in a home studio. Acoustic foam lying around the room will only take you so far. If feasible, you will need to invest in more extensive soundproofing.

If you’ve tried everything else and still need better results from your Blue Yeti, it’s time to get serious about soundproofing. Here are some soundproofing renovations you might consider in your home studio:

• Add insulation to your walls. It’ll do wonders for your energy bill and also drastically reduce noise. 
• Install heavier doors to block sounds. Make sure there are no gaps around the door frame. 
• Install thick carpeting instead of tile or hardwood floors for increased sound absorption.
• Fill the gaps in your windows and change the window panes to double-glazed windows.
• Build a floating floor.
• Install soundproofing curtains. I found the NICETOWN Blackout Curtain (available on Amazon) does well. It comes in a variety of colors and dampens noise well. 

Last update on 2024-03-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

This process of hearing your voice better on your Blue Yeti microphone is a challenging fix. However, if the main problem is ambient noise drowning your voice out, no matter how much you try to tweak parameters, this may be the only option you have. 

Conclusion

For various reasons, your voice might be hard to hear when recording on a Blue Yeti microphone. These reasons include polar patterning, gain settings, or plain old positioning. You can use the above list to isolate your lack of sound through a process of trial and error—you’ll soon have the pleasure of hearing your voice once more.

Learning to configure your microphone correctly and dampen ambient sounds is the best way to improve recording quality, whether for music, vocals, videos, or podcasting.

Sources

• Science Direct: Ambient Noise
• Izotope: What Are Plosives and How to Remove Them from a Vocal Recording
• Musician On A Mission: Gain Vs. Volume: What’s The Difference?
• Lewitt Audio: Microphone Polar Patterns