[FAQ]

Hi,

I’m fairly new to the production side of podcasting and I’m running into an issue that’s driving me mad during editing.

Whenever I say a word with a ‘P’ in it, like “podcast” or “people,” there’s this horrible, bassy pop sound on the microphone. I also notice that sometimes ‘S’ sounds are really sharp and hissy, almost painful to listen to on headphones.

What are these things actually called, and what’s the secret to fixing them? Is it something I should be doing differently when I record, or is it a problem I can fix with software afterwards? I’m trying to make my podcast audio sound a bit more polished and professional.

Cheers for any advice.

[Jeff Bullas]

Solving this is a huge step toward professional-sounding audio.

Short Answer: You prevent harsh ‘P’ sounds (plosives) with proper microphone technique and a pop filter, and you control sharp ‘S’ sounds (sibilance) with mic placement and a de-esser plugin in post-production.

Treating these issues is a two-part strategy: good recording practice is your first line of defence, and targeted editing is your second.

The harsh ‘P’ sound is a plosive, which is a blast of air overwhelming the microphone. The best format for preventing this is to always use a pop filter and to position your mic slightly off-axis, so you aren’t speaking directly into the capsule. The sharp ‘S’ sound is called sibilance, and while mic placement can help, it is most effectively controlled using a specific audio processing format in post-production called a de-esser. This tool intelligently targets and reduces only those piercing high frequencies, which makes your podcast audio much easier to listen to. A common mistake is applying a de-esser too aggressively, which can make the speaker sound like they have a lisp; the goal is to control the harshness, not to eliminate the ‘s’ sound entirely.

Cheers,
Jeff

[Author]

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