Blue Yeti Settings For Streaming – Best Audio Setup Guide

Blue Yeti works for almost every application, but only when it is adjusted accordingly

Blue Yeti microphone is arguably the most popular piece of audio gear among the streamers. Browse through any category including podcasts, games, or even music, you will see a Blue Yeti microphone almost everywhere and for the right reasons. The affordability, versatility, ease of setup, and overall audio quality have been the key to the success of the Blue Yeti mic. 

If you have just started streaming, there is a good chance that you have also purchased a Blue Yeti for recording audio. That said, it is also likely that this USB microphone is not living up to your expectations, but you do not have to worry. See, while it is one of the most effective and versatile live-streaming tools, the standard settings would not work for everyone. 

You will have to play with Blue Yeti microphone settings to get the desired results and in this guide, we will explain exactly how to do that. So, let’s get on with it.

What Are The Right Blue Yeti Microphone Settings

Let’s get one thing out of the way straight away: there is no one right setting which works for everyone. The audio requirements for different types of streams vary greatly warranting you to change the settings every time you switch between different activities. That said, as long as you are familiar with the roles of each feature on the microphone, you will have no trouble tweaking them. 

Let’s go over these features one by one and try to find the right settings for different types of streaming.

1. Polar Pattern

The polar pattern is the area on the microphone that is sensitive to audio signals. Most microphones either come with an omnidirectional or cardioid polar pattern but Blue Yeti offers multiple polar patterns, allowing the users to switch between them according to requirements. While going over the sound settings, it should be the first feature that you must adjust. 

Blue Yeti allows you to switch between four patterns including cardioid, omnidirectional, bidirectional, and stereo mode. As you switch it to cardioid mode, it will only pick up the sound from one direction, blocking the background noise from other directions. It is the right mode for podcasting and other applications where vocals have to be as clear as possible.

Omnidirectional mode is in complete contrast to the cardioid pattern as it picks up sound from all directions. You can switch to this mode when you want to record the atmosphere of the room as well. It can also be used to record multiple speakers with a single mic.

The stereo mode works great for music recording and other applications which require a wider and realistic sound such as ASMR videos and choirs. You can use it to record immersive sounds while playing guitars and other acoustic instruments.

Lastly, bidirectional mode has only one application which is to record the conversation of two people as it captures sound from both front and rear. You can switch between different modes via the pattern selector knob located on the body of the microphone.

2. Gain

Right above the pattern knob, there is another knob titled “gain”. It is perhaps the most important parameter after the polar pattern you want to get right. Gain is essentially the boost the microphone provides to the recorded sound signal. Understandably, the right amount of mic gain varies a lot between different applications.

While adjusting the microphone gain, you will have to take the application and the loudness of the speakers into perspective. If the application requires you to record loud sounds such as those of musical instruments, you should set the gain to the left. In contrast, if your voice is a little faint, you should move it towards the right to ensure it boosts lower frequencies and makes them audible to the audience.

You will have to experiment at different levels to reach the right levels and you will have to keep adjusting them mid-streaming if the volumes of speakers or instruments fluctuate to maintain consistent sound quality.

3. Mute Button

The mute Button is also available on the body of the microphone. The function of the button is self-explanatory, but many users often find their audio recording completely blank because they forget to switch it off. Luckily, the mute button has a light to show whether it is on or off which will help you ensure that the mic is recording.

4. Headphone Jack

The headphone jack is not exactly a part of the settings, but it is important to discuss it in this section because it allows you to monitor the performance of selected settings in real-time. It is recommended to use headphones with all types of recordings because you can switch the settings in real-time to get the right results. Otherwise, you will have to spend hours on recording software to edit out the background noises and a hundred other sorts of issues with the recording.

Depending on the model, you will either find the headphone jack on the side of the body or at the bottom of it.

Tips To Improve Audio Quality Of Blue Yeti Microphone

Now that you are familiar with the best blue Yeti settings, let’s go over some tips to help you record even better-quality audio.

1. Use The Right Accessories

The impact of the right accessories on the sound quality is more than what you think. Those plosive sounds you get while speaking closely to the mic can be removed with one simple accessory pop filter. Similarly, a shock mount is another tool to promote noise suppression which works by absorbing the vibrations produced by the pressing of keyboard and mouse clicks around the microphone.

2. Position The Microphone Correctly

The position of a microphone can make a world of difference in the audio recordings. The standard rule is to keep the mic about six inches away from the sound source, albeit it can change for some applications. Keeping the microphone at the sweet spot is challenging in the absence of a boom arm, warranting its purchase.

Using a boom arm, you can easily adjust the position of the microphone according to the speakers’ height. Furthermore, most arms offer a position to mount the shock mount, so vibrations from the stand will not be an issue.

3. Take Advantage Of The Streaming Services

Many services such as Twitch streaming have studios of their own, allowing you to adjust the audio according to their platform. The quickest way to improve the sound is probably by using audio filters. While you will find hundreds of such filters, most users will find basic ones like compression, noise gates, noise suppression, and expanders.

Compressors can be engaged to make the audio more full. It works by limiting audio peaking by blocking frequencies above a certain decibel. You can set the threshold level yourself according to your needs. Similarly, expander helps you remove background noise from the audio. Noise gate has the same function as the expander but it is rather basic. 

Noise suppression, on the other hand, works similarly to compressors but is used for exact opposite applications. Such filters remove the lower frequencies from the audio and clear the audio of interferences produced by other electronics in the room.

4. Record In Quiet Room

Blue Yet is a sensitive microphone, at least more sensitive than others in this category, which means it will record a wide spectrum of frequencies. However, it also means that it will record pretty much every sound in the room, especially when you have engaged in polar patterns other than cardioid. 

As with any other microphone, it is best if you record in the treated room but if you do not have enough resources at least remove all the other electronics in the rooms. The floor and other surfaces that can potentially reflect the sound should be covered with soft materials such as blankets or carpets.

While you are at it, do not forget to turn off the fan while recording because it will distort the sound beyond repair.

Frequently Asked Questions