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Written by Alan Spicer
- YouTube Certified Expert (Audience Growth, Channel Management, Content Strategy)
- YouTube & Digital Media Consultant (including work with Coin Bureau brands)
- Built repeatable growth systems across multiple channels (including 0→20k in 2 months and 15k→100k in 8 months)
- Recipient of 6× YouTube Silver Play Buttons
My bias: mic placement is the highest ROI audio upgrade. I’ve seen creators spend hundreds on “better mics” while keeping the mic a metre away — and the audio still sounds like a room. Placement fixes that.
Mic Placement for YouTube (UK): Distance, Angle, and Boom Arm Setup
If your YouTube audio sounds echoey, thin, muffled, or “far away”, there’s a good chance your mic isn’t the problem.
Your mic placement is.
This guide shows you how to position different mic types (desk mics, dynamic mics, condensers, lav mics, and shotguns) so you get clean “YouTube voice” audio in normal rooms — without turning your home into a studio.
Jump to:
Quick answer / TL;DR ·
Related searches ·
60-second decision tree ·
The golden rules (work for any mic) ·
Mic distance (how far is “right”?) ·
Angle & off-axis (stop plosives) ·
Desk mic placement (streaming + tutorials) ·
Boom arm vs desk stand ·
Lav mic placement ·
Shotgun mic placement ·
Placement to reduce echo ·
Placement to reduce keyboard noise ·
Quick tests (so you know it’s right) ·
What not to do ·
Who this is not for ·
Gear links ·
Related reading ·
FAQs
Quick answer / TL;DR
For most YouTubers, the best mic placement is 15–25cm from your mouth, slightly off to the side, angled toward you. This reduces echo, boosts clarity, and lowers background noise because you can keep gain lower. If your audio sounds bad, move the mic closer before buying anything. Lav mics should sit about a hand-span below your chin. Shotgun mics sound best just out of frame on a boom — camera-mounted shotguns often sound distant indoors.
The 60-second decision tree
- Audio sounds distant → move the mic closer (start at 15–25cm).
- Audio sounds echoey → mic is too far away and/or room is reflective; get closer and face softer surfaces.
- Popping “P” sounds → go off-axis + use a pop filter/windscreen.
- Keyboard clicks loud → move the mic closer to mouth and away from keyboard; consider boom arm.
- Shotgun sounds “roomy” → it’s too far; put it on a boom just out of frame or use a lav.
Rule of thumb: the closer your mic is, the less your room matters.
The golden rules (work for any mic)
- Distance beats brand. A £30 mic close to your mouth can sound better than a £300 mic across the room.
- Your mouth is the target. Aim at your mouth/upper chest, not the desk or room.
- Off-axis prevents plosives. Slightly to the side is usually cleaner than straight on.
- Stability beats perfection. Repeatable placement is more important than one “perfect” session.
Mic distance (how far is “right”?)
| Distance | What it usually sounds like | When it works |
|---|---|---|
| 50cm+ | Roomy, echoey, quiet voice | Rarely (unless you’re in a treated studio) |
| 25–40cm | Better, but still room present | Some setups, but not ideal in small rooms |
| 15–25cm | Clearer voice, less room | Best baseline for most YouTubers |
| Very close (10–15cm) | Very intimate, powerful voice | Dynamic mics often love this (watch plosives) |
If you only remember one thing: if your audio is bad, move the mic closer first.
Angle & off-axis (stop plosives and harsh bursts)
Plosives are blasts of air hitting the mic (“P” and “B” sounds).
The fix: don’t talk directly into the capsule.
- Put the mic slightly to the side of your mouth
- Aim it toward your mouth
- Speak slightly past it (off-axis)
- Add a pop filter or foam windscreen if needed
Desk mic placement (streaming + tutorials)
Desk setups fail when the mic lives near the keyboard instead of near your mouth.
Best practice:
- Mic close to mouth (15–25cm)
- Mic slightly to the side (off-axis)
- Mic aimed at mouth/upper chest
- Keep the mic away from the keyboard line if possible
If your mic is on the desk: a desk mat helps reduce reflections and desk “thumps”.
Boom arm vs desk stand (which is better?)
| Option | Best for | Why it wins | Downside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boom arm | Most desk creators | Easy to keep mic close and consistent | More gear on the desk area |
| Desk stand | Minimal setups | Simple, quick | Often ends up too far away + more keyboard noise |
Creator reality: boom arms don’t make your mic “better” — they make good placement easier to repeat.
Lav mic placement
If you’re filming talking head and want consistent results, lavs are brilliant when placed properly.
- Clip the lav about a hand-span below your chin
- Aim it up toward your mouth
- Avoid loose fabric, zips, necklaces
- Do a quick movement test (head turns + a deep breath)
More detail here:
Shotgun mic placement
A shotgun mic sounds best when it’s close. Indoors, “close” matters even more.
Best placement: on a boom, just out of frame, aimed at your mouth/upper chest.
Camera-mounted shotguns: can work if the camera is close. If you film wide shots, the mic ends up far away and the room dominates.
More detail here:
Placement to reduce echo (without changing the room)
If your room is echoey, placement matters even more:
- Move the mic closer to your mouth
- Face soft surfaces (curtains, rug, sofa) rather than bare walls
- Move slightly away from corners
- Avoid placing the mic close to a hard reflective surface (like a bare desk)
If echo is your main enemy, start here:
Placement to reduce keyboard noise
- Keep the mic close to your mouth so you don’t need high gain
- Use a boom arm to position the mic away from the keyboard area
- Angle the mic toward your mouth, not toward the keys
- Use a desk mat to reduce “click” reflections
Quick tests (so you know it’s right)
- 10-second test recording: speak normally, then listen back on headphones.
- Plosive test: say “Peter Piper picked…” and adjust off-axis until pops reduce.
- Distance test: move the mic 10cm closer and re-test — you’ll hear how powerful distance is.
- Keyboard test: type while speaking and see if the mic is “looking at” the keyboard.
What not to do
- Don’t place the mic near the camera and hope for the best. Close to mouth beats “close to lens”.
- Don’t crank gain to compensate for distance. That amplifies echo and noise.
- Don’t aim the mic at your desk. You’ll capture reflections and keyboard noise.
- Don’t buy a new mic before you’ve tested closer placement. You might already have what you need.
- Don’t skip test recordings. Ten seconds can save you an entire reshoot.
Who this is not for
- High-end studio voiceover workflows with fixed treated booths
- Location sound for filmmaking where you need boom operators and field recorders
- Creators who refuse to keep a mic close (distance changes everything)
Gear links (kept editorial, not salesy)
Audio pillar (start here):
Related audio posts:
- Reduce echo in a small room
- Dynamic vs condenser mic (room noise)
- Lavalier vs shotgun mic
- USB vs XLR microphone
Creator gear hub:
Amazon UK searches (tagged so the session is credited):
- Amazon UK: microphone boom arms
- Amazon UK: pop filters
- Amazon UK: foam windscreens
- Amazon UK: desk mats
- Amazon UK: shock mounts
Related reading (internal only)
- Sound better on YouTube without a treated studio
- Reduce echo in a small room
- Dynamic vs condenser mic
- Lavalier vs shotgun mic
- USB vs XLR microphone
FAQs (People Also Ask style)
How far should a microphone be from your mouth for YouTube?
For most YouTube setups, 15–25cm is a good starting point. Closer generally gives clearer audio with less room echo and background noise.
Where should I place my microphone for talking head videos?
Keep it close (15–25cm), slightly to the side, angled toward your mouth. For lav mics, clip about a hand-span below your chin.
Why does my audio sound echoey even with a good mic?
Because the mic is too far away and your room reflections are loud. Move the mic closer and soften the room near you.
How do I stop popping “P” sounds on a microphone?
Speak slightly off-axis, use a pop filter or foam windscreen, and avoid aiming airflow directly at the mic capsule.
Is a boom arm worth it for YouTube?
Often yes, because it makes close, repeatable mic placement easier and reduces desk noise. It’s a workflow upgrade more than an audio “magic” upgrade.
Why does my microphone pick up keyboard noise?
The mic is too far from your mouth (so gain is high) and/or it’s aimed at the keyboard. Move it closer to your mouth and reposition it away from the keys.
Where should I place a lav mic?
Clip it roughly a hand-span below your chin on stable fabric, away from zips and jewellery, aimed up toward your mouth.
Where should I place a shotgun mic for YouTube?
Ideally on a boom just out of frame, aimed at your mouth/upper chest. Camera-mounted shotguns often sound distant indoors unless the camera is close.
Does mic placement reduce room echo?
Yes. Closer placement reduces the amount of room reflections the mic captures and lets you record at lower gain.
What’s the fastest way to make any mic sound better?
Move it closer, aim it at your mouth, go slightly off-axis, and do a 10-second test recording.
