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Dress For Success: Why You Need To Watch What You Wear In A Recording Studio

28 September 2015 by Samu Koskela

If you're about to start recording something in a studio, be it music or voice, you're not going to be too worried about how snazzy you look. Chances are you'll be dressed very casually to ensure you're comfortable, you're not getting overheated, and so on. But you still need to be careful about what you wear. Not for looks -- for sound. Many materials can make rustling sounds that wreak havoc on the recording. Here's a look at what you can do to avoid having your clothing be more audible than you are.

Materials

Go for T-shirt-type cotton for your shirt. You may be able to use a poly-cotton if the material is soft enough. Jersey/T-shirt cottons and softer blends like the ones used in basic knit shirts tend not to make that much noise as you move around. The fabric is also flexible enough to move with you, rather than staying in place and then scraping against your skin as you move.

Button-down shirt material like poplin and even thick denim can rustle too much, creating a lot of interference in the recording. Denim jeans are usually fine because the majority of the movement you make will usually involve your arms and torso, rather than your legs.

Note that cotton will also reduce the chances of having static buildup. In his book Audio in Media, Stanley Alten notes that synthetic materials like rayon can build up a static charge that can ruin equipment.

Fit

Whatever material you end up wearing, it should fit you relatively well and not be too loose or tight. Tight T-shirts might be made of material that is fairly quiet, but if the shirt is so tight that the material scrapes against your skin when you move, it won't do you any good. Too-loose material can flap against you as you move, or worse, hit the microphone.

Accessories

The recording studio is not a place for accessories. Remove scarves, earrings, and even rings because you might accidentally hit them on something as you move your hand. Hairbands and sweatbands are fine as long as they don't interfere with any headphones you have to wear. If you have long hair, braid it or put it up with a secure clip on the back of your head. You might also want to avoid necklaces because the charms -- and even the chain, if long enough -- can interfere with headphone wires.

If you want more information about what to wear, contact recording studios , like Sonic Farm Studio, to find out what materials and outfits they recommend. Some studios may have better filters than others, so a little more interference isn't a problem, but others might have such sensitive equipment that you really have to be careful about what you wear.

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