There is a lot of confusion when it comes to the super popular Blue Yeti microphone. Many people, including famous content producers, have been caught using the microphone incorrectly. For this reason, the question which side of the microphone is the front? is quite a valid one. In this article will jump right into it, break down the technical details of the microphone, and fill you in on the answer to your question.
With the Blue Yeti microphone in front of you, rotate it so that the Blue logo, the microphone gain sensitivity knob and the pickup pattern selection switch are all facing you. This is the front of the Blue Yeti microphone.
Now that we’ve clarified where the front of this microphone is, there are a few more things you should actually know about. Read more below on the actual positioning of the microphone to get the best recording from it.
Which Way Should Yeti Mic Face?
This is the section that actually catches people out. The Blue Yeti microphone should not be used like a handout dynamic microphone where the user is sinking into the top of the microphone. The Blue Yeti microphone is a side address microphone, which means you should use it with your mouth facing the side of the microphone in a way that the Blue logo is facing the source of the sound — your mouth, or musical instruments you may be recording.
if this out of the way, the microphone is actually more flexible multiple pickup buttons available for selection. Let’s have a quick look at those, as mastering them in the pickup patterns will significantly improve the output of your recordings with this mic.
Is Blue Yeti Directional? How To Position The Blue Yeti Microphone.
Yes, it is. But it is much more than that. The Blue Yeti microphone as 4 switchable polar pickup patterns. The exact pickup pattern selected will determine the position of the mic. So let’s take a look at those.
1. Stereo Polar Pickup Pattern
In this pickup pattern, the microphone captures both left and right channels to create the stereo audio output. This is mostly used to record multiple speakers, acquire, or instruments. The listener of the recording will hear different sounds in the left or right the year which will combine to give the fuller wider sensation of listening.
With this stereo pickup pattern selected, it’s best you position your Blue Yeti microphone with the logo facing the overall source of sound.
2. Omnidirectional Polar Pickup Pattern
The “omni” in omnidirectional here means everywhere / all around. In this pickup pattern Blue Yeti microphone picks up sound from all around the mic. This is best using situation where you want to capture the overall ambience. I live performances, multiple member meetings or podcasts.
With this omnidirectional pickup pattern selected, it makes little difference where the logo of the front of the Blue Yeti microphone is facing. The mic will try to pick up the 360° range of sound source.
3. Cardioid Pickup Pattern
The cardioid pickup pattern is the most intimate of the microphone. It allows the microphone to pick up just what is coming in front of the microphone, so all sounds coming from the direction which faces the Blue logo. This is the pickup pattern you want to use for dictation with speech recognition software like Dragon, to record voice-overs, podcasts or YouTube videos. It is best for recordings of any unidirectional sound while trying to exclude everything coming from the sides and the back of the microphone. The back in this case being the opposite side from where the Blue logo is.
With this cardioid pickup pattern selected, the microphone should be placed with the logo and the adjusting knobs facing the source of the sound. If used for podcast of voice-overs, a fuller, richer sound can be recorded by having the microphone gain turned down and the mic’s mesh cover just a few inches from the mouth.
4. Bidirectional Pickup Pattern
The final pickup pattern selection is the bidirectional one. It is selected, the microphone we record the front (the side with the logo) and the back (the site opposite the logo). If you recording an interview with someone else, or a podcast, or a duet, this is the setting to make the most of your recording.
For the bidirectional pickup pattern, place the microphone with the Blue logo facing the main speaker, and the back of the microphone facing the other speaker.
Here’s a short and sweet video summarizing the proper positioning of the Blue Yeti Microphone
Frequently Asked Questions About The Blue Yeti Microphone Positioning.
Here are some of the questions that pop up right after one knows which side is the front of the microphone.
Can You Use Blue Yeti Sideways?
Yes of course you can use the Blue Yeti microphone sideways. As long as the logo and the adjuster knobs in front are facing you or the source of the sound, it doesn’t really matter which direction your microphone is mounted.
Can You Use Blue Yeti Upside Down?
Sure, you can use your Blue Yeti microphone upside down. As long as you have a solid mounting solution, as this is quite a heavy monster of a microphone. As mentioned before, with the logo and the adjuster knobs in front are facing you or the source of the sound, it doesn’t really matter how the Yeti is mounted or positioned.
Where Should I Place My Blue Yeti?
It is best to please your Blue Yeti microphone on a shock mount, close enough to the source of the sound, but in a position where it won’t be stuck or hit. This microphone is very sensitive to external sound or vibration, so make sure to position it correctly, depending on the pickup pattern selected, as discussed above. To maximise the quality of the sound recording and to prevent unwanted popping, make sure to also grab a pop filter for your Blue Yeti mic.
Download The Blue Yeti Manual
To learn more about your Blue Yeti microphone better and to familiarize yourself with its technical details, you can download the Blue Yeti manual here.
Wrapping up
so there you have it, you now know which part of the microphone is the front and you also know how to please the microphone based on the type of recording you want to make. We hope you enjoyed reading this guide and please feel free to check out some of our other articles on the site.
Best wishes with your Blue Yeti microphone.