How to Setup a Mic for ASMR: The Ultimate Guide


When you first begin listening to ASMR, it can feel a little disorienting, like trying your first sip of milk for the first time.

The feeling isn’t unlike what happens the first time you hear your favorite song for the first time. You know it’s good, but at the same time, it’s not quite what you expected. Or maybe you expected it to be something completely different?

If you leave an ASMR video feeling satisfied and happy, chances are that someone else will too (and they probably won’t even realize it).

So, if you want to record your own ASMR, the natural question is: How do you make a mic ASMR ready?

Let’s talk about it.

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How to Setup a Mic for ASMR: The Ultimate Guide

That’s because ASMR videos trigger feelings in almost everyone who watches them: anxiety relief, peacefulness, and restful sleep are just a few of them. They are also great for those who have stress-related insomnia as they can help induce sleep.

What is ASMR?

ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.

This is a completely non-scientific interpretation on my part, but I think it’s a good representation of what ASMR is. ASMR is the feeling that someone is “touching” your head, back, or other parts of your body.

This might be with comfortable brushing movements, or with soft taps, or it might feel like someone is whispering or tapping you with a feather. It’s usually accompanied by tingling sensations in the head and spine, and some people experience goosebumps.

For some people, it’s extremely relaxing. For others, it can be extremely comforting and relaxing. For many, it’s just a nice way to unwind after a long day.

Some ASMR Triggers

If you’ve ever watched an ASMR video, you’ve probably noticed common triggers.

For example, someone brushing hair in a certain way, tapping on something, crinkling a piece of paper, someone whispering, eating specific foods, certain words, etc. Some of these triggers can be extremely subtle, while others are a little more obvious.

Whichever ones you find the most relaxing are the ones you should focus on. Over time, you’ll likely discover some that are a bit more personal for you.

How to set up a mic for ASMR

For the best and most consistent recording experience possible, we recommend investing in a high-quality standalone microphone for ASMR. The best way to set up your mic for ASMR is to set it up to record with a pop filter and to be in a quiet space.

If you have a laptop, you can use the built-in mic or plug in a USB microphone.

The main thing to remember is to have enough distance between the mic and your mouth so that you don’t get any unwanted noise on your recording.

The mic itself will determine the type of recording you can do. Most can be set up to record with a pop filter, but some are intended to be used without a pop filter.

There are a few types of microphones you’ll need to know about for this:

  • Cardioid Mics – They are great for picking up your voice and the mic itself, but are less ideal for picking up other sounds around you. They are best suited for recording your own voice.
  • Stereo Mics – These are best suited for creating binaural recordings. You can also use them to create a “normal” recording. That means that your voice will come out as it does on a normal recording microphone.
  • Microphones – Most standalone mics are mono, which means that they can only record one channel. That’s fine if you’re using it just to record your voice, but you may want to invest in a shotgun microphone to broadcast to multiple channels. This can be great if you have a partner who also wants to record ASMR videos.

These are just a few of the different types of microphones, but there are countless others. If you aren’t sure which type of microphone you need, you can always send an inquiry with the mic itself.

ASMR Uses for Cardioid Mode

Cardioid mode mics are great for creating ASMR videos. They will pick up your voice, but there won’t be much else in the way of sound.

This is great if you want to get away from any unwanted noise and quiet your surroundings. For example, you can use the sound of your voice to create the feeling of someone brushing their fingers through your hair or lightly touching your skin.

These are great for creating relaxation videos that aren’t too long (it’s a lot harder to stay relaxed if your video goes on for too long). You can also use these for ASMR whispering exercises.

ASMR Uses for Stereo Mode

Stereo microphones can be used for ASMR recording in two different ways. The first is to create a normal recording of your voice and background sounds.

These can be great for creating guided ASMR whispering exercises, binaural recordings, or just normal videos that aren’t too long.

The second way to use this mode is to create a binaural recording. This will create a wonderful soundscape that you can use for ASMR. That means that you can create ASMR videos using different sounds to give you different feelings.

For example, you can use tapping sounds to create feelings of a soft massage or brushing sounds to create feelings of someone lightly ruffling your hair.

Microphone Gain for ASMR

The final mic setting we want to talk about is microphone gain. This controls how much your voice is boosted in comparison to the background sounds.

You’ll want to turn up the gain for cardioid mics. This will really make your whisper sessions come alive.

If you’re creating a binaural recording in stereo mode or an ambisonic recording in mono mode, you don’t need to change this setting.

For binaural and stereo mics, your voice should be at -3db compared to the background sounds you’re trying to create. If it’s turning up too loud, you can adjust the gain to bring it to -3db without any discernible difference.

Use a Pop Filter for ASMR

A pop filter is an essential piece of equipment for creating authentic ASMR recordings because you’re going to place your mouth very close to the mic with the microphone gain turned up.

A pop filter sits in front of the microphone and blocks out wind noise, creating better audio quality and less background noise.

There are a few types of pop filters. The main difference is that some have a small hole in the middle, while others have a small flap you can slide over the microphone. The flap ones are slightly better because they don’t create a hole in the middle.

Final Thoughts on Setting up Your Mic for ASMR

ASMR is a very personal experience, so we recommend trying out a few different microphones before settling on one.

You may want to try different microphones for different uses, or you may want to invest in a few different ones to be prepared in case one breaks.

There are a few things you should keep in mind while setting up your mic. We recommend using a quiet space and setting up your mic far away from any noise.

Also, make sure the microphone is positioned at the right distance between your mouth and the mic.

Juan Louder
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Juan Louder

I started SoundStudioMagic to learn how to record my own audiobook at home, and now I'm addicted to all the latest techniques and gear.

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