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Oklahoma City Community College Keith Leftwich Memorial Library

Technology Quick Start

Turning on the Blue Yeti Microphone

  • To power on, take the provided USB cable and plug it into the bottom of the microphone. Take the larger end of the USB cable and plug it into the computer.
  • To connect headphones, take either of the provided cables with audio jacks, and plug one end to the headphones and the other to the bottom of the microphone.
  • There will be a prompt showing that the computer is getting the device ready. Once it is ready, choose your choice of audio software to get started.
  • For this guide, the Audacity recording software will be used. It is a free software and can be downloaded at the bottom of the page.
  • Note- All OCCC Library Laptops have Audacity pre-installed.

Using Audacity

  • After plugging in the microphone to the computer and letting it set the device up, launch Audacity.
  • If the microphone is not picking up right away when recording, check the Audio Setup icon and select Recording device to make sure the Yeti mic is selected.
  • If the headphones are not connecting, check the Audio Setup icon and select Playback device to select the headphones.
  • To export the audio file, select at the top left File>Export> And choose what audio format you prefer>save to desktop.

Buttons and Configurations

Image of the microphone button. It has repeated dots going around a black circle. Near the bottom left is a small image of a microphone and on the bottom right is an image of headphones.    

 Smart Knob Controls

 -Turn the knob to adjust gain, headphone volume and Blend settings.

 -Press the knob once briefly to mute or unmute the microphone signal at any time.

 -Press and hold the smart knob for one second to switch between modes.

 

Image of a microphone option shaped similar to a heart     Cardioid

    -Perfect for podcasting, game streaming, Skype or Discord calls, vocals and instruments, the cardioid setting captures sound sources that are directly in front of the microphone with a rich, full-bodied sound. The cardioid setting rejects sound coming from directly behind the mic, reducing background noise.

 

Image for the microphone settings. It looks like the number 8.   Bidirectional

   -The bidirectional setting records from both the front and the rear of the microphone, which is ideal for podcasting or streaming interviews between two people. The bidirectional setting produces narrow areas of sensitivity and minimizes noise coming from the sides.

The image for the microphone setting is of an outline of a circle inside another circle.   Omni

  -Short for ‘omnidirectional’, the omni setting picks up sound equally from all around the mic. It’s best used in situations when you want to capture the ambience of ‘being there,’ like a conference call or a podcast with multiple people around a table.

The image for the microphone setting looks like two rings that are barely overlapping horizontally.   Stereo

  -The stereo setting uses both the left and right channels, and is ideal for capturing a realistic sound image when there are multiple sound sources in front of the mic. This is useful for multi-person podcasts and immersive experiences like ASMR.

Additional Resources