Choosing the right microphones for recording or performance saves money, if you get it right the first time.
Whether you are just starting out in the field of home recording or need a way to amplify speakers or musicians for an event, selection of the appropriate microphones is essential. Before getting caught up in technical specifications and fancy features, you'll need to have an understanding of the basic types of microphones offered, and their purposes. By carefully considering this information before making a purchase, you can pick the microphones right for your needs the first time around, saving both time and money.
Instructions
Picking the Right Microphones Requires Research
1. Make a list of everything you will need a microphone for, be it to record vocals, to record drums or other live instruments, to rehearse with your band, to mic a speaker on-stage or to capture sounds with you wherever you go. You can even create two lists, one for the essential things you need right away, and a second for the audio tools you will need in the near future. It is better to stick with the first list and go for quality over quantity, but making these two lists will help you make a plan of attack before going out with that credit card.
2. Understand the difference between condenser and dynamic microphones. This is an important classification, and one you should read up on at length. To simplify things, a condenser microphone is one that needs a preamp to "boost" the signal before it can be clearly audible by either a recording or an amplification device. A dynamic microphone is one that generates a strong enough signal on its own that it can be run directly in to a P.A. or recording device, eliminating the need for a preamp.
3. Make choices as to whether you will need condenser or dynamic microphones for your application. Dynamic microphones are generally used live, while condenser microphones are used most often for recording, due to their ability to more accurately capture the nuances of voice or instrument notes coming in. That is not to say that dynamic microphones do a poor job for recording, indeed they can hold their own. Condenser microphones are also used for live performance, but this requires a more complicated (expensive) setup.
4. Decide whether you need unidirectional or omnidirectional microphones, or possibly both. Unidirectional microphones are best used to pick up the sound from someone speaking, or playing an instrument, clearly toward the microphone at closer ranges. They excel at picking up just that sound, while being able to ignore the surrounding noise. This makes them ideal for almost every type of recording, for use on a podium or for a singer or wind instrument performing live. Omnidirectional microphones pick up sound within their range in all directions. Think of them as a virtual human ear. They will more accurately reproduce the sound as you would hear it, but tend to pick up surrounding noise as well.
5. Make your purchase based on the fewest number or microphones you will need for your performance or recording setup. You can always add more later as your finances allow, but cheap microphones often produce hideous sound, especially for recording. Quality is much more important than quantity with microphones, so buy the best you can afford with your budget, rather than getting excited about picking a bunch of inferior gear to have all your bases covered. Read reviews on audio websites such as HarmonyCentral.com, or ask other musicians. Chosen for your needs, a good microphone becomes a valuable asset in any of your audio endeavors!
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