There are many different types of uses for a microphone;
however, the key to making an instrument or voice sound good is knowing what
type to use with each instrument you come across. According to Ear
Trumpet Labs, the microphone that you use will affect the over all sound
and feel of each instrument; thus, it will have a huge affect on how the
audience perceives it in a live setting. The main qualities of a microphone
that discern what you should pick for each instrument depend on if they are
dynamic or a condenser microphone.
What’s the
difference?
Dynamic Microphones are the most commonly used microphones
in the live sound industry. They are used for a variety of instruments;
however, they are mainly used for vocals, bass and guitar cabinets, drums, and
other percussion instruments. They are the go to microphone for many traveling
bands and sound engineers because they don’t require a power source and are
very durable. Durability is key with microphones because, well, no matter what
you do they will be dropped or soaked in water (ask me how I know…). Another
factor that leads many sound engineers and bands to use these is their price
point. They aren’t that expensive so getting extras or breaking one isn’t as
detrimental as breaking one that is five times as much for a little better
sound. Paul
White explains that on of the few down falls to dynamic microphone is that
the instrument or source of sound has to be relatively loud in order for the
microphone to pick up the entire frequency range. Sometimes this doesn’t
matter; however, if you are working with a instrument that is higher pitched, a
lot of the higher pitches and detail will not be projected and picked up
correctly. Dynamic microphones are great and can be used on a wide variety of
instruments.
Condenser microphones are not as commonly used simply
because of their price point; however, they are important to every sound
engineer. Unlike the dynamic microphones, condenser microphones require power
of some sort or what we sound engineers call it, “phantom power.” Phantom power
is power that is sent from a mixer to the microphone and without it the
microphone wouldn’t work. This poses a problem in some venues because not all
mixers have the ability to send power to microphones this way. Condenser
microphones are mainly used for choirs, pianos, or as overheads on a drum set because of their
pick up pattern is much wider and better than that of a dynamic
microphone. Condenser microphones have a
much better frequency response than that of a dynamic microphone. This helps
bring out higher pitches and tones that
some instruments produce as well as giving the microphone the ability to pick
up much quieter instruments. Even though many sound engineers can get by with
using only dynamic microphones; condenser microphones are a vital tool in
perfecting a bands sound.
Overall, picking the right microphone for each source and
application is very important. Stay tuned for future tips and tricks for becoming
a great live sound engineer.
Nathaniel,
ReplyDeleteBeing a recording/performing musician who is starting his own home studio I must tell you that I love your post and blog. I just recently was talking to a friend of mine studying Music Production in Berklee College of Music about microphones and talking about what we were both using for our recordings. I remember when I was getting my Associates in Music/Music Education I took only recording and MIDI classes for electives and I remember studying about condensers, dynamics, ribbon microphones and all and I must say you did a good job in your post. I think it would be great to see some more posts about microphones, perhaps as a particular threat of posts with other posts talking about microphone techniques. The one ‘lesson’ I remember the most about my sounds recording classes, and we were discussing this with my friend I mentioned previously, is how there is usually a predetermined microphone that you want to use record a particular instrument, but at the end of the day all of these are more like guidelines than actual rules and sometimes you can get unexpectedly great sounds from trying a different set-up.
Best of luck with your blog,
Paolo Bettaglio