Lesson 4 - Posted on 2013-03-08 by Ryan Lundberg

2/27/2013

5:35 p.m. to

7:55 p.m.

Lesson 2

This weeks Lesson was about Microphones types. There are two major types of Microphones: dynamic and condenser. Dynamic microphones are widely used for recording louder instruments or sounds without hurting the diaphragm in the microphone or distorting the sound. They are also goo for groups and live sessions because of their short range of pickup. This can vary with different pickup patterns such as cardiod, bidirectional or omnidirectional. Condenser Mics have a thinner and most often smaller diaphragm in design and are good for picking up sounds clearly and cleanly though this makes it harder to use for group sessions.

This area is one of my weakest of probably all things considered in recording other than brand names and types of equipment. It's hard for me to identify microphone types and directional patterns from just looking at the microphone. Obviously if I am going to be working with equipment, I should know what I have available to me and hopefully I will have had the opportunity to purchase the equipment myself. 

One thing Karl and I went over was how to mic different instruments and how changing the angle or the position of the mic can alter the sound dramatically. Of all my questions and concerns, one thing that Karl did suggest is playing around with different placements in my free time to understand the sound differences. He said the best way to use a mic and placement is to know how it'll sound and that all that matters is the sound. Experimenting with the different placements and angles will help me gain a better understanding of how to use the mics during session.