An Introduction to Microphones

Hello! So you want more information on microphones? You've come to the right place. If for some reason you don't know what a microphone is, they record absolutely any audio you can make. The closer to the microphone you record, the mores present the tones will be. But it's not always that simple. The microphone always records the tones and reflections in the room you record in. So the room you record in is also part of the audio you record.

When you start using boutique quality microphones, you'll be shocked at all the extraneous noise that's in your rooms. Always try to get the best possible signal to noise ratio you can. It can be very hard to take out unwanted noise, and most times you'll have to sacrifice tone just to get rid of it. Generally, the most expensive a microphone the more accurately it will capture every detail you throw at it. Which can be both a good and a bad thing. There are many ways to improve your signal to noise ratio, most of which include moving the microphone around until you get the perfect spot.

One thing you can't overlook is vintage microphones. In many studios to this day, vintage decades old microphones are the choice for recording nearly anything. Many recently manufactured microphones try to emulate the vintage tone heard on old microphones, and nearly all of them fail. That isn't to say new microphones don't have their place, but it is important to note that new microphone designs are not necessarily superior to old ones. Trying to figure out what microphone to use can be very frustrating, and the most important thing to remember is that there are no absolutes when it comes to microphones. Let's go over a few things to ease you into the process of microphone selection.

First, having a huge array of microphones can be good but it is much better to be able to use one microphone properly. One microphone with proper usage can yield many uses for many situations. By the same token, using one very good microphone improperly will just cause frustration and be counter productive. It all comes to experimenting and using your ear objectively. Cost wise, being able to use a cheap microphone properly will often sound better than using an expensive microphone improperly. So don't be fooled into thinking expense will solve your audio problems.

The most important thing to remember is you need to research, experiment, use your ear, and be objective. Once again, there's no absolutes when it comes to microphones.