Fundamentals of Digital Audio Episode 7 - Microphones and Mic Technique

  • Welcome and welcome back - thanks for taking a few minutes of your day to listen to the Fundamental of Digital Audio
  • A few follow up points from last week's podcast
  • Another company to check out for usb and firewire audio interfaces is MAudio prices start at about $100.
  • Edirol UA1 EX is really for giving mixers a usb interface. It doesn't have some of the features the other usb/firewire interfaces have like phantom power, xlr inputs for higher quality mics. Not even sure it has a preamp
  • Microphones
  • Use this as a starting point for research not your entire research. I've only used 1 mic in the group I wil mention in the next finutes
  • Dynamic vs. Condenser
    • Dynamic
      • more durable
      • don't need phantom power
    • Condenser
      • more fragile
      • need phantom power (external power) most mixer and usb/firewire interfaces provide this - but don't take my word for it - check with your delaer or RTFM
  • Directional or Cardiod vs Omnidirectional
    • Directional or Cardiod - pics up the sound directly in front of the mic. Denser, more bassy sound
    • Omnidirectional - picks up sound from all around the mic. Multiple people. Sound is more spread out and more treble emphasis
  • Go to http://www.transom.org/tools/recording_interviewing/200508.mic_shootout.html. They have 18 mic samples with a bassy male voice, a female voice and another male voice. These include mics under $100 to $500-600 to over $2000. See if you can tell a big difference. If not, go for one of the less expensive ones. At the bottom of the samples you can view the key with the mics listed.
  • A few safe choices for the budget conscious
  • Mic technique
    • Check your input level. Try to get your peaks (loudest to between -6 to -3db) below 0 db for sure
    • Spend some time and find the sweet spot. Play around. The sweet spot on mine seems to be about 8incehes from the mic pointing my mouth slightly to the left
    • Avoid plosive "popping Ps"
    • Closer - more bass
    • Control peaks/louds parts in one of three ways:
      • Hardware limiter/compressor - requires external unti more complex but probably most efective. Limiter cuts off louder sound before or at 0 db to avoide clipping/distortion. Compression pushes down on louder parts and can optionally boost the average levels.
      • Software limiter/compressor - no extra equipment many software apps even audacity have some ability to limit and compress. Garage band can do this. require a lot of cpu power so you need a realtively fast machine and lots of ram
      • Low tech move farther away during lounder parts. Email exchange with singer