2. How to know what microphone I should use
for my documentary:
Microphone Polar Patterns
You must understand how different types of microphones capture sound in different
patterns. To pick up only the wanted sounds and avoid unwanted noise depending on the
purpose of use .
3. Cardioid Microphones
The shape coloured in grey is the sensitivity area that
the sound is captured.
The microphone only capturing the sound it is near the
front of the microphone, on the un focused area of the
pattern it will isolate from unwanted ambient sound that
could interfere the sound source.
The Handheld microphone is
commonly used in talks/music
shows where there is a big
audience, because it doesn't
pickup the audiences/fans sound.
4. Super/Hyper Cardioid Microphones
This pattern is not very different from
the cardioid pattern, it is narrower
meaning it decreases even more of
the sound area, rejecting even more
sound of the ambient.
5. Omnidirectional Microphones
It has a large capturing area, it rejects
no sound. They are seen as better in
quality because it is most natural output
this is because of its pattern that
captures sound from all angles.
They are not good at avoiding any
noises meaning it
would preferably
used in studios and
other places with
great acoustics.
6. Figure-8 Microphones
Because it captures sound only from the front
and back and not from the sides it can give the
affect of stereo sound.
It also gives the possibility of recording two sound
sources at once.
The Ribbon microphone has this polar pattern.
Here is an example of its use:
7. Shotgun Microphones
Is known as being mainly
used in films and
documentaries, but they can
also be good when being as
overhead microphones for
capturing sound in a place
with a singing group, choirs
and drum cymbals.
An advantage of the shotgun
microphones is they focus
directly on the sound source in
front and pick up the sound
with high gain, while recording
any other noises on the
surroundings with a very low
gain. This is an advantage
because it can pick up the
sound only that the user
points towards directly in front,
while avoiding any other
unwanted sounds that may be
present in the environment.
