Microphones can be designed to pick up sound from certain directions while rejecting sound from others. The main pickup patterns are omnidirectional, which picks up sound equally from all directions; cardioid, which is most sensitive to sound from the front; hyper or super cardioid, which is even more directional; and bi-directional, which is sensitive to sounds from the sides. Different patterns are suited to different recording needs like group pickup or reinforcement for one or two people.

1. Microphone Pickup
Patterns

2. Pickup Patterns
 Microphones can be designed to be
sensitive to sounds from given directions
while they reject sounds from others.
 The directional characteristics, or pickup
patterns, are defined by noting the direction
from which a microphone is optimally
sensitive to sound waves.
 The most common patterns are
omnidirectional, cardioid, hyper or super
cardioid, and bi-directional.

3. Omnidirectional
 Omnidirectional microphones pick up sound
from all directions equally - with a slight
preference for sounds coming from the
direction in which they are pointed.
 Omni-directional microphones are typically
used for recording and group pick-up.

4. Cardioid
 Cardioid microphones have a heart-shaped
pickup pattern and are sensitive to sounds
predominantly from the front of the
microphone diaphragm.
 They love sound from the direction in which
they are pointed and reject sound coming
from the sides and rear.

5. Hyper or super cardioid
 Hyper or super cardioid microphones
are even more directionally sensitive.
They are sensitive to sound coming
from one direction, and are typically
used for sound reinforcement for one
or two people.

6. Bi-directional
 Bi-directional microphones are
Sensitive to sounds from the sides
180 degrees apart, while rejecting
sound from all other directions

7. Shotgun Microphones
 Shotgun mics have a narrow range that
can pull in sound from a distance in one
direction.
 When you can’t get right up to the
subject and want to block sound from all
other directions

8. Identifying a Microphone's
Pickup Pattern
 A manufacturer will often provide a polar
pattern of a microphone, which plots the
sensitivity of a given microphone based
on its sensitivity to specific frequencies
coming from all directions.

9. Identifying a Microphone's
Pickup Pattern
 Many mics have an icon on the side
which indicates the type of pickup
pattern.