Mic Selection Chart
This chart is only for reference, but a useful starting point if you know what sound you're after. Feel free to experiment, just don't stick something fragile and expensive in front of a snare drum unless you've checked first!
| Application | Microphone Characteristic/Choice |
| Natural, smooth tone quality | Flat frequency response |
| Bright, present tone quality | Rising frequency response |
| Extended lows | Dynamic or condenser with extended low-frequency response |
| Extended highs (detailed sound) | Condenser |
| Reduced "edge" or detail | Dynamic |
| Boosted bass at close working distances | Directional microphone |
| Flat bass response up close | Omnidirectional |
| Reduced pickup of leakage, feedback and room acoustics | Directional microphone, or omnidirectional microphone at close working distances |
| Enhanced pickup of room acoustics | Omnidirectional microphone, or directional microphone at greater working distances |
| Extra ruggedness | Moving-coil microphone |
| Reduced handling noise | Omnidirectional, or directional microphone with shock mount |
| Reduced breath popping ("plosives") | Omnidirectional, or directional microphone with pop shield |
| Distortion-free pickup of very loud sounds | Condenser with high maximum-SPL spec or dynamic |
| Noise-free pickup of quiet sounds | Low self-noise, high sensitivity |
© Matt Bellingham 2003 – 2006
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License.
