A Quick Guide to Microphones
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Audio:
Microphones.
Pretty much every musician has to deal with them at some point or another.
How do you actually know which one to use, and how to use it?
To start, there two basic types of mics that you might use: Moving coil microphones, which are most commonly called dynamic mics,and capacitor microphones, which are most commonly known as condensers.
Dynamic mics are known for being rugged, affordable and all around useful. (Not bad at all.) They don't have the crystal clear, full bandwith operation of condensers, but this is actually often a good thing, such as when you're recording certain types of drums, guitar amps, or other acoustic instruments.
Condensers are good for vocals, generally somewhat fragile, and usually more expensive. They are known for their ability to capture fine detail. Condensers require some current to work. This is phantom power, which is commonly represented by a button or switch labeled as +48V.
Transducer. Microphones are a type of transducer. The transducer is something that converts energy from one form to another. In this case, they're taking sound waves and turning them into electrical energy.
Though different mics work in slightly different ways, they all have a diaphragm. The diaphragm is a thin piece of material, often mylar or some form of metal, and often even gold-plated, in the case of condensers. When sound strike the diaphragm, it causes it to vibrate, and this passes energy to the rest of the microphone's components. These vibrations are converted to an electrical current which becomes the audio signal your interface uses to capture and playback sound. Generally speaking, smaller diaphragms are more sensitive and react faster than do large diaphragms. So large diaphragm mics are often better for voice and vocals, since they don't pick up as much annoying lip and mouth sounds.
Microphones have a directionality, commonly referred to as their polar pattern. Make sure your mic this pointed in the right direction. Most small diaphragm mics are known as "front address," which means that you face them directly at whatever it is you're trying to record. Large diaphragm mics are commonly front or side address, which means you have to be sure you're pointing them in the right direction. One way to tell is that in most cases the company's logo is on the front of the side address microphone.
Microphones create a very weak signal, so you need what's called a preamp. Your audio interface likely has at least one of them. These will amplify the very low level electrical signal to a useful level, and it makes it possible for your audio interface to sample the fluctuating voltages more accurately.
So there you go. Chose the right mic, face it in the right direction, plug it into a preamp, and then you're ready to start capturing the sounds of the world all around you.
Пікірлер: 77
Perfect video. Short. Informative. Humorous. 10/10. Thank you!
This was a perfect recap for me as someone that completed an audio course a few years ago, very well structured !
2:20 did the penguin just quack?
@s1len3e
4 жыл бұрын
Clayton Dgama Lol 😂
If you’ve made it this far, your doing good in your career
@agarykane2127
3 жыл бұрын
Is this far though?
@jbroadway12
3 жыл бұрын
@@agarykane2127 it’s progress
What a creative video production, and in delivery I'd say even now, just over 5 years later (currently Jan 2022) I find this could definitely spark inspiration to research and learn more about microphones and recording. It has for me, at least. Hope the video continues to do well!
@soundfly
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much Shannon! What a kind comment!
@shannonmccarthy4000
2 жыл бұрын
@@soundfly No problem! Thank you to the guy/guys behind Soundfly for helping people like me get informed & stay inspired studying Music Production (: Can I ask, do you have any advice for just starting out on KZread? It's something I've always wanted to do and would love to make a start as an aspiring independent artist & producer.
@shannonmccarthy4000
2 жыл бұрын
@@soundfly Also I appreciate you for replying to my comment even after 6 years of the video upload! Clearly you guys do an amazing job at keeping up with comments, it's really great to see.
The "quack" though. Lol
@igrewold
6 жыл бұрын
makezine.com/projects/make-38-cameras-and-av/piezo-contact-mic
I was very curious about audio recording and this video of yours fulfilled my curiosity to a great extent.
Tasteful use of the planets I like it
Spot on homage to bill wurtz @1:15 👏
@1A.....
3 жыл бұрын
Yeah
Very fun and informative Video, nice!
I have a usb gaming mic. Its almoust silent. i need a preamp right?
1:16 was that a Bill Wurtz parody ? :D
@soundfly
5 жыл бұрын
It IS, thank you for noticing! Though I suspect our video producer would call it an "homage."
@areamusicale
5 жыл бұрын
Excellent idea :D
@thiendu250
3 жыл бұрын
Sound pattern
Hell yay man.... U just made my life easy
Came for the info, stayed for Holst!
Isn't the song in the beginning Jupiter?
Awesome , thanks sirr
Just asking since it is started in this video that mics produce..but that may not be technically true with condenser mics as they manipulate or change the frequency of the electricity going through the mic as the capacitance varies with the sound waves and don't make electricity on their own. Just want to be sure. I believe that a carbon mic is the same way but I am not sure how much these are used now. They may still be used in landline telephone mics. What about crystal mics?
Thanks for this video :D It's very very cool
@eyeofthepyramid2596
6 жыл бұрын
Adinayla how much current it generates
Nice video. A dynamic mic actually generates a small amount of current itself but a condenser mic doesn't so it needs power to go through it right?
Nice presentation 😊
This is an absolute amazing video, and hilarious. And short. To the point. Well done to all involved 👏🏻
So with a condenser, would I need BOTH 48v phantom power AND a preamp? Or would just 48v phantom be enough?
@feverishcully1529
5 жыл бұрын
It's too much, condensor mics usually only need 1.5v so usually have a battery power source
@timmarrier
5 жыл бұрын
Scott Hoverman Most modern preamps come standard with phantom power, typically with an on/off button or toggle switch.
@timmarrier
5 жыл бұрын
@@feverishcully1529 Most modern condenser mics are designed to connect to a 48v sourced preamp, powering the mic itself and to boost the signal to line-level.
@feverishcully1529
5 жыл бұрын
@@timmarrier sorry, i meant electret condeser mics
@timmarrier
5 жыл бұрын
@@feverishcully1529 gotcha
Good video!
For what purpose microphone is used reocord sound,play sound, or for both?
@mmmsome
5 жыл бұрын
Microphones take sound waves and turn them into an electric signal. Depending on where that signal flows to next, it can either be recorded (e.g. if the mic connects to a mixing desk) or broadcast live (e.g. if the mic connects to a PA system). Playback of sound would be through a loudspeaker, not a microphone. Loudspeakers work on a similar principle, with the electronic signal passing through an electromagnet that causes a cone to vibrate, creating the vibrations in the air that we hear as sound).
@zakariyaebaba5987
3 жыл бұрын
@@mmmsome tysm❤
🤘 1:15
The microphone is the same as a speaker the difference is that a speaker requires current to make sound and microphone needs sound to make current
cool
Thanks I loved it I'm also a sound engg. And want to create this kinds of videos so how did you made this video like how did you edit it..!!!🤗🤗🤗
i luaghed my ass off when he hit the dynamic microphone on the wall and then just talk into saying 'were good' XD
OH MY GOD WHERE HAVE I HEARD THAT BEGINNING SONG BEFORE IT WAS SAMPLED IN SOMETHING WHAT IS THAT SONG CALLED
@NobodyNowhereKnowhow
Жыл бұрын
Its Gustav Holst’s The Planets Suite, Opus 32. This movement is call “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity.”
I can not focuses bro the background😀 00:55
Plz put more videos nice
Nice
@Sachingamer8080
5 жыл бұрын
Ka
deserve more view! haha
@soundfly
7 жыл бұрын
Agreed! Thanks BeHo!
i love yall
So why don't speaker record our sound ? It has the same component as microphone. I new to this business btw , i like to learn new things
@KNut-dy3gw
3 жыл бұрын
if you solder a speaker to a mic cable you can use the speaker as a mic
There every where.
Why is it called a diaphragm and not a drum or ear drum?
@NobodyNowhereKnowhow
Жыл бұрын
Because thats what they named it.
quack
I'm failing this test😔
Instead of a diaphragm, coil, and magnet, how about a CO2 sensor Like most electric guitars, you electrify you and/or your wind instrument without picking up other sounds Sunday, April 16, 2023 CE, 20:17 EDT
Bill Wurtz moment: 1:14
Yeah let's go microphoyosoyeh
الزجاج الامامي
@user-jb2gh2id3j
4 жыл бұрын
ممكن شرح .. ما بعرف انكليزي
TrAnsDucerRrr
My teacher send me here
Dr.Stone brought me here