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Electronic Music Production, Home Studio, Music Production

How To Choose A Professional Microphone For Recording

Posted on by Rhino Star Records

Recording Microphones

How to Choose The Best One For Your Home Studio

How to choose the best microphone for home studio recording, singing microphone, dynamic microphone, condenser microphone, studio microphones

Microphones For Recordings

As a music producer, DJ, or musician, you know that having high-quality recording equipment is essential to putting out the best product possible. While there are many different factors that go into getting great recordings, one of the most important is choosing the right microphone.

Not all microphones are created equal, and each type has its own unique strengths and weaknesses. In this blog post, we’ll give you a rundown of the different types of microphones and help you choose the best one for your home studio.

How to Choose The Best Microphone For Your Home Studio

Choosing a microphone for a home recording studio is no easy task. A professional microphone is one of the most important components in any recording studio and is the first in the recording studio (microphone -> preamp -> sound card -> recording software).

The quality and type of microphone you use will largely determine the quality and color of your recording. Take into account that each microphone brings different colors and qualities, which can significantly change the tone and nature of the recorded sound of one instrument or vocal.

Studio Microphones

In the first instance, you will probably have to settle for one or two professional microphones that will be used for all your recording tasks.

Yes, here, too, you will have to compromise when buying a microphone, meaning a microphone that will allow you to record a wide range of musical instruments and vocals. I recommend a dynamic microphone and condenser microphone, but one can settle for only one microphone too. More on that later. In the meantime, let’s talk about the types of microphones.

How to choose the best microphone for home studio recording, singing microphone, dynamic microphone, condenser microphone, studio microphones

Types of Microphones:

There are three main types of microphones: condenser, dynamic, and ribbon. Condenser microphones are popular for their excellent sound quality and are often used in studios for recording vocals and instruments. While they are more delicate than dynamic microphones and require phantom power, they are generally considered to be the best option for home studios.

Dynamic microphones, on the other hand, are more rugged and can handle higher volume levels without distortion. They are often used for live performances as well as for recording drums and other instruments. Ribbon microphones are less common than the other two types but offer a uniquely warm sound that can be ideal for certain applications.

How Microphone Work

A microphone converts acoustic energy into electrical energy, or in other words, sound waves turn into an analog electrical signal that can be amplified, played, and of course, recorded.

Different studio microphones perform the task in different ways and so we have 2 main types of microphones used in the recording studio: dynamic microphone and condenser microphone. 

We will not go into the depth of the technical details here about how each microphone works, but we will certainly try to describe the different and unique features each microphone brings.

Dynamic Microphone

How to choose the best microphone for home studio recording, singing microphone, dynamic microphone, condenser microphone, studio microphones

Live Singing Microphones

A dynamic microphone is the workhorse of the sound world and recordings. used mostly to record live instruments which makes the dynamic microphones less sensitive, and their frequency response range is smaller than condenser microphones. For this reason, they will be less useful for subtle and soft nuanced recordings.
 

 

Dynamic Microphone - For Loud Instruments

This microphone is durable with high sound power and therefore suitable for recording powerful instruments such as guitar and bass amplifiers, metal wind instruments, and so on. Also, a dynamic microphone can be used to get a rough and sometimes more intimate singing sound (mostly male vocals).

Dynamic Mic For Recording

If you look at the price, Dynamic microphones are relatively inexpensive, and the classic ones are probably used in a lot of the albums you know!  Dynamic microphones only perceive the sound that is close to the microphone and therefore the acoustics of the room are less recorded. Another reason why you should have at least one dynamic microphone in your studio!

Condenser Microphone

How to choose the best microphone for home studio recording, singing microphone, dynamic microphone, condenser microphone, studio microphones

A condenser microphone is by far the king of the studio. Its mechanism is much lighter and more sensitive than that of a dynamic microphone, and therefore the frequency range it receives is greater and is a microphone that will give much more detailed, large, and clear recordings.

Best For Vocal Recording

If you are a singer or planning to record singers, A condenser Microphone is a classic microphone for vocals, drum heads, acoustic guitars, percussion, and any other instrument or sound source that requires a large, rich sound.

The condenser is a microphone that is usually sensitive to high sound intensities, so be careful when recording loud noises, such as metal wind instruments, and guitar amplifiers, and make sure the microphone can withstand it.

Condenser Microphone - More Transparent

 

A single casting blow into a condenser can tear its delicate membrane. Also, its bright quality may be too bright on squeaky instruments such as trumpets, and electric guitar amplifiers.

There are 2 types of condenser microphones, microphones with large diaphragms and small diaphragms. A condenser microphone with a small diaphragm (finger microphone) will be even more sensitive to transients because its membrane is even lighter. 

It all depends on what you need to record, condenser microphones with a small diaphragm are also considered very transparent, they are very suitable for acoustic guitars and in overheads for drums, as in any case where we want to emphasize the attack. A large-diaphragm condenser microphone, on the other hand, is a classic microphone for sleek and large vocals.

How to choose the best microphone for home studio recording, singing microphone, dynamic microphone, condenser microphone, studio microphones

What is best for you?

As a single condenser microphone for the studio, you should go for a larger, more resilient diaphragm condenser, suitable for acoustic recordings and a variety of other recording purposes.

As a microphone for vocals, you should find a match between the color of the microphone and your voice, as a bright and sharp singer normally will need a dark-colored condenser microphone and vice versa. 

USB Condenser Microphones

The condenser is a relatively expensive microphone, with the cheaper microphones being characterized by a bright, slightly annoying sound. However, a cheap Chinese condenser microphone is still a great starting point for creators and recorders in a home studio.

Mic Purpose, Price, And Technical Specifications.

There are many different types of microphones available on the market, so it is important to know what you need before making a purchase. If you are looking for a general-purpose microphone that can be used for vocals, instruments, and podcasts, then the Rode NT1-A is a great option. This microphone has a large diaphragm that provides great sound quality and is relatively affordable.

If you are on a tight budget, the Audio-Technica AT2020 is also a great choice. For those who need a more versatile microphone, the Shure SM7B is a great option. This microphone has a unique design that allows it to be used for both vocals and instruments. It is also one of the most popular microphones used by professional studios.

Sound Quality – If you are looking for the best possible sound quality, then the Neumann U87 is the way to go. This microphone is used in many top studios and is considered to be one of the best microphones in the world. However, it comes at a premium price tag.

How to choose the best microphone for home studio recording, singing microphone, dynamic microphone, condenser microphone, studio microphones

How to Choose the Right Microphone

Now that you know a little more about the different types of microphones available, how do you choose the right one for your home studio? The first step is to decide what type of microphone will be best suited for the task at hand.

If you plan on mostly recording vocals, then a condenser microphone will likely be your best bet. However, if you’re planning on recording drums or other loud instruments, then a dynamic microphone might be a better choice.

Once you’ve determined what type of microphone you need, you can start narrowing things down based on price and features. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for when it comes to microphones—so don’t be afraid to invest in a high-quality option if your budget allows it.

Conclusion

There is a huge supply of microphones on the market today, with cheaper microphones As mentioned above, these are not top-notch microphones and most of them replicate each other with the same internal mechanism, but our approach to condensers is that you need to start with something.

Start with a Used Microphone, There’s nothing wrong with starting a second-hand condenser that you bought for 100$. To be honest I think this is a great start! When you want to move on, sell, and upgrade. If you have a little more budget, I would suggest listening to slightly expensive microphones in price ranges of around $1000, which also brings some color and uniqueness. After you have gained some experience and you feel the need, you can move forward and look for new colors.

We hope this article will help you choose the best microphone for your home studio!

Thanks for reading and Let us know what you think in the comments below.

 

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Recording Microphones

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