Mixing – open back headphones lets the sound breathe – less boxy sound
Closed back – acoustic insulation from environment
When field recording you want to hear what the microphone is hearing so field recording use closed back headphones
Shotgun mic – hyper cardioid – focused directionally
Polar patterns {microphones} – translates vibrational energy to electronic energy
- Field of sensitivity/ direction of field
figure of 8 pattern, in front and behind
Omnidirectional (omnipattern) – circle, equal on each side
Cardioid – unidirectional – picks up sounds infront
Dynamic mics – passive device
Hyper cardioid – much more focused directionally most infront slight behind, slight (less) each side
Zoom recorders – x y stereo technique – left and right polar patterns having a crossover in the middle (the right of the left and left of the right polar patterns) {2 cardioid for L & r)
A B stereo – two omni for left & right instead of two cardioid
Mid side pattern microphone – 1 microphone (in stereo) with field in front as well as to either side {sound devices mixer recorder – midside pattern shotgun mic)
Mid side pattern – stereo channel – split into 2 mono channels – 1 for mids (red pattern in diagram) and 1 for sides (blue pattern in diagram). Duplicate side channels to have one for left one for right (3 tracks total). Phase invert one of the side duplicates so that they don’t cancel each other out. Group side channels together to bring in together
Mono version of shotgun mic – just front cardioid polar pattern frontwards directional
Condenser mics (+48v phantom power) – more sensitive field (less latency)
If a pickup is charged it is quicker response as its already charged, which is why condenser mics have less latency, dynamic mics are passive, no charge until electric signal is sent
Frequency response – non linearity to how different headphones/ monitors respond to frequencies (boosts dips) e.g. akg52 headphones – low end boost, hi-mid cut, 5-7k boost, vs Yamaha hs8 (much more flat response, cut very low freq, very high freq
Different microphones like looking at a certain thing through different glasses – the frequencies that are coming through at different amounts like light.
I love mics my go to is Shure SM7B or rode NT1 for music stuff, I love my zoom for field recs, I’ve began making field recordings for the WATA re score, lots of bubbles! I really want my piece to feel tactical and I really believe that is all about microphone choice and microphone placement.