Great recordings start with the right microphone choice, at least when it comes to gear.
But so many of us are choosing the wrong type of microphone for the job.
So today I want to address some fundamentals of microphone types – because without them, you could very easily waste time, money, and energy trying to get the right sound.
Via Warren Rachele Flickr
Dynamics, Condensers, And Ribbons “Oh My!”
When choosing a microphone for a given recording task, I first like to consider whether I will use a dynamic, condenser, or even ribbon microphone.
They each have their strengths and weaknesses, and are built in completely different ways. But once you understand their unique features, you’ll better understand how one could serve your recording better than another in a given situation.
And for now – if you don’t own but one type of microphone, don’t fret. Today I just want to educate you on the different types. In a future post I will share some great (and affordable) options for your mic locker, no matter how big or small it is.
The First Mic I Ever Met
Dynamic microphones were the first type of microphone I was introduced to – because you find them a lot on stage for live sound.
Grabbing something like a Shure SM58 to sing into or an SM57 in front of my guitar amp was pretty typical for me in my high school and college band days. And if you’ve ever gigged out with a band or as a solo artist, you too have been around many kinds of dynamic microphones.
What’s great about dynamic microphones is that they are very durable. They use a magnetized moving coil to capture sound waves, but the design is such that it takes a lot of air pressure to move the coil and thus they can handle loud signals like snare drums and Marshall half stacks.
Couple that with the fact that their innards are pretty durable, you can see why they are a go-to choice for live sound, although they play a critical part in the recording studio as well.
Studio Ready, And For Good Reason
Condenser microphones on the other hand are the sensitive cousin to the dynamic mic. They use a electrically charged capsule that is far more sensitive than the rugged moving coil design of the dynamic mic.
Because of the fact that these capsules can move so effortlessly, they can capture a much more detailed and nuanced sound – which we typically associate with “air” and “presence” in the top end.
These are typically the mics you see in recording studios for things like vocals, drum overheads, and acoustic guitars.
Their sensitivity is also why condensers can overload much easier than dynamics, again making them a better choice for studio applications where detail and fidelity are paramount, and sound levels are a bit more controlled.
A Valuable Part Of The Microphone Puzzle
And finally we have ribbon mics – the least popular among recording enthusiasts if measured by sheer number count in mic lockers.
But just because they are in the minority doesn’t mean they aren’t being used all the time. Ribbon mics use (you guessed it) a ribbon that vibrates when air pushes it.
The beauty of ribbons, however, is that they tend to reproduce high frequencies with a much more flat (and pleasing) response than say a typical condenser. Thus, you can get a smoother sound on sources that might otherwise sound a bit aggressive in the highs.
This is why they are a popular choice for guitar amps and drum overheads.
Making The Choice (And Why Knowledge Is Power)
So when it comes time to record a source (instrument, voice, etc) having some working knowledge of these three types of microphones can be invaluable.
For the recording studio I tend to think of the condenser microphone as a starting point. It is built to capture most sounds with excellent detail and transparency. In most cases this type of mic will work well.
If you find that the signal you are recording is super loud (say a rocking amp or kick drum), it might make more sense to use a dynamic microphone as it can handle the higher SPL levels and still give you a great sound.
Also, if you are tracking an aggressive rock vocalist that involves a lot of screaming (ahem..I mean loud singing) then a dynamic mic would be a great choice as well. It will capture plenty of detail and punch, without overloading.
And in a situation where clarity and detail is important, but your condenser is just sounding a bit too brittle or harsh, a simple ribbon mic could do the trick – giving you a smoother representation of what the condenser was hearing.
The beauty in thinking like this (choosing the right type of mic for the job) is that you are in essence EQing before you EQ. You are getting the right sound on the “way in”. Just like with mic placement, mic choice gives you an edge on recording day so that mixing goes much faster.
Grab One Of Each
The typical home studio only has but so much money to spend on microphones – but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a versatile and complete mic locker!
These days good microphones can be had for super low prices – so I recommend you eventually grab at least one of each type of mic. If you have your standard large diaphragm condenser mic like I recommend all the time, then consider complimenting it with a simple dynamic and ribbon mic.
These little investments are way more worth it than a plugin bundle or a DAW upgrade.
Soon you’ll have more (and different sounding) tools at your disposal so you can better capture any recording and set yourself up for sonic success!
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My name is Graham Cochrane and I'm the founder of The Recording Revolution, one of the world's most loved audio recording and mixing blogs with over 200,000 readers each month. 
Great post Graham. You’re spot on with the mic’s here. I would like to add that some vocalists sound better via different mic mfg’s. I’ve seen it where the majority of vocalists sound great on mfg A’s condenser mic while one specific vocalist sounds best on mfg B’s condenser mic. Frequency response and polar pattern are very close between the mfg’s on their spec sheets but the difference between the mfg’s eq curve had some slight boosts and cuts making the one mic move favorable than the other for this specific vocalist.
Great article, nice and to the point as you always are.
I’ve just (today) purchased the SE Magneto for £49.00. It’s got some great reviews on SOS so I thought why not as it’ll be perfect for my home studio. Looking forward to trying it out.
Ian, SE Electronics is s great choice. I have not tried the Magneto, but I do own an SE 2200 A II and my ribbon is an SE X1R – both outstanding mics – love the SE line!
and if i might add a bit, as far as i know, ribbon mics are super fragile and super expensive. you might not wanna put it inside a kick drum.
CMIIW.
Great advice, as always. And thank you for the link to the actual Glyn Johns class. The things he says shine a complete different light on the “mic like Glyn Johns” tutorials that are out there.
I’d also like to suggest a dynamic mic for in the studio, being Electrovox RE20. It’s indeed a more expensive mic, but it has a huge advantage over other dynamic mics: it has less issues with the “proximity effect”. As dynamic mics require the sound source to be rather close, you can get pretty big volume differences when eg the vocal sings with a passion and swing their head around while doing so. Plus, the response profile of the RE20 is exceptional compared to other dynamic mics. I actually prefer the RE20 above both ribbon and condenser mics for male voice.
I usually don’t do the whole gear war, but to my experience this mic is gravely underestimated and underused in home studios. And as they’re a bit out of fashion these days, you can find great deals on them. I snapped a new one for less than 400 euro (a bit over 400 dollar). Which isn’t too bad if you consider that a condenser of the same quality would cost you more than double…
Great article, Graham!
I don’t currently own a ribbon mic, but another thing I’ve learned about them, which makes a big difference in the studio, is that they’re pretty much always a figure 8 pickup pattern. This both means that they pick up equally from the front and back, AND they reject really well on the sides. This can be used to your advantage, as you can place it in such a way to reject noise really nicely (computer fan, for example).
Large-diaphragm condensers are definitely a fantastic starting point. I recorded most of my last EP with a single large-diaphragm condenser. It’s about a $75 mic, and it worked great for me. I have some nicer mics now, but it really doesn’t take too much to get started!
Thanks Graham!
“response than say a typical condesner” <— there's a typo 🙂
feel free to delete the comment after correcting
Got it! Thanks!
Thank you Graham,
Very informative.
-Travis
I’m just expecting my new pair of dynamics mics to arrive, to complement my medium diaphragm, and stereo pair condensers!
I have heard that dynamic mics are also a better choice in cases where there are a lot of transient you’d like to capture, e.g. for a snare. Can anyone further comment on this? Is it true that dynamic mics usually capture transients better than other types of mics?
From my experience I can say that some condenser mics also work with loud sound levels. I have recently used a large diaphragm condenser on a kick drum, but only because it had a switch with a 10dB cut. Since it was the first time I used the mic on a kick, I put up a regular dynamic kick mic for comparison. My condenser captured a much better sound. But, don’t do it with just any condenser mic as high sound levels can easily destroy it.
A ribbon mic is still missing in my mic locker. Eventually, I will buy one. Those mics usually provide a lot more warmth in recording. I’ve recently listened to several recordings of ribbon mics, and they have really rich detail. The only thing is that most demos are just with a single instrument or two and the question is how they fit in in a full mix.
Graham,
I noticed you left out a sub-class of condenser microphones, ie. the tube condenser. I’d love to hear your thoughts on FET vs tube especially when recording digitally and where one might be a stronger choice than another.
Thanks
Erik
Erik,
I’d love to hear Graham’s take on tube vs. FET condensers as well. I can tell you from my own experience with 1 tube condenser, that I found it to be a bit ‘warmer’ on the top end where the non tube condenser was definitely brighter. I am comparing an AKG C214 to an Avantone CV-12. For most vocals I prefer the CV-12 – there’s just something about it that just takes a bit of the edge off of the higher frequencies without sacrificing clarity. Best to experiment for yourself. I was using a Presonus Eureka preamp both times into a Focusrite interface into Cubase 7.5… just thought I’d pass along my own observations.
Graham,
Please share your view!
Yeah, I kept this article a bit simpler. I’ve used tube mics in the past and enjoy them a lot. Don’t currently own one at the moment.
Great article Graham. Can you also share your opinion of tube mic and capacitor mic matched up with tube preamp and solid state preamp…all four scenarios? Thank you
I’m currently demoing for my new EP and I have found in my studio that I favor a Dynamic for lead vocals to make it feel punchy and upfront and figure-8 with backing vocals, typically standing a little further back, which actually helps the vocals feel further back in the mix. Definitely gotta know what mics you have and how to utilize them for the best sound possible, creativity often trumps just spending money and buying more gear.
One time, I actually recorded bass guitar with an SM57 on the amp. I was going for a sharp, gritty, aggressive tone, and it really worked for me.
So I agree. Know your mics and how to use them 🙂
Thanks for the article. Its cool. Love it
Aspiring Sound engineer here
Books have and will been written (and read) about mics and why to use type A in situation X and your blog explains it in a nutshell.
Thanks Graham!
PS: I am aware that there is lot more to learn about mics, but you just pointed out the important features and charactaristics.
Good down to earth article on mics. Would love to see a recording tutorial on the all mighty acoustic guitar and the best ways to record it in different scenarios.
It’s pretty basic, but here’s a tutorial on recording acoustic that I did recently. May not be as in-depth as you’re looking for, but it’s a starting point.
2 Questions:
1 What about a “bad sounding room” for male voice recording: Condenser or dynamic?
2 Why the “Pro’s” say that the “best mic” for vocals is the condenser Neuman U87, and the dynamic Shure SM58? Why they “fine-tune” better for more vocal performers in the recording situation and in the stage?
1. I would first try to fix the room. Even throwing a few blankets on the walls can make a big difference. At least make it sound as good as possible.
Then, experiment. There’s no rule. Go for what sounds best on the voice. Put more emphasis on that than the room, I would say. I would still probably start with a large-diaphragm condenser, since they tend to sound good on vocals. But a dynamic can definitely work well too.
2. Not sure, but they’re both good mics. You definitely don’t need to pay the price of a U87 to get a good, solid microphone though. I use the audio-technica AT-2020 and the Blue Spark on vocals and they both sound great to me. Before that, I used an Apex 435 which did the trick just fine.
Thanks Alex.
I really enjoy reading this website. So much that a couple months I see myself a challenge to read or watch every article, video, etc you post and guess what, today is the day I read the last article. You took me from a complete newbie to this whole recording and mixing world to someone who’s comfortable using a 48 channel desk at uni and using protools with ease while also churning out half decent mixes. Really grateful for all your help.
Im not even exaggerating when I say you taught me everything I know. I started a sound engineering course tlast September and in the beginning it was hard with recording on consoles and DAWs etc and I had no ida what to do. Then I came across your blog and dedicated myself to learning and picking up from everything you said. Now I can comfortably say in a couple of months, I’ve mixed for small record label releases, taken over the running of the recording society at university and most importantly, learnt the proper use of a DAW, microphones, audio interfaces, mic techniques, compression, EQ, etc.You’ve been a light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks man, I really appreciate your presence and this blog. God bless.
Ed
This blog is my homepage on every deceive I use. Good stuff.
Hello Graham,
First of all thank you so much for the great article. Very easy to understand. I will definitely grab the $100 microphone, if that product isn´t outdated?
Anyway, thank you again.
/Kasper
I always wanted to own an expensive condenser mic and pre amp as I thought it would really bring out the best in my vocals, so I saved up all my pennies for a nueman U87ai and a focusright ISA preamp.., But for 2 months I have been scratching my head wondering why I was getting a harshness and brittle sound despite proper gain staging and good mic technique etc I eventually found someone online who has a similar voice and had experienced the the same issues with the U87ai. Yesterday I decided to run a cheap bruised and battered sm58 through my new focusrite ISA preamp and couldnt believe the amazing results. I had to learn the hard way but it turns out that the best mic is the mic that suits the voice regardless of type / price range etc. Im still using the U87i on other vocalists as it sounds awesome just dosn’t suit me. Hoping to have my song finnished for 1 month recording challenge in the next few days. just learning how to master.
Also I think this is going to be amazing for experimentation! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkU2SS8O_JM
I was wondering why, and mostly we’re talking about riggin guitar or vocals here,
there wasnt the question of using a small diaphragm microphone for the job. On my last song i used a Rode NT5 for vocals. Djeez that was a revelation. So i tried it on Acc Guitar. Now that it accuracy. Dunno?! is this just a mic range that is left out?