The
Ribbon mics continue to impress with a great new acoustic session from
Graham Hodge CHECK IT OUT. The
BIG IDEA is to run a studio recording materclass weekend. Look out for
details!!!!!!!!!
Condenser
microphones are often seen as the more refined cousins of dynamic
microphones and traditionally they were more expensive than dynamic
mics. They have a higher output and better frequency response
and are generally regarded as studio recording microphones, though
for some recording jobs such as drums, dynamic mics are hard to
beat. Generally for a really detailed, complex sound, vocals and
acoustic instruments, a studio engineer will invariably use a
condenser
microphone. In this design the diaphragm acts as one plate
of a capacitor, and sound vibrations produce changes in the distance
between the plates creating an electrical current. However, to
work, condenser microphones need a power supply to charge the
plate, and this is commonly provided as 48 volt phantom power
from a mixing desk or from an internal battery. Originally the
design was based around a valve or vacuum tube but as transistors
appeared in the 60s so companies like Neumann
replaced their valve microphones with solid state versions and
valve microphones virtually disappeared for a number of years.
However with old vintage valve mics exchanging hands for huge
sums, in recent years there has been a renewed interest by manufacturers
and now even the cheapest Chinese brands have a valve mic in their
range. On the down side condenser microphones do suffer from problems
with condensation caused by humidity or water vapour in the air
which can condense on the diaphragm if you bring a cold microphone
into a warm studio. Also a vocalist working very close to a mic
can cause condensation from breath producing nasty crackles and
fizzing noises. A correctly positioned pop shield usually avoids
this in all but the coldest studios, and it is well worth while
allowing a condenser microphone to warm up to room temperature
before use.
Recording
Many condenser microphones are designed to provide several different
pickup patterns which may be changed with a built in switch
and most multi patterm mics have 3 patterns: omni, cardioid
and figure-of-eight though some mics like theRode NT2000
have a constantly variable pattern moving gradually between
all the main types. In all multi pattern microphones the capsule
is made with two diaphragms, and by changing the level and polarity
of the polarising voltage on one of the diaphragms, every possible
pickup pattern can be created. Another approach is to have a
modular approach with exchangeable heads with different pick
up patterns that screw onto the mic pre amp (body). AKG have
produced a lot of mics in this format and their current Blue
Line series has 4 different interchangeable heads. a cardioid,
a Hypercardioid, an omni and a figure of 8. It’s a system
that other companies have used and the Reelsound mobile has
just bought a pair of Hebden Sound
3000 condenser mics with exchangeable
omni and cardioid capsules. There is also a general distinction
made on the size of the diaphragm with large diaphragm mics
generally seen as vocal mics and small diaphragm mics as instrument
mics but of course there is a huge cross over and the careful
placement of any decent condenser
microphone can produce great results.
