Choosing a Microphone: The Basics

Which Microphone is Right For You?

Remember when Harry Potter wanted to choose his first wand at Olivander’s, and was told that the wand would choose him? You know, it’s not so different with microphones. You have to experiment to find the one that's right for your voice. Many microphones aren’t returnable, however. Sometimes you can try out different ones at a music store.

Microphones are available in a wide range of prices and types. There are small mics that you can clip onto the lapel of a speaker. Another small mic made by Micromemo plugs into your iPod and turns it into a voice recorder (about $60). I've seen round "snowball" mics, which I understand can be useful for group interviews, and I've considered wireless mics for people who just can't sit still (like kids!) At the low end, you can purchase a USB microphone that records right into your computer for about $30, while other more expensive mics require special cables, digital recording devices, or external power sources.

Dynamic microphones are relatively inexpensive, produce a punchy sound (warm, round, and full), and are forgiving about extraneous noise. Condenser mics (such as in the picture, left) are more expensive but they can produce wonderful sound.

Nearly as important as the quality of the microphone is how you use it. I've been told you should never hold a microphone and speak directly into it. Use a good quality microphone stand, instead. Angle the microphone stand so that the microphone is aimed down at a 45 degree angle, to pick up resonance from your chest. Instead of speaking directly into the microphone, speak “across” the microphone and slightly off to one side. You have to play with this a bit to see what works for you.

When my friend and I record my voice, we have to use a little creativity with mics. He directs one mic at my chest and another mic near my mouth. It's a little more trouble, but I admit my voice does sound better that way. We also add more dimension to my recorded voice in sound editing.

Use a shock mount on the microphone (most good quality mics come with a shock mount) and a pop filter (they're not expensive). The pop filter protects the mic and helps to eliminate the “popping” sound that can be recoding when people say words with the “p” or “b” sound in them.