Microphone FAQ for live taping

[Drsisters]

What sort of mic do you need to record to minidisc? I have a recorder, always wanted to use it to record gigs,
but never really got round to finding out the best way of doing it.

I have found a FAQ for microphones for botlegging purposes who is very useful when you are going to decide what kind
of microphone you wants.

Questions:
1- What are the differences between Binaural and Cardioid mics?
2- How can a Binaural mic be used to make a stereo recording?
3- I like to listen to my recordings with speakers, not headphones. Which mics are right for me?
4- When is it advantageous to use Omni-directional mics?
5- When is it advantageous to use Cardioid mics?
6- I need one set of mics to handle all of my recording situations. What kind of mic should I use?
7- I want to record some really loud music. Which is the better type of mic to use?
8- I am going to record a loud concert at a large arena. What would be the right mics to use?

1- What are the differences between Binaural and Cardioid mics?Binaural microphones are miniature Omni-directional microphones, used in pairs, placed on either side of a human (or artificial) head and placed in, or as near as possible to, the ears. Omnidirectional mics pick up sound in all directional fairly equally, so when they are used in this manner, they pick up sound very much like the human ear does. Note: These same microphones are also capable of making stereo recordings.

Cardioid microphones are Uni-directional microphones and pick up sound mostly in the direction you point them. They cannot be used to make binaural recordings, but can, of course, be used to make stereo recordings. Because of this directionality, they have certain advantages over Omni-directional mics in some situations.

2- How can a Binaural mic be used to make a stereo recording?

Basically, by moving omnidirectional microphones away from one's head and separating them by at least 6-8" or so, you will get a stereo recording instead of a binaural one.

3- I like to listen to my recordings with speakers, not headphones. Which mics are right for me?
If you mostly listen to your recordings with speakers (at home, in the car, with a boom box, etc.), you would get better results if you made stereo recordings instead of binaural recordings. Binaural recordings sound best when listened to through headphones. You can use Binaural or Cardioid mics to make stereo recordings. However, one exception to this is the SP-TFB-2 In-Ear Binaurals, which sound excellent with headphones or speakers.

4- When is it advantageous to use Omni-directional mics?
When you are recording in a venue that has good acoustics, the audience is fairly quiet and you are fairly close to the sound source, Omni-directional mics are capable of make excellent recordings and would be the mic of choice. Omni mics also are more forgiving of handling noise and wind noise, so are a good choice if you can't secure your mics firmly or have to record in windy situations and don't want to use large windscreens.

In addition, when you need a good sounding mic and have a limited budget, Omni mics would be a better choice as cardioid mics of the same quality cost 2 to 3 times as much as omnis.

5- When is it advantageous to use Cardioid mics?
When you are recording in a venue that does not have great acoustics, the audience is noisy and/or you can't get close to the sound source, Cardioids are the better mics to use.

Since Cardiods are directional mics, they will greatly reduce excess reflected sound coming at the mics from all over the venue. They do a good job of reducing unwanted audience noise from the sides are rear. While they can be used up close with excellent results, they excel over Omni mics when recording from a distance. In fact, there are different levels of directionality available, including Sub-cardioid, (regular) Cardioid, Hyper-cardioid and Super-Cardioid (sometimes called shotgun) mics. In general, the further you are from the sound source, the more directional the mic should be.

Cardioids are also the preferred mic to use on stage for sound reinforcement applications, since they are less likely to feedback through a PA system. On the downside, cardioids are more susceptable to handling and wind noise, so if you can't secure your mics firmly or have to record in windy situations and don't want to use large windscreens, omni's would be a better choice.

6- I need one set of mics to handle all of my recording situations. What kind of mic should I use?
Overall, Cardioid microphones offer more flexibility that Binaurals in that they can be used in a wider choice of applications. If you have many different recording situations and need one mic type to do them all, use Cardioids.

7- I want to record some really loud music. Which is the better type of mic to use?
Both Omnidirectional and Cardioid mics are capable of recording very loud music. There are other considerations, outside of the scope of this FAQ. See our battery module FAQ for more information on this subject.

8- I am going to record a loud concert at a large arena. What would be the right mics to use?
If you are going to be very close to the sound source, omni's or Cardioids would work well. However, if you are going to be a little further back (about 20 to 75 feet from the sound source), Cardioids would be a better choice. If you will be even further back, Hypercardioids or Shotguns would be the mic of choice. Some mics, like the Sound Professionals Premium and Slimline Cardioids have interchangeable elements that offer these choices without having to different sets of mics for different purposes.

here is a FAQ for battery boxes as well.

Questions:
1-What is a "battery module"?
2-When do I need to use a battery module?
3-When would it be better to use a mic preamp?

Answers:
1-What is a "battery module"?
A "battery module" is another name for an in-line (in series) auxiliary power source, or power supply. In most cases, the power for the battery module is provided by a standard 9 volt D.C. (Direct current) alkaline battery. The module also contains the necessary electronic components to power an electret, or pair of electret microphones (sometimes inaccurately called "condenser" microphones). The module may also contain other components whose purpose is to alter the bass response of the microphones plugged into it (a "bass roll-off" filter), or controls that affect the output level of the module (level controls). It is important to note that a "battery module" WILL NOT increase the output of a microphone(s) plugged into it-this is the job of a microphone preamplifier. The battery modules purpose is to power a microphone, not amplify it's signal level. Battery modules are known as "battery boxes" by some manufacturers.

2-When do I need to use a battery module?
When you want to record very loud sounds
When you want to record very loud sounds with a microphone/ recorder combination, several things must be considered. All condenser type microphones need a power source to operate. For the smaller condensers (more correctly called "Electrets"), this power source is generally 1.5 to 10 volts direct current (VDC). The closer you get to providing 10vdc to the mics, the better they will be able to handle loud sounds without producing any distortion. Many of the MD, DAT, Camcorder and cassette recorders available today provide a small power source at the mic input, often labeled "plug in power". This power source is commonly about 3 to 4 vdc, but can be lower in some Sony MD models (R70 and R90).

This is enough voltage to power the mics, but not enough to let them realize their full dynamic range. Because of this under-powering at the mic input of the recorder, a battery module can be used to replace the "plug in power" provided by the recorder. These battery modules provide a little over 9 vdc, very close to the optimum voltage for the microphones. Additionally, there is an added benefit to using a battery module. When you use a battery module, you are not dependent on the recorders "plug in power", so in moderately loud to very loud situations, you can use the line input of your recorder and still get acceptable recording levels (in softer recording situations, you would still need to use the mic input, even with the battery module).

The line input has less noise than most microphone inputs as it bypasses the relatively noisy mic pre amplification stage. The line input is also capable of handling a much higher signal level than the mic input, and will not result in a phenomena commonly know as "brick walling", which happens when the signal fed into a mic input is so high that it distorts the mic input, regardless of the recording level setting.


When you are using microphones that require 9vdc bias power
Some microphones (our Audio Technica Premium Slimline mics, for example), require a higher bias voltage (9vdc) for proper operation, even in low volume situations. You would need to use a battery module with these microphones.

When the sound you are recording has excessive bass content
A battery module equipped with a "bass roll off" filter (or bass reduction filter) can be used to filter, or reduce varying degrees of bass content from the sound to be recorded. This is especially important when recording sounds with excessively high levels of bass content. Our battery modules with this feature allow 7 choice of bass reduction, from no reduction at all, to a high degree of reduction.

When you want to avoid using the microphone input of your recorder
As mentioned above, most built-in mic pre amps on the small portable recorders are rather noisy and may add unwanted coloration to the sound to be recorded. Using the line input will almost always result in a less noisy, cleaner sounding recording. Using a battery module in moderately loud to very loud situations, you can use the line input of your recorder instead of the mic input. The line input has less noise than most microphone inputs as it bypasses the relatively noisy mic pre amplification stage. The line input is also capable of handling a much higher signal level than the mic input, and will not result in a phenomena commonly know as "brick walling", which happens when the signal fed into a mic input is so high that it distorts the mic input, regardless of the recording level setting.

When you want to be able to adjust the recording level while recording on a SONY MiniDisc
Many of the current SONY MiniDisc recorders have a limitation built right into them.....they don't allow the user to manually adjust recording levels while you are recording. You must first pause the recording before adjusting recording levels. This can be a nuisance if you find the need to adjust the recording level in the middle of the program you are recording. Because of this, we have an option available on our full size and Slimline battery modules. This option allows the user to adjust the output of the battery module, effectively adjusting the recording level by changing the level of the signal going into the recorder. These controls are mounted inside the battery module to protect them from accidental movement while in a pocket or bag, and to protect them from the elements for a longer, noise-free life..


Here you can find microphones for all recording situations. www.core-sound.com, www.microphonemadness.com,
www.giant-squid-audio-labs.com

What is the best volume setting etc etc!

Totally depending on who manufactured the minidisc or the DAT recorder you have. Only way is to read the instruction manual.
If you are using a
SONY minidisc it can be very difficult to set the volume manually, a battery box with level controlls fix this problem easy. Don´t be afraid
if you thinks the level on the recording is to low, that can always been fixed afterward when you master and transfer the recording to cd.

[CellThree]

Fantastic! Thanks Doc!

The only problem being is there is no mention of price of these types of microphones. Guess I'm gonna have to start hunting around for mics.

The other questiion I forgot to raise is How do you smuggle them into gigs? I really don't want to resort to the Papillion method of keeping things safe!

[Zuma]

all good advice there, but as am ex sound pro I suspect the best mic would actually be a piezo mic, used to get them in Tandy for under £30.

They were just a flat plate about 4 inches square and could handle any sound level going..the catch however is that they work best when attatched to a solid surface which might be tricky at a gig

the "bible" is at - http://www.canford.co.uk

[Drsisters]

Fantastic! Thanks Doc!

The only problem being is there is no mention of price of these types of microphones. Guess I'm gonna have to start hunting around for mics.

here you have a nice combo set from microphone madness for 140 $
http://www.microphonemadness.com/mmcomcommadp5.html

The combo pack have everything you need to get started with live taping with a minidisc.

If you want a cheap High end microphone. You have one here for 250 $ for the microphone only.
http://www.microphonemadness.com/mmhlsomsenmi.html

I bought a pair of these + a battery box with bass roll off filter. I have tried them on several band and the result is awsome.

The other questiion I forgot to raise is How do you smuggle them into gigs? I really don't want to resort to the Papillion method of keeping things safe!

Put the recorder in your pants, the security guys never search near the crotch on a guy
Put your microphone in a pocket with your keys, they security guards feels the key and have no interest to see them.

Put the battery box in a pocket with your cell phone, and they feel the cell phone and believes the battery box is a part of the cell phone.

I have tried all of these things and they have worked, BUT I CAN´t garantee to 100% that THEY work.

If they use a metal detector is is almost impossible to get any gear inside.

[Dan]

Put the recorder in your pants, the security guys never search near the crotch on a guy

Yes, i've been stuffing a walkman down the front of my trousers since 1985. It worked every time, EXCEPT Hamburg Nov'90, where the security guys did feel the crotch, and had me unzipping my trousers so they could see what I was hiding!