Microphone Basics - IN PROG

• Studio Recording
• Microphones
• Year 1,2

Microphone Basics

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson you will be able to identify and describe different types of microphones and their uses. At the end of the lesson you will understand various microphone polar patterns and their applications. At the end of the lesson you will know how to place microphones effectively for different recording situations. At the end of the lesson you will be able to set and adjust gain on a microphone preamp. At the end of the lesson you will understand the concept of impedance matching in microphone preamps. At the end of the lesson you will be able to identify different input sources and output destinations for audio. At the end of the lesson you will know how to set up a Pro Tools session with the correct parameters. At the end of the lesson you will be able to create and manage tracks and busses in Pro Tools. At the end of the lesson you will be skilled in setting up headphone/cue mixes using sends and aux tracks in Pro Tools.

What do you already know about different types of microphones and their uses?

Types of Microphones

Dynamic microphones: Durable, handle high sound pressure levels. Condenser microphones: Highly sensitive, accurate. Ribbon microphones: Delicate, nuanced sound capture.

Polar Patterns

Omnidirectional: Pick up sound equally from all directions. Cardioid: Capture sound from the front, reduce noise from sides and rear. Figure-eight: Pick up sound from the front and back, reject sides.

Microphone Placement

Proper placement influences recording quality. Proximity effect enhances bass frequencies. Consider the desired sound and the proximity effect when placing microphones.

Microphone Preamp

Preamp amplifies microphone's signal. Setting the gain is essential. Impedance matching prevents signal loss.

Input and Output

Identify input sources and output destinations for audio. Understand impedance matching.

Pro Tools Settings

Configure Pro Tools session parameters. Create and manage tracks and busses.

Headphone/Cue Mix Setup in Pro Tools

Set up headphone/cue mixes using sends and aux tracks in Pro Tools.

Definitions

Dynamic microphones, Condenser microphones, Ribbon microphones, Omnidirectional, Cardioid, Figure-eight, Proximity effect, Preamp, Impedance matching, Pro Tools

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.