What Type of Microphone to Use?

There are three different types of microphones:

1. Dynamic microphones,
2. Ribbon microphones
3. Condenser microphones.

We also get different polar patterns. These include:

Figure of Eight Polar Pattern

With these, you can record from either side of the microphone.

Cardioid Polar Pattern

This is a directional heart-shaped polar pattern, where the microphone
picks up audio from the front and also a little bit at the rear. Just like the
shape of a heart.

Hypercardioid Polar Pattern

This is a very directional polar pattern.

Omni directional
This microphone will pick up in all directions

Let’s now talk about some of my favourite microphones, starting with:

Dynamic Microphones

Dynamic mics are known for their durability. They are much more
durable than ribbon and condenser mics. Dynamic mics also don't need
phantom power, so they don't need any external power.

Electro-Voice RE20
This is an excellent microphone for recording spoken voice, and I use it
for recording my video lectures.

1
It’s also a great microphone for recording bass guitar amplifiers.

Shure SM7b
This is great for recording voiceovers, podcasts or spoken word. It's also
great for male vocals and hip-hop vocals. I know Bono from U2 uses this
microphone.

If you look at different radio stations or podcasts, their main

microphones are usually either an RE20 or an SM7b.

Shure SM57
This is nice if you are on a budget. This mic is great for snares and brass
instruments. It's a jack-of-all-trades mic. Also, as it’s a dynamic mic, it's
really durable.

Shure SM58
This is another standard classic dynamic mic. You’ve probably seen this
before, as it’s often used for vocals for live gigs. It's also really durable,
and it's great for live performances. However, in the studio, I wouldn't
really use it, but it’s great for for live performances or for DJing.

Ribbon Microphones

These microphones are great for picking up brighter sounds, but they are
very fragile.

SE Electronics X1R
This is a figure-of-eight ribbon microphone, which means you can record
from both sides.
It’s also really good for picking up bright sounds, but I would not usually
use it as it is so fragile. However, if you are careful with a ribbon mic, it
can be great for recording vocals or an acoustic guitar, for example.

T-Bone RM700
This is another figure-of-eight ribbon microphone.

2
This also picks up brighter sounds, and it’s a bit more inexpensive than
the SE Electronics X1R.

Condenser Microphones

Condenser microphones are generally brighter than dynamic

microphones, and they are less fragile than ribbon microphones.
However, they are still more fragile
than dynamic microphones.

They can be expensive, though, upward of $1000 at times.

AKG 414
This is a jack-of-all-trades microphone. It has different polar patterns,
including figure-of-eight, cardioid, hypercardioid, and omnidirectional.

So if you’ve got an instrument or a vocal and you want it recorded, this

will do a pretty good job on almost anything. I wouldn't use it on like a
kick drum, though; I'd
use a dynamic mic on a kick drum.

This mic is a little expensive, though, but it is good at recording most

things.

Neumann TLM 102

This is really nice mic for recording female vocals or any bright-sounding
vocals.

Rode K2
This is a valve condenser microphone. I also like this for recording
female vocals and it can help give your recordings a rich sound.
The downside of this microphone is that you've got to carry a large box
with it, which powers the valve inside the microphone.

Schoeps Omnis

3
These are great for recording a drum kit or a room sound. These are
pretty expensive, but they are really nice. You can get the cardioid
versions of this as well, or you can get the omnis for drums. These are
amazing for recording high hats or cymbals.

Shotgun Mic
These are condenser microphones, and they are hypercardioid, which
means they will need to be pointed in one direction.
These mics are good if you’re recording on location and you want to pick
up vocals or an instrument from a distance.
These are usually used for video work, where you want to have the
microphone out of the camera shot.
You can also get a wind muffler for a shotgun mic, which is helpful if
you're recording outdoors. This can help prevent any wind sound from
ruining your audio recording.

Conclusion
To summarise, my favourite mics are the RE20 and SM7b for voiceovers.
I’d also really like the SM7b for male vocals.
The Shure SM57 and the AKG 414 are both great jack-of-all-trades mics.

However, what mic you should get really depends on your budget and
your needs. Consider the Rode K2 or the AKG 414 if you have a higher
budget. If you have a lower budget, consider the Shure SM57.

I recommend starting off with a few microphones and building your way
up. For your first few mics, though, I’d recommend starting with the
Shure SM57 and maybe the AKG 414 if you want a condenser mic, and
maybe the SM7b or the RE20.

I recommend doing your own research before you purchase any

microphones, but I hope this has been useful.