A microphone preamp is one of the most important bits of gear you’ll have in your studio. But what is a mic preamp? When you record sound with a microphone, the signal that the mic produces is too weak to be used by any of the other equipment in your studio. The job of the […]

Dynamic microphones are the tougher brother of condenser microphones, and are perfect for recording loud sources like guitar amplifiers and drum kits. But how does a dynamic microphone work? Some well-known classics are the Shure SM57 and SM58 – you’ll probably find these in every studio in the world! The first microphone I ever purchased was a Shure SM58 so I […]

Applying a variety of microphone techniques for studio recording can help you to expand the range of sounds you can achieve from your recordings. Each microphone setup has its own features leading to its own characteristics, and this variation can lead to interesting and creative dimensions in your mixes and productions. You may think that […]

Condenser microphones are the perfect type of mic to use when you want to capture a clear and well-defined recording with lots of detail. But just how does a condenser microphone work? Sounds that have lots of high-frequency content are best suited to condensers – like vocals, pianos, and acoustic guitars. If you’re just starting to […]

A mic stand will hold and position your recording microphone in your home studio so you can record tracks for your songs and productions. Without a stand your microphone would pick up and record all sorts of knocks, bumps, and vibrations that would ruin a take, causing the recording to be unusable. Microphone stands are […]

A microphone’s polar pattern is a way of showing the ‘directional sensitivity‘ of the microphone. Some microphones have fixed patterns, whilst others are able to switch between many different patterns. It can also be described as the ‘pick-up pattern‘ of the microphone, and the pattern shows how well a mic responds to a sound depending […]

The USB microphone is a type of microphone that has become more and more popular over recent years. They’re aimed more towards the podcasting market and are best suited to the spoken voice, such as in radio or voiceover work. But they can also be used for singing, or any sound source that is relatively […]

Recording in your home studio with the best vocal mic that you can get is one of the easiest ways to upgrade and improve the quality of your songs and productions. Lead vocals are the focal point of any song – using the right mic will help them to stand out and connect with the […]