Djarts Voice Coaching ~ www.djarts.com.

au


By Daniel K. Robinson

(2009)

Recently I sat with some friends reminiscing about cartoons we had watched as
children. It was fun to recall Astro Boy and Inspector Gadget. Ahh...the wasted
hours in front of the TV as kids! Another part of my childhood TV memories are
the commercials. One particular commercial that, for whatever reason, has stuck
with me was the Oils aint Oils Sol! campaign. The advertisement was designed
to drive home that not all motor oils are the same. To this day I am still
bamboozled by what type of motor oil to use in my car...I know they are not all
the same...but which one should I use?
For years I have been telling my students, Microphones aint Microphones Sol!.
After a brief look of bewilderment (many of my students are too young to
remember the commercial), I explain that not every microphone is the same. All
microphones are designed to do specific jobs, not only focussed to particular
instruments (voice, guitar, trumpet etc.), but moreover to their context of use.
I.e. Live performance; studio recording or teaching studio to name but a few. So
how do you know which mic is the right one for you?
Firstly, understanding how microphones work can also assist you in using the
right microphone for the right job. A microphone changes acoustic sound into an
electrical signal via a diaphragm or transducer. Two common types of
transducers found in vocal microphones are:
x
x

Dynamic great for live gigs due to its flat frequency response
Condenser usually used in studios or acoustically refined live
venues (requires phantom power)

A second parameter to consider when choosing and using a microphone is the

polar pattern of the microphone. The polar pattern is the spatial area around
the microphone that picks up the signal from the instrument or voice. Four
common types of polar patterns are found in vocal microphones:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Omnidirectional Lapel microphones

Cardioid e.g. Shure SM58
Super cardioid e.g. Shure Beta58
Hyper cardioid Choir Microphones

To illustrate, the industry standard choice for a live pub gig vocal microphone is
the Shure SM58. The 58 is a dynamic cardioid microphone which makes it ideal
for rugged use and achieving good gain before feedback levels. The same 58
will generally sound terrible in an acoustically refined venue such as a theatre or
recording studio.

Daniel K. Robinson - 2010

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Djarts Voice Coaching ~ www.djarts.com.au

So youve got some dollars and you want to buy your own microphone. Great!
Here are some tips to help you with your purchase...
1. Where will you predominantly use the microphone? Singing for
the church worship team may require a slightly different mic to your
karaoke sessions at home.
2. How much do you want to spend? Generally speaking you get
what you pay for.
3. Try before you buy! The best piece of advice when purchasing a
microphone is to go to a pro audio retailer and ask to trial a range of
microphones specific to your performance context and budget. There
will probably be 3-5 mics to choose from. Ask the staff to set up a
small PA (often they have one already prepared) and then
systematically sing into each of the mics with the same EQ & FX
settings for each one. Your ear and your voice will soon tell you which
one is the better mic for you.
4. Cable or Wireless? If youre purchasing a cable mic, I suggest a
10mtr cable...any shorter can be extremely limiting in your range of
movement on stage. For truly free movement you will need to
purchase a wireless system. Of course, wireless systems radically
increase the price point of you purchase.
5. Never pay full retail! Finally, never pay the ticket price. Any
professional audio retailer worth their salt will always discount the
listed price. How much discount will be determined by how much
business you bring to that particular retailer. I have personally
developed a relationship with a pro audio shop in Brisbane over a
number of years...this is a win/win relationship!
The main thing to remember when using or purchasing a microphone...they are
not all the same! What sounds good for one voice will not necessarily suit the
next. Do your homework and try as many different brands and specifications as
possible. The bottom line, Oils aint Oils and Microphones aint microphones!.

Daniel K. Robinson - 2010

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