On today’s show, I want to talk about the different types of microphones. As I mentioned on a previous episode (“Making Money Podcasting, Part 1”), “Which microphone should I get?” is one of the most common questions I get. Now, I’ll save the answer to that question for the next episode (since I like to keep these episodes nice and short). I think it’s helpful to have a basic understanding of the types of microphones before you start shopping for one. 

First, it’s helpful to understand that some microphones are designed to pick up sound in all directions. These are known as omnidirectional microphones. There are also directional (or cardioid) microphones, which pick up sound in front of the microphone and reject sound from the sides and rear (unless, of course, your microphone is bi-directional, in which case it picks up sound in two opposite directions). Directional microphones exhibit what is known as “proximity effect” (an increased bass response when the sound source is in very close proximity). So, when I lean in really close to the mic, I get that cool, late-night, radio DJ sound to my voice. 

So, with that in mind, here are the main categories or types of microphones you may encounter in audio recording.

1. Dynamic microphones are very common, especially among podcasters. They’re usually pretty rugged and pick up sound in a directional pattern. They aren’t as sensitive (generally speaking) as condenser microphones and are very popular in live audio settings. The Shure SM58 is probably the most popular vocal microphone for live settings. You’ll often see its flat-headed brother, the SM57, pointed at guitar amps and snare drums. 
2. Condenser (or “capacitor”) microphones are more sensitive than dynamic mics, and are generally reserved for quiet studios when you want to capture every nuance of a beautiful acoustic guitar or a soft voice. Condenser microphones require external power, usually the phantom power from a mixer, though they sometimes employ a battery or dedicated power source. If you’re going to use a high-quality condenser microphone (Neumann TLM 103) for podcasting, you will want to be in a well-treated studio environment. The Blue Yeti is a popular condenser mic among beginning podcasters and YouTubers.
3. USB Microphones are quickly becoming perhaps the most popular microphones on the market. They aren’t, strictly speaking, a different type of microphone in terms of how they receive sound. They are different in that they connect directly into a USB port on your computer. So, you can record directly into your computer without an external interface. The Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB is a common mic among beginning podcasters because of its inexpensive price, relatively decent sound quality, and the option of connecting to a computer through its USB digital output or to a mixer through its XLR analog output.
4. Ribbon microphones were some of the first directional microphones made, but they were notoriously delicate. Apparently, there are some new ribbon mics on the market today that are sturdy and reliable, but I don’t know anyone who uses them for podcasting.

There are other types of microphones, but they mostly fall into one of the categories above, they just have different functions. For example, shotgun mics are generally used for capturing sound at a distance. Parabolic microphones have a parabolic dish that collects and focuses sound waves into a microphone (they’re commonly used for capturing the sound on the field at NFL football games). Lavalier microphones (aka, lapel mics) are the little mics that people clip on their lapels for interviews.

There are microphones in your cell phones, headset mics, earphone mics, etc., etc. Basically, if you want to record a sound, there is a microphone for it.