RECORDING March 2023 - 19

source (like a front-address SDC instrument
mic) but positioned with the mic's
body at a 90° angle in front of the performer,
with the diaphragm pointed at
the vocalist's mouth.
Typical Issues and Problems
Several potential issues may need to
be addressed in any vocal recording.
While some of these can be solved with
processing after the recording is done,
it's always better to avoid them at the
outset.
A bidirectional mic (also known as a
Figure-8) picks up sound equally from
the front and rear but rejects sound from
the sides-most ribbon mics are bidirectional.
This can be very useful in many
situations, like when trying to isolate the
voice of a singer who is also playing
acoustic guitar at the same time. The
mic can be placed and angled, so the
'dead spots' at the sides reject the sound
waves from the nearby guitar as much
as possible. But other times, a bidirectional
pattern may pick up too much reflected
sound from surfaces in the room.
A unidirectional mic is the most common
choice for vocal recording. This
utilizes what is referred to as a cardioid
polar pattern-the mic picks up sound in
front and gradually rejects sound from
the sides and the rear. Cardioid mics
typically provide the best isolation and
freedom from excess room sounds and
bleed from other sources. There are
also cardioid variations (hyper and super
cardioid). Many studio condenser
mics (usually large-diaphragm designs)
offer a choice of patterns. However,
many budget and midrage models will
provide better quality at a lesser cost
by limiting the pattern to cardioid, and
that's just fine for common studio vocal
recording applications.
Phantom Power
A condenser mic's plates need to be
charged for it to be operational, and
this is done by providing DC power to
the mic. This voltage is sent through the
same mic cable that carries the audio to
the preamp/interface in the opposite direction.
The DC voltage doesn't interfere
with the audio signal. Some vintage condenser
mics (typically tube mics) come
with dedicated power supply boxes.
Modern (usually solid-state) condensers
typically utilize standard 48-volt power
provided by the mic preamp on the
console or interface. This 48v power is
called phantom power, and it's normally
switchable on the preamp-on for a
condenser mic, off for a dynamic or (especially)
a ribbon mic. If you are using a
phantom-powered microphone and forget
to engage the +48v phantom power
switch, you will not hear any sound!
Mic Setup
Condenser mics are either small-diaphragm
(SDC) or large-diaphragm
(LDC) mics. For studio vocals, large-diaphragm
condensers are the most common
option. LCDs are generally side-address
mics-the diaphragm points outs
at a 90° angle to the body of the mic.
So the mic is not pointed at the sound
Keep Your Distance
The best mic distance for a studio vocal
recording is to position the vocalist
6-12 inches from the mic. One reason is
that when the sound source is very close
to a directional mic-like an inch or so
away-a strong bass boost naturally occurs,
making the voice sound big and
boomy. While this may be favored by
radio announcers, for music projects it
will typically cause the voice to sound
too thick and tubby, requiring significant
corrective EQ later. This phenomenon
is called proximity effect, and it's easily
avoided by maintaining the recommended
distance from the mic for studio
recordings, which guarantees the most
open, natural tone.
Avoid Rumble
Sensitive condenser mics can often
pick up low-frequency noise like subsonic
rumble and vibrations from footsteps,
bumping the mic stand and traffic outside
the studio. It is common, therefore,
to mount a vocal mic in a shock mount
assembly to prevent the capture of unwanted
sound. Many LDCs come with
this accessory, but one can also be purchased
separately.
RECORDING March 2023 19
RECORDING March 2023

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