Recording - May 2012 - 50

These negatives acknowledged, cardioids are a necessity in so many applications. For example, in the studio they are needed to maximize isolation, such as between drums in drum sets, or between neighboring instruments in a brass section. In sound reinforcement, cardioids are irreplaceable, as feedback would be impossible to mitigate if acoustic energy from floor monitors and other speakers could not be avoided. Although most unidirectional mics are true cardioids, a few other common cardioid variants exist and are popular in specific applications. All are created by either tweaking body/labyrinth design, or through different degrees of two-diaphragm mixture. The most common of these, hypercardioid and supercardioid, can be quite useful in tailoring off-axis isolation. Both offer increased rejection of side sources in exchange for slightly less rejection at the rear.

(90° phase delay)

ERIC’S DIRTY EXPLANATION OF DYNAMIC MIC PATTERN CREATION

Source at Front of Mic

Port and Labyrinth (Another 90° phase delay)

(90° phase delay)

180º out of phase at target frequency — The same sound wave PUSHES the front of the diaphragm while PULLING at the back, working together. End result: sources at the front of the mic sound louder.

Source at Rear of Mic
(90° phase delay) The same delay on both sides of the diaphragm means the same sound wave hits both sides, in phase — PUSHING on both sides, cancelling out at the target frequency. End result: sources at the rear of the mic sound much quieter.
Cardioids in action The complexity involved in the creation of unidirectional polar patterns means different cardioid mics vary in frequency response and directionality. This is yet another reason why it is wise to review your mics’ polar charts to see how they perform both on and off axis. Other cardioid-specific issues include proximity effect (which I will discuss next month), increased handling noise, and uneven frequency response of sources situated at the sides of a mic.
50
RECORDING MAY 2012

Too many sounds, too little time Polar patterns are perhaps the most defining of microphone attributes; polar patterns shape the where and why of microphone placement. Polar characteristics combine with the choices between dynamic, condenser, ribbon, and other transduction technologies to present a multitude of sonic options to the recording engineer. Join me next month when I round out Fundamentals’ exploration of microphone basics with a look at proximity effect, roll-off filters, sensitivity, and other mic properties.. Eric Ferguson (ferguson@recordingmag.com) recently escaped Los Angeles after a dozen years of freelance audio engineering. He is currently on the faculty of the New England School of Communications (NESCOM) in Bangor, ME.



Recording - May 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - May 2012

Recording - May 2012
Fade In
Contents
Talkback
Fast Forward
Lynne Arriale’s Solo—A Piano Solo Recording Of Note
Kel Audio HM-7U amd HM-3C Microphones
Fanny Franklin’s Get Wet—A Conversation With Producer/Engineer Jason Gutierrez
AKG Perception 120 USB Microphone
Miking Instruments: The Lost Art
Earthworks SR20 Microphone
SXSW 2012
Radial Engineering MC3 Passive Monitor Switcher
Readers’ Tapes
Recording Fundamentals. Chapter 5: Introduction To Microphones—Part Two (Directionality).
Miking A Symphony Orchestra For A Commercial
Audio-Technica AT4050ST Stereo Microphone
Alclair Reference In-Ear Monitors
RME Fireface UCX
Advertiser Index
Fade Out
Recording - May 2012 - Recording - May 2012
Recording - May 2012 - Cover2
Recording - May 2012 - 1
Recording - May 2012 - 2
Recording - May 2012 - 3
Recording - May 2012 - Fade In
Recording - May 2012 - 5
Recording - May 2012 - Contents
Recording - May 2012 - 7
Recording - May 2012 - Talkback
Recording - May 2012 - 9
Recording - May 2012 - Fast Forward
Recording - May 2012 - 11
Recording - May 2012 - Lynne Arriale’s Solo—A Piano Solo Recording Of Note
Recording - May 2012 - 13
Recording - May 2012 - 14
Recording - May 2012 - 15
Recording - May 2012 - 16
Recording - May 2012 - 17
Recording - May 2012 - 18
Recording - May 2012 - 19
Recording - May 2012 - 20
Recording - May 2012 - 21
Recording - May 2012 - Kel Audio HM-7U amd HM-3C Microphones
Recording - May 2012 - 23
Recording - May 2012 - Fanny Franklin’s Get Wet—A Conversation With Producer/Engineer Jason Gutierrez
Recording - May 2012 - 25
Recording - May 2012 - 26
Recording - May 2012 - 27
Recording - May 2012 - 28
Recording - May 2012 - 29
Recording - May 2012 - 30
Recording - May 2012 - 31
Recording - May 2012 - 32
Recording - May 2012 - 33
Recording - May 2012 - AKG Perception 120 USB Microphone
Recording - May 2012 - 35
Recording - May 2012 - Miking Instruments: The Lost Art
Recording - May 2012 - 37
Recording - May 2012 - Earthworks SR20 Microphone
Recording - May 2012 - 39
Recording - May 2012 - SXSW 2012
Recording - May 2012 - 41
Recording - May 2012 - Radial Engineering MC3 Passive Monitor Switcher
Recording - May 2012 - 43
Recording - May 2012 - Readers’ Tapes
Recording - May 2012 - 45
Recording - May 2012 - Recording Fundamentals. Chapter 5: Introduction To Microphones—Part Two (Directionality).
Recording - May 2012 - 47
Recording - May 2012 - 48
Recording - May 2012 - 49
Recording - May 2012 - 50
Recording - May 2012 - 51
Recording - May 2012 - 52
Recording - May 2012 - 53
Recording - May 2012 - 54
Recording - May 2012 - 55
Recording - May 2012 - Miking A Symphony Orchestra For A Commercial
Recording - May 2012 - 57
Recording - May 2012 - Audio-Technica AT4050ST Stereo Microphone
Recording - May 2012 - 59
Recording - May 2012 - Alclair Reference In-Ear Monitors
Recording - May 2012 - 61
Recording - May 2012 - RME Fireface UCX
Recording - May 2012 - 63
Recording - May 2012 - 64
Recording - May 2012 - Advertiser Index
Recording - May 2012 - 66
Recording - May 2012 - 67
Recording - May 2012 - 68
Recording - May 2012 - 69
Recording - May 2012 - 70
Recording - May 2012 - 71
Recording - May 2012 - Fade Out
Recording - May 2012 - Cover3
Recording - May 2012 - Cover4
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