Microphones and Mic Technique

Welcome and welcome back - thanks for taking a few minutes of your day to listen to the Fundamental of Digital Audio
A few follow up points from last week's podcast
Another company to check out for usb and firewire audio interfaces is MAudio prices start at about $100.
Edirol UA1 EX is really for giving mixers a usb interface. It doesn't have some of the features the other usb/firewire interfaces have like phantom power, xlr inputs for higher quality mics. Not even sure it has a preamp

Microphones
Use this as a starting point for research not your entire research. I've only used 1 mic in the group I wil mention in the next finutes
Dynamic vs. Condenser

more fragile
need phantom power (external power) most mixer and usb/firewire interfaces provide this - but don't take my word for it - check with your delaer or RTFM

Directional or Cardiod - pics up the sound directly in front of the mic. Denser, more bassy sound
Omnidirectional - picks up sound from all around the mic. Multiple people. Sound is more spread out and more treble emphasis

Go to http://www.transom.org/tools/recording_interviewing/200508.mic_shootout.html. They have 18 mic samples with a bassy male voice, a female voice and another male voice. These include mics under $100 to $500-600 to over $2000. See if you can tell a big difference. If not, go for one of the less expensive ones. At the bottom of the samples you can view the key with the mics listed.
A few safe choices for the budget conscious

Shure SM-57, Shure SM-58 $90 and $100. Durale dynmaic mics that are tried and true
Studio Projects B1 $79 Condenser - heavy on bass
Kel HM-1 $100
Heil PR-30, PR-40 http://www.heilsound.com/proline/pr-30.htm $289 and $325 being used by Leo Laprte, Paul Fiagiani and others
Wireless Sennheiser EW122-G about $500. Great quality. Defualt settings too hot check out tutorial at: http://www.dvestore.com/theatre/index.html

Check your input level. Try to get your peaks (loudest to between -6 to -3db) below 0 db for sure
Spend some time and find the sweet spot. Play around. The sweet spot on mine seems to be about 8incehes from the mic pointing my mouth slightly to the left
Avoid plosive "popping Ps"
Closer - more bass
Control peaks/louds parts in one of three ways:

Hardware limiter/compressor - requires external unti more complex but probably most efective. Limiter cuts off louder sound before or at 0 db to avoide clipping/distortion. Compression pushes down on louder parts and can optionally boost the average levels.
Software limiter/compressor - no extra equipment many software apps even audacity have some ability to limit and compress. Garage band can do this. require a lot of cpu power so you need a realtively fast machine and lots of ram
Low tech move farther away during lounder parts. Email exchange with singer

Fundamentals of Digital Audio Podcast