Choosing the Right Type of Microphone for Video

More and more high-end cameras feature video capabilities. They can record high-resolution video footage, support the most popular video formats, have a built-in microphone, and allow you to connect external accessories when needed. Switching from photography to videography has never been easier.

However, once you pass the beginner level, you may want dedicated gear to film your videos, especially when it comes to audio. Audio is just as important, if not more important, as the visuals. Most often, a built-in microphone doesn’t capture great audio. Choosing the right type of microphone for your video is the first step in taking your video quality to a professional level.

Why You Need a Microphone for Your Videos

Regardless of the type of video you create, you want a cinematic feel that catches the public’s attention. For this, you may invest in a cinematic camera at first. But producing high-quality audio is equally important.

Poor audio means the public won’t understand what the speaker says, will be disturbed by background noise, or will get irritated by artificial-sounding audio. All these result in losing your audience. Poor audio translates into unprofessional videography.

Furthermore, some video types rely heavily on sound. For example, if you record an interview or an instructional video, chances are people will listen to it instead of watching it. Possibly while taking a walk, commuting to work, or driving. Poor audio quality ruins their experience and fails to get your message across. So, getting the right microphone for your video is not just for improving your work but a key component of your work, without which everything else falls apart.

Types of Microphones Explained

In time, you’ll become an expert in video and audio equipment, but for now, you only need to know the most common types of microphones and their basic characteristics.

Based on the way they convert sound waves into voltage, microphones can be broken down into two categories: dynamic or condenser.

Dynamic Microphones

These microphones use electromagnetism and are a better fit for loud sound sources, such as choirs, musical instruments, and live performances. They are generally less sensitive to background noise than condenser microphones.

Condenser Microphones

On the other hand, condenser microphones use an electrically charged diaphragm to generate a signal proportional to the sound. They produce a more natural tone and are often preferred for smaller recording environments, such as studios. Furthermore, they require a power supply, which may be easily available in a small indoor location.

Directional vs Omni-Directional

In addition, microphones can be directional or omnidirectional. Directional microphones prioritize sound coming from a particular direction, such as the person who is speaking. They are less sensitive to background noise. Omnidirectional microphones don’t set priorities and capture sound coming from all directions. They are a better fit for recording environmental sounds.

Handheld, Lavalier, and Boom

Microphones are also categorized based on usage. A handheld microphone is the microphone you see on talk shows, for instance. They go easily from one person to another, making it clear who is speaking, and usually are directional microphones.

A lavalier microphone is very small and attaches to a person’s clothing. The speaker does not have to hold a microphone, which makes the scene more dynamic and fluid. Often, they are omnidirectional microphones, but because a lavalier microphone is fairly close to the source, background noise becomes less of a problem.

A boom microphone is a microphone that is mounted on a pole and is held near the sound source by someone other than the speaker. They are directional microphones used to record dialog, and you can often see them behind the scenes in film and television recordings.

You may also encounter USB microphones that record the audio footage directly in a computer and XLR microphones that connect to professional audio recording devices, such as mixers and audio interfaces.

How to Choose the Right Microphone for the Type of Videos You Create

As you can see, choosing the right microphone for your video is more important than choosing the best microphone. Leaving aside the technical specifications, the right microphone improves your workflow, provides high audio quality, and offers the versatility your video requires. To make the best decision, consider the following aspects:

The Recording Environment

You can record a video either in an indoor space or in an outdoor one. An indoor space may be a quiet, controllable recording environment, such as a studio, or a noisy, unpredictable one, such as a restaurant. It may also be a small room or a vast warehouse or concert hall. An outdoor space is, by definition, unpredictable and subject to background noise.

Indoor

If you film in a studio, you may be less concerned about background noise. A small, omnidirectional microphone may be the ideal choice. Use a lavalier microphone for interviews or small group discussions, as you often see on television setups. It’s discrete and doesn’t interfere with the dynamic of the scene. However, if you film a scene with actors that move a lot, use a boom microphone placed above their heads. It doesn’t enter the frame and records high-quality audio. It’s the choice of any professional film production team. However, keep in mind that you’ll need an audio engineer for this job.

USB microphones are ideal for talking head videos, instructional videos, and podcasts at home or in a studio. Any stationary setup works better with a fixed microphone that allows the speaker to move freely with their heads and hands. Due to its natural tone, consider a condenser microphone for recording in a studio, especially if you record voices or acoustic instruments.

If you record in a vast indoor space, you may want a dynamic directional microphone that blocks the background sound. In addition, you must consider the sound source. If you film an event with a speaker or vocalist, you may choose handheld microphones to ensure you capture their voices over the background sound.

Outdoors

When recording in an outdoor space, you usually want some environmental sounds that localize your story. For example, you may want to record the sounds of a busy street or a forest without making it the primary sound source. An omnidirectional microphone is perfect for that. Use a Lavalier microphone if one person’s voice needs to be the primary sound source.

If you film people talking or playing music in an outdoor space, use directional microphones to capture sounds coming from them and block the background noise. You can use a handheld microphone for interviews, for example, and pass it from one speaker to another.

The Type of Video Content

The type of video content dictates a few microphone requirements you can’t ignore. Also, taking into account both the microphone types and recording environment together with the video content, we can come up with some excellent microphone suggestions to help you on the way.

For example, if you film a talking head video, the microphone must capture the person’s voice accurately, filter background noise, and provide freedom of movement and comfort. Therefore, you need a self-standing condenser microphone that produces a warm tone and allows the speaker to move freely. The Rode PodMic Dynamic Podcasting microphone may be a good choice for studio talking head videos.

Multiple Speakers

Nevertheless, if you film more than one person speaking, such as an interview, one microphone between them may not be enough. For this scenario, you may need lavalier microphones, one for each speaker. The Lavalier microphones allow them to dialog, gesticulate, move, and sit comfortably during the recording. Some lavalier microphone systems, such as the Rode Wireless PRO 2.4GHz microphone system, provide over 40 hours of recording, over 200m line of sight, and are designed for two-person video interviews.

Recording a scene with actors may require microphones suited for professional film production. They can’t wear lavalier microphones or carry handheld microphones around. Opt for a directional boom microphone that is able to capture their voices and acting sounds that enhance the story (e.g., dropping a glass, putting a book or mug on a table, etc.). The Sony ECM-VG1 Electret is a condenser microphone that offers up to 20dB of wind noise reduction, an easy boom attachment, a smooth voice tone, and an XLR-3 connector for audio processing.

A microphone is not just for recording voices and music. You can use it to record any location sounds, such as bird song, street noise, market buzz, or train station atmosphere. The right microphone for these environmental sounds is omnidirectional, portable, and sensitive. You want good audio quality, noise reduction, a natural tone, and durability. For field recording, you need a microphone that can pick up sound from a distance. The Sennheiser MKE 600 Shotgun Microphone is renowned for its versatility and audio quality in field recording. However, it has an XLR output, so if you need it to work with a mirrorless camera, you should get the accessory bundle, as it comes with an adapter to stereo mini-jack, which is common in mirrorless and DSLR cameras.

Conclusion

Choosing the right microphone for your videos is not easy, but it is instantly rewarding. A good microphone improves the quality of your videos considerably and establishes you as a professional videographer. Make the right decision from the beginning, as video and audio equipment may be expensive. You don’t want to switch from one device to another, having to spend time learning how to use them. Instead, do your research upfront (like reading this article), get the microphone(s) that work for you, and focus on creating amazing content. Also, keep in mind that the quality of accessories and post-processing software is equally important. Use high-end cables, connectors, mixers, audio interfaces, and audio editing programs.