11.01Field Recording – Microphones
Microphones have often been said to be half the equation when it comes to recording. Experts advise to spend an equal amount of money on the recorder and an equal amount on the microphone. A great recorder with a poor microphone is just as bad as a poor microphone with a great microphone.
Common types of microphones used in field work fall into three categories.
1: Omnidirectional – I prefer this type of microphone when I leave my system unattended in the woods for an extended time. Obviously I will not know the direction of the sound so I must record in all directions.
Seenheiser MKH20 Omnidirectional Microphone
2: Directional – includes short and long shotgun style microphones. Many of my better bird recordings were gathered by walking through the woods and pointing the shot gun in the direction the bird song was coming from.
Sennhesier MKH70 Long shot gun microphone
3: Parabolic – this type of microphone has been used extensively in recording birds. There is a wide variety of microphones used with parabolic reflectors.
Telinga BioAcoustics Parabolic Microphone
The number of models of microphones is staggering. Companies producing microphones that have been used by nature recordists include:
Sennheiser has two series of microphones that have been used for field recording for years. The ME Series, which includes an interchangeable capsule system and a more expensive series, the MKH Series. The MKH20 is undoubtedly the finest omnidirectional microphone available today for field work.
The ultimate combination for field recording is the parabolic microphone, which consist of a parabolic reflector and an omnidirectional microphone.
Telinga Microphones of Sweden is known world wide for their parabolic microphones. They can be purchased in this country both through Nature Songs and Stith Recording.
There are many articles available on the internet that discuss theory, techniques and setups for field recording.
Acoustic Properties Of Parabolic Reflectors
MacaulayLibrary
Microphone Input Noise Comparision
MS with reflector – A versatile “two for the price of one” rig
Parabolic microphones and stereo sound
Parabolic microphones – reality, mono and stereo sound
Parabolic Stereo
Related posts:
- Field Recording – Sound Editors Sound editing is a very important aspect of field recording....
- Annual Nature recording Workshop On the 9th – 11th of April, 2010 I attended...
- Field Recorders – Pt 5 Last time we looked at a recorder that was listed...
Sir,
Excellent site. However, I am young with limited income to spend on these items at the current moment. I have an Olympus WS-200S Audio Recorder. Is there any way to (with relative inexpense) make this into a device that can pick up decent field recordings.
Kelly
June 4th, 2009 at 11:10 am
Kelly,
The answer to good quality recordings independant of price is distance from the sound source. There have been many excellent recordings made with lower end recorders. Many researchers start a food drop to bring animals in and record them close up. Using a small voice activated recorder seems to work very well. If an animal is within 3 or 4 feet of the recorder it’s sound should be picked up regardless of the sensitivity and quality of the recorder.
Other reseachers have recorded decent sounds with a small handheld camcorder. The price of analog camcorders is very low and can be purchased second-hand on the net.
Stan
June 4th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
I like this website. I’m in my last year of Graduate School here in the radio/television department at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois.
My final project is an audio documentary of the many different kinds of nature sounds from the many different parks, forests, woods and National Wildlife Refuges that we have here in southern Illinois.
I’ve been doing a lot of field recordings and am now looking for a good – but not overly expensive – omnidirectional microphone.
So, my question is, can you give me some recommendations for good omnidirectional microphones that I, too, can just leave unattended in the middle of the woods? My budget is only about 350 dollars.
Thanks for any advice you can give!
Kevin
May 2nd, 2010 at 11:48 am
Kevin,
Do you already have a recorder? And if so does it take Plug-in or XLR inputs?
Stan
May 2nd, 2010 at 6:53 pm
I have a the Zoom Handy 4N recorder with XLR inputs.
I do have two Samson Samson CO2 condensor microphones which give pretty good results, but need recommendations for a good omnidirectional, as I’ll be doing some all-night deep woods recordings soon.
Thanks.
Kevin
May 20th, 2010 at 6:54 am
Audio-Technica has a very good omnidirectional microphone in the $350.00 price range.
May 20th, 2010 at 9:11 am
The Audio-Technica AT 4022 is a very good medium priced omnidirectional microphone.
http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/wired_mics/4b375fc7ecdd65da/index.html
May 29th, 2010 at 7:17 pm