Music & Audio Advice Microphone Selection and Placement 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When recording a loud guitar amplifier cabinet up close, which microphone type is most likely to handle the high sound pressure level without distortion?
- Dynamic microphone (Correct answer)
- Ribbon microphone
- Small-diaphragm condenser
- Boundary microphone
Correct answer: Dynamic microphone
Dynamic microphones tolerate very high SPL, making them ideal for loud guitar cabinets.
Question 2: Moving a cardioid microphone very close to a singer's mouth typically increases low-frequency response due to which effect?
- Proximity effect (Correct answer)
- Comb filtering
- Phase cancellation
- Plosive rejection
Correct answer: Proximity effect
The proximity effect boosts bass as a directional mic gets closer to the source.
Question 3: To minimize plosive 'p' and 'b' blasts when recording vocals, you should primarily use a:
- Pop filter (Correct answer)
- Shock mount
- High-pass filter only
- Omnidirectional pattern
Correct answer: Pop filter
A pop filter diffuses the bursts of air that cause plosives.
Question 4: Which polar pattern picks up sound equally from all directions?
- Omnidirectional (Correct answer)
- Cardioid
- Hypercardioid
- Figure-8
Correct answer: Omnidirectional
Omnidirectional microphones capture sound uniformly from every direction.
Question 5: A figure-8 (bidirectional) microphone is most sensitive to sound arriving from which directions?
- Front and rear (Correct answer)
- Front only
- All sides equally
- Sides only
Correct answer: Front and rear
A figure-8 pattern captures from the front and back while rejecting the sides.
Question 6: When two microphones capture the same source from different distances, the main risk to sound quality is:
- Phase cancellation (Correct answer)
- Increased gain before feedback
- Reduced proximity effect
- Higher self-noise
Correct answer: Phase cancellation
Time differences between two mics on one source cause phase cancellation and a hollow tone.
Question 7: Which microphone is generally most fragile and can be damaged by phantom power or strong air blasts?
- Ribbon microphone (Correct answer)
- Dynamic microphone
- Electret condenser
- Lavalier microphone
Correct answer: Ribbon microphone
Vintage-style ribbon mics use a delicate metal ribbon that air blasts and some phantom power can harm.
Music & Audio Advice Microphone Selection and Placement 2
When recording a loud guitar amplifier cabinet up close, which microphone type is most likely to handle the high sound pressure level without distortion?