Microphone Types Explained: Build, Polar Patterns and Special Uses

February 9, 2021 | Blog

Microphones turn up everywhere today, in home offices, gaming rigs, podcast setups, concert stages and broadcast studios, and they are far from identical. The easiest way to understand the differences is to sort them three ways: by how they are built, by the direction they pick up sound from, and by the specific job they are designed for. Once you know these groups, choosing a mic for a particular task becomes much less confusing.

Sorting by construction

Dynamic microphones

The classic all-rounder. Dynamic mics have a simple design, usually need no external power and survive rough handling well. They traditionally connect by XLR to an amplifier, though wireless and Bluetooth versions running on batteries are common now. They work for vocals, live shows and instruments such as drums, guitars and flutes. Basic models have a round steel grille that doubles as a built-in pop filter. Shure is the best-known name here, having made such mics for decades.

Condenser microphones

The studio staple. Condensers are more sensitive and more feature-rich than dynamic mics, cost more, offer a wider choice of polar patterns and need phantom power. They are favored for vocals and acoustic guitar, and prices have fallen enough to make them realistic for a home studio. They come in three sizes:

Small diaphragm. Slim cylindrical pencil mics with low sensitivity and a mostly one-directional pickup. They are easy to position in front of acoustic guitars or cymbals, but handling and internal noise mean they should be mounted rather than carried.
Large diaphragm. The typical vocal and instrument studio mic, sensitive enough to register tiny shifts in air pressure. Watch levels to avoid distortion, and use a pop filter on vocals.
Medium diaphragm. A hybrid of the two that handles high frequencies while staying very sensitive, used both live and in the studio.

Ribbon microphones

Ribbon mics were expensive stars of the radio era, mostly used in the 1950s and 1960s. They give soft sources such as voices and strings a warm, vintage character and can capture a whole room nicely, but they are fragile and costly. Most people today are well served by dynamic or condenser models, so a ribbon mic is more of a collector's piece.

Sorting by pickup pattern and purpose

A polar pattern describes the directions a mic listens in, and knowing it helps you match a microphone to its task:

Cardioid. Picks up mostly what is in front and rejects sound from the sides and rear, which suits vlogs, interviews, video and live stages.
Super-cardioid (hyper-cardioid). A tighter, more sensitive version with stronger noise rejection, good for concerts and filming. Shotgun mics use this pattern.
Figure-8. Bidirectional, hearing the front and the back while rejecting the sides. Useful for two instruments at once or stereo work, and common in ribbon and large-diaphragm models.
Omnidirectional. Listens all around for a natural sound, but does nothing against background noise, so it shines only in a controlled room.
Multi-pattern. Switchable mics that change pattern at the press of a button.

Some microphones also form their own category by use. Lavalier or lapel mics clip onto clothing, come wired or wireless, and are popular for vlogs, interviews and hosting. Shotgun mics are super-cardioid condensers made for film and video; because they are so sensitive they need a foam cover indoors and a windscreen or furry "deadcat" outside. For gaming, streaming and podcasting, modern condenser mics are the usual recommendation: they capture voice clearly, suppress background noise and often ship with desk or arm mounts and filters, turning a desk into a small studio.