Microphones - The Home Recording Studio

25Apr 2025 by Jon No Comments

Recording Acoustic Guitar – Which Mic is Best?

Blog, Home Recording Blogs, Microphones, Mixing, Recording, Recording & Mixing, Techniques

In this video I test out 4 microphones for recording acoustic guitar in your home studio. All mics are budget friendly, with the cheapest just $200 and the most expensive $650. Listen and decide which one you prefer from the Shure SM7B, GAP R1 MkII Active Ribbon Mic, AKG C451 B, and the Rode NT2 https://youtu.be/rOcj9Ds7ZnQ I've been recording a lot of Acoustic Guitar lately and its something I think lots of people struggle with in home studios. Our environment can sometimes be challenging and most of us don't want to spend a fortune on microphones. Therefore, I only wanted to test budget friendly mics. It's very tempting to just give in and buy a new microphone. However, I wanted to try out my existing mics first and see if…

03Jul 2023 by Jon

Piano Microphone Test

Blog, Home Recording Blogs, Microphones, Recording, Uncategorized

In my latest video I test out 2 different omnidirectional microphones. Can budget microphones really compete against more expensive mics when it comes to recording piano? Read on to find out in this piano microphone test. Earlier this year I visited the Hard Day's Night Hotel, a Beatles themed Hotel in Liverpool, England. I was lucky enough to stay in the John Lennon suite which boasts a beautiful white baby grand piano. So I thought, why not take advantage of that? Let's do a piano microphone test! The two microphones I compared are both Omnidirectional. Firstly, I used a pair of Sennheiser MKH 8020’s. Secondly I tried the budget EM272, Clippy Microphones which you can find at Mic Booster.Com Watch the video to see the results. https://youtu.be/UiaxBd_O4ME So what did…

22Jan 2023 by Jon

Binaural Microphone Review – SR3D

Blog, Field Recording, Home Recording Blogs, Microphones

In this binaural microphone review, I will compare two different microphones from SR3D. So, if you're looking at buying binaural microphones or just curious about binaural audio then read on. What is Binaural Audio? So what is binaural audio? The easiest way to explain this is to think of how we hear sounds as humans. We've got two ears! Consequently binaural audio uses two microphones, one for each year. In addition, the microphones are spaced to a similar distance to how our ears are spaced. The microphones are usually omnidirectional, so they pick up from all around. However, with binaural audio, there is a dummy head and fake ears to simulate the physical barrier between the two microphones. SR3D Pro XLR and DIY Binaural Kit SR3D Pro XLR Binaural Microphone…

09Oct 2022 by Jon

Record Audio For Screencasts – with separate audio feeds

Home Recording Blogs, Microphones, Mixing, Podcast, Recording, Recording & Mixing, Techniques, Uncategorized

In this post, I will demonstrate how I record audio for screencasts and video tutorials. I'll show you a FREE application that allows you to record audio for screencasts with separate audio feeds for my microphone and system sound. Why do I need separate audio feeds? Most screen recording applications will record a mix of microphone and system audio. This means you don't have any control over the individual levels once the screencast has been recorded. In my videos, I like to demonstrate audio techniques by playing audio and talking at the same time. If I record my system audio too loud people won't be able to hear my voice and there is no way to fix this afterwards. How to record separate audio feeds In this video, I walk…

24Apr 2022 by Jon

Recording the sound of nature: Stereo microphone shootout

Blog, Field Recording, Home Recording Blogs, Microphones, Recording, Sound Effects, Techniques

Stereo Recording Shootout In this stereo recording shootout I test two different stereo recording techniques. One, a mid-side (M/S) stereo setup costing over $2000. The other, a pair of inexpensive stereo omni-directional mics. Can these $100 microphones compete against the higher priced alternatives? So, join me for this stereo recording shootout as I record the sound of nature. The Location I recently visited the Welsh countryside and took the opportunity to record the sounds of nature. Understandably, it's difficult to make good recordings near cities or towns. For example, traffic, and other noise can easily ruin recordings. So, while I had the chance I compared two stereo recording techniques. Read on to find out how I made the recordings. Listen to the results In the video below I explain the…

03Jul 2021 by Jon

What is a Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone?

Blog, Home Recording Blogs, Microphones, Recording

What is a Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone? In this month's post we will answer the question: what is a Large Diaphragm Condenser microphone? Some characteristics of a large diaphragm condenser microphone are:- It is good for recording quieter sounds, instruments or the human voiceDelivers warmth and clarityHas a wide frequency response (Low to high frequencies)It has an extended dynamic range (Quiet to loud)Requires Phantom Power This type of microphone is designed for increased sensitivity. Therefore, it requires phantom power. It is likely that your recording device will have an option for turning phantom power on or off. Most importantly, always make sure you turn phantom power on after connecting the microphone. Typical uses Spoken Word (e.g. Audio Books)Narration or Voice Over for moving imagePodcastingRadio Studio recording or broadcastingVocals for music…