Choosing the Right Microphone

Choosing the right microphone for your recording purposes is an important decision.  There are several types of microphones, but the two most common types are dynamic and condenser mics.  What type of microphone should you choose?  First you have to find out what type of recording you are going to use it for.  Vocals? Guitar? Other instruments? Or maybe you're on a budget and you would like an all-round mic that can do a decent job in all areas mentioned above? 

A general rule is to use dynamic microphones for instrument miking, preferably live guitar and drums, condenser mics for vocals or other soft recordings where you want to capture all the details (By the way, when recording drums you are likely to use a combination of both types).  But there is much more to it than that to choosing the right microphone   Condenser vs. dynamic mics. 

The condenser mic generally has a flatter frequency response than the dynamic one. That is why you should choose a condenser mic when high accuracy and clarity of the recording is needed. For example vocals of almost any type, the acoustic guitar or any other acoustic instrument will be most accurately recorded with a condenser mic.  Because of its construction the condenser mic is more sensitive to sound and also more physically fragile than a dynamic one, so it should be handled with care. Too hard handling ( a drop to the floor), too high sound pressure (screaming into it close up) can cause this type of microphone to stop functioning. IMPORTANT!! If you choose a condenser mic you will need a preamp or a mixer that will provide phantom power or "phantom feed" of usually 48 volts. This is because the condenser mic needs electricity to operate. Most of the new preamps and mixers provide this, but if you're going to use a condenser mic be sure to check just in case. 

The dynamic mic is usually more rugged . It can handle  more rough handling, moisture and high sound pressure levels than the condenser. This is why live performers on stage and outdoors preferably use dynamic mics. It can also be used in your recording studio, but it's not well suited for recording soft vocals or acoustic instruments since its frequency response is much narrower than the condenser's. For rough and loud vocals like heavy metal vocals though, a dynamic mic might even be the only way to go since a condenser would only distort under the high sound pressure. This type of mic does not need any phantom power. 

There are a few more types of microphones, but these are the two most commonly used in recording.  Good luck as you choose the right microphone.