What microphone to buy to record videos?

by Jen R. Let's learn and smile

No matter how interesting your video is or what you have to tell if it is not seen and above all if it is not heard, you will not be able to retain your audience beyond a few seconds. That is why we are going to see which microphone for recording is better and which one to buy if we want to record videos.

1. TYPES OF MICROPHONE ACCORDING TO YOUR POLAR PATTERN

It is not as complicated as it sounds. A microphone is an object that captures the sound that is produced around it because depending on whether they capture the sound that is produced in all directions or only some of them, they will be microphones of one type or another.

When you go to buy a microphone, you must consider what you want to record and buy the one that best suits your needs. Normally for videos in which you speak alone on camera, it is better that you buy a directional mic (I don't think you are interested in recording what happens behind the camera).

2. TYPES OF MICROPHONE ACCORDING TO THEIR FORM

Let’s try to differentiate each microphone and what it is used for.

Tie microphones: It is also known as the lapel. They are small microphones that are usually placed at the height of the tie, usually at the edge of the shirt or near the shoulder.

The main advantage is that no matter where you are and how far you are from the camera, the sound will remain constant regardless of whether you move.

Note: If the microphone is not connected to your camera, you will have to connect it to an external recorder, your computer or phone. The audio and image will be recorded separately, but you can slap before you start talking so you can synchronize it later in the edition.

The characteristic of these microphones is that they are usually directional, they only capture the sound coming from one direction and hardly perceive the sound from the sides or from the bottom. That is why they are indicated for outdoors and interviews, the main character is the voice of the protagonist.

Camera microphones: These that are specially manufactured to be placed on the camera. Surely in more than one video, you have seen "the fluff" (as some Youtubers call it) on top of the camera. There are several types, some that are cardioid, others bidirectional ... They are ideal to eliminate external noise and wind and capture only the voice. Of course, keep in mind that you cannot get as far away as you want since you are limited by the distance from the camera. They are the most used microphones for vlogs and for recording when looking directly at the camera outdoors.

USB microphones or headphones with microphone: These are used to record indoors. They are the most used for podcast, recording tutorials in front of the PC, etc. They connect to the computer via USB or through the audio input and we can use a recording program like Audacity.

WHAT MICROPHONE TO BUY TO MAKE VIDEOS?

Now that we know how to differentiate the microphones according to their recording pattern and their shape, I think you can imagine a little where the thing is going. The main thing is that you buy the mic that best suits the type of video you are going to make. Do not buy a tie microphone if you are going to record videos with your computer screen, etc.