Microphones

Microphones

Just as there are so many different recorders suited for field recording, there are also different microphone choices for multi-hour field use.

The gold standard as considered by well-known field recordists include the DPA 4060 which produces amazingly clear audio with very little hiss or self noise. However, the DPA 4060 is too expensive for me to consider leaving out in an overnight drop bag for my casual internet sharing of nature audio. For sure though, I would use a DPA 4060 or comparable if I was recording swamp sounds for a documentary or Hollywood movie.

On a more practical level, for someone like me who leaves multiple recorders out in the forests overnight there are microphone choices better suited to the environmental and wildlife hazards typically encountered in the wilds.

When I trek out into the wilderness with my gear I am hoping to capture both active vocalization of birds, reptiles, mammals and other wildlife. Animals can be very lively with their communication and experiencing this expressiveness has helped me with my post surgery healing.

In addition to active wildlife vocalization, I seek out those peaceful areas in the marsh and forests that though may seem boringly quiet are actually replete with background audio; nature's ASMR at it's finest. Background nature audio provides a flowing, peaceful atmosphere well suited for meditation, studying, working, pet sitting, etc.

So when I take a half dozen recorders and periphery equipment into the woods I need my gear to be of a quality nature yet affordably rugged also.

If the gear is eaten by an alligator, disassembled by a raccoon or absconded with by a human the loss will hurt but not break the bank. Fortunately there are several microphones very well suited from a low self noise and cost perspective and it is these mics I'll discuss below.

Importantly, multi-hour drop bag sessions typically employ a completely different slate of microphones than real time spot recording of wildlife or nature. Spot recording, or 'run and gun' as it is sometimes known describes the use of a recorder and mic to capture real time audio happened upon by the recordist while out in the field.

So if I was hiking into the marsh evening to set up a recorder for overnight audio capture and I came across a group of alligators loudly vocalizing mating calls I would want to use a microphone that focused on the spot where the alligators were loudly cavorting. These subject focused microphones function differently than the omni-(all) directional microphones I typically use with overnight recorders.

Though there are different types of microphones suited for focused, or spot recording, the most common are referred to as 'shotgun' microphones because of the microphone's long slender tube casing that may look to some like a miniature shotgun being aimed at the subject to be recorded.

Real Time Spot Recording

My favorite spot recording microphone is the Sennheiser 416 shotgun mic. I use the 416 with a Sennheiser blimp and windscreen. The blimp is an oval shaped plastic cage that covers the 10" long Sennheiser 416 microphone. Fuzzy material covers the plastic blimp cage to prevent wind interference while recording.

The Sennheiser 416 condenser shotgun is designed to focus on a small area of audio and ignore sounds coming in from all sides. These long, 'shotgun' shaped microphones capture concentrated sounds directly in front of the mic. Ideal uses include a bird calling from the top of a tree across a field or a bear cub calling for its mother down a forest road. These microphones require a level of power called phantom power, or 48v provided by the recorder through a XLR or similar cable.

On the other hand, overnight drop bag recording sets usually employ small sets of microphones called electret or lavalier mics with a different power requirement referred to as phantom and they also use PIP, or plug in power. Many electret lavaier microphones have a 3.5mm connector that is smaller than the XLR connector found on the Sennheiser 416. Additionally, lots of hand held recorders have 3.5mm female connector ports that will accommodate these lavalier microphones.

Multi-hour Drop Bag (Overnight) Recording

Lavalier type dual stereo condenser microphones make for excellent overnight drop bag audio components. They are small, lightweight and though their wires have a tendency to become tangled, they provide the overnight field recordist with the capability to capture amazing nature audio.

Lavalier stereo mic sets are available with both XLR and 3.5mm (PIP) connections. Significantly lower energy consumption is a big reason I prefer the smaller 3.5mm connector. A right angle plug configuration has been most stable for my applications.

I am pleased with the audio collected using both LOM MikroUsi (and UsiPro) and Clippy EM272 lavalier type stereo pair microphones.

Piezo Microphones

Piezo microphones work differently than condenser or electret microphones by capturing sound waves that travel through solid materials rather than through the air. Electric guitar pickups are an example of piezo microphones.

I use piezo microphones occasionally in my field recording, usually experimenting with nature vibrations flowing through various materials, such as tree limbs, various rocks, sand, water and others. Finally, there are many other types of microphones available to the field recordist. The only way to know what equipment works best for you is to go outdoors and start recording.

All audio and images contained within this website are copyright protected, Kevin Songer, 2022. Please enjoy the nature audio for non-commercial, personal use.