Different Microphone Tones (PGOA 1.5)

Summary

This script discusses the subjective criteria for selecting a microphone based on its tonal qualities. It introduces terms like neutral, dark, bright, and warm to describe microphone tones and explains the importance of low, mid, and high frequencies. The tutorial includes a demo of white noise and a frequency sweep to help listeners understand these frequencies. It also teaches how to read a frequency response graph to get a general idea of a microphone's sound, emphasizing that personal preference and voice type are crucial in choosing the right microphone tone.

Takeaways

• 🎤 Tone is subjective and personal preference plays a significant role in microphone selection.
• 📊 Understanding frequency terms like low, mid, and high frequencies is crucial for grasping microphone tonality.
• 📉 A frequency response graph provides a general idea of a microphone's sound but hearing it is necessary for a full assessment.
• 🔊 White noise demo helps to illustrate the range of frequencies from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
• 📌 The script explains how to interpret a frequency response graph with decibels on the Y-axis and frequencies on the X-axis.
• 🔄 A neutral microphone provides a balanced and even sound representation without significant frequency boosts or cuts.
• 🌑 A darker microphone rolls off high frequencies, which can make the sound seem less bright and detailed.
• 🌟 A bright microphone boosts high frequencies, delivering an exciting, lively, and detailed sound.
• 🔥 A warm microphone exaggerates lower frequencies and may roll off highs, often associated with ribbon microphones and vintage sound.
• 👂 Listening to samples from different microphones, especially those similar to one's own voice, can help determine the best tone.

Q & A

What are the different tone descriptors used to describe microphones?

The different tone descriptors used to describe microphones are neutral, dark, bright, and warm.

What is meant by 'neutral' in the context of microphone tone?

A neutral sounding microphone provides a fairly accurate representation of the sound in front of it without boosting or cutting too much in the low, mid, or high frequencies, resulting in a balanced and even sound.

How does a 'dark' microphone tone differ from a neutral one?

A darker sounding microphone rolls off some of the higher frequencies, resulting in a less bright, detailed, and lively sound. It might sound muffled and low in detail to some listeners.

What characterizes a 'bright' microphone tone?

A bright microphone boosts the higher frequencies quite a lot, making it sound exciting, lively, and detailed.

How is a 'warm' microphone tone described?

A warm microphone tone is characterized by exaggerated lower frequencies and sometimes a roll-off in the higher frequencies, giving it a vintage or old-fashioned sound.

What is the purpose of the quick demo with white noise in the script?

The quick demo with white noise is to help listeners understand the difference between low, mid, and high frequencies by isolating each range.

Why is it important to learn how to read a frequency response graph when selecting a microphone?

Learning to read a frequency response graph is important because it gives a general idea of what a microphone will sound like, although it does not tell the whole story and actual listening is necessary.

What does the Y-axis on a frequency response graph represent?

The Y-axis on a frequency response graph represents decibels (dB), which indicate the level of a frequency relative to other frequencies.

How does the position of the squiggly line on a frequency response graph indicate frequency boost or cut?

If the squiggly line is on the 0 dB line, the frequency is neither boosted nor cut. If it's below, the frequency is cut and sounds quieter. If it's above, the frequency is boosted and sounds louder.

What is the significance of the distance of the squiggly line from the zero dB line on a frequency response graph?

The distance of the squiggly line from the zero dB line indicates the extent of the boost or cut. The further away from the line, the more exaggerated the boost or cut, making the frequency sound louder or quieter.

Why is personal preference important when choosing a microphone tone?

Personal preference is important because it determines which tone a user likes best. It can also be utilitarian, as certain tones can complement or mitigate specific voice characteristics.

What is the best way to identify the microphone tone that fits one's voice?

The best way to identify the microphone tone that fits one's voice is by listening to samples from different people on different microphones, especially if they have a similar voice type.

Outlines

00:00

🎤 Understanding Microphone Tone

This paragraph discusses the subjective criteria for selecting a microphone based on its tone. The speaker introduces descriptors such as neutral, dark, bright, and warm to characterize different microphone tones. A quick demo using white noise is provided to help listeners understand the range of frequencies, from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, and how they relate to spoken words. The frequency response graph is explained as a tool to get a general idea of a microphone's sound, with a clarification that it's not the complete picture and actual listening is necessary. The graph's Y-axis represents decibels, and the X-axis represents frequencies, with the squiggly line indicating how frequencies are boosted or cut. The example of the SE Electronics SE4400a is given as a relatively neutral microphone, with a slight boost in higher frequencies.

05:02

🎧 Characteristics of Different Microphone Tones

The second paragraph delves into the characteristics of darker, brighter, and warmer microphone tones. A darker microphone, exemplified by the Shure SM7B, rolls off higher frequencies, which can make the sound seem less bright and detailed. In contrast, a bright microphone, like the Audio-Technica AT4040, boosts higher frequencies, resulting in an exciting and detailed sound. Warm microphones, often ribbon microphones, exaggerate lower frequencies and may roll off higher ones, giving a vintage sound, as demonstrated by the AEA KU5A. The speaker advises that the choice of microphone tone is highly personal and can also be influenced by the voice characteristics of the user. Suggestions are made to listen to recordings from various microphones, especially if they are similar to the listener's voice, to determine the preferred tone. The paragraph concludes with the idea that while there's some guesswork involved, being informed can help in the selection process.

Keywords

💡Microphone Tone

Microphone tone refers to the characteristic sound or coloration imparted by a microphone to the audio signal it captures. In the video, the tone is described using adjectives like neutral, dark, bright, and warm, which help to convey the subjective experience of the sound. The script discusses how different microphones can alter the tonal balance of a voice or instrument recording, which is crucial for achieving the desired audio quality.

💡Low Frequencies

Low frequencies are the lower end of the audio spectrum, typically below 500 Hz. The script uses a white noise demo to illustrate how low frequencies sound, describing them as the rumbling or booming part of audio. Understanding low frequencies is important for microphone selection because they can affect the warmth and depth of the recorded sound.

💡Mid Frequencies

Mid frequencies are the middle range of the audio spectrum, roughly between 500 Hz and 2 kHz. The script explains that these frequencies are crucial for the body and presence of sound in a recording. Mid frequencies often carry the main substance of speech and music, making them a key consideration when evaluating microphone performance.

💡High Frequencies

High frequencies are the upper range of the audio spectrum, above 2 kHz. The video script describes high frequencies as the sibilant and detailed part of sound, such as the crispness of cymbals or the clarity of speech. A microphone's handling of high frequencies can make a recording sound bright or dull.

💡Neutral

A neutral microphone is one that aims to provide an accurate and balanced representation of the sound source without significantly boosting or cutting any particular frequency range. The script uses the SE Electronics SE4400A as an example of a relatively neutral microphone, suggesting that it offers a balanced sound that is neither too bright nor too dark.

💡Dark

A dark sounding microphone is one that rolls off higher frequencies, resulting in a less bright and more mellow sound. The script mentions the Shure SM7B as an example of a darker sounding microphone, which can be desirable for voices that are naturally bright but might sound muffled to some listeners.

💡Bright

A bright microphone is one that emphasizes higher frequencies, making the sound more lively and detailed. The script describes the Audio-Technica AT4040 as an example of a bright microphone, which can be suitable for voices that need a bit of sparkle or for capturing the detail in certain instruments.

💡Warm

A warm microphone is one that emphasizes lower frequencies, giving the sound a richer and more vintage quality. The script uses the AEA KU5A ribbon microphone as an example of a warm microphone, suggesting that it can add a pleasant fullness to recordings, especially for voices that lack high-frequency presence.

💡Frequency Response Graph

A frequency response graph is a visual representation that shows how a microphone responds to different frequencies. The script explains that while the graph provides a general idea of a microphone's tonal characteristics, it does not tell the whole story and should be used in conjunction with listening tests. The graph is described with a 0 dB line, where frequencies above the line are boosted and those below are cut.

💡Boost

Boost in the context of the video refers to the amplification of certain frequencies in the audio signal captured by a microphone. When a frequency response graph shows a line above the 0 dB line, it indicates that those frequencies are boosted, making them sound louder in the recording. The script uses this term to describe how a bright microphone might boost high frequencies.

💡Cut

Cut, conversely to boost, refers to the reduction or attenuation of certain frequencies in the audio signal. If a frequency response graph shows a line below the 0 dB line, it means those frequencies are cut, making them sound quieter. The script mentions that a dark microphone might cut high frequencies to create a mellower sound.

Highlights

Subjective criteria for microphone selection includes tone preferences such as neutral, dark, bright, and warm.

Descriptors like low, mid, and high frequencies are essential for understanding microphone tones.

A quick demo using white noise is provided to illustrate the range of frequencies from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.

An explanation of how to read a frequency response graph to understand microphone sound characteristics.

The importance of listening to a microphone before making a decision, as frequency response graphs do not tell the whole story.

The Y-axis represents decibels, and the X-axis represents frequencies on a frequency response graph.

A squiggly line on the graph indicates the microphone's frequency response, with 0 dB line signifying no boost or cut.

A neutral sounding microphone provides a balanced and even sound representation.

The SE Electronics SE4400A is used as an example of a relatively neutral microphone.

A darker sounding microphone rolls off high frequencies, resulting in a less bright and detailed sound.

The Shure SM7B is an example of a classic darker sounding microphone.

Bright microphones boost high frequencies, making them sound exciting and detailed.

The LLCT 440 is an example of a bright sounding microphone.

Warm microphones exaggerate lower frequencies and may roll off high frequencies, giving a vintage sound.

The AEA KU5A ribbon microphone is an example of a warmer, vintage sounding microphone.

Choosing the right microphone tone depends on personal preference and the type of voice being recorded.

Listening to samples from different microphones can help identify the best tone for a particular voice.

Ultimately, trying out a microphone and listening to the recording is the best way to determine its suitability.

Upcoming video will cover other important microphone specifications.

Transcripts

let's get into some more subjective

criteria for microphone selection and

what I'm referring to is what kind of

tone do you want out of your microphone

a couple of descriptors we're going to

be discussing today are neutral dark

bright and warm there are dozens of

other descriptors we could use but I'm

trying to keep it somewhat succinct so

that's what we're going to be using to

describe different microphone tones

before we go any further if you're

unfamiliar with the terms low

frequencies mid frequencies or high

frequencies I want to include a quick

demo so you can understand that what

you're hearing right now is White Noise

this covers every single frequency from

20 HZ to 20

khz now I have eqed this so that all

you're hearing are the high

frequencies now all you're hearing are

the low frequency

and now all you're hearing are the mid

frequencies in order to help you

understand these frequencies even better

I going to do that EXA and sweep from 20

Herz all the way up to 20 KZ while I am

talking so you can hear how these

frequencies correspond to spoken words

hopefully this is helping you get the

picture of what frequencies lie where

now let's quickly learn how to read a

frequency response graph which is a

graph that gives us a general idea of

what a microphone is going to sound like

but quick disclaimer it does not tell

the whole story you always need to hear

a microphone first let's get to learning

on the Y AIS we have decb and on the x

axis we have frequencies on this graph

you have this squiggly line and I know

it may be a bit confusing but this is

what's going to give us a general

understanding of the sound of a

microphone that we're looking at the

left hand side of the graph is going to

represent the lower frequencies and as

we move further to the right the

frequencies we're looking at are getting

higher and higher here's a sign sweep

from 20 HZ all the way up to 20 khz and

I'll throw a graph up on screen so you

can see how these frequencies correlate

to what you're

[Music]

hearing now let's look at this 0o debel

line on the Y AIS when this squiggly

line is sitting on that 0 dbel line that

means the frequency is not being boosted

or being cut when the squiggly line is

below this that means the frequency is

being being cut and that frequency is

going to sound quieter but when the

squiggly line is above this as it is

above about 2 KZ on this graph that

means those frequencies are going to be

boosted and sound a bit louder and in

this instance this mic is going to be

brighter I should also note that as the

squiggly line gets further away from

that zero DB line that means the Boost

or the cut is going to be more

exaggerated and that frequency is going

to sound louder or quieter first up we

have a neutral sounding microphone what

this means is it provides a fairly

accurate representation of the sound

that's in front of it it's not boosting

too much or cutting too much in the low

frequencies the mid frequencies or the

high frequencies it just gives you a

nice balanced and even sound for this

example I am using the SE Electronics

se4400a it is not ruler flat there is a

little bit of boost in the higher

frequencies but compared to a lot of

other microphones this is relatively

neutral next we have a darker sounding

microphone and what this means is it

rolls off some of those higher

frequencies so it's not going to come

across as bright as detailed as exciting

as Lively for this example I'm using the

sm7b which is a classic darker sounding

microphone for your voices like mine I

love this but I know a lot of people

dislike this sound because they think

that it sounds muffled and a bit too low

detail the next descriptor is bright the

way that I classify a bright microphone

is a microphone that boosts those higher

frequencies quite a lot it makes it

sound really exciting really Lively

really detailed for this example I am

using the L LCT 440 which I think offers

a very bright sound to it but it sounds

great at the same time if that's the

sound you're looking for and lastly we

have warm microphones the way that I

classify this is the lower frequencies

are going to be more exaggerated it may

also exhibit a bit of a roll off in the

higher frequencies a lot of ribbon

microphones are going to fall into the

category of being warmer they sound a

bit more vintage a bit more

old-fashioned what I'm using for this

example is the aea ku5a which is a

ribbon microphone this is a great

example of what a warmer more vintage

sounding microphone can offer so then we

get to the question of which tone is

right for you or which tone is best this

really comes down to personal preference

which tone do you like the best but it

can also be a little bit of utility if

you know you have a lot of mouth noises

a bright microphone is going to

accentuate that so maybe steer clear of

that do you have more of a siblin voice

where your s's whistle a bit then maybe

a darker sounding microphone would be

the right option because that can help

tame it or do you have a super deep and

Bassy and manly Voice without a lot of

higher frequencies then perhaps a warmer

microphone wouldn't be the best fit

because it could make you sound a little

bit too muddy I think the best way to

identify which tone you prefer and which

tone would fit your voice the best is by

listening to a lot of s from different

people on different microphones

especially if the person you're

listening to has a similar voice to you

that's going to help you hone what your

preferences are and identify what tone

you like as well as what kind of tone is

going to fit with your type of voice

unfortunately this is at best

guesstimating how a mic is going to work

you're never truly going to know until

you get in front of the mic record with

it and then listen back so it is a

little bit of a guessing game but you

can and go in and be a little bit more

informed we're coming up on the end of

this module and in the next video we're

going to be covering other microphone

specs that you should pay attention to

and that video is linked directly

beneath me as well as in the description