Music & Audio Advice Microphone Placement Techniques 4

Question 1

In a Mid-Side (M/S) recording technique, the Side microphone uses which polar pattern?

Accepted Answer

Figure-8 (bidirectional)

Answer

M/S pairs a center mic with a figure-8 Side mic whose lobes are decoded into left and right.

Question 2

A key advantage of the Mid-Side technique over other stereo methods is what?

Accepted Answer

Fully adjustable stereo width and perfect mono compatibility

Answer

Adjusting the Side level changes width, and summing to mono cancels the Side cleanly.

Question 3

When close-miking a snare drum from the top, angling the mic toward the center of the head affects what?

Accepted Answer

The balance of attack versus body tone

Answer

Aiming toward the center captures more tone and body, while the rim emphasizes attack.

Question 4

Why is a bottom snare mic frequently phase-inverted relative to the top mic?

Accepted Answer

The two heads move in opposite directions

Answer

The top and bottom heads move oppositely, so inverting the bottom keeps them in phase.

Question 5

For an upright double bass in jazz, placing a mic near the bridge versus the f-hole changes what?

Accepted Answer

The mix of attack/string detail versus boomy body resonance

Answer

The bridge gives more string articulation while the f-hole emphasizes low-end body resonance.

Music & Audio Advice Practice Test