Music & Audio Advice Microphone Selection and Placement 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The '3:1 rule' in microphone placement advises that when miking multiple sources, each mic should be at least how far from the next relative to its distance from its source?
- Three times the source distance (Correct answer)
- Half the source distance
- Equal to the source distance
- Ten times the source distance
Correct answer: Three times the source distance
The 3:1 rule keeps mics three times farther apart than from their source to reduce phase issues.
Question 2: For recording an acoustic guitar with a balanced, natural tone, a common starting position is pointing the mic at the:
- 12th fret area (Correct answer)
- Sound hole directly
- Bridge pins
- Headstock
Correct answer: 12th fret area
Aiming near the 12th fret avoids the boomy bass that comes from miking the sound hole.
Question 3: A large-diaphragm condenser microphone is most commonly chosen for studio vocals because it offers:
- Warmth and detailed sensitivity (Correct answer)
- Maximum SPL handling
- Ruggedness for live drums
- Built-in feedback rejection
Correct answer: Warmth and detailed sensitivity
Large-diaphragm condensers deliver the warmth, detail, and low noise prized for studio vocals.
Question 4: Phantom power, typically +48V, is required to operate which microphone type?
- Condenser microphone (Correct answer)
- Passive dynamic microphone
- Passive ribbon microphone
- Carbon microphone
Correct answer: Condenser microphone
Condenser mics need phantom power to charge their capsule and run internal electronics.
Question 5: To reduce a bass drum's 'boomy' resonance while keeping attack, you would generally place the mic:
- Closer to the beater inside the drum (Correct answer)
- Far away in the room
- Above the cymbals
- Behind the kick pedal
Correct answer: Closer to the beater inside the drum
Placing the mic near the beater emphasizes attack and tightens the low-end boom.
Question 6: A shock mount is used primarily to:
- Isolate the mic from physical vibrations (Correct answer)
- Boost high frequencies
- Block plosives
- Convert patterns to omni
Correct answer: Isolate the mic from physical vibrations
A shock mount suspends the mic to prevent stand and floor vibrations from being picked up.
Question 7: For a podcast in an untreated, echoey room, which combination best minimizes room reflections?
- A cardioid dynamic mic close to the mouth (Correct answer)
- An omni condenser far from the mouth
- A figure-8 mic at arm's length
- A boundary mic on the wall
Correct answer: A cardioid dynamic mic close to the mouth
A close cardioid dynamic favors the voice and rejects off-axis room sound.
Music & Audio Advice Microphone Selection and Placement 3
The '3:1 rule' in microphone placement advises that when miking multiple sources, each mic should be at least how far from the next relative to its distance from its source?