Are you a musician shopping for that first microphone to get your home studio off to a good start? Before you spend any money on a mic, spend just a couple of dollars on some great information—The Beginner’s Guide to Microphones by Brendan Krueger.
This book is exactly what it claims to be. It is not an encyclopedia, nor is it geared toward seasoned professionals. It is a handbook for the absolute beginner. But, considering the valuable information you receive for the price, The Beginner’s Guide to Microphones is truly impressive!
The Beginner’s Guide to Microphones starts right at the beginning with a lesson in vocabulary. You will learn the parts of a microphone, the meaning of acronyms such as DAW, and all about frequency response, among other topcis.
After a discussion of microphone shape, the guide gets down into the characteristics and uses of four common mic types:
- Dynamic.
- Condenser.
- Shotgun.
- Ribbon.
But different microphones can also have different polar patterns, and these patterns all get due treatment in this guide. Once you have finished reading the book you will understand polar patterns from unidirectional to cardioid and everything in between.
The Beginner’s Guide to Microphones wraps up with a discussion on microphone placement, which should give you some ideas to experiment with once you have made your microphone purchase.
Again, this is not a comprehensive reference, but a beginner’s guide. You could probably find most of this information online for free. However, given the price of the book, the experience backing up the research, and the quality of the presentation, The Beginner’s Guide to Microphones is an excellent value and a great way to sift through the options in a short amount of time.
Highly recommended for all beginning home producers!
