What can you use a microphone on your computer? The best microphones for a computer: which one to buy, how to connect, how to set up. Main technical characteristics

The microphones available on the market today are quite complex and high-tech devices. The role of microphones these days is difficult to overestimate - they are used everywhere, and it will be difficult to imagine our everyday life without them. Over a hundred years of device development, design features have been preserved that unite modern microphones with their predecessors.

The first carbon microphone was invented in 1856 by the Frenchman Du Moncel, and was based on the effect of changes in resistance of graphite electrodes when the contact area of ​​the conductors changes. In the 1880s, the design was improved and brought to life by Thomas Edison - he used carbon powder instead of graphite rods (still found in analog telephones).

In 1916, the first condenser microphone was invented - engineer Eduard Wente used the principle of changing capacitance rather than resistance to convert sound waves into an electrical signal.

The Japanese scientist Yoguchi created the first electret microphone in the early 20s based on the same principle.
And finally, in 1924, the Germans Gerwin Erlach and Walter Schottky created the first model of a dynamic microphone, which works much better than a carbon one, and is superior in electrical properties to a condenser one.

For a long time, microphones were quite expensive. The picture changed with the advent of field-effect transistors, which made it possible to create efficient, miniature and lightweight microphones.
Today, industrial production of microphones reaches tens of millions per year, and many large brands are involved in development and sales.

Microphone application area

· Vocal microphones. Also sometimes called pop. Most often they have a design that is familiar to consumers - a handle with a windproof mesh. This happens due to the need to unify the products - such microphones must be mounted in standard stands, and replacement wind protection can be easily selected for them. They can be divided into wired and wireless, and also by type of performance into hand-held and clip-on microphones that cling to clothing (suitable for the speech genre of performances). The most versatile and popular version is a handheld microphone; it is great for karaoke.

· Conference microphones. They have a tabletop design that is convenient for conferences - they have a stand, or are entirely made in the form of a “plate”.
· Network communication. Microphones for communication are usually cheaper because they do not require maximum sound quality. They are mainly presented in the tabletop type and the “clothespin” type for convenient attachment to clothing. This microphone will be quite sufficient for communicating via Skype.

· Studio microphones. Used for recording sound in a studio environment. They have the highest recording quality and high sensitivity, and accordingly, the highest prices. Purchasing for home use is also possible if you record tracks or voices.

Which type of microphone is best?

Condenser microphones

These microphones are perfect for the studio, thanks to the clearest and highest quality sound capture. But they also have a number of disadvantages - they are very sensitive to the environment, react to humidity, temperature, distance to the sound source and the general noise level of the space. So in the studio, when used stationary for sound recording, it will be possible to reveal the positive qualities of the microphone and avoid the negative ones. If you still want to purchase such a microphone for home use, remember that you will at least need a good sound card and an amplifier with phantom 48 Volts.

Advantages of condenser microphones

Flaws

Electret microphones

Electret microphones have the miniature size of condenser microphones, but are unpretentious to use and cheap. Unfortunately, they cannot boast of good sound transmission and sensitivity, but are ideal for the average user for voice communication (via Skype, for example).

Flaws

Advantages

Dynamic microphones

It is worth choosing as a microphone for performances of various types, or a microphone for karaoke (the most common type of performance is a hand-held microphone). An additional advantage will be a lower price than capacitor ones.

Flaws:

Advantages

Directional pattern

· Cardioid diagram. Resembling a heart shape, the sound is best picked up directly in front of the microphone, slightly worse from the side, and not picked up at all from behind the microphone. The sound coming from the sides of the microphone will be less loud, making this pattern useful for recording multiple instruments if you only need to highlight one. The cardioid pattern has a proximity effect - low frequencies increase as the microphone gets closer to the sound source.

· diagram. It has a narrower capture zone in the front, dead zones on the sides, and a small capture zone in the back.
· Hypercardioid pattern. Such microphones are also called narrow directional - the pickup zone in front of them is narrower, and behind them - wider than that of a supercardioid pattern. There are also dead zones on the sides. It differs in that it captures distant sounds well, while ignoring background noise. The location of the sensor plane to the sound is important - the microphone must be ideally aimed at the source. This microphone is used by reporters to record a source that is impossible to get close to.
· Diagram - "eight". Figure-eight diagram, the microphone is equally sensitive to sound from the rear and front, and has dead zones on the sides. Used for specialized stereo recording of large ensembles of instruments and orchestras.

· diagram. The most universal for a wide range of tasks, it perceives sound equally from all sides, without amplification or distortion of any frequencies. Best suited for capturing sound from instruments with a wide range, for
· Unidirectional microphones- have a sound capture zone directly in front of the microphone. Convenient for recording in a room that is not sufficiently isolated from extraneous sounds, or for eliminating acoustic effects. Suitable, for example, for interviews on the street.

What else should you pay attention to when choosing a microphone?

Sound pressure level

This parameter shows what sound volume level the microphone is designed to handle. The higher it is, the more accurately and with less distortion the microphone will transmit sound.
High values ​​of sound pressure level are indicators of more than 90 dB. And almost the same noise, for example, is produced by Niagara Falls. Well, or an average rock concert.
Thus, microphones with a high sound pressure level should be chosen for concerts, or in any other area where the sound source will be very powerful.

Frequency range

, you can afford a microphone for communication of any type - tabletop, clothespin, or handheld. It is unlikely that such a microphone will be sufficient for high-quality speech recording; rather, it is an option for Skype.

Having the amount up to 10,000 rubles, you will be able to afford a higher quality, entry-level branded microphone. A good option for karaoke and amateur voice/instrument recording.

Microphones more than 10,000 rubles will differ in maximum frequency range, sensitivity, and are more likely to imply studio use or use in concerts - for example, microphones designed for high sound pressure levels. It’s worth purchasing such models if you know exactly what you want from a microphone.

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It doesn’t matter if you want to record your speech for a podcast or so that your interlocutors can hear clearly on Skype - my instructions for setting up a microphone will suit everyone. I’ll show you how to record sound, tell you about the procedure for processing the recording: volume normalization, sound compression and noise removal.

Preface

(My subjective opinion)

When looking for new information, I prefer to read articles and instructions. I rarely watch videos on YouTube. Do you know why? Because the authors of educational videos, in their desire to convey information, forget about common sense. As a result, all screencasts (screen recordings) can be divided into several quality levels:

1. Categorically unwatchable. The narrator shows his Desktop, then opens his notepad and... starts typing. Silently. Correcting typos, the author tediously pokes the keys. Where is the sound, where is the live speech? I close such videos immediately, because I consider it a waste of time to watch someone type text.
2. Hard to watch. The use of superimposed titles is the next step in evolution. Alternatively, the recording is chopped into pieces and, as if in a mockery of silent film traditions, acid-colored captions in Comic Sans font are inserted between the clips. With errors and typos, of course. Nauseating music is a must.
3. Well, so-so/Okay. This category includes videos with voice comments made with varying degrees of professionalism. Depending on the voice and audio quality, a screencast can range from mediocre to great. For example, about my video instructions about how to recover deleted data from flash drives I can say “it will do,” because my diction is not very good, but I showed the necessary information briefly and clearly.
4. Great videos. As a rule, an experienced announcer is used for such videos. Perhaps more than one person is involved in the creation. There are few such videos on YouTube; usually everyone is in a hurry to quickly tell and post their creations online without editing.

I’ll tell you how to make a high-quality screencast later, when I’ve gained a lot of experience. Now I’ll focus on an important component of any video that can live separately - sound

In fact, many technologies are not as developed as they seem at first glance. Some are at the beginning of their life’s journey, others are a hundred years old and no improvement is expected. Batteries are an example of a completely frozen technology that causes phones to be stuck to sockets several times a day.

The prospects for microphone development are better. The principles of converting an acoustic signal into an electrical signal were developed almost a hundred years ago, and have not undergone significant changes since then.

• Condenser microphones - 1916.
• Electret (the kind found in telephone headsets) - 1920s.
• Dynamic coil microphones - 1931.

But recently, promising developments have appeared. In the next couple of decades, ultra-sensitive condenser microphones with a graphene-based membrane will appear on the market, but for now humanity will have to work with what it has, squeezing everything possible out of existing technologies.

Any sounds that enter the ears are processed by the brain. Therefore, we can pick out a voice in a crowd and get used to constant noise. This is cool, but, unfortunately, it is difficult to repeat such a trick using technology.

If you think that the recording does not need to be processed, think about it: have you never recorded the teacher’s speech during a lecture in order to listen to it later? Didn't you listen to vague phrases, trying to remember what exactly the lecturer said in front of the board? You can’t spoil the porridge with butter; any recordings can be improved with the help of a sound editor.

What you need to record sound

You can record sound on a camera, video camera or phone, but the quality of the recording will leave much to be desired. Cameras rarely have high-quality microphones, video cameras don’t always have them, and phones are a complete lottery.

If you want separate a device for recording sound, take a (semi)professional digital voice recorder. At least this:

My experience is that voice recordings sound clearer than those from a cheap microphone connected to a home PC. Of course, provided that the device settings are set to maximum quality. Recordings made on a computer have a high noise level. There are two reasons for this.

The first culprit is electromagnetic radiation, which is emitted by the electronic components of a running computer. The radiation is perfectly captured by the sound card and any sound amplifiers, if they are built into the microphone. In laptops, the effect is stronger because their components are located more densely and the radiation sources are closer. It’s even worse when the microphone is wireless and cheap, usually they like to use it for karaoke - there will be even more noise. This is not a reason to wear a tin foil hat and hug cacti, just keep this fact in mind.

The second is the quality of sound cards. Even the highest quality microphone is useless when paired with a low-quality sound card. One-dollar sound cards from Aliexpress are a typical example of this. Don't even think about recording audio with this:

The ideal choice for recording sound on a computer is a combination of a high-quality microphone and an external sound card. Unfortunately, good sound cards cost from 8 thousand rubles and more.

M-Audio M-Track 2x2M sound card is a good choice for home studio

Or you can take a microphone that connects to the computer via USB, it has a built-in sound card. A great example is the Blue Yeti microphone, a favorite of many YouTubers.

Although, if you have enough budget for such a microphone, think about buying a professional recorder like the Tascam DR-40 - you can not only put it on the table, but also take it with you for recording, for example, outdoors. Then for the same money you will get a universal tool that works regardless of the computer and location.

All microphones, as I wrote above, are divided into several types depending on the principle of operation. The most common:

• Dynamic- a popular type of microphone. Not very sensitive, but cheap. A typical example is karaoke microphones.
• Capacitor- not very sensitive, they pick up sounds within a limited radius, the sound is subjectively “clean”. By the way, when buying microphones from nameless brands on Aliexpress, do not be fooled by the word “condenser” in the name - as a rule, this is a marketing ploy. There may be an electret capsule inside.
• Electret- a subtype of condenser. Due to their compactness and low cost, they are used in headsets and the vast majority of inexpensive microphones. Sensitivity is good, frequency response is good too.

Microphones also differ in their focus on the sound source: circular or “omni” (catches sound from all sides), cardiod (on one side the sensitivity is higher), directional, etc. Which one you need is up to you to decide.

They can also connect in different ways. The easiest way to purchase is with a 3.5 mm TRS, that is, the most common mini-jack, like headphones:

This is the most common way to connect a microphone to a home computer.

What to do if the microphone is quiet

I often get complaints that the recorded voice or any other sound sounds too quiet. When software amplification of sound, too much noise appears, which is almost impossible to get rid of. Who is to blame for this - the microphone or the sound card? The buyer is to blame for not understanding what he has and what recording equipment he needs.

All microphones, with the exception of dynamic ones, requirephantom power.Contrary to popular belief, everyone sound cards have it, but the spread of the supplied voltage is wide. I have seen from 2 to 5 volts for those that are built into the motherboard. This is acceptable for computer headsets, but professional microphones need 48V. If you don't have the required recording, the recording will be very quiet and you will have to buy either a sound card with the appropriate characteristics or a separate phantom power source.

Again, the required phantom power voltage may vary. Some microphones require 48 volts, while others are designed for 24 or even 12 volts. And some microphones (usually dynamic) generally operate on a battery; they do not need separate power.

Another problem is that the sound card cannot always qualitatively amplify the signal by mixing in noise due to interference and imperfect circuitry. Usually this is caused by Realtek chips built into the motherboard. Then you need to buy a high-quality card or connect a microphone through a preamplifier like this:

If you have straight hands, you can solder the microphone amplifier yourself using one or two transistors. The circuits are easy to Google, electronic components can be obtained at any decent radio parts store. Or buy a 50-ruble scarf with a microphone with an amplifier based on a specialized MAX9812 chip.

Despite the fact that the board is positioned to work with Arduino, in fact it can be powered by a battery and connected to the linear input of the computer. The quality of the recorded sound will be very decent.

Useful microphone additions

It is advisable to buy or make a couple of useful things for the microphone that improve the recorded sound.

1. Pop filter.

During recording, the air exhaled by the speaker creates an unpleasant explosive sound. The design is simple: several layers of nylon stretched over a frame.

It is important that neither the filter itself nor its mount touches the microphone, because the transmission of vibrations from the filter will reduce its performance to zero. You can make your own pop filter by stretching nylon tights over a wire ring.

2. Wind protection.

Without wind protection, microphones are useless outdoors. For windproof filters, pieces of foam rubber or long wool are used.

Even a wool sock will do! For example, the famous video blogger Dmitry Shamov puts a cut-off piece of a wool sock on his action camera so that subscribers can listen to recordings made in windy weather:

The cost of manufacturing such filters tends to zero, but the efficiency is high.

3. Elastic suspension.

A shock mount is needed to protect the microphone from external vibrations. A typical suspension looks intimidating, it’s not for nothing that people call it a “spider”:

Thanks to the suspension, you can protect the microphone from vibration that comes from the computer and hands if you move something on the table. You can make it yourself if you have rubber bands and a metal ring.

How to connect a microphone

A desktop computer has at least two microphone connectors: on the front panel with a microphone icon and on the back panel in pink (orange) color:

Front (left) and back (right) panels of the computer. The linear input is useful for digitizing cassettes from a tape recorder.

On desktops connect only to the rear connector, The sound will be cleaner due to less interference.

In laptops, instead of a separate microphone input, there can be a combined one, like in phones. To check whether your laptop's jack has a microphone input, plug in a headset and look at the sound indicator in Windows settings (more on this later). If it reacts to sound, buy an adapter. Googled in online stores for the request “3.5mm Stereo Audio Male to 2 Female Headset Mic Y Splitter Cable Adapter”:

Pay attention to the plug: there should be four contacts

There are also reverse adapters that connect a telephone headset to a PC.

How to test your microphone

Right-click on the volume icon and select "Recording Devices":

If a microphone is connected, the indicator on the right will respond to sounds:

The indicator will not respond if the microphone:

a) incorrectly connected;
b) requires phantom power;
c) disabled in the settings (click on the line and see if the “Enable” item is active);
d) physically turned off (there may be a switch and a battery compartment on the microphone);
e) its volume in the settings is reduced to a minimum (more on this later).

How to set up a microphone

The sensitivity of the microphone can be adjusted. Depending on the sound card model, in the settings connected microphone (right click on the line with the microphone - “Properties”) there will be one or two controls:

1. The first slider under “Microphone” will always be there. This is the main microphone sensitivity control.
2. The “Microphone Gain” setting is responsible for additional amplification of the sound already received by the sound card. Sometimes this item may not be available, depending on the sound card model.

I advise you to set the gain (lower slider) to 0.0 dB and move only the upper one. Thus, noise, if there is any when recording audio, will not be amplified again by software.

If an overload occurs during recording (“the sound goes off scale, when loud sounds turn into wheezing), it is worth reducing the sensitivity of the microphone. In practice, cheap (up to 2 thousand rubles) microphones are not sensitive enough to cause overload, so you can safely set the sensitivity to 100%.

Volume control is good. It’s even better when the audio card supports applying filters immediately upon receiving sound. This is not very useful for recording, because the quality of processing leaves much to be desired; it’s easier to clean the sound later. For real-time communication, on the contrary, audio filters will do a good job of removing noise and adjusting the volume. See filters on the “Enhancements” tab:

The Enhancements tab will only be available if a microphone is connected and the sound card supports filters.

Typical filters available on most modern sound cards:

• Removing DC Component- helps get rid of the “choking” sound. To put it simply, it makes sounds that are too loud quieter, making them audible instead of rumbling noise. You can enable it if your goal is to communicate over the Internet. When you move away or, conversely, too close to the microphone, removing the DC component eliminates sound interference. To record podcasts, read text, when you are not running away from the microphone, it is better to turn off this filter and simply adjust the recording volume.
• Noise reduction- when monotonous noise occurs, the filter cuts off its frequencies. When communicating via Skype, you can turn it on, but for recording speech it’s better to turn it off and clear the recording of noise later, because Due to the noise reduction filter, speech loses frequency and sounds like it comes from a can.
• Echo suppression- theoretically should help with echo, when the sound from the speakers is picked up by the microphone, reproduced again by the speakers, and so on, until the looped sound turns into a screech. In practice it works very poorly, worsening the recording and missing echoes. In general, if your interlocutors complain that they can hear themselves, turn on the filter - maybe it will help. Or wear headphones so that only you can be heard by the microphone.

Depending on the sound card model and installed driver, filters may be called differently, the list may be different. Let me know in the comments if you have any additional audio filter that you found useful.

Two tips:

1. Disable listening to microphone recording:“Listen” tab in the microphone properties - uncheck “Listen from this device”.
2. Make the microphone your default device: in the “Sound” window, on the “Recording” tab, right-click on the microphone - “Use as default”, “Default communication device”. If the items are gray, it means that the microphone is already used as the main means of recording sound. Without this, programs will not understand what to use for recording in the first place.

Setting up a microphone for Skype

To communicate in Skype, enable noise reduction in the microphone settings (see the list of filters above), set the sliders to maximum and make sure that in the Skype settings (menu “Tools” - “Settings”) the microphone is selected as a communication device:

The “Allow automatic microphone settings” checkbox allows Skype to adjust the microphone sensitivity.

That's all you need to set up this communication program.

Free sound editor Audacity

Of all the free audio recording programs, Audacity is perhaps the most functional. There is room for improvement, but there is plenty of functionality.

I marked in green the items responsible for working with the project. While working on a recording, you must save the project using the “Save Project” command. The project opens (you never know, Audacity was suddenly closed) using the “Open” item.

The items for importing and exporting sound files are marked in yellow.

To edit a finished recording (music, speech), you need import sound file using the “Import” - “Sound file” command.

Without the LAME MP3 codec installed, the link to which I gave above, you won’t be able to save it to MP3. Then choose Ogg Vorbis - this is a more efficient audio compression format, just less common compared to MP3. Unfortunately, Ogg Vorbis is supported in few places, so I still recommend installing the MP3 codec. I do not recommend saving in WAV - the file size will be huge.

Recording audio in Audacity

Since you've already set your microphone as the default recording tool in Windows settings, Audacity knows where to get the audio from. You can start recording immediately. To do this, launch the program and click the start recording button on the top panel:

The program will start recording sound. To stop there is a “Stop” button:

As soon as you start recording, the first audio track will appear in the main program window. After stopping the recording, it will be completely formed, you can select its sections and perform manipulations. For example, apply effects or remove individual words. An audio track can be compared to text: the sound can be copied, cut and pasted.

There can be several audio tracks themselves. Old versions of Audacity created a new track after each press of the record button, but now, apparently due to user complaints, it writes to one. You can return the old behavior through the settings: Edit - Options - Record - Always record to a new track. Then, when you press the record button again, recording will continue in a new audio track.

Volume normalization

After recording, you need to get the sound in order. Excessive rumble and distortion of individual tones can be corrected with an equalizer, but first you need to get the recording volume in order.

Inexperienced speakers speak loudly after inhaling, muffling their voice as their lungs empty. Recordings of events are also not uniform, because sound sources move. To tidy up the recording at least minimally, Audacity, like any normal sound editor, has sound filters. They are located in the “Effects” menu, they can be applied both to the entire recording and to individual sections, depending on what you select. Without selection, effects are applied to the entire audio track.

Limiter

There are conditions under which the order of filters I suggested for cleaning and improving sound will not work. The result will be a wheezing, noisy something. So be sure to listen to the recording before and after applying each filter. Ideally, you should experiment with different settings and compare the results.
For example, if the resulting recording was quiet, first normalize the signal, suppress noise, and only then process it with Limiter and compression.

The Limiter filter suppresses harsh, loud noise. For example, the sound of the microphone stand hitting the table if you decide to move it during recording. Explosive sounds are visible to the naked eye:

Therefore, select the entire recording, then Effects - Limiter and set the following settings:

The Limiter type must be set to “Hard Limit”. This is a strong, aggressive suppression of sudden loud sounds. In other programs, this type of processing can be separated into a separate Hard Limiter filter.

The “Limit to (dB)” value adjusts the degree to which harsh sounds are muffled. Since it is clear that the sound was three times louder than other sounds, you can safely set it to -10 dB.

Don't forget to click Preview to listen to the result immediately after setting the parameters. If the voice on the recording begins to wheeze, “Limit to” needs to be increased, thus weakening the effect of the filter.

Signal normalization

Adjusts the overall recording volume. Use with amplitude normalization set to -3 dB:

Compression

Unlike signal normalization, which increases the volume of the entire recording, dynamic range compression amplifies quiet sounds, making the sound richer. In Audacity, this is the menu item Filter - Dynamic Range Compressor:

Standard audio compression settings will work in most cases. If you wish, you can move the sliders and see how the explanatory graph changes and how the recording sounds. Usually you need to adjust the first two sliders, less often the third (ratio). The Preview button will allow you to listen to the filtered recording without closing the filter settings window.

After the compression filter works, quiet sounds will be amplified, while loud sounds will remain unchanged... almost:

Loud sounds will no longer grate the ear, and the overall “saturation” of the recording will remain the same:

How to remove background noise

By noise I mean a uniform, quiet sound that accompanies a recording. Not the sound of the wind, which periodically drowns out all sounds, but uniform background sound. To remove it, Audacity has a built-in filter Noise reduction.

Find a place in the recording where the noise is clearly audible and there are no extraneous sounds. You need at least a second pause. In my case, the noise is clearly audible at the end of the recording. Select it:

The filter now knows the frequency characteristics of the noise and can remove it. Deselect it and run the filter again. Pay attention to the section of the second stage:

I can't suggest universal settings because they don't exist. It all depends on the recording. The standard ones help in most cases, but you may have to go through the parameters yourself, listening to the result.

What each noise reduction filter setting is responsible for:

• Noise Reduction (dB) - the degree to which noise is removed. The higher the value, the more the noise volume will be reduced. If you set a high value, the recording quality will decrease because the frequencies that need to be left will be cut off. The optimal value is usually between 10 and 20 dB.
• Sensitivity - The higher the value, the more sensitive the filter is. At the maximum value, the filter will consider as noise even what is definitely not noise.
• Frequency smoothing (bands) - how many neighboring frequencies will be affected when suppressing noise. The standard value of 3 is optimal for 99.99% of cases.
• The Reduce/Residue switch is responsible for choosing whether to remove noise or leave only it.

Advice: If after using the filter the noise disappeared, but the recording began to sound “like it came from a can,” do not rush to correct the recording with an equalizer. It is better to reduce the filter sensitivity from standard 6 to, for example, 3. If the sound has become clearer, louder, but noise appears, increase the noise reduction value. By combining noise reduction and sensitivity, noise can be removed without significantly degrading the recording.

The order of applying filters and getting rid of noise

When processing audio, I usually apply filters in the order listed above. Judging by the articles on the Internet, I reinvented the wheel and so does everyone else. However, the official instructions for the Audacity noise reduction system advise first removing noise and only then compressing the sound. As I said at the beginning of the article, the order may change depending on the situation, you need to think for yourself and working with clearing interference is just such a case.

Getting rid of noise is not always easy. After many filters, its volume, like all other sounds, varies throughout the recording. Where there were explosive sounds, he will also leave. Where there was a quiet whisper, which after normalization became distinguishable, will manifest itself with tenfold force. Alas, the noise reduction filter works most effectively only with noise of uniform volume. Try first bringing the recording volume to an acceptable level using the Signal Boost filter, then removing noise, and only then applying dynamic range compression and a limiter.

Other Audacity filters

Having processed the sound as I wrote above, the recording will become, if not ideal, then at least of normal volume and without noise. This can be used for a podcast or as a track for a video. You can achieve a crystal clear record, but then the article will expand to the size of a book. I’d rather list some useful filters that you can study on your own:

1. Equalizer(Equalization) - like in audio players, only more functional. To strengthen your voice, you need to raise the mid frequencies. To reduce wind noise, turn down the low frequencies (in the equalizer on the left).
2. Click removal- to remove crackles and clicks. Useful when digitizing old cassettes.
3. Signal amplification (Amplify) Raises the overall recording volume by as much as you specify. Not as smart as signal normalization, can be useful for amplifying very quiet recordings.
4. Notch filter for Nyquist, cuts a certain frequency from a recording. For example, whistling. To determine the frequency, you need to plot the spectrum (see the Analysis menu) and see if there are sharp peaks on the graph. This will be the frequency that needs to be entered in the Notch filter.
5. DeEsser for Nyquist - a filter for eliminating “poking” in recorded speech. The plugin is non-standard and can be found on the Audacity forum. Launched through Effects - Enter Nyquist commands - Load - DeEsser.ny file.
6. DeClicker for Nyquist - a filter for cleaning cod, you can download it from the link above in the same place where DeEsser is located. Unlike the click removal filter, it can remove strong crackling sounds.
7. Bottoms and tops- adjust the recording tone. Personally, I find it useful for correcting the tone of the voice, making it sound clearer when the original recording quality is poor (recording lectures from a voice recorder in a noisy room).

Names may vary. I noticed that the Russian translation differs from version to version. For example, “Compression” became “Dynamic Range Compression.”

Correctly adding background music

This tip is useful for screencasts and podcasts. It is easier to listen to a speech accompanied by light background music, and the recording takes on an emotional coloring. I’ll share a secret that will keep the music volume at an acceptable level, but at the same time preserve speech intelligibility.

First you need to import your music. It will appear in the project as a separate audio track:

You need to turn down the recording a little using the volume control (see screenshot below). You need to achieve a volume at which the background music is not distracting. If at the same time your voice gets clogged, it’s okay. In most cases -12 dB is the optimal value.

Then you need to raise this track above all the transfer commands to the very top of the timeline:

The background track should be above the speech track. Now the most important thing: Audacity has a filter that will reduce the volume of the track at those moments when something is playing on the bottom. A similar filter is used when dubbing films and TV series, drowning out the original voices of the characters. The filter is called Auto Duck. Select the top track with background music and apply an auto-mute filter with the following settings:

By default, the filter suppresses the track by as much as 12 decibels, which feels like a sharp decrease in volume and only distracts. -4 dB is the optimal option for unobtrusive quiet music. 0.2 seconds (default 0.5) - time during which the track will change its volume. After applying the filter, you will hear and see that part of the sound has been muffled, and only in those places where the phrases were spoken:

This way, the music will sound clear, but when necessary, it will be muffled, giving way to speech. Useful trick. I don't understand why so few people use it.

Smooth fade-in and fade-out of recording

The effect is useful to apply to background music, so as not to deafen the listener with sharp sounds. Just select the first 2-3 seconds of the audio track and click Effects - Fade in. Then 5-10 seconds at the end of the audio track - Effects - Smooth fade.

A smooth increase in sound at the beginning of the recording should be done for no more than 3 seconds, and it is advisable that speech begins after reaching the maximum sound volume so that the listener gets used to the sounds. It's not good when music appears after the story begins. The person automatically listens: “What’s that noise there?” and gets distracted. This can be avoided by smoothly introducing the background, then turning on the speech.

At the end of the recording, the music can fade out very smoothly, even for 10-15 seconds. If the music ends before the speech, it becomes clear that the podcast is coming to an end and the listener begins to “catch” the last words, which is very convenient for seeding the topic of the next recording and creating a sense of overall completion. However, you can simply finish your speech and turn down the music later; this is also not forbidden.

Afterword

In this article I talked about basic techniques for recording and processing sound. This is the set that will allow you to call a room with a computer and microphone a “home studio.” If I missed something or you know more effective techniques, write in the comments and I’ll add it.

Conversations – both private and business; commands to partners in virtual battles; evening with karaoke; recording vlogs, podcasts and vocal tracks. In all these cases, a microphone is an essential accessory.

Audio Recording Basics

How is sound recorded? Let me explain this in a few words. Simply put, it is the conversion of a sound wave into a digital recording. For this to be possible, sounds must be captured through the membrane and then converted into electrical impulses. They are given digital form by an audio recorder. Thanks to this process, you can enjoy your favorite songs and programs every day.

It is worth noting that before digital recordings became the most popular, the most commonly used method of recording audio was in analog format. Recording directly to magnetic tape required a huge amount of work, and noise and crackling noise often sneaked into the recording. Nevertheless, this technique still enjoys great prestige among specialists.

Remember that the degree sound recording quality depends not only on environmental conditions, but also on the technological solutions used. That's why Choosing a specific microphone type makes such a big difference.

Characteristics of the main properties of microphones

Sound wave processing technology

Based on this criterion, microphones are divided into capacitor And dynamic. As you probably already guessed, both types have their uses.

Condenser microphones

They pick up sound due to a thin membrane made of conductive material. It is located parallel to a stationary metal plate (called a permanent electrode), together with which it forms the capacitor plate.

As a result of vibrations of the membrane, the capacitance of the capacitor changes, which is accompanied by the formation of electrical impulses. They are then transferred to the registrar.

It's important to note that condenser microphones must be connected to a power source (such as phantom power to transfer power from a preamp or mixing console via a microphone cable).

Dynamic microphones

They are simple and very durable structures. At the heart of such a microphone is a thin membrane to which a coil is attached. Both of these elements are within the created magnetic field.

Acoustic waves cause the membrane to vibrate, resulting in voltage across the coil. The resulting pulses are received by the recorder. Unlike condenser microphones, dynamic microphones most often have batteries.

Let's say we understand how dynamic and condenser microphones work. But how does this affect the use of such accessories and the properties of the recorded sound?

The biggest difference between dynamic and condenser microphone manifests itself in sensitivity and volume. Here the first ones get the advantage. However, it is important to mention other properties.

Condenser microphones allow you to maintain very high fidelity of recorded sounds. They accurately respond to voice modulations and timbre changes. In addition, they are lightweight, making them easy to use. A potential disadvantage is that with condenser microphones, too strong sound waves can greatly affect the recording quality.

Due to their high sensitivity, condenser microphones also often pick up environmental sounds. Therefore, they are mainly used in recording studios, where unwanted environmental sounds can be eliminated.

Dynamic microphones have lower sensitivity and volume. However, they cope well with high acoustic pressure, in addition, they are durable and resistant to damage and adverse weather conditions. This makes them ideal for stage performances and vocal recordings. Also suitable for home use.

Remember that in order to connect them to a computer and enjoy really good sound quality, you need not only an adapter (XLR → 3.5 mm jack), but also a preamplifier. In some situations, you will also need additional drivers to hear your voice while recording.

Microphone diaphragm size

Another feature of microphones that is worth paying attention to is membrane size. Currently, condenser and dynamic microphones are divided in this regard into small-diaphragm, medium-diaphragm and large-diaphragm.

What are the characteristics of each of these groups?

Small diaphragm microphones record high-pitched sounds with great accuracy and fidelity. This feature is associated with high sensitivity to the slightest air fluctuations.

Large diaphragm microphones characterized by very high sensitivity, which is due to the large surface area of ​​the membrane. The sound recorded with their help changes slightly - it becomes warmer, deeper. On the other hand, they are more prone to producing echoes.

Medium diaphragm microphones combine, to one degree or another, the characteristics of the two previously presented types.

Microphone sensitivity and frequency response

Microphone sensitivity usually measured in mV/Pa (milivolts per pascal). Many people believe that the higher the value, the better the microphone. However, this is not true! If you do not have appropriately adapted premises, too much sensitivity can ruin all your plans : On the finished material, unwanted sounds will be heard, for example, a neighbor's vacuum cleaner or a car horn outside the window.

It is also of great importance frequency response. This term refers to the sensitivity of a microphone to sounds of different frequencies. What does this mean in practice?

The main difference includes two frequency characteristics - flat and local. The graph is first illustrated by a simple line. This microphone reproduces sound without any amplification or frequency correction. A line with a local maximum indicates that this microphone will boost or cut sounds from the corresponding frequency. This solution is used, for example, to enhance the lower part of vocals or instruments.

Microphone Directivity

Perhaps you have ever watched a report during which the journalist, although speaking into the microphone, was almost inaudible, drowned out by surrounding sounds. This situation could be the result of using an all-round microphone, which picks up sounds from all directions.

Some of the microphones available on the market include: unidirectional, bidirectional And omnidirectional. Let's see what characterizes each of these types.

Unidirectional microphone(e.g. cardioid, supercardioid) – picks up sound waves from one direction. It has proven itself to be excellent during concerts and performances.

Bi-directional microphone(e.g. octal) - collects sounds from two opposite directions (often from the front and back of the microphone, sounds from the side will be muffled). As a rule, it is used in the implementation of television programs, for example, during interviews.

Omnidirectional microphone– records sounds from all directions. Characterized by the most natural sound. However, it is recommended to use only in suitable areas that protect against unwanted sounds.

Microphone connector type

Computer microphones are used 3 types of connectors:

• “mini-jack” (3.5 mm): located on the sound card.
• USB: microphones with their own sound systems are equipped with it. You can also connect them to other devices.
• XLR-3: Mainly used in professional microphones. To connect such a microphone, you will need a sound card that is equipped with an XLR-3 port or an appropriate adapter, for example, an XLR → 3.5 mm jack cable, which will be the best solution if you care about high sound quality.

Practical possibilities of microphones

Volume control - Mute button

The volume slider or control and Mute button make daily use of the microphone much easier.

Thanks to the first element, you can conveniently adjust the volume without the need for software.

In turn, the Mute button allows you to mute the device completely, which is ideal for those situations in which you simply want to stop streaming or recording.

Noise reduction

By reducing noise, you can minimize the impact of ambient noise on recording quality. How is this effect achieved? The standard solution is to use at least two holes through which sound enters.

The first one is larger, to which the main signal is sent. The second is smaller, located on the opposite side. Between them there is a membrane, which has the greatest sensitivity in the part close to the central hole. Sounds coming from other directions are perceived as background.

Noise reduction can also be achieved through the use of a built-in microphone, such as in the ASUS ROG Strix Magnus model. This small accessory actively captures ambient sounds and then transmits them to 3 capacitors where they are analyzed. The effect is to eliminate unwanted noise.

Changing the directional characteristic

More technologically advanced microphones, such as the Razer Seiren Pro, allow you to freely switch between different directional characteristics.

Thanks to this, you can easily configure the device to suit your needs, changing, for example, from a unidirectional recording method to a bidirectional one.

Which microphone will be best for you?

Microphone for conversations

Here, at least in theory, freedom of choice is greatest. If you use a microphone to communicate on Skype, and communicate mainly with family and friends, you have a lot of choices. Both budget microphones and more complex designs are suitable here. Buying an expensive condenser microphone would be a waste of money.

The situation looks completely different if you conduct business negotiations, especially in foreign languages. During such conversations, intonation and precise vowel articulation are of great importance. Therefore, the best choice would be. Thanks to it, your voice will retain its dynamics and natural sound, and your interlocutors will easily hear the words you speak.

Microphone for online games

During virtual clashes, emotions often take over. Screams of joy, sighs and loud commands confirm your participation in the gameplay. You need a microphone that is strong enough to withstand high acoustic pressure.

It would be a very good choice small diaphragm condenser microphone with noise canceling function. Dynamic microphones will also live up to your expectations. Of course, if they are properly connected.

Microphone for karaoke

If you love to spend time singing your favorite songs, then you know that choosing the right microphone is important. A device that is low class or incorrectly configured will not only not provide satisfaction from the process, but will also collect all the surrounding noise.

To avoid this scenario, select (unidirectional or bidirectional) dynamic or condenser microphone. This will give you confidence that the sound will be captured from the direction that matters most to you.

Record video stream, podcasts and vocal tracks

Your voice should reflect emotions, sound natural and expressive. In addition, everything should be clear. Noise, crackling, environmental sounds are undesirable. Therefore, for such a situation you need a really high quality microphone. Best fit unidirectional condenser microphone. If you're recording with others, a bi-directional microphone may be a good option.

In the case of recording vocal tracks, the requirements for the microphone are even higher. We recommend investing in a professional microphone. For example, a capacitive unidirectional large diaphragm microphone or a unidirectional dynamic microphone, which is very suitable for live performances in front of a web audience.

It is also important frequency response. If you want to identify or limit a specific range of sound, check the graphs provided by the manufacturers. Based on them, you will evaluate how your voice will sound.

Useful accessories for microphones

Recording accessories make daily use of microphones more convenient. Here are some practical things that will definitely come in handy.

Microphone stand

Tripods often come with a microphone. As a rule, this is the basic version, characterized by its small size. If you shoot a lot and convenience is important to you, purchase an additional microphone tripod, allowing you to adjust the height over a wide range. This will allow you to take the most comfortable position.

When using a condenser microphone, be aware of the anti-vibration basket - a holder equipped with rubber bands that prevents the transfer of vibration to the environment.

Wind protection for microphone

Especially useful if you use the microphone outdoors. By putting it on the microphone, you will be protected from the influence of gusts of air on the quality of the recorded sound. Its use in home and studio conditions is not recommended.

Pop filter for microphone

This accessory will come in handy if you record podcasts and vocals. The thin material stretches between the sound source and the microphone, stopping excessive gusts of air that occur, for example, during the pronunciation of plosive vowels such as p, b, t.

Microphone case

Very important if you want to take care of the safety of your microphone, especially capacitive ones. Thanks to it, you can safely transport the accessory, as well as store it in optimal conditions.

• First of all, when choosing a microphone you need to decide what you will use it for. Typically, microphones can be divided into condenser and dynamic. The former are better suited for voice-over recording or dubbing, but they are very sensitive and require appropriate silence in the room. Dynamic ones are intended primarily for singers and collect less sound from the environment.
• Another thing to pay attention to when buying a condenser microphone when, for example, we will be recording a story, commentating on games or recording vocals using a condenser microphone is presence of headphone output, which we will use for interactive listening. This is an incredibly useful thing that makes the recording process easier. Allows you to eliminate many problems or adjust the microphone so that the recorded signal is clean.
• It is worth remembering that condenser microphones collect sound much better from the front (cardioid system). The closer, the better low frequencies are recorded. Likewise, the further you are from the microphone, the better the high frequencies should be recorded. To maintain the right balance, you need to record at a distance of about 12-15 cm from the microphone. This knowledge can be used during the creation of various materials, for example, audiobooks or dubbing.

A computer is a universal machine capable of performing many different tasks, including recording and processing sound. To create your own small studio, you will need the necessary software, as well as a microphone, the type and quality of which will determine the level of the material produced. Today we’ll talk about how to use a karaoke microphone on a regular PC.

First, let's look at the types of microphones. There are three of them: condenser, electret and dynamic. The first two differ in that they require phantom power for their operation, thanks to which, using built-in electronic components, you can increase sensitivity and maintain high volume levels when recording. This fact can be both an advantage, in the case of using them as a means of voice communication, and a disadvantage, since in addition to the voice, extraneous sounds are also captured.

Dynamic microphones used in karaoke are an “inverted speaker” and are not equipped with any additional circuits. The sensitivity of such devices is quite low. This is necessary so that, in addition to the voice of the speaker (singing), a minimum of unnecessary noise gets into the track, as well as to minimize feedback. When we directly connect a dynamic microphone to a computer, we get a low signal level, to strengthen which we have to increase the volume in the system sound settings.

Using a Preamp

When choosing a preamplifier, you need to pay attention to the type of input connectors. It all depends on what kind of plug the microphone is equipped with - 3.5 mm, 6.3 mm or XLR.

If a device that is suitable in price and functionality does not have the necessary sockets, then you can use an adapter, which can also be purchased in a store without any problems. The main thing here is not to confuse which connector on the adapter the microphone should be connected to, and which the amplifier should be connected to (male-female).

DIY preamplifier

Amplifiers sold in stores can be quite expensive. This is due to the presence of additional functionality and marketing costs. We need an extremely simple device with one function - amplification of the signal from the microphone - and it can be assembled at home. Of course, you will need certain skills, a soldering iron and consumables.

To assemble such an amplifier, you need a minimum of parts and a battery.

Here we will not describe step by step how to solder a circuit (the article is not about that), just enter the query “do-it-yourself microphone preamplifier” into a search engine and get detailed instructions.

Connection, practice

Physically, the connection is quite simple: just insert the microphone plug directly or using an adapter into the corresponding preamplifier connector, and connect the cord from the device to the microphone input on the PC sound card. In most cases, it is pink or blue (if pink is not available) in color. If all the inputs and outputs on your motherboard are the same (this happens), then read the instructions for it.

The assembled structure can also be connected to the front panel, that is, to the input with a microphone icon.

Conclusion

Proper use of a karaoke microphone in a home studio will allow you to achieve good sound quality, since it is designed specifically for voice recording. As is clear from the above, this requires only a simple additional device and, perhaps, care when choosing an adapter.