When building a home recording studio, one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make is what kind of microphones you will add to your studio. Whether you’re recording in a small corner of one room in your house or converting your entire basement into a professional recording area, the microphones you choose will play a very large role in determining the sound of your space.
When it comes to choosing a studio microphone, the choices can seem overwhelming. From the different types of microphones to the different prices of each type, knowing what to choose can be a daunting task. But a basic understanding of the types of microphones available for a home recording studio is a great way to get started on the way to choosing the best mics for your studio.
There are two basic types of microphones you can choose from, a condenser microphone and a dynamic mic. Here we’ll look at the differences between the two, and which will work best for you studio, as well as why you should have both kinds if possible. Finally, we’ll also look at the properties of a USB microphone, which has become a standard of simple at home recording.
Condenser Microphone
A condenser microphone is generally going to have greater frequency response than a dynamic mic, and will therefore produce a more “accurate” sound for many audio sources. However, these mics have the downside of being more fragile and susceptible to distortion than their dynamic counterparts.
Because of this they are better for recording low volume audio sources, such as vocals and acoustic instruments. They are also much more adept than dynamic mics at recording a source from a distance of more than a few inches.
There are two types of condenser microphones: large diaphragm and small diaphragm
- A large diaphragm condenser microphone will generally produce “warm” recorded sounds and is great for vocals and other instruments that need a solid low end. Famous examples of the large diaphragm condenser microphones are the AKG 414 and the Neumann U87, both of which we make use of here at the Sage Audio recording and audio mastering studio.
- A small diaphragm condenser mic delivers a wider and more even frequency response, and is therefore often used for recording sources at a distance. For instance, these microphones are often use as drum overhead mics.
Dynamic Microphone
Dynamic microphones are most often used in live concert settings because of their durability and relative inexpensiveness. However, these same
qualities make them great for studio use as well, particularly for loud sources like guitar amps and drums.
Of course they also are often used to record vocals. When it comes down to choosing the best microphone for a home recording studio, the choice often comes down to the best sounding microphone for your purposes that also fits into your budget. More than likely, purchasing microphones won’t be a one-time deal, and you’ll continually make addition to your microphone lineup for years to come.
USB Microphone
Lastly, a new kind of microphone has popped up in recent years, the USB microphone. Though these mics can be found in both condenser and dynamic forms, the difference is that they plug directly into your computer’s USB port rather than a typical XLR input.
USB microphones first became popular for podcasts, but some also use them for recording things like acoustic guitars and vocals at home without the need for an audio interface. The sound quality of these mics will not be as good as a dynamic mic or condenser microphone run through a preamp, but it can be great for those just getting started in home recording.
So, Why A Membership?
Let’s face it — trying to create professional mixes without the correct knowledge, tools, services, and network is like playing a concert with a broken instrument to an audience of no one.
That’s where the Sage Audio membership comes in — the membership gives you everything you need to create professional mixes consistently.
The membership is the secret to your success — it’s the difference between the 1,929,999,999 of poor-sounding mixes and the .00000002% of mixes that make people say 'WOW!"
There are 7 unique value-points included in your Sage Audio membership.
Let’s go over each one so you can decide if the membership is right for you.
1. Sage Audio University
- SAU Flagship Mixing Course: 23-video in-depth mixing course that reveals the little-known secrets of mixing and matches the needs of the new music industry.
- SAU Flagship Mastering Course: 19-video in-depth modern mastering course that dives into every nuance of making professional-sounding masters.
- SAU Pre-Mastering Course: Concise pre-mastering course that details the latest industry standards for preparing your mixes for mastering.
- SAU is designed for every experience level, ranging from budding mixing engineers to advanced engineers. The techniques and concepts taught can be applied to any DAW to create industry-leading mixes without expensive software or plugins - and free plugin alternatives are suggested throughout each course.
- Each SAU course includes Start-to-Finish session walkthrough lessons for multiple genres so you can follow along with your preferred genre.
- SAU Certification Document, which can be downloaded and showcased on your website and social channels.
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2. Private 1-on-1 Mentorship
- The Sage Audio private 1-on-1 Mentorship gives you direct access to us for advanced mixing feedback, in-depth discussions, and customized guidance that's tailored to your specific needs.
- Unlimited private access to us for advanced mixing feedback, where we provide detailed suggestions for improvement.
- Unlimited private access to us for in-depth discussions to help you improve every aspect of your mixes and masters.
- Customized guidance that’s tailored specifically to your needs.
- Fast communication so you can improve your skills quickly.
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3. Unlimited Mixing Feedback
- Unlimited professional mixing feedback directly from us so you can consistently improve your skills and create professional mixes.
- Mixing feedback is invaluable, and the Sage Audio membership gives you continual direct access to us for real-world feedback so you can improve every aspect of each of your mixes while you're in the process of mixing.
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4. 50 Free Mastered Songs Per Year
- 50 free mastered songs per year with your own dedicated professional mastering engineer so you can get all your mixes sounding like professional songs.
- You get your own dedicated Sage Audio mastering engineer to create custom masters that are specific to you and sound exactly how you want.
- Unlimited revisions with your dedicated mastering engineer. As a standard of our service, we are not happy until you are happy with the sound of your masters.
- All masters are delivered as commercial, industry-standard high-resolution 24-bit HD WAV masters so they will sound clean and clear on every platform.
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5. Community
- The Sage Audio community is a tight-knit community of passionate audio engineers who can provide you with additional real-world mixing feedback, meaningful discussions, networking, collaborations, and more.
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6. 70+ GB of Curated Sage Audio Downloadable Content
- 36 multitrack sessions spanning multiple genres for mixing practice.
- 57 un-mastered mixes spanning multiple genres for mastering practice.
- 62 Recommended Free Plugins List (vetted, tested, and approved, so you don’t have to).
- 39 Recommended Paid Plugins List (vetted, tested, and approved, so you don’t have to).
- 71 Sage Audio custom plugin presets to improve your mixes and masters.
- Sage Audio Membership Badge to showcase on your website, social channels, and portfolio.
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7. 800+ Video Catalog
- Access 700+ in-depth Sage Audio mixing and mastering videos - curated and organized into categories so you can easily take a deep dive into all aspects of audio engineering with thousands of hours of concise, expertly crafted Sage Audio videos to continually improve your skills at your own pace.
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