Enrichment · Passion Projects

Put the mic in the right place,
and the rest gets easier.

Most recordings that sound boomy, thin, echoey or crackly come down to where the microphone sits and how loud the input is. Log each setup: what you are recording, the mic, how far away, how it is aimed, the room and how close the loudest peak came to full scale. The page compares it with common starting points for that source and mic and says what to change first.

Log a setupWhat you get

Setups

The worked example is made up: four setups by a student recording a podcast, a solo, a guitar cover and an interview. Saved on this device only.

Loading the setup form. If nothing appears, turn on JavaScript.

What you get

Enrichment · Passion ProjectsFree

What you finish with
A setup record per recording: source, mic type, pickup pattern, distance, aim, pop filter, room, how far the loudest peak sat below full scale, background noise and a playback rating. Compares the distance with a common starting range for the source and mic; counts setups in range, safe peaks and the playback average; flags what to move or change.
Who it is for
Students recording podcasts, music, video and oral history projects; media, music and journalism teachers; clubs and student broadcast teams.
Format
Browser placement guide and setup notebook with a saved record per setup. Prints one setup, every setup as a table or a blank setup sheet; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Passion Projects space in Caveat Enrichment.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Pick the source and the mic you have, and set the pickup pattern (it is usually printed on the mic).
  2. Measure the distance and note how the mic is aimed.
  3. Record a test and note how close the loudest peak came to 0 on the meter.
  4. Listen back on headphones and rate it.
  5. Change one thing the panel suggests, record again and compare the two setups.

Log a setup

Distance, pattern and level

Where to start: common distancesSourceMicDistanceAimSpeaking voiceDynamic2 to 6 inSlightly off to one sideSpeaking or singingCondenser6 to 12 inThrough a pop filterInterviewLavalier6 to 10 inMid-chest, under the chinVideo, out of frameShotgun12 to 36 inPointed at the mouthAcoustic guitarCondenser6 to 12 inWhere neck meets bodyInstrument ampDynamic1 to 4 inAt the speaker coneWhere to start: common distancesSpeaking voiceMic: DynamicDistance: 2 to 6 inAim: Slightly off to one sideSpeaking or singingMic: CondenserDistance: 6 to 12 inAim: Through a pop filterInterviewMic: LavalierDistance: 6 to 10 inAim: Mid-chest, under the chinVideo, out of frameMic: ShotgunDistance: 12 to 36 inAim: Pointed at the mouthAcoustic guitarMic: CondenserDistance: 6 to 12 inAim: Where neck meets bodyInstrument ampMic: DynamicDistance: 1 to 4 inAim: At the speaker cone
These are starting points, not rules. Move the mic an inch or two at a time and listen on headphones.

Distance does most of the work

Closer means more of your voice or instrument and less of the room. Too close and a directional mic boosts the bass (the proximity effect) and catches every p and b. Most problems are fixed by moving the mic a few inches, not by editing.

Pickup patterns

A cardioid mic hears what is in front and rejects the back, which suits one voice. Supercardioid is tighter still. An omni hears all around, with no proximity boom but more room. A figure-8 hears front and back, which suits two people facing each other.

Set the level before you record

Digital audio clips at 0 dBFS, and clipping cannot be undone. Set the input gain so that the loudest moments peak around 12 to 6 dB below full scale. Much quieter than about 20 below and you will raise the noise when you turn it up later.

Sources

  1. Huber, D. M., & Runstein, R. E. (2017). Modern Recording Techniques (9th ed.). Routledge. Chapter on microphone design, patterns and placement.
  2. Owsinski, B. (2017). The Recording Engineer’s Handbook (4th ed.). Bobby Owsinski Media Group.
  3. Audio Engineering Society: Educational resources on microphones and recording levels (aes.org).
  4. Library of Congress, American Folklife Center: Folklife and fieldwork, a guide to recording interviews (loc.gov).

The worked example is made up. Distances are common starting points, not rules; trust your ears. Ask permission before recording anyone. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.