Microphones

About Live Microphones

Microphones are as key to capturing live performances just as much as studio recordings. Microphones for live sound come in a range of form factors and designs.

Microphone capsules come in two central designs for live sound: dynamic and condenser. Dynamic microphones are designed to handle loud sources and have a bassier, authoritative sound that punches through dense live mixes, making them a favourite for vocalists and drums. Many live stages might use almost exclusively dynamic microphones, as they are perfect for resisting feedback, and can handle much higher gain levels. By contrast, condensers are more detailed, clearer, and more fragile as a result. Condensers are typically better at a distance, but certain designs have been improved to handle louder sounds, so there are now handheld condenser microphones for vocalists, and instrument condensers that can be comfortably used on drum overheads, cymbals, classical instruments, pianos, and acoustic guitars or guitar amps.

Live vocal microphones can be handheld dynamic microphones, like the ever-popular Shure SM7B for radio, podcasting and broadcasting, the Shure SM58 for live performances, or the Sennheiser e935 and e945. Headsets, lavalier microphones, and even goosenecks are also popular, and can often be paired with wireless microphone systems for worship leaders, gym classes, and theatre performances.

Instrument microphones for live sound tend to be dynamic more often, as these designs are better at rejecting other sources and preventing feedback, like the similarly common guitar amp and drum microphone the Shure SM57, but it's not uncommon to see robust and neutral-sounding small diaphragm condensers on stages too.