What do boom mics do

Another advantage is the cost saving of headsets using inline mics. With easier manufacturing and fewer materials comes less cost. The disadvantage of inline mics is the quality of what is picked up and transmitted back to your software. With boom vs. When the microphone must be a bit farther away from the sound source, a shotgun microphone may suit your needs better.

The AT is a good microphone for picking up audio from a greater distance. But remember, shotgun microphones do not make it sound like you are any closer to a distant sound source, rather they reject the audio from the sides, focusing pickup on where the microphone is aimed. It is similar to looking through a paper towel tube — the distance between you and what you are looking at does not change.

Rather, you focus in on what you are looking at through the tube by rejecting what is on the sides. When using shotgun microphones, the longer the barrel of the microphone, the more focused the pickup will be. For example, the BP has a shorter barrel in comparison to the BPL , which will offer a tighter, more focused pickup. Studio overheads are generally used for recording drum kits. They involve microphones in boom mic stands. The stands are footed outside the drum kit, and their boom arms extend over the kit so that the microphones can be positioned directly above the drum kit.

For my drum overhead microphone recommendations, check out my article Best Drum Overhead Microphones. Booms are often used on stage to hold overhead microphones. This is true of the aforementioned drum overhead setup but also may apply to hiding microphones overhead in theatrical performances.

The Schoeps CMIT 5U is a top-address small-diaphragm shotgun microphone with a supercardioid capsule and shotgun polar pattern due to its long interference tube. It measures mm long and has unusually low colouration of off-axis sound for a shotgun mic.

However, it performs excellently in boom mic applications and definitely deserves a shout-out here. This is due to their high-quality sound and largely due to their relative resistance to moisture.

The humidity resistance is a much-enjoyed characteristic of RF condenser mics. This highly directional mic measures mm. Like most shotgun microphones, the MKH 60 works great as a boom mic. The Rode NTG-2 is a small-diaphragm shotgun microphone with a hypercardioid capsule and shotgun polar pattern due to its interference tube.

The mic must be as close as possible without any chance of getting in frame you might want to allow a safety margin in case the framing changes unexpectedly. It must also maintain a reasonably consistent distance to avoid fluctuating audio levels.

In the example on the right, the sound operator is also acting as a guide for the camera operator as they walk backwards, keeping a constant distance from the walking subjects.