PoducateMe: Practical Solutions for Podcasting in Education
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The Studio Projects
B3 allows the user to
choose among three
polar patterns.
Generally speaking, a podcaster using a home office for a studio will want to use a large-
diaphragm, cardioid condenser microphone. A cardioid mic is the most commonly used
microphone in studio recording and live-sound applications, and is typically appropriate
for podcasting.
For field work, consider using a dynamic, handheld, omniderectional mic (the ice-cream-
cone-shaped type used by TV reporters). Because it picks up sounds from all sides, this
type of microphone will allow you to speak into it and then aim it at your interviewee with
good results. Furthermore, dynamic mics are durable and do not require phantom power.
This will allow you to travel under a wide variety of conditions and with a lighter load (no
need for a mixer or interface to power the instrument). However, as discussed earlier,
Mac users plugging the microphone directly into their system’s line in port will not achieve
an effective recording level.
When doing field recording, you should also have plenty of battery power on hand for
your recording device, whether it’s a laptop or handheld digital recorder (handheld
recording devices will be discussed later).
Lavalier Microphones
Lavalier microphones are small, omnidirectional mics that can be clipped onto a person's
shirt, shirt pocket, shirt collar or hung around the neck. These microphones are ideal for
sit-down interviews, as they provide a close perspective sound and attenuate ambient
sound, such as traffic and wind.
While lavalier microphones are used in both wired and wireless configurations, a
students than will a professor tethered by a wire. A typical wireless mic rig is comprised
of a microphone, transmitter and receiver. The mic plugs into the transmitter, which is
typically clipped to the speaker’s belt. The microphone signal is then transmitted to the
receiver, which in turn shuttles the audio to a connected recording device, such as a
laptop.
