An omnidirectional microphone
“hears” sound from every direction,
so it wouldn’t seem like the best
choice for capturing clear, clean, and
isolated vocals in the studio, and only
a lunatic would sing through one
onstage amidst blaring amps, drums,
and monitors. But this doesn’t mean
that omnis should be avoided as if
they just caught very bad cases of
H1N1. These mics—or, more accurately,
these polar patterns—offer some
very attractive characteristics to
vocalists of all genders, styles, and
dynamic levels.
Om-ni-licious
Many musicians are introduced to the
omni pattern via multi-pattern, largediaphragm
condenser mics such as
the AKG C414 (omni, figure-8, hypercardioid,
cardioid, wide cardioid),
Shure KSM44 (omni, cardioid, figure-
8), and Audio-Technica AT4050
(omni, cardioid, figure-8). Those who
never move the pattern switch off
“cardioid” are missing a fair amount
of aural treats. Sure, the heart-shaped
cardioid pattern may appear to be
more of a “useable” option for
recording vocals as it mostly picks up
sound from the front, and rejects
much of the sound occurring at its
rear and sides. But while cardioid
patterns minimize ambient noise and
focus on what’s coming out of the
singer’s mouth, they also exhibit offaxis
coloration (where the tone of the
voice changes as the singer moves
away from the front of the mic) and
proximity effect (where low frequencies
are intensified as the singer’s
mouth gets closer to the mic), and
are susceptible to plosives (those
annoying popping “p” sounds).
Meanwhile, the omni pattern is
often considered the purest-sounding
polar pattern because it adds very little
coloration to the original sound.
Omnis are also less sensitive to plosives,
and, by virtue of the fact they
capture sound equally from all directions,
off-axis coloration is negligible.
So if you desire a relatively pristine,
accurate, and balanced vocal track—
along with the bonus of some natural
ambience that might make reverb
unnecessary at the mixdown—the
omni starts looking like an option of
true genius. Here, then, are a couple
of tips to maximize the pattern’s benefits,
while minimizing its potential
shortcomings.
Circle of Sound
As stated earlier, omnis capture
sound from all directions, so you have
to be very conscious of your recording
environment in order to achieve
optimum results. However, I view the
360-degree audio field as a benefit.
As long as your housemates aren’t
cranking up the big-screen TV’s surround
sound, environmental noises
shouldn’t be too much of a problem,
and gaining some ambience is a nice
aural homage to the days when
vocals were sometimes cut in big studio
spaces. Look for a spot in your
home that offers the most pleasant
ambience. Do some test recordings,
and listen to how the environment
affects the tone and vibe of the
vocal. Take care not to go too crazy,
as you can’t remove the reverberation
once you record it down with the
vocal, so what you get is what you’ll
have always and forever. Too much
ambience, for example, could sound
unnatural in a mix where the other
instruments are rather dry. I like to
hear a clear, dry-ish vocal with a hint
of air and decay, so my favorite
“vocal booth” is my home office,
where a hardwood floor is about
40-percent covered by a rug.
Mouthing Off
Working an omni mic is a pretty
organic experience, because you
don’t get that annoying proximity
effect, and breath pops (wind) are
minimal. I start about one foot from
the mic to get a good blend of
room and vocal, and then move in a
bit for softer phrases. If you’ve chosen
the right space to record in,
cutting vocals can be that easy. I
dig visualizing Frank Sinatra singing
freely in the big room at Capitol
Studios and just work the mic. Of
course, I don’t sound anything like
Frank—sadly—but bringing some
Rat Pack vibe into a vocal session
helps my performance. Your experience
will likely be different, but
most singers feel pretty good about
being able to move around a bit and
achieve good results, rather than
sticking close to a pop screen when
using a cardioid pattern.