Just like in politics, it is very difficult to be rational when we think, discuss and make decisions about sound.

Of course much about sound is subjective, even if there are quantifiable aspects to what we do.

No matter how it looks on Rational Acoustics Smaart, the end result has to be something that satisfies the audience, or at least satisfies us – and we should (hopefully) be the toughest customer of our own product!

Opinions Vary…
The first thing that came to mind while thinking about all of this is that microphones seem to be one subject about which people have more passionate opinions than just about any other piece of kit.

I was reminded of all this when perusing forums on ProSoundWeb.com and noticing that of all the questions asked, the ones that get the most responses are along the lines of “What’s the best vocal mic for a female singer?” or “What’s the best choice for guitar cabinet mic?”

In other words, opinions are like microphones, everyone has at least three favorites…

Maybe this is because there are so many microphones, and even models that have been on the market for 40 years are still being used today.

But I suspect that it is also because microphones are where sound gets magically changed into electrical impulses, and thus there is such a huge opportunity to get things “right” or “wrong.” People seem really polarized about this, and count me among them.

There is just something about the fact that microphones are the focal point where art meets technology. The emotive sound of the human voice becomes electrons moving on a wire.

The beautiful sparkle of that pre-war Martin moves the air, which moves a diaphragm and coil, and somewhere a meter moves in response. And then a loudspeaker changes the final resulting signal into a much louder version so thousands can hear that sparkle, but it all starts at the microphone.

To me, the right choice of microphones and the knowledge of where to put them makes such a huge difference in the end result. First of all, it makes mixing much easier and reduces the need for EQ on the console. And we all know that adding too much EQ starts to wreak havoc on our sound.

With modern DSP-based consoles, this is less of a problem, but still an issue. Why add 6 dB at 10K when we can just use a brighter-sounding microphone at the starting point?

One last thought is that I think the choice of microphones has evolved along with other changes in the PA world. The use of in-ear monitors (IEM) and the fabulous loudspeaker systems of today mean that you can actually choose microphones based on the way they sound, rather than just simply to avoid feedback or to overcome the loss of highs in the mains.

In my opinion you have to become familiar with these microphones and trust your own ears on your artist’s sound rather than relying on what anyone else says. Of course it can be useful to see what others say in order to narrow the choices.

But beyond that, it’s up to you.

Picture Without Sound Is Surveillance
You’ve heard that one, right? Sound without picture is radio… you get the idea.

Although I have heard some people (OK, specifically it was guys) argue that porn doesn’t need sound. I’ll leave that one alone.

But my point is that sound is so critically important to any type of entertainment, and yet it seems to be an afterthought in so many cases. When things go wrong with sound, everyone notices.

Ever had massive feedback at one of your gigs? If so, then you know what I’m talking about. Or how about a loud hum? Same thing – people notice.

But I would be willing to bet that if one of the banks of lights didn’t work at a show, very few people would notice.

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