This week’s informative reading changed my perception of the concept of sound from the study of audiology to microphones. At times, the information and several terms became overwhelming, however, the figures on the side nicely summarised and depicted what each paragraph was conveying. Moreover, I never realised how much I neglected the power of sound and how it’s just as powerful as the visual aspect in film. In order for these sound waves to convert into electrical impulses as it reaches our brain and to be of clean sound, certain mikes are used for certain scenarios:

Transducer elements in microphones are either dynamic or condenser. Dynamic microphones function through metal coils that creates a magnetic field energy that converts to electrical energy from vibrations. On the contrary, electrical energy is created from the proximity of two oppositely charged plates with condenser microphones.  If I were to conduct an outdoor interview, I would use a dynamic mike due to its “ruggedness” while a condenser mike will be best for music reproduction due to its wider frequency.

Since Project Brief Three was introduced to us, I figured I started thinking about the microphone I were to use. If my interview were to involve the use of visuals and singing for instance, I would use a hand held microphone as the singer is able to have control over the pitch, volume and quality of their voice. The only downside of hand-held mikes is their obtrusiveness and limitation in range. Lavalieres advantage of barely picking up any ambient noise would be a better option for interviewing someone, rather than a hand-held mike. However, its sensitivity to brushing onto clothing or uncontrollable situations such as wind can make the process frustrating. A shotgun mike is great for capturing sound from a distance and to not appear in frame. The downsides include the risk of more ambient sounds to be heard instead of the primary source and the use of extra equipment to mount and adjust the level of the mike to achieve clarity.

Much to think about. Since these are considered generalisations, I would have to consider what effect I aim to impose onto the audience in terms of tone, the visual aspect and the subject whom I wish to interview. Plan it out, they say, but I guess this is me just getting too excited to skip the planning stage and start experimenting (the fun part).