What Is A Boom Microphone and Its Applications


Updated: August 13, 2022

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Microphones have come a long way over the years, withstanding the test of time and evolving to meet the needs of both professional and amateur sound enthusiasts. In this post, we’ll take a look at the boom microphone, its origins, application, and some of its key features.

What is a boom Microphone

We’ll also discuss some popular uses for boom microphones, and give you an overview of some of the best boom mic models on the market.

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What Is A Boom Microphone?

A boom microphone is a microphone that is suspended on a boom arm, which allows it to be placed close to the subject’s mouth.

This type of microphone is often used in television and film production, as well as live theater to capture clear audio of the actors’ voices.

A boom mic is attached to a microphone stand or other boom pole and is used by the camera operator to ensure that the microphone is in the best possible position. By moving the boom, the operator can adjust the microphone to make it more suitable for the shot, so that it can be used to capture close-up audio.

This device is usually made from sturdy materials, such as carbon fiber, aluminum, steel, or plastic, and is usually about 10 feet long.

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Boom Microphone Applications

A boom microphone is a popular type of microphone that is used in a variety of applications, such as video, recording, and podcasting. These microphones are typically mounted on a stand, and are used to capture audio from a wide range of distances.

Boom microphones are versatile, and can be used in a variety of settings. If you’re looking to buy a boom microphone, be sure to read our reviews to find the best option for your needs.

So definition of boom microphone can be understood by main applications.

  1. Film/Video Application
  2. Studio Overheads Application
  3. Stage Overheads Application

Boom Mic Application 1: Film/Video

A boom microphone is used for recording dialogue on film and video. The microphone is often called the boom mic . The boom microphone is usually at shoulder height. The boom microphone can record audio from a distance. The microphone is connected to a mixer and placed up to several meters away from the camera operator.

The boom mic can record the sound of people speaking. This can be used for recording interviews. The boom microphone is connected to a mixer or recorder. This boom microphone can also be placed at a certain distance from the camera operator.

https://youtu.be/OJmmMC1KywE

Boom Mic Application 2: Studio Overheads

If you are going to work at a studio, then you will need to have some studio overhead mics.

These are microphones that are used to pick up sound from an actor who is standing, walking, or running, and whose voice is not being picked up by a boom mic. The microphone is not used for picking up sound from the sound-recording stand, as the boom mic is used for that.

The studio overhead microphone might be used to pick-up sound from a live microphone that is being used to record the actor in the studio.

It is also used to pick up sound from a live microphone that the actor is using when he/she is on-stage. For example, if a singer is in the studio and is singing while the camera is rolling, then the studio microphone will pick up the singer’s voice. A studio overhead microphone is an ideal microphone for television drama. It is a very directional microphone.

Boom Mic Application 2: Studio Overheads

Boom Mic Application 3: Stage Overheads

Stage microphones are used when a microphone needs to be placed on a stand in a location other than where the sound is coming from. For instance, placing a stage microphone in a location where there is an actor or singer, and the sound source is not right in front of the microphone.

These mics are often used for vocals, guitar, or piano.
On a small stage, they can also be used for drums. The mic stand is placed on the stage floor, and the microphone is held on a stand above the stage floor and is aimed at the sound source.

Boom vs. Inline Microphones

Differences between Boom and Inline microphones is that any microphone at the end of a boom pole is defined as a boom mic. Shotgun microphones are highly directed devices with interference tubes and hyper- or supercardioid capsules.

Shotgun microphones are primarily used for boom miking, although they can also be employed in other situations.
A microphone is incorporated into the cord that runs between your chin and chest while using classroom headphones with inline microphones.

While Inline mics have the benefit of being more durable because there isn’t anything for users to grip or bend. The fact that inline mic headsets are less expensive is an additional benefit.

Less expensive production requires fewer materials and is easier to produce. The quality of the audio that is captured and sent back to your software is an issue with inline mics.

As the user turns their head, the mic doesn’t turn since it hangs beneath their chin and chest, causing their speech to stutter in and out.

Boom Microphone Examples

Here are three boom microphone examples.

  • First is the Sennheiser MKH 603 microphone, which is a Cardioid microphone with a frequency response of up to 21kHz. Its cardioid pattern is designed to pick up the most important sound source in a scene, and it is commonly used in recording drums.
  • The second example is the Schoeps 5U3 microphone, which is a Cardioid microphone with a frequency response of up to 30kHz. It is commonly used for recording drums by picking up sound from only one direction. This can be used to separate a drummer from the rest of the band.
  • Finally, the third example is the Rode NTG-23 microphone, which is a Cardioid microphone with a frequency response of up to 25kHz. It is commonly used for recording drums.

Let’s talk about them one by one.

Sennheiser MKH 60

Sennheiser MKH 60 is a cardioid small diaphragm microphone with a sound pressure level of -40dBV. It is an extremely light and compact small diaphragm shotgun mic.

A shotgun mic is designed to capture all sound from a 360 degree angle. So, in this application, the microphone is pointed at the drummer to capture all the drum kit sound. The MKH 60 is a good example of a shotgun mic. It is quite expensive, but it is a great microphone for boom-sounding.

The boom microphone is considered to be the standard microphone for recording dialogue in a studio or for making audio recordings that are used for a movie or a video

Sennheiser MKH 60

Schoeps CMIT 5U

Schoeps are a popular choice for film production. They are a directional-pattern microphone that is used to capture the sound of the actor or talent. The boom mic is used to capture the sound of the actor/talent, along with the drum kit in the room. It is placed at least 4m from the drum kit.

Schoeps CMIT 5U shotgun microphone is a top-address small diaphragm mic with a polar shotgun pattern and a super-cardioid capsule. It is 251mm in length and produces an unusually low off-axis coloration for a shotgun microphone.

Although the Schoeps CMIT 5U microphone is expensive, it is not an industry-standard boom mic. It is a great boom mic application microphone and deserves to be mentioned.

The CMIT 5U mic is light and compact, making it ideal for boom-sounding on video/film shoots.

Schoeps CMIT 5U

Rode NTG-2

RODE NTG-2 mic is a small super-cardioid shotgun microphone with a 1/4″ (6.35mm) diaphragm capsule. The NTG-2 is commonly used for video/film sound quality with its solid construction and low noise floor.

The microphone has a super-cardioid pattern and sounds best when placed directly above the subject. It also has a boom arm that extends to 180 degrees.

Rode NTG2

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed the definition and application of a boom microphone. Choosing the write boom microphone for your application is always a challenging task. I hoped this articles will help you to choose right microphone based on your needs.

If you have any queries related to microphones feel free to contact us at hello@micforyou.com


Jimmy Altucher

Jimmy Altucher

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