Choosing the right microphone polar pattern for your recording can help you to make better-sounding records and live shows – but what exactly are polar patterns and how do they work?
In this article, we’ll break down the characteristics and application of each microphone polar pattern to help you level up your production.
What are polar patterns?
When looking for a new studio condenser mic or live vocal mic, you’ll run into the specification “polar pattern”. This will be accompanied by terminology such as “cardioid”, “omnidirectional”, or “bidirectional”, to name a few.
A microphone’s polar pattern refers to how sensitive the mic is to sounds arriving from angles different from the central axis. Simply put, the polar pattern determines the angle from which sound can be picked up and is represented in the familiar circular chart format.
Each polar pattern has a specific application – both live and in the studio – that helps you record your sound source with the most appropriate pattern available depending on the situation. Understanding how these polar patterns work is, therefore, essential to getting the best of out your sessions.
Certain polar patterns are better for recording singing, drums, guitar, or even live performances. By selecting the right pattern for the job, you could save yourself a lot of work down the line in the mixing stage of your productions.
Getting it right at the source means that you can capture the sound of the room when needed, avoid any unwanted bleed, and alter how much the proximity effect will be heard in your tracks.
Which polar pattern should I use?
There are no hard and fast rules that decide what microphone polar pattern you should use on your recordings. However, you should take into account the characteristics of each polar pattern.
Experimentation is encouraged to find the sound that works for you and your situation. Check out some real-world examples and our recommendations:
When to use omnidirectional:
- To record multiple instruments or singers simultaneously in one microphone, such as choirs, orchestras, podcasts, or interviews
- When recording instruments that require a large amount of room ambience to add depth and realism, such as pianos or acoustic guitars
- Capturing a moving sound source for consistent frequency response and level, such as a stage production
When to use figure of 8/bidirectional:
- When recording a conversation between two presenters for a broadcast or podcast to capture both voices simultaneously
- For stereo recording when two microphones are paired together in the Blumlein technique, this can be ideal for recording overhead microphones for percussion or acoustic drums
- To record two sound sources in close proximity simultaneously, such as a singer-songwriter’s acoustic guitar and vocals
When to use cardioid:
- For live performances when you need to isolate your sound source from surrounding instruments (particularly live singing) and eliminate feedback
- Studio vocal recordings to isolate your singing from unwanted room ambience to get a focused sound
- Close-micing acoustic drum shells to isolate your kit to reduce bleed to help mix your drums more accurately
When to use supercardioid:
- Recording in rooms with poor acoustic treatment to help minimise unwanted ambient reflections that can spill into your recording
- Recording high-gain electric guitars to eliminate room reflections for a tight sound with no distracting room sound
- Close-micing snare drums to effectively eliminate bleed from problematic hi-hat cymbals
When to use hypercardioid:
- When precise microphone techniques are required with no movement from the sound source, such as field recording documentaries
- Micing drums on a busy stage
Now that you have a basic understanding of the polar pattern types, let’s dive deeper into each one to really get to grips with them…
Polar patterns explained
What is omnidirectional?
Omnidirectional (or “omni”, for short) is sensitive to all directions and picks up sound evenly around the microphone. This means that it picks up sound uniformly around the microphone in a full 360-degree sphere, making it the easiest to understand and plot on a diagram.
A microphone with an omnidirectional polar pattern doesn’t necessarily need to be pointed towards your sound source. In theory, the gain level and frequency response won’t alter even if placed at an angle to your sound source.
Typically, omnidirectional patterns are found in clip-on lavalier and headset microphones for on-stage performers. This ensures that with every head movement away from the microphone, the volume level and frequency response won’t be altered, producing a consistent sound.
However, it’s not exclusive to these microphone types and will often be found on large diaphragm condenser microphones that feature switchable patterns.
In the studio, using an omni polar pattern is incredibly functional as it does not suffer from any proximity effects due to the linear response around the microphone. This means that if you’re a singer, you won’t suffer from any plosive ‘p’ or ‘b’ sounds – resulting in smooth recordings.
An important note when using an omni mic for recording is that it picks up everything in close proximity to the sound source. This could potentially include things you don’t want to hear, such as AC fan systems or mechanical computer noises.
What are the benefits?
- Only a smaller number of microphones are needed to capture large sound sources
- Provides the best bass response and flattest frequency response around the microphone capsule
- Picks up high frequencies with more directivity for a more even response around the microphone
- Won’t suffer from any proximity effect
- Least sensitive to handling noise
- Natural and realistic audio that records important ambient information
- Ideal for capturing two sources simultaneously such as interviews, podcasts, or meetings
- Excellent for theatre performers using clip-on lavalier and headset microphones as it allows you to move your head naturally without altering the sound or volume
Microphone examples
Omnidirectional mics typically come in the form of headset microphones and boundary microphones, but many large-diaphragm condensers will have switchable patterns.
- Rode Lavalier Microphone Omni Directional Lapel Mic
- Rode Reporter Handheld Dynamic Omnidirectional Interview Mic
- Shure Centraverse CVB-B/O Omnidirectional Boundary Microphone
- SubZero SZC-800 Condenser Microphone with Switchable Polar Patterns
- Aston Microphones Spirit Multi-Pattern Condenser Microphone
- AKG C414XL II Condenser Microphone
What is figure of 8/bidirectional?
A bidirectional microphone (commonly referred to as Figure of 8) picks up sounds equally from the front and back of the microphone and rejects sounds from the sides.
Designed as a ‘pressure-gradient’ capsule, bidirectional mics respond to air pressure between the front and back of the microphone. This means that sound sources at a 90-degree or 270-degree angle from the front create equal pressure on the front and back, and therefore will become ‘nulled’, resulting in complete rejection.
The figure of 8 polar pattern is most commonly found in ribbon microphones due to the ‘pressure-gradient’ capsule design that exposes both sides of the microphone to sound pressure.
Figure of 8 polar patterns can be extremely useful when recording in the studio. When two figure of 8 polar patterns are paired together, it can be very advantageous for stereo recording techniques such as mid/side recording and Blumlein recording.
When using the mid/side recording technique, you will see a much more symmetrical exposure of sound pressure to create a ‘true bidirectional’ polar pattern, where both sides of the microphone are captured more evenly.
What are the benefits?
- Ideal for recording broadcasts, podcasts, or interviews between two people with one single microphone
- Use Blumlein or mid/side recording techniques
- Nulls any sound from the side, making it ideal for rejecting any bleed from side sound sources
- Capture room ambience for more authentic and natural recordings
- Less proximity effect than cardioid patterns
Microphone examples
Bidirectional mics are traditionally used in tube and ribbon microphone designs due to the pressure gradient capsule type.
What is cardioid?
The cardioid polar pattern is the most common polar pattern on microphones and is a 1:1 combination of omnidirectional and bidirectional. The combination of these two polar patterns creates a heart-like pattern (where the term ‘cardio’ originates for this pattern) when plotted on a 360-degree sphere.
The cardioid polar pattern is more directional and sensitive to the front of the microphone in the on-axis position, with a decrease in sensitivity towards the sides and a null point in the rear of the microphone.
Cardioid patterns can be found on everything from small-diaphragm condensers and large-diaphragm condensers to dynamic, lavalier, and even USB microphones.
Typically, most vocal microphones designed for live and studio use this polar pattern as it allows you to pick up directly what’s in front of you. There’s less sensitivity at the sides and sound at the back is completely rejected, effectively eliminating any potential feedback from other instruments or equipment.
As cardioid polar patterns are most sensitive to the on-axis position with a null point in the 180-degree angle, they can display an excellent gain-level ability. In the studio, cardioid polar patterns allow you to dial in more gain for extra volume without suffering from feedback, making it ideal for instruments with lots of dynamic range.
What are the benefits?
- Ideal for most recording applications
- Highest rejection at the rear greatly reduces bleed from sources behind your microphone
- Isolates the microphone from unwanted ambient sounds
- Puts your sound source at the front and centre with a focused sound
- Excellent for on-stage sound to reduce bleed and feedback
- Can be used in pairs to create stereo X/Y recordings
Microphone examples
Cardioid polar patterns are found in most dynamic microphones for a ‘point and record’ experience.
- Shure SM57 Dynamic Instrument Microphone
- SubZero SZM-11 Dynamic Vocal Microphone
- AKG D112 MKII Kick Drum Microphone with Flexible Mount
- Sennheiser MD 421 Kompakt (also available with a drum mount)
- Electro-Voice RE20 Dynamic Cardioid Microphone (also available as a recording pack)
- Rode NT1 5th Gen
What is supercardioid?
The supercardioid polar pattern is a deviation from the cardioid polar pattern with an even tighter directionality.
The on-axis directionality of a supercardioid polar pattern is reduced, meaning the side sensitivity and volume level at 90 and 270 degrees are also reduced. The trade-off for this front-facing directivity is an increase in volume towards the rear of the microphone at 180 degrees. In this instance, supercardioid is roughly a 5:3 ratio of omni and bidirectional patterns combined.
The lobe on the rear of the polar pattern at 180 degrees means that, unlike cardioid microphones, supercardioid microphones will have a small amount of level picked up from the rear of the microphone. This should be taken into careful consideration for use in the studio when multi-micing a large sound source such as a drum kit.
Typically, supercardioid patterns are reserved for drum and vocal microphones. They isolate the sound source from external noises and ambience for a focused tone, whilst rejecting bleed from other instruments.
Due to the directivity of supercardioid microphones, however, they can often be susceptible to vocal plosives and the proximity effect, where ‘b’ and ‘p’ sounds are pronounced and will become louder as the microphone gets closer to the sound source.
What are the benefits?
- Their increased gain sensitivity with less chance of feedback is ideal for live singers
- Rejection of side sources creates a very dry recording, excellent for mixing with effects in post-production
- Effectively eliminate side-facing sound sources
- Captures a small amount of rear sound for added depth to your sound
Microphone examples
Supercardioid patterns are typically found in microphones specifically designed for drums or vocals.
- Shure Beta 57A Dynamic Microphone
- Shure Beta 52A Bass Drum Microphone
- sE Electronics V7
- AKG C7 Reference Condenser Microphone
- Sennheiser e945 Dynamic Vocal Microphone
- Sennheiser e609 Silver Supercardioid Dynamic Microphone – a great mic for guitar cab recording
- Rode M2 Condenser Microphone
What is hypercardioid?
Much like supercardioid, hypercardioid exhibits the same polar pattern shape, with an even narrower range of on-axis directivity and a greater reduced sensitivity in the sides at 90 and 270 degrees.
The null points of hypercardioid are observed at a greater distance away from the microphone axis at 110 and 250 degrees. It’s important to note that with hypercardioid polar patterns, there is, again, a lobe at the rear of the microphone capsule at 180 degrees that is more sensitive than supercardioid microphones.
When drawn in a diagram showing sensitivity around the microphone, hypercardioid is roughly a 3:1 ratio of bidirectional and omnidirectional combined together.
Similar to supercardioid, hypercardioid microphones are typically reserved for specific drum microphones to isolate the sound source from external sources and reduce bleed from adjacent instruments.
It is, however, common for many large-diaphragm condenser microphones to have a selectable hypercardioid pattern that makes use of two pressure-grade capsules that capture on both sides of the diaphragm.
What are the benefits?
- Sensitive to microphone placement, allowing you to get more precise recordings
- Extremely narrow capturing pattern, nulling side-facing sound sources effectively
- The most resistant to on-stage feedback
- Captures a larger amount of rear information, giving more depth and ambience to dry recordings
Microphone examples
Microphones specifically designed for drums typically feature hypercardioid patterns.
Alternative patterns
There are, of course, more polar patterns that are less commonly used. These might not be as popular as the main patterns we’ve covered above, but they can still be very functional in your recordings.
Subcardioid
Subcardioid follows the same pattern as omnidirectional but with reduced sensitivity at the back of the microphone. With subcardioid, you can still pick up frequencies evenly around the microphone, but it will have a reduced input from the back of the mic, resulting in a louder signal from the front.
Shotgun (Lobar)
An extremely directional pickup with a drastic fall-off in the wings, a shotgun polar pattern has small lobes on the sides of the microphone at 90 and 270 degrees with less pronounced sensitivity on the rear. It’s typically used for voice recordings of film and TV sets to effectively eliminate any extraneous environmental noises.
Stereo
Stereo makes use of at least two diaphragms that are set up to output two or more mono signals simultaneously. These can be merged into your recording interface to create a true stereo signal. Typically, stereo microphones are comprised of two or more bidirectional or cardioid polar patterns to capture the direct source as well as ambient information around the microphone.
Multi-pattern microphones
While many manufacturers design microphones to a defined specification, there are plenty of recording microphones available that feature multiple patterns to allow you to experiment and face any challenge thrown your way.
Check out these examples that cover a wide range of budgets:
Can’t decide? Try a modelling mic
If you need a mic that can capture multiple sound sources and has the flexibility to achieve the exact sound you’re looking for in a variety of settings, a modelling mic is perfect.
Something like the Universal Audio Sphere DLX Modeling Microphone or the slightly more affordable SC-1 are extremely handy pieces of kit to have in the studio. They use modelling technology to reproduce the sounds of some of the most iconic mics ever made – giving you a wealth of mic types, models, and polar patterns in one device.
FAQs
What is the best polar pattern for a microphone?
The best polar pattern for a microphone depends on what the mic will be used for – whether it’s studio- or live sound-based and the sound sources it needs to capture. However, the best all-round polar pattern is cardioid. This is the most common polar pattern as it primarily picks up sound from the front, with a decrease in sensitivity at the sides, and rejection at the back.
What are the three main microphone polar patterns?
The three main microphone polar patterns are cardioid, supercardioid, and figure of 8. These are used for a range of applications, both in the studio and on stage.
When should you use a figure-of-8 polar pattern?
You should use a figure-of-8 polar pattern when you want to pick up sound sources from the front and back of a microphone but reject sound from the sides. Microphones with a figure-of-8 pattern are great for podcasts and interviews when you need to record two people talking.
Find out more
Now that you’re armed with all the information you need about microphone polar patterns, why not check out our extensive offering of live and studio mics to add to your microphone locker?
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