Microphones for Zoom & Teams Meetings for Beginners

In this episode, we cover the basics you need to know when choosing a USB microphone for Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or any other online meetings. We teach you the difference between dynamic and condenser microphones and when you might want to choose each. We cover directionality, also referred to as polar patterns. And then we demo two different USB microphones — the Shure MV7 and the RODE NT-USB Mini.

If you’d like to learn how to make great dialogue audio for your film and video projects, please have a look at my courses at https://school.learnlightandsound.com including processing dialogue audio in Adobe Audition and DaVinci Resolve/Fairlight, recording sound, how to use the Zoom F4, F6, F8, and F8n, and how to get the most from the Sound Devices MixPre series of recorders. Our latest course is Sound for Live Streaming with the ATEM Mini.

Support my work creating videos by donating at https://ko-fi.com/curtisjudd

Gear used or mentioned in this episode. The links below are Amazon.com, B&H Photo, Sweetwater, DVEStore, Perfect Circuit, or other affiliate links. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases:

Shure MV7 dynamic USB microphone - B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon https://geni.us/bTlN3S
RODE NT-USB Mini condenser USB microphone - B&H, Sweetwater, DVE Store, Amazon https://geni.us/4bjFJ9d
Desk microphone stand - B&H, Amazon https://geni.us/cJUHuw
Westone in-ear monitors UM Pro 50 (these are super expensive which is why I didn't talk about this particular set in detail here...) - B&H https://bhpho.to/3AvdXfo
Canon C70 camera - B&H https://geni.us/ABYB
Canon RF 24-70 f/2.8L lens - B&H, Amazon https://geni.us/qwsEs
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K - B&H, DVE Store, Amazon https://geni.us/uK8UqB
Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 lens - B&H, Amazon https://geni.us/bhOWVlW
Aputure C120D II LED light - Aputure, B&H, DVE Store, Amazon https://geni.us/deg3

Take your films to the next level with music from Musicbed. Sign up for a free account to listen for yourself: https://geni.us/G7by

Copyright 2021, Curtis Judd

#Microphone #Zoom #Teams

Index:
00:00 Start
00:17 Summary
00:27 Introduction and secrets to better sound
03:24 Dynamic microphones
04:24 Condenser microphones
05:44 Directionality
06:07 Omni-directional polar patterns
07:36 Cardioid polar patterns
08:54 Condenser microphone sample RODE NT-USB Mini
09:22 NT-USB Mini male voice sample
09:29 NT-USB Mini female voice sample
09:39 Shure MV7
10:10 Shure MV7 male sample
10:18 Shure MV7 female sample
10:28 Which type of microphone should you choose?
11:04 Where to find more samples of other types of microphones?
11:24 Microphone stands - future episode
11:48 Please buy my courses