Figure of Eight

• Sound is picked up from the front and back but not from the sides.
This pattern is used mainly in studios for picking up two ‘harmony’
vocalists, or solo vocalists who require some room ambience.

Hyper-cardioid

• Similar to a cardioid pattern but
with greater directionality.
Used for live vocal microphones
because it provides the greatest
protection from unwanted spill
and feedback.

Cardioid Pattern

• The ‘heart-shaped’ polar response of a microphone meaning that most of the sound is picked up from the front. Used for most basic
recording or in any situation where sound has to be picked up from mainly one direction. Dynamic cardioid mics are mostly used for live
applications because they help reduce unwanted spill
from other instruments, thus reducing the risk of
feedback.

Omni Pattern

The most basic type of
microphone pattern.
• A 360° polar response which
picks up sound equally in all
directions.
This pattern is ideal for
picking up groups of vocals,
audiences, ambient sounds but is most susceptible to feedback.

Microphone Pick-up Patterns

A pick-up (Polar) pattern refers to the area(s) from which a
microphone "picks up" its sound. It is important to choose
the right pattern for your application, or you may pick up
sounds from areas you don’t want or lose sound
information you need.