how often are you using non cardioid patterns?

[permanent hearing damage]

not talking about mics that are non-switchable. aside from using omni for room mics and the occasional fig 8 when micing up a singer/songwriter for rejection of vocals or acoustic guitar in live tracking situations, I almost never use non-cardioid patterns.

i recognize in live tracking situations, these can be useful at times, but i'm wondering if i'm alone in this limited use of other patterns. i also know that frequency response can vary somewhat with each pattern - i mostly record very dense productions where i think these subtleties would simply get lost.

thinking about buying a pricey tube mic and curious if cardioid only vs multi-pattern should be more important than i think it is

[A.David.MacKinnon]

I use omni mics quite a bit. It depends on what I'm doing and what else is happening in the room at the time. Sometimes omni sounds better on vocals. Sometimes I'll use an omni in a electric guitar amp. Even with other stuff happening in the room bleed isn't an issue given the normal volume of amp. Some acoustic instruments sound better with an omni even if it's quite close.

As for wether to get a mic with fixed or switchable patterns... it depends?
What else have you got if you need a different pattern? Are you looking for an all around mic or one for a specific application (or 2)? If your bases are already covered and you can get more mic for your money with a fixed pattern it's an easy decision.

[vvv]

I have a few that are switchable. Maybe once a year I'll change the pattern as a sort of EQ thing on a vocal, just for fun.

I do/am doing some M/S stuff, but I like the fixed ribbons for the amps I am recording.

I think a switchable-pattern condenser would be useful for BV's, if ever I get multiple singers again, which was really my only other previous use.

[crow]

Reading "Recording the Beatles" was a huge turning point for me in this department. Soon after seeing the diagrams of John and Paul singing into opposite sides of a Figure-8 mic while listening to a speaker positioned in the mic's null, I started using figure-8 extensively to get out of logistical jams. The first time I tried it was when I was asked to include a mandolin player in a basic-tracking session after I had already set everything up. The only floor space available was near the drums, so I placed the mic so the drums would be in the null, the mandolin on one side of the 8, and a gobo on the other side of the 8, NOT between the mic and the drums. I was amazed by how much isolation was achieved by using the null position and blocking spillage into the other side of the 8. I've gotten excellent results using fig-8 for drum overheads when loud amps are also in the room.

[DrummerMan]

I have 2 mics with switchable patterns.

Akg 414 tlii - I use it on omni as a close-ish guitar amp mic. My favorite mic for this job unless I REALLY need the thump from the proximity affect. Otherwise, I'll use that mic usually in cardioid as a side-of-the-snare-drum mic.

An inexpensive c12/251 imitation - I'll fuck around with the pickup pattern on vocals just to see what works for that singer/mix. USUALLY it ends up in cardioid, but sometimes I'll move it halfway in either direction.

[joninc]

as mentioned, the nulls of a fig8 can be really useful for isolation in live situations and sound much less ambient than omni.

I also like using them for blumlein in front of a kit.

I sometimes use omni on something like percussion which i don't want to feel like it's RIGHT INSIDE MY EAR and then have to use eq or reverb to push further back...

[DrummerMan]

I sometimes use omni on something like percussion which i don't want to feel like it's RIGHT INSIDE MY EAR and then have to use eq or reverb to push further back...

It's funny, I never think to do this. I do lots of percussion overdubs, and, like you, I want to give them a a certain amount of space, but my solution has been to use my stereo ribbon, then just walk around until I find the placement I want and I don't think about panning later. This can sometimes be TOO much like hearing a thing in a room, though. I think letting go of the natural panning and going with an omni I can pan later might be the perfect thing sometimes.

[mjau]

Omni for my Oktava mc012, super close to the 14th fret of an acoustic for finger-picked stuff. I’ve been experimenting with lots of acoustic mic’ing lately, but this old standby just works in finding a nice balance.

[Studiodawg]

I record the boys jamming and the house kit has fig8 ribbons spaced pair overheads default. I like the aforementioned nulls.

[digitaldrummer]

I'll move between cardioid and Fig-8 or Omni on a vocalist. sometimes 1 click either way just sounds better depending on the voice. And fig-8 ribbons on guitar amps all day long...

[Scodiddly]

Recording in the room next to the furnace room I've been using hypercardioid a bit more...

For when we get back to live shows, I do sometimes use a figure-8 for the awesome null around the sides. That's my go-to vibraphone mic, one figure-8 slightly above head level and pointing down at the vibes. Surprising how well that works even with a drum kit nearby.

I recently tried an omni mic, the classic 635A on my guitar amp, and it was great. I'd say "perfect" but I still have to account for my lame guitar playing.

[drumsound]

My very favorite mic in the world is the Beyer M88 and it's hypercardioid and I used it on a TON of sources. I usually use an AT ATM23he on snare, also a hypercardioid. Beyer M201 sees a decent amount of use in my room, also hypercardioid.

I've did ribbons in Bluemlein for rooms a few times recently. I like figure 8 on guitar amps for a bit of nice ambiance from the back of the mic. I've used a figure 8 on guitar/vocal things a lot. That usually a switchable LDC. Though I did review the Shure Beta 181 for a couple of acoustic records and the SDC figure 8 is super cool.

I also have 3 635a and I use them on percussion a lot and do really dig them on guitar amps. I still regret not buying the Beyer M101s Garges had, because an omni Beyer dynamic modes is probably super cool. I do use omni on room(s) a lot.

[Nick Sevilla]

I always try to NOT use Cardioid. LOL.

Only times I have to use cardioid, is when it is either a one pattern mic, or a classic, where you want those ambience details.

My preferred over carioid is hypercardioid. Better control.

[Rodgre]

Like everyone else, I mix it up, depending on the desired effect. I use figure-8 ribbons all the time, so there's that. I have a Stapes mic (precursor to the Avenson STO-2) which is omni and one of my favorite mics ever. It gets used in all kinds of situations from room mic, to spot mic on drums to acoustic guitar to backing vocals that I want to sit a little further back in the mix.

Roger

[standup]

My basement room is 10-11’ wide by 18-20’ deep, and I use figure 8 often pointed down the long direction of the room. For my voice I gain also from more proximity effect.

This room is pretty dead, so I can also do Omni if it’s very close to an amp or instrument.

Useful to have the options, though cardioid-only would also work in all these situations.