4
Applications
The following table provides a basic starting point for several instruments. Shure offers additional educational
publications on microphone placement and recording techniques. Visit www.shure.com for more information.
Application
Distance from source
Tips
Acoustic guitar
6-12 inches (15-30 cm)
Place near the sound hole for a full sound, or near the 12th fret for
a balanced, natural sound.
Drums
3-6 feet (1-2 m)
Place in front of the drum kit to capture more of the kick drum, or as
an overhead (above the kit, facing down) to capture more cymbals.
Consider using additional Shure microphones placed on individual
drums for more mixing flexibility and a thicker sound.
Amplifiers
1-6 inches (2-15 cm)
Aim towards the center of the speaker for a clear, aggressive
sound, or towards the edge of the speaker for a mellow sound.
Strings or horns
1-6 feet (30 cm - 2 m)
For a single instrument, place the microphone close to the source.
For a horn or string section, arrange players at an equal distance
from the microphone.
Full band
3-10 feet (1-3 m)
Face the microphone towards the group, centered between
instruments.
Auxiliary
percussion
(congas,
tambourine, etc.)
6-12 inches (15-30 cm)
Aim the microphone away from other instruments on stage for
better isolation.
Tip:
Close microphone placement results in a full sound due to the proximity effect. Placing the microphone farther
from the source results in more room ambience.
Avoiding Pickup of Unwanted Sound Sources
Place the microphone so that unwanted sound sources, such as monitors and loudspeakers, are directly behind it.
To minimize feedback and ensure optimum rejection of unwanted sound, always test microphone placement before a
performance.
MONITOR
P.A. LOUDSPEAKER
Recommended Loudspeaker Locations for Cardioid Microphones
