Dynamic microphone: They work using electromagnetic induction. They can be handled with ease because they are extremely robust and are also relatively cheap to buy. Dynamic microphones are also resistant to moisture.

Capacitor microphone: Capacitor microphones can respond to extremely high audio frequencies. They are usually more sensitive than their dynamic counterparts meaning they require less amplification than dynamic models to produce the same output level from the same signal source. This means quieter or distant sound sources are suited to them better.

Electret condenser: An electret condenser microphone consists of a very light diaphragm (moving plate) and back plate (stationary or static plate) and has a permanent charge implanted in an electret material to provide polarizing voltage. The principle of operation is that sound waves impinging on the diaphragm cause the capacitance between it and the back plate to change synchronously, this in turn induces an AC voltage on the back plate.1.Foil Electret Condenser Microphone (also called Middle or Classic) - Type of condenser microphone where the electret material is the diaphragm. (Sometimes referred to as "Front" type.)2.Back Electret Condenser Microphone -Type of condenser microphone where the electret material is the back plate.3.Front Electret Condenser Microphone -Type of condenser microphone where the electret material is

Ribbon: A Ribbon microphone is a type of microphone that uses thin aluminium, duralumin or sometimes nanofilm ribbon which is placed in-between the poles of a magnet which in turn generates voltages by electromagnetic induction.Ribbon microphones are standard bidirectional which means that they pick up sounds equally on opposite sides of the microphone for example, the front of the microphone picks up just as well as the back of the microphone would pick it up.

Carbon: The carbon microphone is also known by many as a carbon button microphone, or sometime just a button microphone or a carbon transmitter. A carbon microphone is a sound to electrical signal transducer which consists of two metal plates which are separated by granules of carbon.One of the plates faces outwards and acts as the diaphragm so that when sound waves strike this plate the pressure on the granules changes which then in turn changes the electrical resistance between the plates. A direct current is then passed from one plate to the other plate which causes the changing resistance to result in changing current which can be used in many ways such as being passed through a telephone system. Before the proliferation of vacuum tube amplifiers in the 1920’s, carbon microphones were the ONLY practical way of obtaining high levelled audio signals.

Crystal: In 1880, Jacques and Pierre Curie discovered the piezoelectric effect. Piezoelectric crystals were first used by Langevin in 1917, in connection with his research efforts in underwater acoustics using ultrasonic transducers. In 1919, using Rochelle Salt, Alexander

Nicolson first demonstrated a variety of piezoelectric devices, including loudspeakers, phonograph pickups, and microphones.Problems in manufacturing crystals with uniformity and the necessary shapes prevented the commercial production of any of these devices. Almost 10 years later, C.B. Sawyer and C.H. Tower developed processes to manufacturer uniform complex-shaped piezo crystals. This led the way for many piezoelectric or crystal transducers, as they were first called.The crystal microphones work on the principal that certain crystals change their electrical properties as they change shape. By attaching a diaphragm to a crystal, the crystal will create a signal when sound waves hit the diaphragm and cause the crystal to deflect.

Lavalier: A Lavalier microphone is a small electret or either dynamic microphone that is used for mainly television purposes in order to be allowed hands free operation. You will most commonly find they have small clips provided with them to attach to collars ties and other clothing. The cord which is connected from the microphone to the radio frequency transmitter is usually hidden underneath clothing of whoever is using the lavalier microphone.These miniature microphones are usually supplied with a choice of push on grills or differing lengths that provide a gentle high frequency boost for forming a resonant cavity. There is a peak of approximately 6 dB at 6-8 kHz which is considered necessary for compensating loss of clarity when chest mounted. This method of boosting high frequencies does not decrease the noise performance as electronic equalisation would do.

Rifle/ shotgun: Shotgun microphones are the highest directional microphones out of all of them. They have extremely small lobes of sensitivity to the rear, right and left but are significantly less sensitive to the rear and side than most other microphones. This is the result from placing the element at the rear end of a tube with slots cut along the sides.Wave cancellation eliminates much of the off- axis sound. Due to the narrowness of the sesnsitivity area, Shotgun/ rifle microphones are most commonly used on television in programmes such as news channels where they are interviewing someone live and only want to capture theire voice alone.

Boom microphone: A boom microphone is a directional microphone mounted or attached to a pole or arm. Primarily used in film and television, a boom microphone frees the hands of actors or reporters while allowing them to enjoy the amplified audio of a traditional microphone. Boom microphones can also be used to amplify a group conversation, as it can be positioned so that everyone's voice can be heard.A boom microphone is simple enough to fashion for amateur productions. A broomstick, microphone stand, or fishing pole can be used to hold the microphone aloft. In fact, on-set, this pole is often called a fish pole. One concern with this type of microphone is vibrations that could mar audio quality. Boom microphones are sensitive enough to pick up such unwanted vibrations as unsteady hands, for example. To prevent this, a boom microphone should include some type of isolating mechanism, such as foam padding or elastic suspensions.

Location recording

We had to record in a quiet environment and then a separate recording in a loud environment. We had to explain in our recording what we could hear that was making the noises our recorder was picking up. Then we were asked to analyse the recordings and explain in detail what was going on in each recording and what was making the noise and compare the difference between recording in a quiet environment and a loud environment.

Quiet recording in Corridor   Before we begun the recording process, we described where we were recording. This is probably the most difficult environment to analyse purely for the fact that in the library there were signs everywhere saying “silence please”. The microphone didn’t pick up any speech at all while we recorded in the library. There were a few of very quiet sounds It picked up like chairs scraping along the floor. it was a very low pitch and because it was quiet im guessing the person who was getting out of the chair must have been quite far away from the recorder. There were a few coughs as well which came out as very deep low pitched voices and sounding like they were coming from a distance.

Loud environment recording on a roadYou can tell a car is approaching because the pitch is deep but the noise is getting gradually louder and louder until it is right next to us and the car noise is at its highest volume possible then the volume of the car gradually starts decreasing more and more until it’s gone. Lorrys require a larger engine to be able to drive their massive vehicle and cargo at a steady but fast speed which effected our recordings. The engine of the lorry has a much deeper sound to it than the car that passed by earlier. I also noted that there was a choking like noise coming from the engine presumably which I heard the easiest when the Lorry was at its loudest point (right beside us).