
Fig. 1
How cardioid, figure-eight, and omnidirectional microphones figure into your recording game plan.
Welcome back to the Dojo, everyone. This month, we're going to explore the world of microphone polar patterns, so you can make better choices for recording your electric and acoustic guitars.
What is a polar pattern? As a sound source arrives at the microphone, a polar pattern represents the area(s) of greatest sensitivity relative to the angle of the sound source. Think of a polar pattern as you would a camera lens: the wider the lens (or camera setting), the more images you can put in frame. Even if you are not a camera buff, you most likely have several camera settings on your smart phone (portrait, standard, panorama). For microphone polar patterns, there are three main choices as well: cardioid, figure eight, and omni [Figs. 1, 2, and 3, respectively]. FYI, there are other polar patterns (hyper-cardioid, super-cardioid, etc.), but for now I'm going to focus on the most usable three for recording purposes. Understanding these patterns can help you make better recordings by perceiving what your mic can sonically "put in frame" and what will be "out of frame." One last thing before we begin: Some microphones have a fixed polar pattern (non-adjustable), while others offer a choice of multiple polar patterns.
"Understanding these patterns can help you make better recordings by perceiving what your mic can sonically 'put in frame' and what will be 'out of frame.'"
The most common pattern is cardioid. The benefit of using this pattern is that it has a wide sweet spot and offers great rejection at the back of the mic. This means that whatever the capsule of the mic is pointed towards will be "in frame," and things behind the mic will be greatly minimized. This offers greater control when you want to capture the most of the sound source you've aimed the mic at while minimizing everything else. Classic mics like the Shure SM57 and SM7B are fixed cardioid-pattern mics. If you're recording your acoustic guitar in a room where someone else is playing an instrument (or singing), you want to maximize your guitar and minimize the bleed of the other musician. You can achieve this by playing your guitar directly opposite the other musician, get some separation, and mic your guitar about 4 to 5 inches away from the 14th fret.
Fig. 2
What if you're playing a duet and you want to record the other player equally well, with only one mic? If you have a mic that has a figure-eight polar pattern, you can. Sit opposite each other, place the mic in the middle and equidistant from both of you. Then set your levels and go! Most large-diaphragm condenser mics will have all three basic adjustable patterns (cardioid, figure eight, and omni), and many offer even more choices. For instance, the Rode K2 ($699 street) is continuously variable (all positions), the AKG C414 XLII ($1,099 street) has five choices, and the AKG C12 VR ($5,999 street) has nine patterns. The figure-eight pattern also gives great rejection for sound sources that are not directly in front or behind the mic.
Fig. 3
Perhaps you want to record your alternative acoustic band more evenly? Use the omni (omnidirectional) setting of your mic and place it in the room where you think things are more or less balanced. So, if you have a full band, don't place it near the drummer and expect the acoustic guitar to be equally as loud. Remember that the mic, while getting sound from everywhere and rejecting nothing, is still going to pick up the sound source that is closest and also loudest. Move the mic closest to the singer(s) and the instruments that naturally struggle to compete with the drums, and then move that group further away from the drummer until a more balanced sound is achieved.
Until next time, keep experimenting and have fun.
PRS Guitars celebrates 40 years with the limited edition McCarty SC56. Featuring vintage-inspired design and modern innovations, this single-cutaway guitar pays tribute to Ted McCarty and his impact on the industry. With only 400 pieces available, this instrument is a must-have for collectors and performers alike.
PRS Guitars today announced the 40th Anniversary McCarty SC56 Limited Edition. With a classic PRS single-cutaway body shape and carefully chosen specifications, the McCarty SC56 is both a tribute to tradition and a reliable tool for the modern performer. Only 400 pieces will be made.
“The SC56, signifying Singlecut and 1956, model is our most recent tribute to my late mentor Ted McCarty and his impact on the guitar industry. We started with our take on a classic late ‘50s singlecut body. 1956 marks the year that Ted first had guitars made with his newly coined 'humbucker' pickups. It also happens to be the year I was born. Bringing vintage design into the modern era, we loaded this model with our McCarty III pickups, meticulously designed to deliver warm, clear, vintage tone with exceptional note separation and dynamics,” said PRS Guitars Founder & Managing General Partner, Paul Reed Smith.
Anchored by a maple top and mahogany back, the 24.594” scale length and 22-fret Pattern Vintage neck work with Phase III non-locking tuners and PRS two-piece bridge to promote its musical sustain. The PRS McCarty III pickups are controlled by a simple layout — two volume controls, two tone controls, and a three-way toggle on the upper bout.
Single-cutaway guitars are known to be heavier than their double-cutaway counterparts. The McCarty SC56 Limited Edition design incorporates weight-relief, decreasing the weight of the guitar by about 2/3 of a pound, while maintaining several points of attachment between the guitar top and back to eliminate the “hollow” sound of the cavities and promote tone transfer.
With appointments like binding on the fretboard, classic bird inlays, and a vintage-inspired nitrocellulose finish, the 40th Anniversary McCarty SC56 Limited Edition blends heritage and innovation into a timeless instrument.
PRS Guitars continues its schedule of launching new products each month in 2025.
For more information, please visit prsguitars.com.
40th Anniversary McCarty SC56 Limited Edition | Demo | PRS Guitars - YouTube
His credits include Miles Davis’ Jack Johnson and Herbie Mann—next to whom he performed in Questlove’s 2021 documentary, Summer of Soul—and his tunes have been covered by Santana and the Messthetics. But it’s as a bandleader and collaborator where Sharrock cut his wildest recordings. As groundbreaking as Sharrock’s music could be, his distorted tone and melodic tunes helped bring rock listeners into the jazz tent. Our callers let us know how much Sharrock meant to them and why he’s one of the “top guys of all time.”
Belltone Guitars has partnered Brickhouse Toneworks to create a one-of-a-kind, truly noiseless Strat/Tele-tone pickup in a standard Filter’Tron size format: the Single-Bell pickup.
The Single-Bell by Brickhouse Toneworks delivers bonafide single-coil Strat and Tele tones with the power of a P-90 and no 60-cycle hum. Unlike typical stacked hum-cancelling designs, Brickhouse Toneworks uses a proprietary ‘sidewind’ approach that cancels the 60-cycle hum without sacrificing any of the dynamics or top-end sparkle of a Fender-style single coil.
Get the best of both worlds with clear bell-like tones on the neck pickup, signature quack when combining the neck and bridge pickups, and pristine twang in the bridge position backed with the fullness and power of a P-90. Push these into overdrive and experience the hallmark blues tone with plenty of grit and harmonic sustain — all with completely noiseless performance.
Key Features of the Single-Bell:
- Cast Alnico 5 Magnet, designed to be used with 500k pots
- Voiced to capture that signature Fender-style single coil tone without the 60-cycle hum
- Lightly potted to minimize squeal
- Made in the USA with premium quality materials
The retail price for a Bridge and Neck matching set is $340.00 and they’re available directly and exclusively through Belltone® Guitars / Brickhouse Toneworks at belltoneguitars.com.
Designed for players who demand flexibility without sacrificing tone, the Aquanaut fuses the rich warmth of classic analog delay with the extended range and clarity of modern digital designs. Featuring up to 600 milliseconds of delay time, the Aquanaut easily covers everything from tight slapback echoes to lush, ambient textures and rhythmic soundscapes – all with a simple, intuitive control layout.
Unlike many digital delays that can sound sterile and detached, the Aquanaut retains an organic, analog-inspired voice. Repeats are smooth and musical, gently fading into the mix to create depth and dimension without overwhelming your dry signal. Whether you’re chasing vintage tape echo, adding subtle space to your solos, or building massive atmospheric layers, the Aquanaut keeps your tone clear, present, and inspiring.
Berserker Electronics Aquanaut Delay/Echo
Key features include:
- Up to 600ms of delay time for expanded creative possibilities
- Analog-voiced digital architecture for warm, natural-sounding repeats
- Ambient-style echo that enhances, not distracts from, your core tone
- Simple, intuitive controls for delay time, feedback, and blend
The Aquanaut is available direct at www.berserkerpedals.com and Reverb at a $149 street price.