Microphone Review: Don't Overlook The Hand Held *Microphone*

http://HowToSellYourVideos.com The lowly hand held microphone doesn't always get the respect it deserves.

They are another excellent external mic option. For some reason, I don't see many people other than news reporters using them. That's unfortunate because in many situations, they are the best microphone for the job.

In this short video, I highlight the difference between my shotgun mic and a hand held mic when shooting in a noisy environment.

Hand held microphones are generally inexpensive and can get really great audio in certain situations. They are perfect for interviewing people on the run, for example. Just hold the mic near someone's mouth; no fumbling with a lapel or dealing with a mic boom. Hand helds are good for getting quick on-camera testimonials as well.

Handheld mics can be wired or you can buy a transmitter plug so you can use them wirelessly.

You can find them at reasonable price points. Audio-Technica makes several I recommend, The Audio-Technica 41 Pro - http://budurl.com/AudioTechnica41 - priced around $100, is made to withstand a lot of use. Audio Technica AT2010 - http://budurl.com/AudioTechnicaAT2010 - can be found for less than $100 and is a favorite for vocal artists. Finally at a higher price point of $300+ is the Audio-Technica AE5400 - http://budurl.com/AudioTechnicaAE5400 - which delivers pristine sound quality. Any of these microphones will last you for years.

You do want to use some caution when using these microphones. Since the microphone only picks up a short range from where the audio is coming from, you need to watch your levels. The mic needs to be close to the source yet not too close.

If it isn't close enough, you won't hear it that well. If it's too close or the person or sound is too loud, it may peak your audio levels causing them to flat line, which is really bad in the digital world. Once that happens, the sound is distorted and nothing can really be done to fix it.

Another benefit of hand held mics is that they are generally very sturdy. I have an old Shure stage mic that looks like it has been through World War II, but it still works fine.

I also like the feeling I get when I'm talking into one of these mics. Just something about them makes you feel like a voice of authority. The people you use them on also may feel this way. Many times we've given them to people we've interviewed and they've broken out in song or even took it upon themselves to do some interviewing of their own.

Next time you're considering your microphone options, don't forget about the good old hand held mic.

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Do you use a hand held mic? What brand do you use? If not, what is stopping you. I'd appreciate hearing from you - just leave your comments below.

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[level2789]

Great video. What do you think about using a wireless handheld mic on the end of a boom pole (like you would a shotgun mic)? I am thinking about doing some tests with that set up since I already have a wireless hand mic and want the freedom/portability of a wireless boom pole set up.

[HowToSellYourVideos]

@level2789 Regarding your question on putting a wireless handheld mic on the end of a boom pole, I think that would work fine as long as you don't have any radio interference. Thanks for liking the video and commenting.

[DaGameShowHawaii]

Nice job!