Glossary: Variable Pattern Mic

Expert Center > Glossary > Variable Pattern Mic

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 0-9

Variable Pattern Mic: A microphone in which the polar pattern can be adjusted. The adjustment may be in the form of a switch that switches between two or more common patterns such as omnidirectional, cardioid, supercardioid, hypercardioid, figure-8, and possibly some settings in between, or it can sometimes be a knob that provides a continuous adjustment. In most cases a variable pattern mic is made by placing two condenser diaphragms back to back, and then regulating the way the signals from them are combined inside the mic. Depending upon the exact construction, and the quality (and matching) of components a particular pattern may not always behave in exactly the same fashion as a mic with a fixed pattern. Nevertheless they are very widely used because the flexibility and overall usefulness of having multiple patterns often outweighs any minor discrepancy in the accuracy of the polar pattern. In fact, some of these inconsistencies can work to an engineer's advantage if he or she understands how to apply them.

Vacuum Tube	Vako Orchestron	Valve
Vaporware	Variable Pattern Mic	Variable State Filter
Variac	Varispeed	Varitone
VAST	VBR	Voltage-controlled Amplifier (VCA)
VCA Group	VCF	VCO
VCR	VCXO	Velocity
Velocity Compression	Velocity Curve	Velocity Split
Veneer	Verse	VESA
VESA	VFO	VGA
Very High Frequency	Vibrato	Vibratone
Vibrato Tailpiece	Vibrola	Video Sync
Violin Bass	Virtual Analog Synthesizer	Virtual Dolby Digital
Virtual Dolby Surround	Virtual Instrument	VirtualMemory
Virtual Slave Reel	Virtual Track	VISE
VITC	Vivace	Virtual Network Computing
VOC	Vocal Booth	Vocoder
Voice	Voice-Stealing	Voice Coil
Voice Leading	Voice Over	Voicing
Volatile Memory	Volt	Volt-Ampere
Voltage	Voltage Clamping	Voltage-controlled Filter (VCF)
Voltage Depression	Voltage Regulator	Voltage Sag
Voltage Spike	Volume	Volute
Virtual Studio Technology	VST2	VST Instrument