What shotgun microphone would you recommend for YouTube

[Gami Rosd]

Hi,
I've googled for which microphone to use for YouTube videos and many recommended a shotgun microphone.
When I googled for which shotgun microphone I've found this video

YouTube (Short URL)

In this video the guy mentioned that there are two types:
1st is supercardioid which is narrowed angle for picking up the sound from the front.
2nd is the hypercardioid which is more narrowed.
So is this right?
And does there is a shotgun with hypercardoiod?
All I want is a microphone that is not appear in the video frame and does not pickup background noise (I hope to find something like Shure SM7B when it comes to be forgiving for background noise)
But if you have another recommendations to achieve such purpose I am open for all ideas and suggestions.
Thanks for your valuable time helping me.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

The patterns are not as important as you think. What's more important is:

1. The noise and acoustics of the room. Loud computer, hard walls with reverb, loud noise outside, etc. If the acoustics are bad it makes no difference what mic you use.

2. Placement and support of the mic. You can see how much equipment and effort goes into proper shotgun position. You'll most likely be shooting solo so I would stay away from shotgun mics entirely.

I'd recommend an omni wired lav. They will exclude the most background noise, need no addition equipment to mount/support, can be hidden under clothes if necessary, are easy to position near you, and they will move with you. You might be thinking omni pattern is bad but in this application it allows head movement without sound fall off, while still rejecting unwanted noise. Notice in this video that's what he is using. How's his voice sound? Good, clear, warm, loud, with no unwanted background noise.

A large diaphragm dynamic mic is fine if you don't mind it in the shot or want the look of it. But it won't be as flexible you'll need to decide on a location and you need to stay in that position. You'll also need to the proper accessories for it too.

One thing you will always hear about creating a successful youtube channel is, the content and your ability to entertain far out ways everything else.

[Paul R Johnson]

Shotgun = shape
polar pattern = how the microphone captures sound from different directions.

Shotguns need pointing, and the properties people bang on about are often very misunderstood.

Your average shotgun rejects sound from the rear and the sides, apart from a little pickup in a few direction.

Think of it as a torch beam, a tight spotlight. A spotlight illuminates your subject's face pretty well - but also lights up the background. If the background is black, or very dark, the subject stands out. If the background contains something bright, or vivid coloured then this stands out - sometimes making the subject vanish into the background.

People will tell you shotguns are rubbish indoors, but this is because they of course capture the reflections from the wall behind the subject. They're not magic. Aim the mic at the subject's mouth and all is well. Wobble to the side a bit and the mouth sound goes down, and the room sound from behind increases.

The advice on a lav is good advice. Despite being omni, they are close to the mouth and sound pretty natural. Shotguns on cameras are pretty compromised. Do you want the torch effect when you pan - the mic captures what it is pointed at. OK if the subject is always dead centre, but often they are framed non-central, so the sound gets worse and the picture nicer! Nowhere near as obvious as many people think.

[Rick Reineke]

As Pete and Paul stated, many factors are far more important than a particular make/model mic. For instance a properly placed low budget mic will sound significantly better than a top shelf improperly placed mic
FWIW, interference tube (shotgun) mcs are generally avoided for reflective interior environments. Most audio pros have many mics to choose from, There is no 'one size fits all' option. The Sanken CS-3 series is a non-interference tube shotgun mic, but that too has it's pros and cons

[John Nantz]

Originally Posted by Gami Rosd

Hi,
I've googled for which microphone to use for YouTube videos and many recommended a shotgun microphone.
When I googled for which shotgun microphone I've found this video ...
All I want is a microphone that is not appear in the video frame and does not pickup background noise (I hope to find something like Shure SM7B when it comes to be forgiving for background noise).

After reading the post and looking at the first part of the video, a big question in my mind is "What kind of audio situations will you record?" Are they all similar (such as recording a person speaking, or an object that makes noise), or are they different? (such as recording a person speaking while in a room, walking along a beach outside, recording a motorcycle race, etc.)

The video presenter had a person sitting in a chair in one situation, in another, the person was interviewed outside, and I didn't go beyond that part.

If the mic use would be for recording in the same type situation all the time, that would help with decision making. If the situation will change then it would be helpful to know the changes would be.

Also, will this mic be your only mic? And, at present, do you have any other mics (beyond a built-in cam mic)?