What is the difference between on axis and off-axis?

On-axis basically means pointing the mic directly at the speaker with no angle, so in effect, the mic would be considered to be perpendicular to the front of the cab. Off-axis means angling the mic a little to the side. This can make the high end roll off a little and make things sound a little smoother.

What angle should a microphone be at?

Positioning. When performing live, the microphone should sit at about chin level and be tilted up towards your mouth and noise. It should not be at a 90 degree angle with the stand coming straight at your mouth.

At what degree is the microphone on-axis located?

180 degrees
To select the rear sound for a particular mic model set the “Axis” control to 180 degrees, and as always let your ears be your guide.

At what degree is the microphone on axis located?

Should my mic be horizontal or vertical?

Mic positioning Front-address mics should be tilted at an angle toward your mouth so your voice hits the head of the mic. A side-address mics pick up sound from the side, rather than the top, so you’ll want to orientate the mic head vertically. The further away the mic, the further away you are going to sound.

What mic pickup pattern will likely feedback more easily?

If you use monitor speakers, this will make it more likely you’d get feedback compared to a regular cardioid pattern as that’s the part of the mic pointed at the monitors. Using a cardioid pattern mic for your stage microphones will likely give you the least trouble with feedback.

What mic pattern should I use?

Typically you will want to use an omnidirectional mic when recording audio that you can’t control very well (like ambience, a press conference, or a moving talking head). Omnidirectional mics are the most flexible mics, but they are also the noisiest. It’s certainly a balancing act when on set.