What Is a Polar Pattern? Complete YouTube Mic Guide

Polar Pattern

A polar pattern is a diagram showing how strongly a microphone captures sound arriving from different directions.

It helps creators understand whether a microphone mainly hears:

• Sound in front
• Sound from every direction
• Sound from the front and back
• A narrow area in front
• Sound from the sides

A polar pattern describes directional sensitivity. It does not show microphone quality, recording range, frequency response, or how loud the microphone is.

How to read a polar pattern

A polar-pattern chart is usually viewed from above.

• The microphone sits in the center.
• Zero degrees represents the front.
• Ninety and 270 degrees represent the sides.
• 180 degrees represents the rear.
• The plotted line shows relative sensitivity.

A larger bulge in one direction means the microphone is more sensitive there.

Common microphone polar patterns

Pattern	Primary pickup	Strongest rejection	Common creator use
Cardioid	Front	Rear	Podcasting, streaming, voice-over
Omnidirectional	All directions	No single strong null	Lavalier mics, roundtables, ambience
Supercardioid	Narrow front with small rear lobe	Angled rear sides	On-camera and boom microphones
Hypercardioid	Tighter front with larger rear lobe	Angled sides	Dialogue in controlled placement
Figure-eight	Front and rear	Sides	Two-person interviews, stereo recording
Shotgun/lobar	Narrow forward pickup	Mostly sides and rear, frequency-dependent	Boom and on-camera dialogue

Cardioid pattern

A cardioid pattern is heart-shaped.

It captures strongest from the front and rejects most strongly from directly behind.

This makes it useful when a creator wants to reduce:

• Keyboard noise behind the microphone
• Computer fan noise
• Room reflections from the rear
• Other voices behind the mic

The microphone must be pointed correctly. Speaking into the rear of a cardioid mic can sound quiet and dull.

Omnidirectional pattern

An omnidirectional microphone captures sound from all directions around the capsule.

It is useful when:

• The speaker moves their head
• A lavalier is clipped to clothing
• Several people surround one microphone
• The creator wants room ambience

"Omnidirectional" does not mean every sound is captured at exactly the same level or tone in every real environment.

Figure-eight pattern

A figure-eight microphone captures from the front and rear while rejecting the sides.

It can be useful for:

• Two people facing one another
• Mid-side stereo recording
• Rejecting sound from the sides
• Certain interview arrangements

It also captures whatever is behind the microphone, so room placement matters.

Supercardioid and hypercardioid

These patterns narrow the forward pickup compared with cardioid.

They provide stronger side rejection but include some sensitivity at the rear.

That means the noisiest area should not automatically be placed directly behind the microphone.

Polar pattern vs. microphone type

Polar pattern is separate from microphone construction.

A microphone can be:

• Dynamic and cardioid
• Condenser and cardioid
• Condenser and omnidirectional
• Lavalier and omnidirectional
• Shotgun and supercardioid or lobar
• Multi-pattern condenser

See Dynamic Microphone and Condenser Microphone.

Polar patterns and room noise

A directional microphone can reduce unwanted sound, but it does not remove room noise automatically.

Results depend on:

• Microphone distance
• Microphone orientation
• Room reflections
• Sound direction
• Frequency
• Microphone sensitivity
• Recording level

Moving a microphone closer to the creator often improves voice-to-room balance more than changing patterns.

Polar patterns and frequency

The ideal chart is usually measured at one frequency.

A real microphone may become:

• Less directional at low frequencies
• More irregular at high frequencies
• More sensitive to rear sound at selected frequencies

Manufacturer frequency-specific charts provide more detail than one simplified diagram.

Polar pattern and proximity effect

Directional pressure-gradient microphones commonly exhibit proximity effect: bass increases as the speaker moves closer.

Omnidirectional pressure microphones generally show much less proximity effect.

This can make cardioid microphones sound warm up close but muddy when placement is excessive.

Choosing a pattern for YouTube

Solo podcast or livestream

Cardioid is usually the simplest choice.

Lavalier microphone

Omnidirectional is common because the speaker may turn their head.

Two-person interview

Use two separate microphones when possible. A figure-eight microphone can work when both speakers face opposite sides of one mic.

On-camera microphone

A supercardioid or shotgun-style pattern helps prioritize sound in front, but close placement still matters.

Group discussion

Separate microphones generally give more control. One omnidirectional microphone can work when convenience matters more than isolation.

Common mistakes

• Speaking into the wrong side
• Assuming directional means long-range
• Placing noise inside the microphone's pickup area
• Ignoring a supercardioid rear lobe
• Choosing omnidirectional in a loud untreated room
• Expecting the pattern to eliminate echoes
• Reading a two-dimensional chart without checking microphone orientation
• Confusing polar pattern with frequency response

Frequently asked questions

What is the best polar pattern for YouTube?

Cardioid is a strong default for solo desk recording. Other patterns suit lavaliers, groups, interviews, and location audio.

Does a cardioid microphone block all rear sound?

No. It is least sensitive at the rear, but reflections and off-axis frequencies can still be recorded.

Is a shotgun microphone a polar pattern?

Shotgun microphones usually use an interference tube with a lobar or highly directional response built from an underlying directional capsule.

Can one microphone have several polar patterns?

Yes. Multi-pattern microphones allow the user to select patterns such as cardioid, omnidirectional, and figure-eight.