Our self-proclaimed music store guru had it wrong on just about everything he told his unsuspecting customer. Sadly, after reading this article, you probably know more about microphone choice and application than he does. You can read everything written about mics, but the best way to really learn is to do it. Use your newfound mic technique on a project, refining the process to fit your production style. The more you do, the better you'll get. By the way, I did manage to slip the music store customer one of my business cards.

Contributing Editor Hal Robertson is a digital media producer and technology consultant.

We've only touched on visibility in this article, but it's an important issue for the video producer. There are times when microphone visibility is an absolute no-no and others when it doesn't really matter. In fact, sometimes seeing the mic helps sell the shot. Then there are times when the mic, hardware and cabling are clearly visible, whether you like it or not. Concerts, church services and theatrical performances are common examples. In those instances, your only options are to shoot around the equipment as much as possible or simply embrace it as a part of the presentation.