Microphones are an extremely important aspect of capturing the audio/sound of instruments or whatever you choose to record. A cheap mic will produce a cheap sound and will not add to a quality recording.
At school we have some cheap mics and some quality ones. We do have a few industry standard Shure SM58 and a SM57 which are good quality, dynamic mics, and are used by top performers all around the world, both for live performance and for recording in the studio. The SM57 is an industry standard mic for recording instruments that have stronger sound output such as guitar amps or snare drums.
Dynamic microphones are great for live performance and for touring musicians because of their ruggedness. They can handle being knocked around a bit. Dynamic mics are also good because they can handle loud sounds without distorting. Excellent for amps and snare drum when recording or to reinforce the sound.
Condenser microphones are excellent in the studio for recording finer sounds and a more dynamic range of the audio spectrum. They are a lot more sensitive than Dynamic mics and require a small voltage (48v - called 'phantom power') to charge the backplate before they will work. Excellent for vocals, overhead mic and acoustic guitar/strings.
(Check out the video clips below to find out more)
I suggest going back to the online classroom and writing your response to the forum question on "Microphones" while it is fresh in your mind. 😃 This post will take you back 📬