A diy contact microphone lets you capture vibrations directly from surfaces, instruments, and objects for unique sound recordings. With just a piezo disk, wires, hot glue, and a soldering iron, you can build your own contact mic and connect it to an audio interface, amplifier, or mixer. Adding insulation like heat shrink tubing and using shielded cable ensures durability and the best sound quality.
Contact microphones capture vibrations directly from solid objects, making them ideal for recording hidden or subtle sounds in field work. From resonating surfaces and industrial machinery to natural soundscapes and musical textures, they allow recordists to isolate unique audio without environmental noise interference.
Contact microphones are unique devices that capture sound through vibrations in solid objects rather than through the air. This introduction explains how they work, what they’re used for, and why they’re essential tools in music, sound design, science, and more.
A contact microphone is often overlooked in the world of mics but this device has unique qualities that make it a powerful tool. We explain what a contact microphone is and what makes it different here.