ARNIS ALLIANCE RULESFULL CONTACT SINGLE STICK SPARRING A new sporting version of full contact stick fighting..This version was originated in Manila, Philippines in 2005 and was quickly adopted by the Rapid Arnis Organization and in two World Championships it received no less than 5 world titles and a host of silver and bronze medals with only 9 fighters in total. This format was brought to the UK by Rapid Arnis International and already has gain great interest from other FMA styles and systems who have also had great success in this format and the competitor list has been growing steady ever since. Since 2005 the rules have been fine tuned to come up with what we believe is a version of the sport that not only suits long rang and close range fighters, but also sword based and stick based systems equally.Even from a spectator point of view we believe this is one of the most entertaining and exciting events to watch. ENDORSEMENTS Weapons Sparring Format The tournament is full contact continuous sparring with padded sticks, with a head guard and groin guard only (Chest guard for ladies), NO gloves, NO elbow/knee pads and NO arm pads for all adults in single and double stick divisions. Although for 5' Long stick division gloves are mandatory and all children's divisions must also additionally wear chest guards and gloves. There are 3 x 1 minute rounds in each bout with 3 judges, a referee, a score keeper, a timekeeper and a ring adjudicator. The fighting area must be a minimum of 4 meters by 4 meters square to a maximum of 6 meters by 6 meters square. Sparring Equipment The only headgear allowed will be of the official WEKAF design. Single sparring events will use the approved 28 padded stick which consists of a rattan core, wrapped in light foam encased in a canvas sleeve. Only the head protectors and sticks will be provided on the day, more specific personal equipment such as groin/chest protectors and gloves will not be available and must be provided by the individual fighters with the exception of children's chest protectors where a limited supply will be provided. In the interest of health and safety ladies must wear chest protection and men must wear groin protection. All personal sparring equipment will be subject to referee approval and/or ring adjudicator s approval. Target Areas The target areas are anywhere from the toe up, but players must pay careful attention to protect their heads as a priority to keep this as realistic as possible. Checking (short, sharp palm strike) and parrying is allowed with the empty/live hand to the body and arms/hands as a means of defense, but please ensure it is not pushing. There is NO grabbing, throwing, holding, punching or kicking as all strikes must be done with the weapon with downward thrusts allowed to the body and leg areas but NO head thrusts, upward thrusts or any butt strikes as they can be dangerous and have been the cause of serious injuries in the past. Aims & Objectives of Game The aim in each round is to be the first to score five points and this is achieved by obtaining five clean shots against the opponent while applying various combinations of attack and defense techniques, which is harder than it sounds, as hitting each other at the same time cancels out that shot which is loosely sword based to appeal to both sword based and stick based FMA systems equally. This is usually best achieved by making a clean shot on the way in or on the way out of an attack on the opponent. The objective is to display the art as closely as possible within a sporting arena whilst still keeping it exciting and entertaining and allowing the spectators to clearly see and understand the fight as it unfolds. GENERAL RULES Prior to a bout competitors names will firstly be called out one fight in advance and for a second time before the start of the last round of the fight before their own scheduled bout to which they should be ready and equipped with everything on with exception of the head protector. They should be in the vicinity of their allocated ring ready for their third and last call. Once the result is called in the previous fight the third and last call will be announced for the fighters to attend their ring which they must do immediately. Failure to enter the ring on the last call fully equipped and ready to fight with head gear on will result in automatic disqualification The rounds are two minutes long to encourage participants to pace themselves, due to the less protection they will also have to carefully pick their shots whilst remembering that only clean shots win points. This is set out to prevent fighters standing toe to toe and stick bashing unnecessarily and encourages the fighters to use more footwork, evasion, blocking, countering, short and long ranges and general ring craft. This does not mean they cannot mix it up with a combination of attacks to help overwhelm or tire their opponent, as we understand this can also aid and benefit a fighters style and can also lead to an earlier five point win thus occasionally resulting in a faster completion of the round which may help some competitors to preserve more energy for the following rounds, however more often than not the rounds do last the entire two minutes, so be warned it is not as easy as it sounds and competitors could very quickly lose points with this method too. Good judgment is required throughout and it will quickly be seen that it is an intense skill based sporting format which suits long and close range fighters equally. Strikes may not be performed more than twice consecutively to the same area, this must be broken up with other combinations of striking or defensive techniques, once the fighter has applied a different strike or defensive technique they may return to a previously used striking point. We want fighters to use various combinations that will display their style in a better light. For example block, hit, block hit with the same two techniques is considered a combination and is perfectly legal, but three identical strikes to the same target area without the use of any other techniques will not be scored effectively, only the first two strikes will count. We also want to see that the stick and/or players should be live (moving) at all times even when exchanges are not being made by either player, this is to discourage a stalemate and to keep this spectator friendly and entertaining for the audience. Head shots will gain some precedence as a killer blow/clean shot even if for instance; an exchanging blow manages to hit the body or legs at the same time as the other opponent hits the head. This is to ensure that fighters do not sacrifice their head whilst taking advantage of the head protector and attempting continuous damaging blows to the opponents legs simply to weaken them for a later stage in the bout, we suggest fighters do this at their own peril as many styles/judges consider this bad form within the art and we therefore encourage that competitors protect their heads at all times and also know that the referee may warn and/or deduct points for constant deliberate sacrificial blows/ techniques which also applies to individuals who constantly do not attempt any form of defense during an opponent s attack. If at the end of the round neither opponent has achieved five points then the highest scorer wins the round. If it is a draw then there is a sudden death situation where both fighters return to the starting position in the centre of the ring for the referee to restart the two opponents and it is the first to obtain one clean shot that wins the round that had initially ended with a draw. Fighters are not allowed to remove any protective equipment in between rounds without prior consent of the acting referee. The fighters may lift the head protectors up to their forehead in between rounds to enable them to take liquids and cool down between rounds, but may not remove the head protector entirely or undo any straps or fasteners without prior consent of the acting referee. When the referee announces ten seconds to go the fighters must replace their head protectors and immediately approach the centre of the ring. Rests between rounds will be a maximum of one minute on completion of a two minute time lapse, but should any round be considerably shorter than the two minutes allocated for the round, it will be at the referee's discretion to start the following round sooner if they so wish. However for the children's sparring divisions the one minute rest time will be mandatory. Once a final result is decided following the three or five rounds, the referee will instruct both fighters to remove their head protection after which he will announce the winner of that particular bout. HOW IT IS SCORED Disarms In the event of a disarm, the referee will stop the fight and address the judges and will instruct the scorekeeper to deduct one point immediately from the disarmed player's current score for that round in play and to add it to the records for that fight. The referee will then return the weapon to the fighter and continue the round. If three disarms are received by any one player spread over any bout of three rounds the fight ends immediately and is classed as a technical knock-out (TKO), so if all three disarms are achieved in the first round the entire fight is over. There is a two second rule on disarms, that they must be executed immediately in a clean fashion. In other words avoid falling into a tug of war or arm-breaking situation. Keep them short, sharp and clean. Scoring & Fouls Scoring is accomplished using a flag system. The three judges will each have a red and a blue flag which on sight of a clean shot they will raise the relevant red or blue flag indicating the player performing the clean strike, at least two of the three corner judges must raise the same colored flag within a second of each other for the point to be awarded to the relevant fighter. The scorekeeper will then indicate on the scoreboard the winning point instantly so all members of the audience and even the fighters can see the progress of the fight in real-time. The scorekeeper will keep record of round scores and disarms/warnings and deductions. The adjudicator will ensure there is no copycat behavior from the judges and has the power to remove judges at any point during a bout if deemed necessary and can restart the entire fight from scratch. It is the adjudicator s role to nominate judges and to ensure fair judging is upheld throughout the tournament. Illegal techniques are as follows: Kicking, Punching, pushing, pulling, elbowing, kneeing, head butting, wrestling, joint breaking techniques, foot sweeping, stepping out of the fight area, butt striking, thrusting to head/neck, double handed strikes (excluding long stick division), non-responsive tactics/stalemates, swearing, abusive or aggressive behavior by competitor or corner staff towards any competitors or members of the officiating team. Warnings will be issued in a clear fashion of first warning advising the infringement, the secondwarning will advise the implications of continuous infringement of the rules and on third warning theplayer will incur a one point deduction immediately from their current score for that round in play. Atotal of three point deductions over any whole individual bout for fowls (separate to disarm) will result in an immediate disqualification. The Referee on consultation and agreement with the ring adjudicator has the power to issue immediate point deduction and/or disqualification without warning in extreme circumstances depending on the severity of the foul or behavior. The ring adjudicator however, has absolute power to remove any judge, referee, official, fighter or team from a bout or the entire event without warning but will provide good reason and explanation of any action taken to the audience and all parties concerned. If a fighter or their corner staff have any concerns regarding any officials or participants before a bout, the fighter must stay in the ring and only the head coach or team manager may approach the ring adjudicator with their concerns. The same rule applies for any objections or disputes after a bout is completed, the moment the fighter leaves the ring they accept any decision that has been made. If for any valid reason you feel the judges or referee should be replaced, this matter must be taken up with the ring adjudicator (as per the above process) before the bout begins and it is the responsibility of the ring adjudicator to decide whether or not a replacement is required and if so replacements will only be made once for that particular bout and the adjudicators choice of replacement official(s) is final. No second replacements will be made in the same bout. Any serious objection raised with the ring adjudicator may be addressed to the tournament director where both parties will then consult with all officials concerned and determine a decision regarding the matter, the tournament directors decision is however final. In the event of any fouls or disarms the timekeeper will stop the clock until the referee instructs the round to re-start. Etymology of Name For all intents and purposes, Eskrima, arnis and kali all refer to the same family of Filipino weapon-based martial arts. In Luzon they may go by the name of arnis, arnis de mano, sinawali, pagkalikali,panandata (usage of weapons), didya, kabaroan (blade usage) and kaliradman. In the Visayas and Mindanao, these martial arts have been referred to as eskrima, kali and kalirongan. Kuntaw and silatare separate martial arts that have been practiced in the islands. Both eskrima and arnis are loans from Spanish and ultimately from Old Frankish: [2][3] Eskrima is a Filipinization of the Spanish word for fencing (esgrima). Arnis comes from arnes, Old Spanish for armor (harness is an archaic English term for armor which comes from the same roots as the Spanish term). It is derived from the armor costumes used inMoro-moro stage plays where actors fought mock battles using wooden swords. Allegedly, oral or promotional. While the same can be said of many martial arts. trying to lay hand on sword. Among the earliest written records of Filipino martial arts comes from the Spanish conquistadors who fought native tribesmen armed with sticks and [10] [10] knives. together with some others. he turned back many times to see whether we were all in the boats. hurled it at us again and again. Practitioners of the arts are called eskrimador for those who call their art Eskrima.e. we. The term is used mostly in Mindanao. the European colonists had to resort to fire-arms to defeat the Filipinos. In 1521. Recognizing the captain. Antonio Illustrisimo seemed to have learned to fight while sailing around the Philippines. but some disagree as Filipino espada y daga appears to be distinct from European rapier and dagger techniques. the founder of the Jesuit order was a veteran knight and soldier and many Jesuits knew how to defend themselves as they were generally dispatched into the most dangerous areas by the Pope. Thus did we fight for more than one hour. so it is generally accepted that the account was made with some coloring and embelishments by Pigafetta to make Magellan sound more impressive. and "li"hok. and seldom in the Visayas. Ned Nepangue and Tinni Macahor contend that the word did not exist until the 1960s when two well-known eskrimadors in the United States popularized it [5] to distinguish what they taught from other styles. he could draw it out but halfway. some practitioners used sticks made out of rattan rather than swords. in some cases being an unknown word to eskrima practitioners. The name Eskrima came from the Spanish word for "fencing" (i. After the decree prohibiting the native to carry full-sized swords (such as the Kris and the Kampilan). it was previously common to pass the art from generation to generation in an informal approach. until they killed our mirror. As eskrima is an art for the common folk. most practitioners lacked the scholarly education to create any kind of written record. One of the apparent influences from Spanish styles is the espada y daga (sword and dagger) method. When they wounded him. The name Kali is primarily used in the United States and Europe. but this can be explained as Spanish was the lingua franca of the Philippines until the early 20th century. as best we could. When the natives saw that. [7] wielded like a sword. Some theorize that there were groups of conquistadors and Jesuit warrior-priests who taught the Indios how to defend themselves against Moro raiders. or "ka"may meaning hand or body. This is supported by the similarities between tjakalele and eskrima techniques. retreated. One belief is that the word comes from tjakalele. With the exception of a few older and more established systems. [6] It might be traced back to the word for scales (kaliskis) because Cebuano warriors from the 8th and 9th centuries wore scale armour before [citation needed] bronze and copper armour were introduced in the 10th century. Thereupon. [edit]Origins When the Spaniards began colonizing the Philippines. while his nephew and student Floro Villabrille claimed to have been taught by a blind Moro princess in the mountains . Ferdinand Magellan was killed in Cebu at the Battle of Mactan by the forces of Raja Lapu-Lapu. For example. this is especially true for eskrima because almost all of its history is anecdotal. This suggests that Kalibo's name may have [citation needed] originated from the word "kali" because there are many eskrima schools in Kalibo today. [edit]Modern history . Sources differ on the degree to which Eskrima was affected by the Spanish colonization. any form of hand-to-hand combat with bladed weapons). The last part from Pigafetta's account is rather comical considering the amount of mortal injuries Magellan received. this has changed in the sense that some systematization allowed easier and quicker teaching of the basics. which resembles a scimitar. which were already pulling off. beholding him dead. Then. Numerous alternative theories attempt to explain the term's origin: It could have come from the Baybayin word kalepo or kalibo ("kali sports" or panlarong kali). Kali may be a portmanteau of the Cebuano words "ka"mot. This has made attempts to trace the lineage of a practitioner difficult. One of them wounded him on the left leg with a large cutlass. An Indian hurled a bamboo spear into the captain's face. There exist numerous similar terms of reference for martial arts such as kalirongan. Saint Ignatius of Loyola.a claim later refuted by the older Illustrisimo. as well as small knives preserved the art. One thing that is known is that some of the arts were hidden from the Spaniards and passed down through familial or communal ties. they all hurled themselves upon him. Although eskrimadors hold that Lapu-Lapu killed Magellan in a sword-fight. Although the turbulent and conflict-fraught history and environment of the Philippines enabled eskrima to develop into an efficient art. Eskrima can be traced back from Tomé Pires' Suma Oriental to Lapu-lapu. our comfort. kaliradman and pagkalikali. a tribal style of stick-fencing from Indonesia. the Maharlika (the ancient nobility class) [citation needed] To circumvent the decree. but the latter immediately killed him with his lance. Driven back to their ships. one apparent effect of Spanish subjugation and disarmament of the civilian population was the evolution of unique and complex stick-based techniques in the Visayas and Luzon regions (unlike Southern Mindanao which retains almost exclusively blade-oriented [13] techniques as it was never fully conquered and disarmed by the Spaniards and Americans). The origin of eskrima can be traced back to the fighting systems used by Filipinos during inter-tribal warfare. arnisador for those who call theirs Arnis and kalista or mangangali for those who practice Kali. That caused the captain to fall face downward. Due to the way the arts were then clandestinely practiced. The fact that many Eskrima techniques have Spanish names adds fuel to the debate. the stances are different as [12] weapons used in Eskrima are typically shorter than European swords. and picking up the same spear four or six times. Settlers and traders travelling through the Malay Archipelago [8][9] Some of the population still practices localised Chinese fighting methods brought the influence of silat as well as Chinese and Indian martial arts. but he always stood firmly like a good knight. refusing to retire farther. but due to the popularity of the term outside of the Philippines and the influence of foreign practitioners the term has now been accepted as a synonym for eskrima and arnis. Dr. and our true guide. only being larger. In their Cebu Eskrima Mythdistributed by Lex libris. which he left in the Indian's body.. usually practiced under the moonlight or right under the Spaniards noses by disguising them as entertainment like with choreographed dances such as the Sakuting stick dance (see Youtube videos) or during mock battles at Moro-moro (Moros y Cristianos) stage plays. so many turned upon him that they knocked his helmet off his head twice. they saw an already-developed weapons-based martial arts practiced by the natives. our light. meaning motion.the practice of weaponry by the peasants or Indios was banned by the Spaniards during colonial times and the Moro-moro stick fights were a [4] "disguised" form of continued practice of indigenous martial arts. as well as Mindanao's proximity to Indonesia. the only eyewitness account of the battle by chronicler Antonio Pigafetta tells that he was stabbed in the face and the arm with spears and overwhelmed with multiple warriors who hacked and stabbed at him: The natives continued to pursue us. when immediately they rushed upon him with iron and bamboo spears and with their cutlasses. Both have since died. wounded. known as kuntaw. These may be the origin of the [5] term kali or they may have evolved from it. to [11] the boats. because he had been wounded in the arm with a bamboo spear. the Mactan tribal chief. As a result. Disarms must be performed quickly and cleanly in order to be counted. In fact. [edit]Organization After decades of lobbying and overdue recognition. This format has sometimes been criticized because it emphasizes a heavy offense at the expense of defensive techniques sometimes with players raining blows on each other without defending. [edit]WEKAF The WEKAF system works on a 10-point must system similar to boxing where participants spar with live sticks while wearing a long padded vest with skirt and sleeves and a helmet similar to Kendoheadgear. so the older system is considered to be morehardcore and less safe. most styles follow the philosophy that the best defense is a good offense rather than relying only on defense.38 Long Colt . This is. where training in footwork and arm/weapon movements are intricate and precise and any part of an opponent's body is fair game. Boxing. As a consequence. the teaching of eskrima was kept strictly within the Filipino community until the late 1960s when it was brought to the US by masters such as Angel Cabales. pineapples. focusing mainly on aspects of self-defense. Hitting below the belt is prohibited. an antithesis to traditional training methods. In recent years.The Philippines has what is known as a blade culture. Vests (optional for men. to some. Even then. particularly in rural areas. The WEKAF system is the most widely used format internationally. Modern training methods tend to de-emphasize careful footwork and low stances. Favoritism among judges and players is a common complaint with this scoring system due to its subjectivity. They are commonly carried as tools by farmers. other fruits and meats. Moreover. In bigger cities. Wrestling. without any form of protection. shinguards and leg wraps are used. Eskrimadors believe this tradition pre-dates the colonial period.38 caliber bullets into his opponent. The entire body from head to toe is fair game as targets. recreations of duels are sometimes held at parks by local eskrima training-halls. The emphasis of the ARPHI system is on safety for the players as it is applying to become a recognized Olympic sport similar to other martial arts like Judo. players regularly retain large bruises that last for weeks and sometimes minor injuries to joints and because of the sheer amount of force generated by conditioned practitioners. and disarms. Alternative ways to score are to disarm one's opponent or to force him to step outside the ring. Nor is prolonged clinching to prevent the opponent from striking (similar to Western Boxing) in order to keep the game moving and more interesting for the audience who may not appreciate the fine and practical aspects of grappling. Punches. controls. except for the back of the head which is less protected by the headgear. Even though padded sticks are used in the sport. Sometimes the stuffing commonly comes off from the harder hitting players and one cause of injury is when a player is struck by the exposed rattan core. The matches were preceded by cock-fighting and could be held in any open space. Thrusts to the body score points but are harder to sell to judges because they make less noise and it is harder to determine the magnitude of their impact.45 ACP which had more stopping power. That and similar events led to the request and development of the . In modern times. There are 2 main types of Eskrima practiced as a sport. pointing to similar practices of kickboxing matches in mainland Indochina as evidence. In rural areas throughout the Philippines today. Because the legs are legal targets. Stabs to the face are not allowed because the thin rattan core may penetrate the padding and slip through the grills of the headgear and go into the player's eye. complex evasion and deep lunges where players lie horizontal with the torso almost touching the floor to extend reach are often seen. [edit]Duels One of the most important practices in classical eskrima was dueling. the same headgear used in the WEKAF system. and balisongs are cheap to procure in the streets as well as being easily concealed. Usually this involves increased emphasis on locking. Still. required for women). participants have been known to suffer broken bones and injured tendons due to the fact that live sticks are used. Karate. sometimes in a specially constructed enclosure. As a result. These sticks are meant to break before serious injury occurs. Army Special Forces. Another complaint about the WEKAF system is that it uses the 10-point must system which is more subjective depending on who is judging. However. it is preferred by many practitioners who want to test themselves. Arnis/Eskrima/Kali was proclaimed as the official National Martial Art and Sport of the Philippines in January 2010. these are relatively minor as compared to injuries sustained when practitioners spar with live sticks. the term for Filipino is chad ra oles which literally means "people of the knife" because of Filipinos' reputation for carrying knives [14] and using them in fights. giving rise to the impression that combatants are merely hitting each other in a disorganized way. Scoring is more similar to fencing were fighters are separated after solid clean hits are made (observed by multiple judges stationed at different positions to be able to observe if the hits were clean and unblocked and able to determine the strength of the strike by the loudness of the impact). The younger one which is promoted by the Philippine Sports Commission and the government is the Arnis Philippines (ARPHI) system and was used during the 2005 Southeast Asian Games. and a large groin guard is required for males. blade fighting is still very much a living skill in the Philippines. WEKAF tournaments may be seen as not promoting the original art. The founders of most of the popular eskrima systems were famous duelists and legends circulate about how many opponents they killed. and Fencing. there has been increased interest in eskrima for its usefulness when defending against knives. With regards to its spread outside the Philippines. stressing the learning of techniques as opposed to more direct (and often lethal) tactics designed to instantly end an encounter. . in the language of Palau. Spanish records tell of such duelling areas where cock-fights took place. For protection. modern eskrima matches are still held in dueling arenas. in lighter weight divisions. Tae Kwon Do. The oldest and most common system used internationally is that of the WEKAF (World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation). optional armguards. Samar or in battles in Mindanao where an American serviceman was decapitated by a Moro warrior even after he emptied his entire magazine of . many systems of eskrima have been modified in varying degrees to make them more marketable to a worldwide audience. [edit]ARPHI The Arnis Philippines system uses foam-padded sticks about an inch in diameter with thin rattan cores roughly a centimeter in diameter. public dueling has been deemed illegal in the Philippines to reduce legal problems that arose from injury or death. instructors teaching eskrima in the 1960s and 70s were often reprimanded by their elders for publicly teaching a part of their culture that had been preserved through secrecy. used by street vendors to prepare coconuts. Thus. kicks and throws are not allowed. Today it is taught to the Filipino military as well as American groups like Navy SEALs. they are much more used when tempers rise than by people in North America or Europe. Since the WEKAF system is more risky. These demonstrations are not choreographed beforehand but neither are they full-contact competitions. Americans were first exposed to eskrima during the Philippine-American War in events such as the Balangiga Massacre where most of an American company was hacked to death or seriously injured by bolo-wielding guerillas in Balangiga. Delta Force as well as the Russian [15] Spetsnaz (special forces). Local folk in the Philippines are much more likely to carry knives than guns. baston: stick ranging from twenty-four to twenty-eight inches long. umbrellas. A core concept and distinct feature of Filipino martial arts is the Live Hand. Yantok. The terms Baraw and Daga can be used either as Solo Baraw or Solo Daga associated with single knife fighting and defence systems. one stick may strike the head while the other hits the arm. books. Staves can be used to practice sword techniques Wooden dagger measuring 12 to 14 inches (300 to 360 mm) Panangga: shield Daga/Cuchillo/Baraw: daggers or knives of different shapes and sizes Balisong: fan knife or butterfly knife from Barrio Balisong in Batangas province. Since the weapon is seen as simply an extension of the body. This is acceptable though as again. Hard and durable yet lightweight. This is in contrast to most other well-known Asian martial arts but it is justified by the principle that bare-handed moves are acquired naturally through the same exercises as the weapon techniques. The reason for this is probably historical. the extra hand is used to control. lessens the "realism" of this system. as they are dense enough to cause serious injury. Kamagong (ironwood or ebony) and bahi (heart of the palm) are sometimes used after being charred and hardened. olisi. car keys (using the push knife grip). [edit]Others In another variation that simulates knife fights. or otherwise use padded batons. Barang: flat-headed blade . trap or disarm an opponent's weapon and to aid in blocking. bottles. thus making the experience significantly different from using a live stick and in that sense. This aspect makes it useful in defence against blades. the ARPHI system has a separate single and team choreographed Kata-like division called Año (Tagalog for forms). Like the sayaw (meaning dance) in the WEKAF system. a concept sometimes referred to as motion grouping. Bolo: a common farm tool similar to a machete Pinuti: a type of bolo from Cebu Sundang: a sword created by the Bugis people of Indonesia. [edit]Edged weapons Baraw is a Cebuano term used in the art of Eskrima that means knife or dagger. The handle is two-piece and attaches to a swivel that folds to enclose the blade when shut. a skill which is valuable even when working with one weapon. For example. knife and empty hands. or modern high-impact plastics. These hardwoods are generally not used for sparring. an inexpensive stem from a type of Southeast Asian vine. Such training develops the ability to use both limbs independently. the same angles and footwork are used either with or without a weapon. chair legs. rolled-up magazines & newspapers. They are typically constructed from rattan. however. [edit]Impact weapons Improvised weapons like pens. tennis rackets. but traditional sparring does not include weapon to body contact. cellular phones. either a pair of sticks or a stick and a wooden knife. Karambit: claw-shaped Indo-Malay blade held by inserting the finger into a hole at the top of the handle. Some modern schools use sticks made out of aluminium or other metals. [edit]Sticks A pair of rattan sticks The most basic and common weapon in eskrima is the baston (Spanish for "stick) or yantok. it shreds only under the worst abuse and will not splinter as easily as other woods. Its blade is usually wavy. emphasis is on the safety of the players. Largo mano yantok: longer stick ranging from twenty-eight to thirty-six inches Dulo y dulo: short stick about four to seven inches in length. held in the palm of the hand Bankaw: six-foot pole. they tend to flex and "lag". and only advance to empty-hand training once the stick and knife techniques have been sufficiently mastered. joint locking and manipulation of the opponent or other simultaneous motions such as biceps destruction with the live hand. [edit]Weapons Eskrima students start their instruction by learning to fight with weapons. coffee mugs. etc. Many systems begin training with two weapons. Most systems of eskrima apply a single set of techniques for the stick. In North America and Europe. stick and dagger fighting systems Olisi Baraw or sword and dagger fighting systems Espada y Daga. Doble Baraw or Doble Daga associated with the double knife fighting systems or even with a combination of long and short weapons e. making muscle memory an important aspect of the teaching and the obvious fact that an armed person who is trained has the advantage over a trained unarmed person and to condition students to fight against armed assailants. These matches are considered more similar to traditional duels than the WEKAF point-system. Aside from the visual appeal. because tribal warriors went into battle armed and only resorted to bare-handed fighting after losing their weapons. These styles emphasise keeping both hands full and never moving them in the same direction and trains practitioners to become ambidextrous. eskrima practitioners wear head and hand protection while sparring with rattan sticks. The term Baraw is more commonly used on the Cebu Island in the Visayan region where as other islands and regions more commonly use the term Daga but both terms are often interchangeable within the Filipino martial arts community. making it a safe training tool. competitors use false blades edged with lipstick to mark where an opponent has been struck. Even when as a practitioner wields only one weapon. showing respect in not intentionally hitting the training partner.g. flashlights. The participants are skilled enough to parry and counterstrike. practical combative applications must be clearly seen so as to avoid looking like just majorettes in marching bands who just twirl batons and dance (a concept similar to the Floreio ("flowery") aspect in the Brazilian martial art Capoeira and Tricking which are more for show than practicality).One major problem with the ARPHI system is that because the padded sticks with light rattan cores are used. because it is presumed to be the most probable angle of attack. handkerchiefs. These are beginner strikes or the "ABC's" of eskrima. Another signature technique is the Redonda which is a continuous circular downward-striking double-stick twirling technique. The Balintawak style for example. often with one knee on the ground. It is most useful when fighters are in grappling range and cannot create enough space for normal strikes. ropes. but in alternating 360 degree strikes. most are based upon Filipino cosmology. [edit]Strikes Many Filipino systems focus on defending against and/or reacting to angles of attack rather than particular strikes. it is most commonly used in the southern provinces Kampilan: fork-tipped sword. and others as many as 72. For this reason. screwdrivers. This is especially useful when using sticks rather than swords. Some angles of attack and some strikes have characteristic names. towels with hard soap bars. hakbang paiwas is pivoting footwork." in systems where striking angles are numbered for training purposes. to aid memorization. Of course. power cables. It is commonly seen in double-stick continuous attack-parry partner demonstrations. This kind of strike can be very quick and arrive from unexpected angles. An abanico (Spanish for fan) or witik is a strike that is executed by flicking the wrist 180 degrees in a fan-shaped motion. Improvised: Belt. always considering the possibility of a failed technique or an unexpected knife. and generally classify the ranges into at least three categories. Older styles gave each angle a name.1 m) long. particular techniques or particular weapons. the practitioner is assumed to be able to strike very precisely and quickly. Pilantik is a strike executed by whipping the stick around the wrist over the head in a motion similar to the abanico. In order to control the range. broken bottles [edit]Flexible weapons Sarong: a length of fabric wrapped around the waist Ecut: handkerchief Tabak-toyok: chained sticks or nunchaku Whip consisting of a handle between 8 and 12 inches (200 and 300 mm). It is commonly referred to as "angle #1. The Villabrille and San Miguel styles are usually taught in this way. but there are some exceptions. the puño can be used to shatter bones. eskrima tends to favor extreme caution. San Miguel is a forehand strike with the right hand. uses long-distance. Most eskrima systems explain their footwork in terms of triangles: normally when moving in any direction two feet occupy two corners of the triangle and the step is to the third corner such that no leg crosses the other at any time. as this puts less stress on the legs. while hakbang tatsulok is triangle stepping. Eskrima techniques are generally based on the assumption that both the student and their opponent are very highly trained and well prepared. a standard series of strikes from these angles called an abecedario (Spanish for "alphabet") is often practiced. but almost all recognize that being able to work in and control any range is essential. The theory behind this is that virtually all types of hand-to-hand attacks (barehanded or with a weapon) will hit or reach a combatant via these angles of attack and it is reasoned that it is more efficient to learn to defend against different angles of attack rather than learning to defend against particular styles. Although the exact angles. Systems that have been adapted to duels or sporting matches generally employ simpler footwork. For a very traditional school. For instance. Hakbang (Filipino for "step") is a general term for footwork. This is the most natural strike for most untrained people. popular in the southern Philippines Sibat: spear Improvised: Icepicks. a knife. such a strike allows extremely fast strikes but needs constant practice. moving from the striker's right shoulder toward their left hip. A redondo (Spanish for "round") is a strike that whips in a circle to return to its point of origin. On the other hand. Sinawali is the signature double-stick weaving movement associated with Arnis and Eskrima named after the woven coconut or palm leaves called sawali that comprise the walls of nipa hutdwellings. It usually targets a nerve point or other soft spot on the opponent but in skilled hands. and for numerous other purposes. bandana.100+ islands. It is named after Saint Michael or the Archangel Michael. the technique for defending against an attack angle that comes overhead from the right is very similar whether the attacker uses barefists. These standard angles are used to describe exercises. stances will usually be very low. The general principle is that an opponent's ability to attack should be destroyed . very conscious of battlefield necessities. medium-range and short-range fighting techniques.91±6. though some have as few as 5. involving many careful cross-steps to allow practitioners to cope with multiple opponents. and a lash composed of a braided thong 3±20 ft (0. Many systems have twelve standard angles. the order in which they are numbered (numerado). The [16] "fall" at the end of the lash is a single piece of leather 10±30 inches (250±760 mm) in length. good footwork is essential. For example. and footwork will be complex. Each range has its characteristic techniques and footwork. It is to be noted that many of the Eskrima techniques have Spanish names because Spanish was the lingua franca spoken during colonial times among the natives who spoke over 170 different languages in the archipelago's 7. shirts. North American schools tend to use much more upright stances. often given a wavy blade. but more recent systems tend to simply number them. but focuses more on the short range. [edit]Technical aspects [edit]Ranges Most systems recognize that the technical nature of combat changes drastically as the distance between opponents changes. Binikoko: long blade named after a porgy fish Dinahong palay: blade named after a type of poisonous snake Kalis or Kris: Indo-Malay dagger. a sword or a spear. Puño (Spanish for "fist") is a strike delivered with the butt of the weapon. and the manner in which they're executed vary from system to system. box cutters. The style of footwork and the standing position vary greatly from school to school and from practitioner to practitioner. focusing on a single opponent. etc. The shape and size of the triangle must be adapted to the particular situation. who is often depicted holding a sword at this angle. some systems place more emphasis on certain ranges than others. initially presented to the public as a set of organized drills by the Inosanto school. blade seeks flesh". students learn a specific series of attacks. with the goal of either inflicting pain or outright breaking or dislocating the bones. To ensure the safety of the participants. Palakat. and muscular . However. A common practice is to begin a drill with each student armed with two weapons. most drills are done at a constant pace which is increased as the students progress. Some claim that pananjakman is an art in and of itself but this separation was probably made for the purpose of marketing the art as a new system. feet and toes. eye±hand coordination. Most striking techniques involve applying pressure to bend the target areas in unnatural ways so as to injure or break them. are common names for a group of techniques involving two sticks. throwing and dumog (grappling). Filipino martial artists regard the empty hands as another weapon and all the movements of mano mano are directly based on weapon techniques. [edit]Mano Mano Mano Mano is the empty-hand component of Filipino martial arts. Pananjakman is never taught by itself in the Philippines. but strikes to the eyes and legs are important. and other techniques usually break the flow of such a drill. they will. heel-stomping the top of the foot where it meets the lower leg so as to break or crush the numerous bones or otherwise disrupt the opponent's balance. Eskrima is usually practiced in the Philippines without a rhythm. counters. The term Sinawali was taken from a matting that is commonly used in the tribal Nipa Huts which is made up of woven pieces of palm leaf and used for both flooring and walls. The hubud-lubud or hubad-lubad from Doce Pares is frequently used as a type of "generator" drill. take-downs. Initially. from the Balintawak style. locking. This technique requires the user to use both left and right weapons in an equal manner. A popular mnemonic states that "stick seeks bone. are un-choreographed and random defensive and offensive moves. As they advance they can add minor variations. rotation of the body and the proper turning radius. The heavy usage of the live hand is an important concept and distinguishing hallmark of Eskrima. Some drills use only a single weapon per pair. off-beat or out of rhythm. and less frequently doble olisi. which the other counters. making pananjakman ideal for when combatants are engaged in a clinch. mano mano is generally taught in the higher levels of eskrima because advanced students are expected to be able to apply their experience with weapons to unarmed fighting. and this practice is only done in the West. and so on. ankles. In eskrima. striking and controlling the opponent. [edit]The Live Hand The live hand is the opposite hand of the practitioner that does not contain the main weapon. hubud-lubud and sequidas. supporting weapon blocks. particularly eskrima. weapons are seen as an extension of the body so training with weapons naturally leads to proficiency in bare-handed combat. Mano mano includes kicking. and the partners take turns disarming each other. For this reason. respectively).perhaps incorrectly derived from traditional rhythm-based dances or an attempt to add a sense of ethnicity. flowing into a counterattack. and counter-attacks. locking. but they are usually initiated from such a sequence of movements in order to force the student to adapt to a variety of situations. in a sumbrada drill taken from the Villabrille style. [edit]Doble baston Doble baston. Filipino eskrimadors typically train in their everyday clothes. contrada. Eskrima practitioners find it easy to use the off-hand actively once they transition from using it with a weapon to an empty hand. [edit]Sinawali Sinawali refers to the activity of "weaving". knees. The upper body is used only for defensive maneuvres. such as sumbrada. recognition of one¶s center of gravity. Eskrima actively uses the live hand for trapping. is given more emphasis in the United States and Europe where a regular beat serves a guide for students to follow. recognition and performance of rhythmic structures for upper body movement. Such pressure may be delivered in the form of a heel smash. The usage of the live hand is one of the most evident examples of how Eskrima's method of starting with weapons training leads to effective empty hand techniques. a toe kick. many co-ordination drills are used to help the practitioner become more ambidextrous. where one is forced to act and think fast. As opposed to most weapon systems like fencing where the off-hand is hidden and not used to prevent it from being hit. together with the southern Filipino attire of a vest and sashed pants. the diversity of Filipino martial arts means that there is no officially established standard uniform in eskrima. sinawali. Disarms. it has been named after Spanish fencing (esgrima). increased ambidexterity. Although the art existed long before the European colonisation. hoping to break the hand holding the weapon or cut the nerves or tendons controlling it (the concept of defanging the snake). thighs. flowing into a counterattack. It is known aspanantukan in Luzon and pangamot in the Visayas. The term translates as "hands" or "hand to hand" and comes from the Spanish word mano (hand). the live hand can be used as a companion weapon by Eskrima practitioners. [edit]Pananjakman Pananjakman is a component of eskrima which focuses on low-line kicks. punching. which is then countered. Sinawali training is often introduced to novices in order to develop certain fundamental skills including: body positioning and distance relative to an opponent. or a knee. if a student sees an opportunity to disarm their opponent. Seguidas drills. eventually the exercise becomes almost completely free-form. Fundamental techniques include kicking or smashing the ankle to force it either towards or away from the opposite foot (severe supination or pronation. but the drill will continue until both students are empty-handed. taken from the San Miguel system. once the drill is flowing. are sets of hitting and movement patterns usually involving stick and dagger. Rhythm. or switch to completely different attacks. checking. American colonists referred to it as "combat judo". shins. two-weapon exercises. target perception and recognition. The art is more commonly known around the world as Sinawali meaning "to weave". a stomp. an altered form of the Japanese gi or 3/4 length pants. Sinawali exercises provide Eskrima practitioners with basic skills and motions relevant to a mode of two-weapon blocking and response method called Doblete. Targets include the groin. It may be known as corridas or striking without any order or pattern. the strikes can bring an opponent to the ground or otherwise end an altercation by making them too weak to stand. and smashing the opponents knee from the side to break the knee (with severe supination and pronation as the desired result). as applied Eskrima with reference to a set of two-person. are expressly designed to allow partners to move quickly and experiment with variations while remaining safe. disarming. one partner feeds an attack. is commonly mistaken to be some sort of tradition when practicing eskrima in the Philippines .rather than trying to hurt them to convince them to stop. Because of Doble Baston (double weapons) or Espada y Daga (sword and parrying dagger) ambidextrous weapon muscle memory conditioning. Thus many strikes are aimed at the hands and arms. Pananjakman can be regarded as the study of leg muscles and bones and how they are connected. The more affluent and modernized city practitioners and foreigners practice while wearing either their studio uniform. while an essential part of eskrima drills. The rhythm. When used effectively. For example. Even (or especially) when empty. [edit]Drills Several classes of exercises. change the footwork. It is the section of the art that is taught mainly at the intermediate levels and above and is considered one of the most important areas of learning in the art. Palakat in Cebuano means a walk-through or rehearsing the different strike angles and defenses. brother of Remy Presas.Originally encompassed 12 styles and was founded by the Saavedra and Cañete families in 1932. one of Remy Presas's senior-most associates Abaniko Tres Puntas . Combate Eskrima Maranga (CEM) continues to advance with the founder's son Rodrigo Maranga. student of Anciong Bacon and the other senior Balintawak pioneers Tabimina Balintawak . Lightning Scientific Arnis (LSAI). Eskrima is complementary with Aikido because of the rounded nature of the conditioning and body mechanics when twirling or swinging sticks. Balintawak Eskrima . inherited by Rene Tongson. Modern Arnis . and to a lesser extent in other parts of the United States. Pekiti Tirsia Kali . Some of the modern styles. Tres Personas Eskrima de Combate Super Kuwentada System Founded by Police Maj.developments important to the art.founded by Atty. Jose Villasin. Otsotiros Baston Arnis System . American Kenpo cross-training traces back to the interactions between Chinese. De la Cruz is the highest [17] ranking Grand Master in the Modern Arnis system alive today.Founded in 1952 by Venancio "Anciong" Bacon after internal dispute amongst some of the original founders of the original Doce Pares club.Tercia Cerrada Cadenilla y Espada y Daga style founded by Benjamin Luna Lema in 1937. It is the system used by the Philippine Marine Corps Force Recon Battalion. [edit]Cross-training The Chinese and Malay communities of the Philippines have practiced Eskrima together with Kuntaw and Silat for centuries.As one of the founders (together with the famous Doring and Ensong Saavedra) of the Labangon Fencing Club in 1920 and later the Doce Pares Club in 1932. It is revolutionary for having pioneered a system that made teaching of Arnis easier for students as old-school systems were often very painful for the student. Dacayana Sr. Dagooc is the highest ranking Grand Master along with De la Cruz in the [17] Modern Arnis system today.Founded by Alberto Dacayana Jr from the Dalmacio style of his mother's side and the Mig-Sune-Do style of his father.founded by Ernesto Presas. Dagooc crafts his own sticks and they are highly sought after by practitioners. it is common for Eskrima to be practiced in conjunction with other martial arts. particularly Doce Pares and Modern Arnis contain elements of Japanese martial arts such as Judo and Karate as some of the founders were blackbelters in these systems. and based on Modern Arnis. although it includes techniques for all ranges. the Eskrima de Avinico of his father and other Cebuano systems. senior student of Momoy Cañete Dacayana Eskrima System . Japanese and Filipino immigrants in territorial/pre-statehood Hawaii.founded by Remy and Ernie Presas's youngest brother. particularly Wing Chun. Jeet Kune Do or Silat. one of Bacon's senior students Liborio Heyrosa Eskrima De Cuerdas .Founded by Ciriaco "Cacoy" Cañete. As a result. Timoteo "Timor" Maranga Sr.founded by Rodel Dagooc.Founded by Remy Presas which has its roots in the Presas family and Balintawak system. one of the senior-most Modern Arnis practitioners.founded by Nick Elizar.founded by Bobby Taboada. .founded by Bert Labaniego who was one of Ben Lema's senior associates Kali Arnis International . especially. Villasin Balintawak . There are now several Doce Pares groups headed by various members of the Cañete family. systems and lineage because some people cross-train without giving due credit to the founders or principles of their arts.founded by Vicente Sanchez. Hinigaran Arnis de Mano .founded by Bob Silver Tabimina. Another one is the cross-training between Eskrima and Wing Chun or Jeet Kune Do which dates back to Bruce Lee's close collaboration with Dan Inosanto (the weapons aspect of Jeet Kune Do comes primarily from Eskrima and Bruce Lee considered it as the martial art which had the closest philosophy to JKD). Dagooc Style .Founded by Conrado Tortal and carried on by Leo Tortal Gaje.Founded by Jeremias de la Cruz based on his family system from Pampanga and Modern Arnis. inheritor of the family system of the Tortal clan.. one of Bacon's senior students International Balintawak .founded by Liborio "Tiboring" Heyrosa.founded by World War II guerilla fighter Carlos Navarro based on the Eskrima de Llave of his grandfather. It has become marketable to offer Eskrima classes in other traditional Asian martial arts studios in America but some practitioners of other Eskrima styles often dismiss these lessons as debased versions of original training methods. student of Anciong Bacon and "Ingko Nene" Rosales Nickel Stick Eskrima . Eskrima Labaniego . [edit]Notable Styles [edit]Practiced in the Philippines (arranged by family/lineage) Doce Pares Eskrima . so much so that many North Americans mistakenly believe silat to have originated in the Philippines. Modern Arnis and Lightning [17] Scientific Arnis. Filemon "Momoy" Cañete created the blade based San Miguel Eskrima as his personal expression of the Doce Pares art and methodology. For example. the last living founder and the highest ranking master of Doce Pares Eskrima San Miguel Eskrima . It helps teach the novice eskrimador proper elbow positioning while swinging a weapon. Proponents of such training say the arts are very similar in many aspects and complement each other well. Mig-Sune-Do Eskrima De San Miguel founded by Alberto D. Sanchez is the 3rd highest ranking Grand Master in Modern Arnis system alive today.developed by Mateo D. In Western countries. there is some confusion between styles. Roberto Presas Arnis Cruzada . Kombatan . The system which is currently known as Eskrima Maranga System is characterized by its lightning speed strikes and disarming. a fearless World War II guerilla fighter and member of the legendary Bolo Battalion. the wrist and forearm regions.founded by Pepito Robas. a master of Cinco Teros from his hometown of Pangasinan. Estolloso from Antique in the 1930s. one of Anciong Bacon's last major students and inheritor of Bacon's style that was modified by his stay in prison before his death Black Eagle Eskrima . Eskrido . One of the most recognized blade-oriented systems. thus making it hard to attract students and keep the arts alive. The name means "to cut into pieces at close range". founded by Pedro "Toldong" Hernando [edit]International Systems Lacoste-Inosanto Kali .by Jerson "Nene" Tortal Sr.Founded by Grandmaster Max M. He is Tatang Ilustrisimo's second seniormost student.Art Miraflor Mirarada Eskrima Academy. Kali De Leon .founded by GM Rene Latosa. De Campo Uno-Dos-Tres Orihinal (De Campo 1-2-3) . [edit]Eskrima in popular culture Etech . based on Modern Arnis Natural Spirit International .a group notorious for their Gatherings which feature full-contact stick fighting and minimal protection.founded by Master Alejandro "Andy" Abrian (November 3.Led by Gat Puno Abon "Garimot" Baet. A fast. Medio ("medium"). 1936 .After years of extensive propagation of the Filipino Martial Arts in the US.founded by Grandmaster Baltazar "Bo" Sayoc.Mixed Martial Arts. The family system is now led by Pamana Tuhon Christopher Sayoc. Christopher Ricketts.founded by Vhir Tubera Paclibar Bicol Arnis (Sais Tiradas System) . Grandmaster Baltazar "Bo" Sayoc returned to the Philippines to promote the art in his native homeland.founded by Grand Master Art Miraflor started since 1968 in Stockton.founded by Floro Villarbille and Ben Largusa Bahala Na Giron Arnis Eskrima .founded by Kelly Worden.Founded by Sozing Labor and Bert Labitan Koridas . 2010) Rapido Realismo Kali .Founded by Epifanio Yuli Romo. Kalis Ilustrisimo .Founded by Henry Espera from Kali Ilustrisimo.Founded in 1993 by Pat O'Malley and John Harvey who are recognised as two of Europe's leading authorities on the Filipino martial arts. Siete Pares Eskrima . he does not call it a system in its own right.Founded by Guro Fred Evrard. Senkotiros originated in the Bicol Region from the island of Luzon in the Philippines.Founded by Antonio Diego. Doblete Rapillon . Tapado .founded by Jose Caballero Lameco Eskrima . It's a fast growing blend of systems with clubs in numerous countries. Bakbakan International . and Corto ("short"). Lapunti Arnis de Abanico . Sayoc Kali Philippines . Rey Galang. of the Tortal clan and related to Pekiti Tirsia.founded by Jose Mena Cabales Serrada Eskrima . Pallen and learned the basic techniques of the style from his grandfather.A popular system of Eskrima founded by Ray Terry Kali Sikaran . Inayan Eskrima.founded by Angel Cabales. It is a composite of many systems with heavy influence from De Campo 1-2-3 and Kali Illustrisimo. based on Modern Arnis Rapid arnis . Dizon style Eskrima . and taught alongside Wing Tsun in the IWTO schools and their offshoots worldwide.founded by Chinese-Filipino Johnny Chiuten which brought many infusions from his original background as an expert Chinese martial artist.Developed by Suro Mike Inay from various other styles Sudlud Eskrima . Moro-moro Orabes Heneral .Whip and dagger method founded by Tom Meadows. The name comes from the three ranges of the system.founded by the Caburnay family.practiced by Felicisimo Dizon Sr.Founded by Antonio "Tatang" Ilustrisimo. Pencak Silat and Hakka Kuntao. the Bahala Na System (Bahala na means come what may) is currently lead by Grand Master Tony Somera in Stockton.founded by Anding De Leon.founded by Florendo "Professor Vee" Visitacion Arnis De Leon . Dog Brothers . the Kali Majapahit system has its roots in Kali Sikaran. all the time" methodology of Filipino Martial Arts. [18] Arnis De Cadena (Pronus Supinus) . aggressive system which is a combination of other styles. [19] Sayoc Kali .Founded by Jeff Espinous and Johan Skålberg. influenced by his own family style and Kali Ilustrisimo. Kali Majapahit . two of the leading FMA representatives in Europe. Giron. Inayan Eskrima . Latigo y Daga . and carried on by his son Felicisimo Dizon Jr. the system promotes the "all blade. Senkotiros . important as the ancestor of many current Eskrima systems.a style created by Romeo "Nono" Mamar that differs from other Eskrima styles in that in concentrates on long sticks (45-47 inches) Arkado Arnis . Largo (Spanish for "long"). Latosa Eskrima .founded by Jaime Paclibar Mirarada Eskrima Academy .founded by Leo M.founded by Jun de Leon from his grandfather's style and many grandmasters in the Philippines. senior students of Tatang Ilustrisimo Bahad Zu'Bu .Founded by Edgar Sulite. California. but rather a blend of systems from John Lacoste and many grandmasters listed here. California. Dekiti Tirsia Siradas .April 18. Vee Arnis Jitsu .developed by Dan Inosanto from various other styles. Abrian's Orabes Heneral Eskrima and Automatic Arnis Garimot Arnis . Villabrille-Largusa Kali . according to the capacitance equation (C = Q / V). invented at Bell Labs in 1916 by E. current gain only is usually needed with the voltage remaining constant.) The assembly of fixed and movable plates is called an "element" or "capsule. the charge is practically constant and the voltage across the capacitor changes instantaneously to reflect the change in capacitance. and by their directional characteristics. Condenser microphone Inside the Oktava 319 condenser microphone The condenser microphone. dynamic. The capacitance of the plates is inversely proportional to the distance between them for a parallel-plate capacitor. There are two types. where Q = charge in coulombs. Since this is a very high impedance circuit. The circuit is therefore often called an "impedance converter" or "follower" because no voltage gain is provided.. As the capacitance changes. C. The RF biasing process results in a lower electrical impedance capsule. and low-pass for the bias voltage. Wente [2] is also called a capacitor microphone or electrostatic microphone. The capacitance of the capsule (around 5 to 100 pF) and the value of the bias resistor (100 megohms to tens of gigohms) form a filter that is high-pass for the audio signal. a useful by-product of which is that RF condenser microphones can be operated in damp weather conditions that could create problems in DC-biased microphones with contaminated insulating surfaces. up to several volts for high sound levels. With a DC-biased microphone. or the capsule may be part of a resonant circuit that modulates the frequency of the oscillator signal. intended use or orientation of the principal sound input to the principal axis (endor side-address) of the microphone are used to describe the microphone. The voltage difference between the bias and the capacitor is seen across the series resistor. The voltage across the capacitor varies above and below the bias voltage. the plates are biased with a fixed charge (Q). thediaphragm acts as one plate of a capacitor. Here. The voltage across the resistor is amplified for performance or recording. (See capacitance for details. such as condenser. etc. In most cases. The absence of a high bias voltage permits the use of a diaphragm with looser tension. [citation needed] AKG C451B small-diaphragm condenser microphone RF condenser microphones use a comparatively low RF voltage. .Microphones are referred to by their transducer principle. depending on the method of extracting the audio signal from the transducer: DC-biased and radio frequency (RF) or high frequency (HF) condenser microphones. Sometimes other characteristics such as diaphragm size. Demodulation yields a low-noise audio frequency signal with a very low source impedance. The signal from the oscillator may either be amplitude modulated by the capacitance changes produced by the sound waves moving the capsule diaphragm. which may be used to achieve wider frequency response due to higher compliance. the electronics in the microphone itself contribute no voltage gain as the voltage differential is quite significant. Note that the time constant of an RC circuit equals the product of the resistance and capacitance. The voltage maintained across the capacitor plates changes with the vibrations in the air. The Sennheiser "MKH" series of microphones use the RF biasing technique. but at audible frequencies it is sensibly constant. C = capacitance in farads and V = potential difference in volts. Within the time-frame of the capacitance change (as much as 50 ms at 20 Hz audio signal)." A nearly constant charge is maintained on the capacitor. the charge across the capacitor does change very slightly. generated by a low-noise oscillator. and the vibrations produce changes in the distance between the plates. omnidirectional. It is also possible to vary the pattern continuously with some microphones. unfortunately. The inherent suitability of this technology is due to the very small mass that must be moved by the incident sound wave. RF or electret technology is used. Microphones designed for personal computer (PC) use.5 mm plug (though a mono source) with the ring receiving power via a resistor from (normally) a 5 V supply in the computer. provided either via microphone inputs on equipment as phantom power or from a small battery. sometimes called multimedia microphones. and is also needed to power the microphone electronics (impedance conversion in the case of electret and DC-polarized microphones. [3] The externally applied charge described above under condenser microphones is replaced by a permanent charge in an electret material. such as cardioid. They generally produce a high-quality audio signal and are now the popular choice in laboratory and studio recording applications. Condenser microphones are also available with two diaphragms that can be electrically connected to provide a range of polar patterns (see below).5 mm plugs too. Dynamic microphone . They are used in many applications. Though electret microphones were once considered low quality. Sessler et al. due to the tight tolerances required in internal dimensions. These tolerances are the same for all condenser microphones. PDA and headset microphones are electret types. mass production techniques needed to produce microphones cheaply don't lend themselves to the precision needed to produce the highest quality microphones. from high-quality recording and lavalier use to built-in microphones in small sound recording devices and telephones. Electret condenser microphone Main article: Electret microphone First patent on foil electret microphone by G. this is not due to any inherent limitation of the electret. Unlike other capacitor microphones. Nearly all cell-phone. This preamplifier is frequently phantom powered in sound reinforcement and studio applications. The name comes from electrostatic and magnet. While few electret microphones rival the best DC-polarized units in terms of noise level. the vast majority of microphones made today are electret microphones. Due to their good performance and ease of manufacture. (pages 1 to 3) An electret microphone is a relatively new type of capacitor microphone invented at Bell laboratories in 1962 by Gerhard Sessler and Jim West. Power is necessary for establishing the capacitor plate voltage. unlike other microphone types that require the sound wave to do more work. much the way a magnet is made by aligning the magnetic domains in a piece of iron. a semiconductor manufacturer [4] estimates annual production at over one billion units. demodulation or detection in the case of RF/HF microphones). Rather. for example the Røde NT2000 or CAD M179. they require no polarizing voltage. the best ones can now rival traditional condenser microphones in every respect and can even offer the long-term stability and ultra-flat response needed for a measurement microphone. and figure-eight. computer. An electret is aferroelectric material that has been permanently electrically charged or polarized. whether the DC. use a stereo 3.Condenser microphones span the range from telephone transmitters through inexpensive karaoke microphones to high-fidelity recording microphones. but often contain an integrated preamplifier that does require power (often incorrectly called polarizing power or bias). M. a number of incompatible dynamic microphones are fitted with 3. a static charge is embedded in an electret by alignment of the static charges in the material. hence low cost. They require a power source. e. The ribbon is electrically connected to the microphone's output. A single dynamic membrane does not respond linearly to all audio frequencies. or Blumlein pair. Such older ribbon microphones. do require phantom power. coupled with their potentially high gain before feedback makes them ideal for on-stage use. In common with other classes of dynamic microphone. When the diaphragm vibrates. some of which still provide high quality sound reproduction. Protective wind screens can reduce the danger of damaging a vintage ribbon. Moving-coil microphones use the same dynamic principle as in a loudspeaker. producing a varying current in the coil through electromagnetic induction. Modern ribbon materials. and also reduce plosive artifacts in the recording. A small movable induction coil. the high side rejection can be used to advantage by positioning a ribbon microphone horizontally. They are robust. therefore. i. The classic RCA Type 77-DX microphone has several externally adjustable positions of the internal baffle. and circuits of modern passive ribbon microphones. and the figure 8 response of a ribbon microphone is ideal for that application. Though the symmetrical front and rear pickup can be a nuisance in normal stereo recording. usually corrugated metal ribbon suspended in a magnetic field. allowing sound to reach only one side. Combining the multiple signals correctly is difficult and designs that do this are rare and tend to be expensive. only reversed. so that the rear lobe picks up only sound from the cymbals. ribbon microphones don't require phantom power. which is open to sound both front and back. but a good low-frequency response could only be obtained when the ribbon was suspended very loosely. this voltage can damage some older ribbon microphones. for example above cymbals. Properly designed wind screens produce negligible treble attenuation. There are on the other hand several designs that are more specifically aimed towards isolated parts of the audio spectrum. Ribbon microphones are similar to moving coil microphones in the sense that both produce sound by means of magnetic induction. When sound enters through the windscreen of the microphone. stereo recording is gaining in popularity. This. positioned in the magnetic fieldof a permanent magnet. for example. were once valued for this reason. Crossed figure 8. Some microphones for this reason utilize multiple membranes for the different parts of the audio spectrum and then combine the resulting signals. and even improve the effective dynamic range of ribbon microphones at low frequencies.Patti Smith singing into a Shure SM58(dynamic cardioid type) microphone Dynamic microphones work via electromagnetic induction.. which made them relatively fragile. Basic ribbon microphones detect sound in a bidirectional (also called figure-eight) pattern because the ribbon. the sound wave moves the diaphragm. in fact. The AKG D 112. Some new modern ribbon microphone designs incorporate a preamplifier and. Other directional patterns are produced by enclosing one side of the ribbon in an acoustic trap or baffle. is designed for bass response rather than treble. Edmund Lowe using a ribbon microphone Ribbon microphones use a thin. including new nanomaterials [6] have now been introduced that eliminate those concerns. is attached to the diaphragm. . relatively inexpensive and resistant to moisture. and its vibration within the magnetic field generates the electrical signal. responds to the pressure gradient rather than the sound pressure. Ribbon microphone Main article: Ribbon microphone [5] In audio engineering several kinds of microphones are often used at the same time to get the best result. allowing the selection of several response patterns ranging from "Figure-8" to "Unidirectional". the coil moves in the magnetic field. Carbon microphone Main article: Carbon microphone A carbon microphone. vibrates in sympathy with incident sound waves. A voltage is applied across the metal plates. The changing pressure deforms the granules. [7] Unlike other microphone types. causing the contact area between each pair of adjacent granules to change. which is a piezoelectric crystal that works as a transducer. using a small amount of sound energy to control a larger amount of electrical energy. This type of microphone is different from magnetic coil pickups commonly visible on typical electric guitars. both as a microphone and as a slimline loudspeaker component. the diaphragm. such as underwater under high pressure. are specifically designed to resist damage to the ribbon and transformer by phantom power. Piezoelectric transducers are often used as contact microphones to amplify sound from acoustic musical instruments. for triggering electronic samples. they have extremely low-quality sound reproduction and a very limited frequency response range. The Boudet microphone. Carbon microphones found use as early telephone repeaters. both from the microphone itself and from the connecting cable. to pick up vibration. the carbon microphone can also be used as a type of amplifier. Their high output impedance matched the high input impedance (typically about 10 megohms) of the vacuum tube input stage well. They were difficult to match to early transistor equipment. and to record sound in challenging environments. Carbon microphones were once commonly used in telephones. Fiber optic microphone . One of the plates. An example of this is potassium sodium tartrate. and were quickly supplanted by dynamic microphones for a time. The high impedance of the crystal microphone made it very susceptible to handling noise. but are very robust devices. with a resulting stronger electrical signal to send down the line. Crystal microphones were once commonly supplied with vacuum tube (valve) equipment. and this causes the electrical resistance of the mass of granules to change. such as domestic tape recorders. applying a varying pressure to the carbon. Saddlemounted pickups on acoustic guitars are generally piezoelectric devices that contact the strings passing over the saddle. making long distance phone calls possible in the era before vacuum tubes. The changes in resistance cause a corresponding change in the current flowing through the microphone. Piezoelectric microphone A crystal microphone or piezo microphone uses the phenomenon of piezoelectricity ² the ability of some materials to produce a voltage when subjected to pressure ² to convert vibrations into an electrical signal. causing a small current to flow through the carbon. These repeaters worked by mechanically coupling a magnetic telephone receiver to a carbon microphone: the faint signal from the receiver was transferred to the microphone. was similar to the granule carbon button microphones. also known as a carbon button microphone (or sometimes just a button microphone). which use magnetic induction. Also there are new ribbon materials available that are immune to wind blasts and phantom power. and later small electret condenser devices. rather than mechanical coupling. use a capsule or button containing carbon granules pressed between two metal plates like the Berliner and Edison microphones. resulting in an audible squeal from the old "candlestick" telephone if its earphone was placed near the carbon microphone.those without the aforementioned preamplifier. One illustration of this amplifier effect was the oscillation caused by feedback. which used relatively large carbon balls. to sense drum hits. producing the electrical signal. resistant to environmental changes in heat and moisture. high-fidelity recording and law enforcement. Fiber optic microphones possess high dynamic and frequency range. which detects movement of the surface. inside the MRI suites as well as in remote control rooms. thereby minutely changing the intensity of the light it reflects. Fiber optic microphones are robust. causing it to trace the sound wave. similar to the best high fidelity conventional microphones. magnetic. They have proven especially useful in medical applications. audio calibration and measurement. instead of sensing changes in capacitance or magnetic fields as with conventional microphones. The distance between the microphone's light source and its photo detector may be up to several kilometers without need for any preamplifier and/or other electrical device. The fiber optic microphone design is therefore ideal for use in areas where conventional microphones are ineffective or dangerous.533 issued for a Particulate Flow Detection Microphone based on a laser-photocell pair with a moving stream of smoke or vapor in the laser beam's path. making fiber optic microphones suitable for industrial and surveillance acoustic monitoring. Sound pressure waves cause disturbances in the smoke that in turn cause variations in the amount of laser light reaching the photo detector. patent 7. [8][9] During operation. and can be produced for any directionality or impedance matching. Sound causes the diaphragm to vibrate. The modulated light is then transmitted over a second optical fiber to a photo detector. Liquid microphone Main article: Water microphone .The Optoacoustics 1140 fiber optic microphone A fiber optic microphone converts acoustic waves into electrical signals by sensing changes in light intensity. [10] ) Other uses include industrial equipment monitoring and sensing. such as allowing radiologists. which transforms the intensity-modulated light into analog or digital audio for transmission or recording. sound-sensitive reflective diaphragm. Laser microphone Main article: Laser microphone Laser microphones are often portrayed in movies as spy gadgets. Fiber optic microphones are used in very specific application areas such as for infrasound monitoring and noise-canceling.S. A prototype of the device was demonstrated at the 127th Audio Engineering Society convention in New York City from 9 through 12 October 2009. On 25 August 2009. the latter requires an extremely stable laser and precise optics. A laser beam is aimed at the surface of a window or other plane surface that is affected by sound. the returned light is split and fed to an interferometer. Fiber optic microphones do not react to or influence any electrical. The vibrating laser spot is then converted back to sound. The slight vibrations of this surface displace the returned beam. In a more robust and expensive implementation. U. The former implementation is a tabletop experiment. electrostatic or radioactive fields (this is called EMI/RFI immunity). A new type of laser microphone is a device that uses a laser beam and smoke or vapor to detect sound vibrations in free air.580. such as inside industrial turbines or in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment environments. light from a laser source travels through an optical fiber to illuminate the surface of a tiny. staff and patients within the powerful and noisy magnetic field to converse normally. Chambers. microphones themselves can be used as speakers. speakers can actually work "in reverse" as microphones. a 6. AAC Acoustic Technologies. coil and magnet). Elisha Gray filed a caveat for a version using a brass rod instead of the needle. Often MEMS microphones have built in analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuits on the same CMOS chip making the chip a digital microphone and so more readily integrated with modern digital products. though. is becoming fairly common. almost always as tweeters. [12] Speakers as microphones A loudspeaker. Vanni.5-inch (170 mm) woofer shock-mounted it into a 10" drum shell used in front of kick drums. [11] and Omron. is the functional opposite of a microphone. until Alexander Graham Bell made improvements including a variable resistance microphone/transmitter. and Elisha Gray. The electrical resistance between the wire and the cup was then inversely proportional to the size of the water meniscus around the submerged needle. a transducer that turns an electrical signal into sound waves. Since a relatively massive membrane is unable to transduce high frequencies. A sound wave caused the diaphragm to move. and is usually accompanied with integrated preamplifier. there is at least one other practical application of this principle: Using a medium-size woofer placed closely in front of a "kick" (bass drum) in a drum set to act as a microphone. however. Since a conventional speaker is constructed much like a dynamic microphone (with a diaphragm.Early microphones did not produce intelligible speech. which was successfully used in a number of high quality loudspeaker systems from the late 1960s to the mid-70s. Most MEMS microphones are variants of the condenser microphone design. A product example of this type of device is the Yamaha Subkick. and poor sensitivity. Akustica (AKU200x). walkie-talkies or Video game voice chat peripherals. Major manufacturers producing MEMS silicon microphones are Wolfson Microelectronics (WM7xxx). forcing a needle to move up and down in the water. or when conventional microphones are in short supply. speakers are sometimes used as microphones in applications where high quality and sensitivity are not needed such as intercoms. MEMS microphone Main article: Microelectromechanical systems The MEMS (MicroElectrical-Mechanical System) microphone is also called a microphone chip or silicon microphone. Memstech (MSMx). Knowles Electronics. Capsule design and directivity . NXP Semiconductors. especially in music production. is a microphone with poor quality. The pressure-sensitive diaphragm is etched directly into a silicon chip by MEMS techniques. The use of relatively large speakers to transduce low frequency sound sources. Microphones. Other minor variations and improvements were made to the liquid microphone by Majoranna. Sykes. Bell's liquid transmitter consisted of a metal cup filled with water with a small amount of sulfuric acid added. One instance of such an application was the STC microphone-derived 4001 super-tweeter. In practical use. However. Less commonly. These were the first working microphones. Infineon (SMM310 product). placing a speaker in front of a kick drum is often ideal for reducing cymbal and snare bleed into the kick drum sound. are not designed to handle the power that speaker components are routinely required to cope with. Analog Devices. but they were not practical for commercial application. and one version was patented by Reginald Fessenden in 1903. limited frequency response (particularly at the high end). The famous first phone conversation between Bell and Watson took place using a liquid microphone. Sonion MEMS. The result. Unidirectional . the smallest diameter microphone gives the best omnidirectional characteristics at high frequencies. Therefore. features a partially closed backside. Other polar patterns are derived by creating a capsule that combines these two effects in different ways. A pressure-gradient microphone uses a diaphragm that is at least partially open on both sides. commonly known as "side fire" or "side address".The inner elements of a microphone are the primary source of differences in directivity. In the real world. As with directional microphones. This ranges from shielding (meaning diffraction/dissipation/absorption) by the housing itself to electronically combining dual membranes. The characteristic directional pattern of a pure pressure-gradient microphone is like a figure-8. they add very little to the original sound. causing a slight flattening of the polar response. as a consequence. so its response is a combination of pressure and pressure-gradient characteristics. The polar patterns illustrated above represent the locus of points that produce the same signal level output in the microphone if a given sound pressure level (SPL) is generated from that point. A pure pressure-gradient microphone is equally sensitive to sounds arriving from front or back. so it is said to be omnidirectional. The cardioid. this is not the case. it usually extends from the axis of the microphone commonly known as "end fire" or "top/end address". How the physical body of the microphone is oriented relative to the diagrams depends on the microphone design. and responds uniformly to pressure from all directions. This flattening increases as the diameter of the microphone (assuming it's cylindrical) reaches the wavelength of the frequency in question. but insensitive to sounds arriving from the side because sound arriving at the front and back at the same time creates no gradient between the two. unlike cardioids. For small diaphragm microphones such as the Shure (also pictured above). it tends to get in its own way with respect to sounds arriving from the rear. Microphone polar patterns [13] A microphone's directionality or polar pattern indicates how sensitive it is to sounds arriving at different angles about its central axis. The body of the microphone is not infinitely small and. A pressure microphone uses a diaphragm between a fixed internal volume of air and the environment. The pressure difference between the two sides produces its directional characteristics. Omnidirectional microphones. Being pressure-sensitive they can also have a very flat low-frequency response down to 20 Hz or below. Other elements such as the external shape of the microphone and external devices such as interference tubes can also alter a microphone's directional response. for instance. Pressure-sensitive microphones also respond much less to wind noise and plosives than directional (velocity sensitive) microphones. which practically eliminates directionality even up to the highest frequencies. Some microphone designs combine several principles in creating the desired polar pattern. The wavelength of sound at 10 kHz is little over an inch (3. the upward direction in the polar diagram is usually perpendicular to the microphone body. do not employ resonant cavities as delays.4 cm) so the smallest measuring microphones are often 1/4" (6 mm) in diameter. and so can be considered the "purest" microphones in terms of low coloration. Omnidirectional An omnidirectional (or nondirectional) microphone's response is generally considered to be a perfect sphere in three dimensions. the polar pattern for an "omnidirectional" microphone is a function of frequency. For large-membrane microphones such as in the Oktava (pictured above). [14] An example of a nondirectional microphone is the round black eight ball. for sound waves coming from the back. right. since they are good at rejecting sounds from other directions. except there is more front pickup and less rear pickup. The sound intensity for a particular frequency is plotted for angles radially from 0 to 360°. shotgun microphones are commonly used on television and film sets. These three patterns are commonly used as vocal or speech microphones. wave cancellation eliminates much of the off-axis sound. so named because the sensitivity pattern is heart-shaped. and their names. and rear but are significantly less sensitive to the side and rear than other directional microphones. only to the gradient between front and back. A cardioid microphone is effectively a superposition of an omnidirectional and a figure-8 microphone. A hypercardioid microphone is similar but with a tighter area of front sensitivity and a smaller lobe of rear sensitivity. output polarity Shotgun microphones are the most highly directional. A super-cardioid microphone is similar to a hyper-cardioid. Since pressure gradient transducer microphones are directional. This results from placing the element at the end of a tube with slots cut along the side.) Cardioid US664A University Sound Dynamic Supercardioid Microphone The most common unidirectional microphone is a cardioid microphone. Bi-directional "Figure 8" or bi-directional microphones receive sound equally from both the front and back of the element. bi-directional microphones are vector transducers responding to the gradient along an axis normal to the plane of the diaphragm. is inverted for sounds arriving from the back side. the two add to each other. or very close to. Most ribbon microphones are of this pattern. The diagrams given here provide only an overview of typical pattern shapes. Boundary or "PZM" Several approaches have been developed for effectively using a microphone in less-than-ideal acoustic spaces.A unidirectional microphone is sensitive to sounds from only one direction. Initially this was done by placing an ordinary microphone adjacent to the surface. In principle they do not respond to sound pressure at all. Sound engineers Ed Long and Ron Wickersham . sometimes in a block of acoustically transparent foam. This is known as the proximity effect. one of these boundaries. but with a slightly larger figure-8 contribution. The microphone faces upwards in each diagram. (Professional diagrams show these scales and include multiple plots at different frequencies. putting them very close to the sound source (at distances of a few centimeters) results in a bass boost. The diagram above illustrates a number of these patterns. Due to the narrowness of their sensitivity area. in stadiums. A hypercardioid microphone is similar. While omnidirectional microphones are scalar transducers responding to pressure from any direction. since sound arriving from the side reaches front and back equally there is no gradient and therefore no sensitivity to sound from that direction. the negative signal from the figure-8 cancels the positive signal from the omnidirectional element. They have small lobes of sensitivity to the left. and for field recording of wildlife. the reflections from that surface are not sensed by the microphone. which often suffer from excessive reflections from one or more of the surfaces (boundaries) that make up the space. If the microphone is placed in. whereas for sound waves coming from the front. Shotgun An Audio-Technica shotgun microphone [citation needed] [15] As a result. These small microphones are worn on the body. While a boundary microphone was initially implemented using an omnidirectional element.g.developed the concept of placing the diaphgram parallel to and facing the boundary. A stereo microphone is often used for broadcast applications or field recording where it would be impractical to configure two separate condenser microphones in a classic XY configuration (see microphone practice) for stereophonic recording. A parabolic microphone uses a parabolic reflector to collect and focus sound waves onto a microphone receiver. Contact microphones have been used to pick up the sound of a snail's heartbeat and the footsteps of ants. Parabolic microphones are not typically used for standard recording applications. Some such microphones have an adjustable angle of coverage between the two channels. In dual diaphragm designs. It usually sends its signal using a small FM radio transmitter to a nearby receiver connected to the sound system. Many noise-canceling microphones combine signals received from two diaphragms that are in opposite electrical polarity or are processed electronically. A portable version of this microphone has recently been developed. pin. Typical uses of this microphone. One such use is in aircraft cockpits where they are normally installed as boom microphones on headsets. and the contact pin transfers vibrations to the coil. Crown's trademark on this approach is "Phase Coherent Cardioid" or "PCC. [16] While the patent has expired. A noise-canceling microphone is a highly directional design intended for noisy environments. it is also possible to mount a directional microphone close enough to the surface to gain some of the benefits of this technique while retaining the directional properties of the element. which has unusually focused front sensitivity and can pick up sounds from many meters away. contact plate and contact pin. satellite dish) does with radio waves. Application-specific designs A lavalier microphone is made for hands-free operation. A wireless microphone transmits the audio as a radio or optical signal rather than via a cable. outdoor sporting events. Originally. such as those from small objects or insects." but there are other makers who employ this technique as well. in much the same way that a parabolic antenna (e. A stereo microphone integrates two microphones in one unit to produce a stereophonic signal. The microphone commonly consists of a magnetic (moving coil) transducer. because they tend to have poor low-frequency response as a side effect of their design.law enforcement. but it can also use infrared waves if the transmitter and receiver are within sight of each other. include nature recording. One use for this is to detect sounds of a very low level. A contact microphone picks up vibrations directly from a solid surface or object. they were held in place with a lanyard worn around the neck. A throat microphone is a variant of the contact microphone that picks up speech directly from a person's throat. "Pressure Zone Microphone" and "PZM" are still active trademarks of Crown International. The contact plate is placed directly on the vibrating part of a musical instrument or other surface. and even espionage. as opposed to sound vibrations carried through air. the main diaphragm is mounted closest to the intended source and the second is positioned farther away from the . or run directly to the mixer (for stationary applications). This lets the device be used in areas with ambient sounds that would otherwise make the speaker inaudible. tape or magnet. eavesdropping. Another use is on loud concert stages for vocalists. and the generic term "boundary microphone" is preferred. which it is strapped to. The lavalier cord may be hidden by clothes and either run to an RF transmitter in a pocket or clipped to a belt (for mobile use). but more often they are fastened to clothing with a clip. [19] The output of a given microphone delivers the same power whether it is low or high impedance. Owing to their built-in amplifier. Connectors [17] A few noise-canceling microphones are throat microphones. or mini XLR for connection to portable equipment. Most professional microphones are low impedance. professional-quality microphones with USB connections have begun to appear. Medium impedance is considered between 600 and 10 k . for instance. such as a 5-pin XLR. from the days of attaching the microphone to the news reporters suit lapel) microphones use a proprietary connector for connection to a wireless transmitter. Since 2005. One noise-canceling headset design using a single diaphragm has been used prominently by vocal artists such as Garth Brooks and Janet Jackson. Other noise-canceling designs use one diaphragm that is affected by ports open to the sides and rear of the microphone. 3. sounds other than the intended source are greatly reduced.5 mm (sometimes referred to as 1/8 inch mini) stereo (wired as mono) mini phone plug on very inexpensive and computer microphones Some microphones use other connectors. Impedance-matching Microphones have an electrical characteristic called impedance. measured in ohms ( ). condenser microphones typically have an output impedance between 50 and 200 . the rated impedance is stated. Electronic symbol for a microphone The most common connectors used by microphones are: Male XLR connector on professional microphones ¼ inch (sometimes referred to as 6. that depends on the design. After the two signals have been combined. Professional vacuum-tube sound equipment incorporates a transformer that steps up the impedance of the microphone circuit to the high impedance and voltage needed to drive the input tube. Harmonica microphones commonly use a high impedance 1/4 inch TS connection to be run through guitar amplifiers. with the sum being a 16 dB rejection of sounds that are farther away. High impedance is above 10 k . Some lavalier (or 'lapel'. the high impedance version has a higher output voltage for a given sound pressure input. designed for direct recording into computer-based software.source so that it can pick up environmental sounds to be subtracted from the main diaphragm's signal. which have a high input impedance and require a relatively high signal input voltage to overcome the tubes' inherent noise. the impedance conversion inherently creates voltage gain as well. Typically. substantially increasing intelligibility. [18] Low impedance is considered under 600 . which forms a low-pass filter with the microphone output . about 200 or lower. Many consumer microphones use an unbalanced 1/4 inch phone jack. If a microphone is made in high and low impedance versions. Low-impedance microphones are preferred over high impedance for two reasons: one is that using a high-impedance microphone with a long cable results in high frequency signal loss due to cable capacitance. and is suitable for use with vacuum-tube guitar amplifiers.3 mm) jack plug also known as 1/4 inch TRS connector on less expensive consumer microphones. External matching transformers are also available that can be used in-line between a low impedance microphone and a high impedance input. linear.[1]. defines a digital interface for microphones. [20] Most microphones are designed not to have their impedance matched by the load they are connected to. A frequency response diagram plots the microphone sensitivity in decibels over a range of frequencies (typically at least 0±20 kHz). response curves and technical data from the microphone manufacturers for every currently listed microphone. Doing so can alter their frequency response and cause distortion. Microphones conforming to this standard directly output a digital audio stream through an XLR male connector. and shows the data for them all in one common format for ease of comparison. with variations in amplitude of no more than plus or minus 3 dB. This is interpreted as meaning a nearly flat. The other is that long high-impedance cables tend to pick up more hum (and possibly radio-frequency interference(RFI) as well). one cannot determine from this information how smooth the variations are. this is often not the case for music recording. and with the geometry of the sound source. and can accept differing levels without distorting. Digital microphones may be used either with new equipment with appropriate input connections that conform to the AES 42 standard. Certain ribbon and dynamic microphones are exceptions. microphones are not uniformly sensitive to sound pressure. due to the designers' assumption of a certain load impedance being part of the internal electro-acoustical damping circuit of the microphone. or else via a suitable interface box.impedance. plot between the stated frequencies. and even a few obsolete models. microphones have their own characteristic responses to sound. Measurements and specifications A comparison of the far field on-axis frequency response of the Oktava 319 and the Shure SM58 Because of differences in their construction. As a result. generally for perfectly on-axis sound (sound arriving at 0° to the capsule). There is an international standard for microphone specifications. Studio-quality microphones that operate in accordance with the AES 42 standard are now available from a number of microphone manufacturers. Nothing is damaged if the impedance between microphone and other equipment is mismatched. Caution should be used in drawing any solid conclusions from this or any other published data. Frequency response may be less informatively stated textually like so: "30 Hz±16 kHz 3 dB". Note that commonly made statements such as "20 Hz 20 kHz" are meaningless without a decibel measure of tolerance. Although for scientific applications microphones with a more uniform response are desirable. comparison of published data from different manufacturers is difficult because different measurement techniques are used. Directional microphones' frequency response varies greatly with distance from the sound source. In addition. The Microphone Data Website has collated the technical specifications complete with pictures. however. as the non-uniform response of a microphone can produce a desirable coloration of the sound. IEC 60268-4 specifies that frequency response should be measured in plane progressive wave conditions . This difference in response produces non-uniform phase and frequency responses. unless it is known that the manufacturer has supplied specifications in accordance with IEC 60268-4. [18] but few manufacturers adhere to it. the worst that happens is a reduction in signal or change in frequency response. [21][dubious ± discuss] Digital microphone interface Neumann D-01 digital microphone and Neumann DMI-8 8-channel USB Digital Microphone Interface The AES 42 standard. nor in what parts of the spectrum they occur. However. published by the Audio Engineering Society. rather than producing an analog output. especially at high sound pressure levels. such as models from Neumann and Røde that advertise noise levels between 5±7 dBA. [citation needed] [citation needed] Clipping. but there is no standard and therefore no way to compare data from different models unless the measurement technique is described. which more accurately represents the way we hear noise. (or just "output level") because true sensitivity is generally set by the noise floor. Recently some microphones with low noise specifications have been introduced in the studio/entertainment market. and hence not very audible even at 3±5%. such the Brüel & Kjaer 4179. Some microphone manufacturers state the noise level using ITU-R 468 noise weighting. This amount of distortion is generally inaudible. a higher value indicates greater sensitivity. This is a practical concern but is not directly an indication of the mic's quality. Measurement microphones . and is particularly important should you wish to record sounds that are quiet. and too much "sensitivity" in terms of output level compromises the clipping level. The older American method is referred to a 1 V/Pa standard and measured in plain decibels. quite inaudible especially on brief high peaks.5% THD)". If stated on its own. Example: "142 dB SPL peak (at 0. for example "120 dB". Sensitivity indicates how well the microphone converts acoustic pressure to output voltage. as the 1% THD figure usually quoted under max SPL is really a very mild level of distortion. sound on peaks. max SPL. The maximum SPL the microphone can accept is measured for particular values of total harmonic distortion (THD). and in fact the term sensitivity is something of a misnomer. A quiet microphone typically measures 20 dBA SPL or 32 dB SPL 468-weighted. the better. although microphones with a very high maximum SPL also have a higher self-noise. Typically this is achieved by altering the frequency response of the capsule and electronics to result in lower noise within the A-weighting curve while broadband noise may be increased. 'transduction gain' being perhaps more meaningful. but gives a figure some 11±14 dB higher. which is the equivalent loudness of the noise on a decibel scale frequency-weighted for how the ear hears. Close talking microphones may be measured with different sound sources and distances. resulting in a negative value. with a noise level around 0 dB SPL. Harmonic distortion from microphones is usually of loworder (mostly third harmonic) type. This represents the lowest point of the microphone's dynamic range. typically 0. it conveys significantly less information than having the self-noise and maximum SPL figures individually. for example: "15 dBA SPL" (SPL means sound pressure level relative to 20 micropascals). Again. A high sensitivity microphone creates more voltage and so needs less amplification at the mixer or recording device. [citation needed] The clipping level is perhaps a better indicator of maximum usable level. and should be avoided if at all possible. The measure is often stated in dB(A). There are two common measures.(very far away from the source) but this is seldom practical. on the other hand produces a harsh For some microphones the clipping level may be much higher than the The dynamic range of a microphone is the difference in SPL between the noise floor and the maximum SPL. The higher the value. The (preferred) international standard is made in millivolts per pascal at 1 kHz.5%. The lower the number the better. so í60 dB is more sensitive than í70 dB. The self-noise or equivalent noise level is the sound level that creates the same output voltage as the microphone does in the absence of sound. A higher value indicates greater sensitivity. Very quiet microphones have existed for years for special applications. so one can safely use the microphone at this SPL without harming the recording. measurement microphones must be tested periodically (every year or several months. linked to a computer that records and interprets the results into a coherent form.g. typically) and after any potentially damaging event. they exhibit an omnidirectional response.Some microphones are intended for testing speakers. There are many applications: Systems for extracting voice input from ambient noise (notably telephones. it is necessary to regularlycalibrate measurement microphones. These are calibrated transducers and are usually supplied with a calibration certificate that states absolute sensitivity against frequency. an array is made up of omnidirectional microphones distributed about the perimeter of a space. All microphone calibration is ultimately traceable to primary standards at a national measurement institute such as NPL in the UK. This service is offered by some microphone manufacturers and by independent certified testing labs. Microphone calibration Main article: Measurement microphone calibration To take a scientific measurement with a microphone. which are typically made using arrays of at least two microphones. Depending on the application. or with hot-wire anemometers. Microphone windscreens . Measurement microphones calibrated using this method can then be used to calibrate other microphones using comparison calibration techniques. e. speech recognition systems. performance was recently adopted. The quality of measurement microphones is often referred to using the designations "Class 1." "Type 2" etc. Sound intensity or sound power measurements require pressure-gradient measurements. such as being dropped (most such mikes come in foam-padded cases to reduce this risk) or exposed to sounds beyond the acceptable level. Aircraft location and tracking. which are references not to microphone specifications but to sound level meters. military use to locate the source(s) of artillery fire. Since this may change over the lifetime of the device. hearing aids) Surround sound and related technologies Locating objects by sound: acoustic source localization. Microphone array and array microphones Main article: Microphone array A microphone array is any number of microphones operating in tandem. measuring noise levels and otherwise quantifying an acoustic experience. limited only by the scattering profile of their physical dimensions. its precise sensitivity must be known (in volts per pascal). PTB in Germany and NIST in the USA. which most commonly calibrate using the reciprocity primary standard. [22] A more comprehensive standard [23] for the description of measurement microphone Measurement microphones are generally scalar sensors of pressure. High fidelity original recordings 3D spatial beamforming for localized acoustic detection of subcutaneous sounds Typically.. electronic news gathering. Singers can be trained either to soften their plosives or direct the air blast away from the microphone. Optional windscreens are often available from the manufacturer and third parties. Pop filters also keep spittle off the microphone. one of which is fitted over each of the twoShure SM57 microphones used on the United States president's lectern. depending on the density of the protective layer. Windscreens also tend to collect dirt and moisture in their open cells and must be cleaned to prevent high frequency loss. Blimps Two recordings being made²A blimp is being used on the left. pantyhose) stretched over a circular frame and a clamp and a flexible mounting bracket to attach to the microphone stand. Most microphones have an integral windscreen built around the microphone diaphragm. The pop shield is placed between the vocalist and the microphone. The difference in name is due to the size of the fur. Some microphones. Beyond integral microphone windscreens. "B". to shield it. a major advantage of concert vocalist windscreens is that one can quickly change to a clean windscreen between users. Most condenser microphones can be damaged by spittle. The dead kitten covers a stereo mic for a DSLR camera. The closer a vocalist brings his or her lips to the microphone. active stage. wire mesh or a metal cage is held at a distance from the microphone diaphragm. such as the Shure SM58. They can cut wind noise by as much as 25 dB. Pop filters Pop filters or pop screens are used in controlled studio environments to minimize plosives when recording. Microphone covers Various microphone covers Microphone covers are often made of soft open-cell polyester or polyurethane foam because of the inexpensive.g. such as woven nylon (e. A typical pop filter is composed of one or more layers of acoustically transparent gauze-like material. An open-cell foam windscreen is being used on the right a 'dead cat' and a 'dead kitten' windscreens. A screen of plastic. in which cases they don't need a pop filter. disposable nature of the foam. One disadvantage of all windscreen types is that the microphone's high frequency response is attenuated by a small amount. Windscreens of various colors can be used to distinguish one microphone from another on a busy. the greater the requirement for a Pop filter. Blimps (also known as Zeppelins) are large. A visible example of an optional accessory windscreen is the A2WS from Shure. there are three broad classes of additional wind protection. reducing the chance of transferring germs. This cage provides a first line of defense against the mechanical impact of objects or wind. and for film and video shoots. bad odor and unhealthy conditions for the person using the microphone. may have an additional layer of foam inside the cage to further enhance the protective properties of the shield. such as nature recording.Windscreens [note 1] are used to protect microphones that would otherwise be buffeted by wind or vocal plosives from consonants such as "P". [24] One disadvantage of polyurethane foam microphone covers is that they can deteriorate over time. etc. hollow windscreens used to surround microphones for outdoor location audio. On the other hand. especially low-frequency . A synthetic fur cover can reduce wind noise by an additional 10 dB. synthetic fur material with long. This is usually an acoustically transparent. The microphone is often further isolated from the blimp by an elastic suspension inside the basket. The hairs deaden the noise caused by the shock of wind hitting the blimp. This reduces wind vibrations and handling noise transmitted from the cage. The blimp works by creating a volume of still air around the microphone. [25] . Common and slang names for this include "dead cat" or "windmuff". The blimp is essentially a hollow cage or basket with acoustically transparent material stretched over the outer frame. soft hairs. many have the option of a secondary cover over the outer shell.noise. To extend the range of wind speed conditions in which the blimp remains effective.