Dynamic microphones: You’ll notice that most vocalists use a dynamic microphone, mostly because of how there polar pattern is set (also known as a cardioid polar pattern because the pattern looks like a heart). These types of mic’s pick up their sound mostly from the front and don’t need power for them to work un-like condenser microphones. But most of the time they are used for live performances and also for recording Amplifiers, brass instruments, keyboards, and drums.
Condenser microphones: Condenser microphones are the most versatile microphones for the music industry because there diaphragm is low mass making it super sensitive and super clear . They are used for recording pretty much any instrument. Condenser microphones have a cardioid polar pattern meaning the sound is mostly picked up from the front and little on the sides. But they require 48 DC phantom power for them to work at all, as the phantom power charges the backplate of the microphone.
Ribbon microphones: Ribbon microphones are called ribbon microphones because inside them they have a little metal ribbon inside them that vibrates between the poles of a magnet, then when the ribbon vibrates it produces a voltage which is picked up from the magnet and then is sent out as a signal. There n0t used that much anymore because how technology has evolved and there sound isn’t great. But between the 1920’s and the 60’s they were used for recording and radio stations.