When recording vocals, you could use all three mic types – it entirely depends on the vocalist and the song!
Different types of microphones are popular for recording different genres and vocal tones.
For example, a warm singer might want to use a dynamic mic to accent his natural timbre. But he might also want to use a small diaphragm condenser to counteract it if its too much!
A bright singer might want to use a condenser mic to accentuate her nature timbre, but could also use a ribbon mic if her tone needs to be tamed!
There’s lots of options. That’s why it pays to have two or three microphone types that you can test on each singer. You won’t know what will sound best until you try.
If you need a rule of thumb, though, here it is:
Dynamic mics are better for more aggressive singers or genres like rock and metal.
Condenser mics are better for more controlled genres, like alternative and pop.
Ribbon mics are better for very “vibey” genres, like folk, jazz, or blues.
Don’t forget, though: the techniques you use to record affect the sound just as much as the mic.
