Also called a "unidirectional" mic, the term cardioid comes from "kardia," which means heart in Greek. The cardioid mic pattern loosely resembles the shape of a heart. "Bidirectional" mics pick up ...

Lots of live acts will use the trusty old Shure SM58, a microphone that’s been around for more than half a century ... the more the initial cardioid pattern will turn into an omnidirectional ...