Audio tech writer questions

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powerst@ix.netcom.com pretended :
> I some questions for technical writers who work in audio.
>
> As a tech writer myself (in software), I've often wondered about the
> forms I see for 'microphone.' Do you 'mic' or 'mike' talent and if used
> as a gerund are you 'micing' or 'miking' talent? Is the item in
> question a 'mic' or a 'mike'?
>
> Is there an audio style guide available?
>
> I have too much time on my hands.
>
> Regards,
> Tom

You would do best to say "miking", as micing sounds too much like pest
control.
And incidentally (because you are a a technical writer) if you are
miking talent, that isn't a gerund, simply a participle of the verb "to
mike". If, on the other hand, you were carrying out a miking, that
would be a gerund.

d

--
This is an automatic signature of MesNews.
Site : http://www.mesnews.net

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<powerst@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:1117967671.556834.314550@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>I some questions for technical writers who work in audio.
>
> As a tech writer myself (in software), I've often wondered about the
> forms I see for 'microphone.' Do you 'mic' or 'mike' talent and if used
> as a gerund are you 'micing' or 'miking' talent? Is the item in
> question a 'mic' or a 'mike'?
>
> Is there an audio style guide available?
>
> I have too much time on my hands.
>
> Regards,
> Tom
>

If this isn't in the FAQ yet it should be.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

> As for me, I like "mike" over "mike."

hmmm. <g>

Tom, have you checked the AP style guide or CMS? I'm reasonably confident
they would recommend skipping the jargon altogether, and 'place a microphone
near the kick drum' rather than 'mike the kick.'

But, I think this usage depends on the target audience. If you're writing
for a specific audio market, you could check related industry magazines.
They might not share their style guide with you, (who knows?) but you can
figure it out with a few issues...or determine if they even have one.

-John O

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"JohnO" <johno@@&%heathkit##.com> wrote in message
news:nYCoe.10$gw5.7@newssvr31.news.prodigy.com...
>> As for me, I like "mike" over "mike."
>
> hmmm. <g>
>
> Tom, have you checked the AP style guide or CMS? I'm reasonably confident
> they would recommend skipping the jargon altogether, and 'place a
> microphone near the kick drum' rather than 'mike the kick.'
>
> But, I think this usage depends on the target audience. If you're writing
> for a specific audio market, you could check related industry magazines.
> They might not share their style guide with you, (who knows?) but you can
> figure it out with a few issues...or determine if they even have one.
>
> -John O
>
>


I agree with John, avoid using slang if you can help it.

If you do use slang/jargon, my feeling is that "mike" is incorrect and you
should use :
mic
mic'ing
mic'd
mic's

Check some reliable source on the proper way to abbreviate words.

--
John L Rice
Drummer@ImJohn.com

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

In article <1117967671.556834.314550@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
"powerst@ix.netcom.com" <powerst@ix.netcom.com> wrote:

> I some questions for technical writers who work in audio.
>
> As a tech writer myself (in software), I've often wondered about the
> forms I see for 'microphone.' Do you 'mic' or 'mike' talent and if used
> as a gerund are you 'micing' or 'miking' talent? Is the item in
> question a 'mic' or a 'mike'?
>
> Is there an audio style guide available?
>
> I have too much time on my hands.
>
> Regards,
> Tom



I've written 3 books and hundreds of articles for 12 different
audio/video publications. I've always used used "mic" for the device
(short for microphone) and "mike" or "miking" for the process of placing
the microphone. Never had any problems or comments or suggestions to do
otherwise from editors, publishers or readers.

--
Bobby Owsinski
Surround Associates
http://www.surroundassociates.com

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

On Sun, 5 Jun 2005 06:57:53 -0700, "John L Rice" <Drummer@ImJohn.com>
wrote:

>If you do use slang/jargon, my feeling is that "mike" is incorrect and you
>should use :
>mic
>mic'ing
>mic'd
>mic's

This is teh way I do it too. Mike has nothing to do with the word
microphone. It bugs me to see miking or mike or mikes used.

Julian

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Kurt Albershardt <kurt@nv.net> wrote in news:3ggqmaFc4i7iU1@individual.net:

> Scott Dorsey wrote:
>>
>> As for me, I like "mike" over "mike."
>
> Right.
>
>> But then, I like "analogue" and "flavour" as well.
>
> My personal fave is still "theatre" and there's still "colour."

Much controversy amoung us.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Very interesting discussion. I see in these postings some of the same
passion I see at work.

Whether it's 'mic' or 'mike,' the client usually determines the usage.
The shop's style guide should set the standard; yet, it won't end the
discussions. For instance, our guide emphasizes 'link' over 'hyperlink'
and I often explain that nuance to our writers. However, if the client
wants 'hyperlink' then that's what they'll get.

Regards,
Tom

Mike Rivers wrote:
> In article <1117967671.556834.314550@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> powerst@ix.netcom.com writes:
>
> > As a tech writer myself (in software), I've often wondered about the
> > forms I see for 'microphone.' Do you 'mic' or 'mike' talent and if used
> > as a gerund are you 'micing' or 'miking' talent? Is the item in
> > question a 'mic' or a 'mike'?
>
> I used to "mic" the talent or the instrument, but I never liked
> "micing" and couldn't justify changing the spelling of the root word
> just because it looked better. So now I just say "point the mic at."
>
> > Is there an audio style guide available?
>
> No. There are some IEEE standards for writing the abbreviation of
> units, but that's about as far as it goes.
>
> --
> I'm really Mike Rivers (mrivers@d-and-d.com)
> However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
> lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
> you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
> and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

On Sun, 5 Jun 2005 06:57:53 -0700, "John L Rice" <Drummer@ImJohn.com>
wrote:

>
>"JohnO" <johno@@&%heathkit##.com> wrote in message
>news:nYCoe.10$gw5.7@newssvr31.news.prodigy.com...
>>> As for me, I like "mike" over "mike."
>>
>> hmmm. <g>
>>
>> Tom, have you checked the AP style guide or CMS? I'm reasonably confident
>> they would recommend skipping the jargon altogether, and 'place a
>> microphone near the kick drum' rather than 'mike the kick.'
>>
>> But, I think this usage depends on the target audience. If you're writing
>> for a specific audio market, you could check related industry magazines.
>> They might not share their style guide with you, (who knows?) but you can
>> figure it out with a few issues...or determine if they even have one.
>>
>> -John O
>>
>>
>
>
>I agree with John, avoid using slang if you can help it.
>
>If you do use slang/jargon, my feeling is that "mike" is incorrect and you
>should use :
>mic
>mic'ing
>mic'd
>mic's
>
>Check some reliable source on the proper way to abbreviate words.

Well, you can do it this way if you want to end up with a vocabulary
that is ungrammatical, inarticulate, unreadable and unpronounceable.

Just do the right thing and either stick with the unabbreviated
microphone for the noun, and the phonetic mike for the verb.

d

Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

On Mon, 06 Jun 2005 12:57:30 GMT, "JohnO" <johno@@&%heathkit##.com>
wrote:

>>>
>>>Check some reliable source on the proper way to abbreviate words.
>
>Consider the audience first.....audio pros are going to ge bored with
>'proper' use rather than industry-standard vernacular. They expect industry
>types to speak like pros, rather than writers pretending to be pros. (cough,
>cough)
>
>http://www.crownaudio.com/mic_web/micmemo.htm
>
>Search mixonline.com for mic, miking, etc.
>
>-John O
>
>
>

They have indeed got it right - it is all just so easy and fluent to
read when it is written that way.

d

Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

On Sun, 5 Jun 2005 15:34:51 -0400, Julian wrote
(in article <kqk6a191dc9cjos016e52n1386oj0m55f5@4ax.com> ):

mic, micing, miced

mic, mic, moc
moius, moius, moius
muic, muic , muic

::as in 'this mic':::

Regards,

Ty Ford


-- Ty Ford's equipment reviews, audio samples, rates and other audiocentric
stuff are at www.tyford.com

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

> Are you taking the Mick?

No, he's riding with Keith.