▼Recording: Microphones
Professional studios will have a large number of microphones. This is because each model of microphone is different and there isn't one microphone that's perfect for everything.
Learning the Basics of Microphones
Minus the Rode microphone propaganda, http://www.rodeuniversity.com/ is a great beginners guide (Adobe Flash Plugin required).
Pick Up Patterns
Microphones have different pick up patterns controlling the direction of the microphone (it's a field around the microphone element that picks up sound, the various types are explained on Wikipedia here). Also, microphones are ported, there are holes in the back that cancel out sound coming from the rear.
Types of Microphone
Condenser and dynamic mics have different frequency response characteristics. The higher frequencies are rolled off on a dynamic microphone which results in a warmer sound. Condensors are more suited to recording higher pitched sounds.
Piezo microphones pick up vibrations on the surface of what it's mounted on. They use the piezo effect, a quartz crystal will generate a small electric charge when it's vibrated; alternately when you place a charge on it, it will vibrate. It's what oscillators base their timing on and it's still used in electronics when a certain frequency is needed and also in record player needles.