A microphone with a directional response pattern described by cosϕ, where ϕ is the angle of incidence of the sound (see diagram). Sound picked up from the rear of the microphone is in antiphase with that picked up from the front and is thus marked as ‘–’ in the diagram. A ribbon microphone generally exhibits a figure-eight response. Practically, such a response is difficult to achieve for frequencies above which the wavelength becomes comparable with the physical dimensions of the microphone itself.