My last post was all about the DAW, broken up into two posts, I fully explained Pro Tools and what the different versions of this DAW feature. The next posting featured Reason and Logic, two powerful DAWs that are designed for the musician. Since we have our interface and DAW, it's time for us to get some microphones so we can start recording. In this post I will discuss two industry standard mics that everyone should have in their at home studio. Since there are so many mics, I'm going to break this section on mics into several posts.
On that note, probably the most industry standard mic anyone needs to have in their collection is the Shure SM58. Shure is an American company that has produced professional quality products for more than 30 years. The SM58 is mic designed for vocals, but can also be used to mic anything you desire. I have one of these mics in my collection and I have used it for vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and electric bass. While in some of these conditions the coloring of the mic may not be ideal, the quality of the sound coming from the mic will be more than enough if we are limited on our gear due to it being the at home studio.
Since this microphone is designed for vocals, the midrange frequencies are brightened and there is a bass roll off. This means lower frequencies don't get picked up after a certain frequency, and with the brightened midrange, these are going to areas of common speach, so they are exaggerated to clarify and sound beautiful. Here is the frequency response chart for the Shure SM58
Another feature included with the SM58 is the cardiod pick up pattern. This pattern isolated the main sound source and limits the amount of sound picked up behind the mic. This makes the mic more directional, which is ideal in vocal recording situations. Here is what the cardiod pickup pattern looks
The Shure SM58 is an industry standards for plenty of reasons. The quality and durability of this mic makes it ideal for any professional studio or live sound production. This mic is available through Sweetwater for $99.00.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SM58/
The second microphone in our must have collection is also a product by Shure. The Shure SM57 is the industry standard instrument mic. It is ideal for recording acoustic instruments or amplified string instruments. In the studio it is suitable for drums, woodwinds, guitar.
The Shure SM57 is available through Sweetwater for $99.00
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SM57/
Just like the SM58, the SM57 is extremely durable. This is why these mics are so popular because not only do they reproduce at professional quality, but the mics are so durable that they will last you a lifetime. I have used the SM57 on many projects, using it to record hi hats as well as snare drum. I think this mic does a really good job on the snare. The SM58 and SM57 are industry standards and have been used on so much music that the sound of it is probably familiar with some people. These are definitely two mics you will want to have in your studio. It might not even be a bad idea to pick up two each of the mics because that it how often you will use them.
Shure is a great company that offers even more great products than the ones I have mentioned. The purpose of explaining only these two are because they are industry standards and the are also the most affordable professional quality mics on the market. Feel free to check out more Shure microphones on their website http://www.Shure.com. Stay tuned for my next post where I discuss a few more affordable mic options, as well as mics that you may want in your at home studio.
TTYL, BCEB *It's not about how fast you can pump something out, it's how efficient you can use your knowledge to create the best available product while delivering a professional experience.*
This is some good stuff. Keep it coming. I've been enjoying the info
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