Shure SM57 Microphone....PLEASE HELP!!!!

danbs10

New member
Hi, I am recording acoustic guitar using 2 x Shure SM57 mics, I have these connected via an XLR splitter going into the same port of my mixer. I am finding that the bass is very "boomy" and this happens no matter where i move the mics. If I move the mic's further away from the guitar then I find that the higher notes are dis-proportional to the bass notes and the bass notes are still very boomy.
I have heard many good things about these microphones but so far I am not so impressed, although it is probably something that I am doing wrong.
I have attached a short MP3 file of me playing the guitar so you can hear what I am talking about.

Please help

Many thanks
 

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are they pointing anywhere near the hole?
I see you mentioned it happens no matter where you move the mics, but then commented about even if you move them "further" away..so I`m wondering if your just backing them away from the guitar but still having them pointing towards the hole?

I`m not familiar with the two mics into one cable plan??..not sure if that`d cause an issue or not..

have you tried recording with just one mic, pointing more towards the 12th fret?

I`m new around these parts, but curious as to where exactly your placing the mics..can ya give a bit more info on exact locations tried??
distance, and placement in relation to the hole, neck & body etc??
 
Does your mixer have an EQ section? Could the bass be turned up by accident?

I'm also a little unclean on the "2 mics, one port" idea...why not just use a separate channel for each mic?
 
and if you're running two mics into one input you could have phase issues affecting the freq response. You can still have that with different channels though, but it's easier to correct.

personally, I'm one of the few that doesn't like SM57/58's and especiailly they wouldn't be my choice for acoustic. I do like them quite a bit for miking guitar cabs.
 
A phase problem was my first thought as well. I would try to use 1 mic - pointed at the 12th fret and adjust from there.

I agree a 57 would not be my first choice for acoustic guitar (they are good for guitar cabs, snare drums and as a live vocal mic for rock & roll screamers.
 
time and time again 2 57's well placed always beat my sm 94 small diaphram condensers also well placed.

dont underestimate the 57
 
I doubt too much 'boom means out of phase. (In fact flipping one could help at least in that respect :D

I'd say too.. why use two mics if your combining?
Anyway, at least initially get one to work; '12th fret, or up over the neck about ear level pointing down- play with the position forward/ back up/down- in there will be some nice 'low eq balance.

Once you get that licked add a second ..but why not stereo -really. So many more oprions.
Equal distance = min phase effects to sort out by the way.
 
Using a Y connector to combine two mics into a single input is a bad idea. Without dwelling too much on Ohm's law, the two mics "load" each other and mess up the impedance causing a skewed frequency response.

If you're handy with soldering, you can fairly easily create a combiner circuit to let you link your two mics without these problems:

Mic combiner.jpg

However, you still have no control over the balance between the two mics. Considering how inexpensive a small mixer or an interface with two mic inputs would be, that's a far better way to go. Or, frankly, since at least 50% of people prefer to record acoustics with a single mic, just use one around the 12th fret.

...but I also agree that an SM57 is far from an ideal mic for acoustic guitar!
 
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