Mic Suggestion: Pairing with a SM57

J

jlong5788

New member
Hello, looking for a second microphone recommendation for pairing with an SM57. Will only be used for recording electric guitar in a small bedroom setup. Im familiar with the classic pairing of the SM57 with the Royer R-121 but am concerned that a R-121 might not be the best mic for small bedroom. Are there any microphones that work better for recording electric guitar in a small proximity room that doesn’t have great acoustics/noise dampening? Any advice is greatly appreciated!
 
I've had success pairing the 421 with the 57 and blending the two to taste. You can definitely get some interesting textures going on through placement and EQing. New ones are pricy but I easily found a used one several years ago for about 2/3 of what a new one costs.

www.sweetwater.com

Sennheiser MD 421-II Cardioid Dynamic Microphone

Dynamic Cardioid Microphone with High SPL Capacity and 5-position Bass Roll-Off Switch
www.sweetwater.com www.sweetwater.com
 
Regarding mic'ing an amp in a small room with poor acoustics - a great way to deal with this is to get a couple of short mic stands to point the mics where you want them - and then draping a double or triple folded large blanket, quilt, or comforter over the front of the amp and mics. It only deadens the volume a little - but it will kill any ambient acoustic issues.

Looks something like this:


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I love an sm57 with a Beyerdynamic M160 hypercardioid ribbon on a guitar cab in my small room. They are very complimentary. The M160 rejects a lot of room sound unlike many other ribbons. It’s also less expensive than the R 121. The 57 is the bite and sizzle, and the m160 is the meat. Look into it, so good! This combo is used in lots of pro studios. I tried a Sennheiser e609 with the sm57 and was very disappointed. A 57 alone just doesn’t bring the weight. Sm57 + M160 for the win for me!

Note: pair the M160 with a Royer dBooster because a ribbon has so much less output than a 57. Plus, it protects the mic from phantom power.
 
jlong5788 said:
Hello, looking for a second microphone recommendation for pairing with an SM57. Will only be used for recording electric guitar in a small bedroom setup. Im familiar with the classic pairing of the SM57 with the Royer R-121 but am concerned that a R-121 might not be the best mic for small bedroom. Are there any microphones that work better for recording electric guitar in a small proximity room that doesn’t have great acoustics/noise dampening? Any advice is greatly appreciated!
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The Royer would be excellent - even in your bedroom - but you also might try the Cascade Fathead II - or a NoHype Audio LRM-2 Ribbon Microphone - very cool alternatives to the Royer.
 
2 good choices both by Sennheiser would be 1) Sennheiser MD421-II, which in addition to being excellent for electric guitar is also top notch for snare and toms and 2) Sennheiser e906 which is significantly less money and not entirely different sounding from the MD421. Both are dynamic mics and would be suitable for a small room.

These were actually our top 2 picks for miking electric guitars. If you want to check out the full list:

bestmicrophones.net

The Best Microphones for Recording Electric Guitar - Best Microphones Guide

The Best Microphones for Recording Electric Guitar When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission Whether you are looking to buy your first microphone for recording electric guitar, or whether you are looking to pick up an additional microphone to provide you...
bestmicrophones.net
 
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