Microphone-Help needed

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afcross

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I am just starting to experiment with my recording on my home computer. I bought a mike from Radio Shack to see how things worked, and the vocals sound really harsh. Im not sure how to explain it. On normal CDs the voices sound slightly muted and soft. Can this be achieved, and how? I was thinking of ordering a Shure SM58, but will this correct the problem? Is there something I need to do in my Cakewalk program to fix it? Please help-I am totally clueless.
 
"Which mic should I buy, why can't I buy it at Radio Shack, and which way do I point it?"

The 'Radio Shack' section of that quote (from the description of this forum) is important. Their microphones (well, most everything they sell) is widely reputed to be crapola.

Recording good-sounding vocals is complicated. Here's the deal--you need a professional mic (more on that later). You won't be able to plug it directly into your computer's sound card, because you need a mic preamp, which amplifies the microphone's output to line level. There may be a little mic preamp on your soundcard, but it'll sound terrible. So what you really need is a better mic plus a nice pre-amp. If vocals are the only thing you're worrying about at the moment, invest in a nice preamp. I hear that a not-so-nice mic through a good preamp will sound much better than a nice mic through a bad preamp. Unfortunately, I don't know much about what's available for outboard pres, so somebody else will have to help you with that. As far as microphones go, it depends on your budget. A Shure SM-58 would be pretty decent, but they're mainly for live use. Vocals on CDs are almost always recorded with condensor mics (the 58 is a dynamic). I don't understand the difference in the way they work well enough to articulate it, but the bottom line is condensors are much more sensitive and pick up more high end signal. They also require a power source, whereas dynamic mics do not. This is called phantom power, and you'll find it on any mic pre or mixer worth its salt. It used to be that a good condensor was hard to come by on the cheap, but these days some good low-cost units are available, among them the Marshall V67 and the Studio Projects C1 (www.mxlmics.com, www.studioprojectsusa.com). I've never used either unit, so I can't exactly recommend them, but they have good reputations around here.

On the other hand, if you think you'll want to record from several mics at once (like recording a drumkit for instance), it becomes to expensive for the likes of us to buy a bunch of seperate nice pres, so you need a smallish mixer. That's a whole nother can of worms. But anyway, I hope this info gets you started.
 
Howdy, afcross.

While what Whoopy said is absolutely correct, I am guessing that you are very new to recording and need (in my mind) slightly different advice.

The SM58, or its less expesive brother the SM57, are excellent mics to start with. They do not need external power and will give you what you need to start learning the other aspects of recording.

Both of those mics are capable of giving you professional results, but professionals have a lot more experience and equiptment that help make it happen.

You will eventually want a condensor mic and a preamp, but there are other things to learn on the way- and a 57 or a 58 is an inexpensive investment that you will use forever. So my recommendation is one thing at a time, in this order:

1) A Shure SM57 (preferably) or a 58

Learn to get the best sound you can with this mic, then

2) Buy an external preamp.

Everything you just learned will allow you to double your sound quality with the right preamp. Then, finally,

3) Buy the right condensor mic for your needs.

By this time you will know what you need and how to spend your money to get it.

That's my opinion, at any rate.

Good luck! And happy recording!
Chris
 
Listen to Chris. Also, I think a 57 is a lot more useable than a 58.
 
For a inexpensive but very transparent mic preamp/direct box check out the M-Audio Audio Buddy,its a two channel solid state unit that sells for around $80.Make sure you plug it into the line input on your soundcard not the mic input.IMO its a lot better than the cheap "tube"pres that are out there,it doesn't add anything to the signal that is not being picked up by your mic.

Another option would be a mackie VLZ Pro series mixer,quite a bit more money but added flexability and I have heard that the VLZ Pro series have decent preamps.

For a mic the SM57 would be a good start,just get a windscreen for use on vocals.
 
I am sure I am going to take a lot of heat because of this suggetion, but I think an external pre-amp is more important. Some of the "higher-end" (if I dare use that term for Radio-Shack) RS mics are pretty decent. I have an older version of the Highbal that was produced by Shure (Shure capsule and everything), and it is pretty decent as a first mic. You can get a lot of milage from it, if you learn how to use it correctly. This model is, of course, like any other decent mic that RS produced, is no longer available. Their current Highball (PRO somethingoother) is a piece of junk that can maybe be used to break a glass in a case of emergency...

I also agree with Chris. The 57' is a better deal then the 58'.

Oren
 
thanks a bunch!

I thank you all for your input! I think I am going to get the Studio Project C1, but I am a little confused about the pre-amp. Any suggestions? I have very little to work with, but I want a professional sound.
I think that the condensor will work better for my needs. It will not be leaving my "studio" at my home, and it sounds as if the quality is what I am looking for.
Thanks again!
Amber
 
have you gotten the c1 yet?....Mars has the Marshall MXLv67M for $129 ($100 cheaper than the c1)....it sounds as good or better.......

as far as preamps, some that i like/love are :

like
-----
Midiman AudioBuddy $79

love
------
Delta DMP3-$185
Joe Meek MQ3 - $199
Joe Meek VCqQ-$299
 
Amber,

You will enjoy the C1 on vocals, so the question you need answered is about mic pre's. There are a few at about the $200.00 range, and many of them are very good. Some of them will be strictly a mic pre-amp, while others will offer the mic pre, but also give you compression and EQ. Those are known as tracking channels.

Many channels have different types of sound, so you should know that a PreSonus will offer a very transparent type or clean type of sound, where a unit like Joemeek offers a flavor or colors the sound.

Don't turn away from the units that color the sound, because it is that color that can make a unit quite good. The tracking channels offer more features, and having a compressor and EQ on the mic pre is a nice bonus, so for the more professional type sound, look into PreSonus, and Joemeek. Otherwise you can look at DBX, Behringer, and some others, but in my experiences for vocals which is what you are after, I would not suggest those for a vocal device. The Joemeek will do well for vocals, and the PreSonus Blue Tube should also do a good job, but the Joemeek MQ3 will give you a compressor and EQ.

So do your homework on the units and decide what you ultimately want to do. You will do well with either of the units.

Alan Hyatt
PMI Audio Group
 
He shoots, he scores ! ! !

Nice reply, Alan. Seriously, no bashing. I came away from that post with only a barely-noticeable hint of bias. Mostly, it was just a helpful post. You mentioned your products, but you also said some very nice things about a competing product with very little sway towards your own.

The American judge gives it an 8.5 !
 
What do you all think of the Behringer Ultra Voice Pro VX 2000? I saw it on Musicians Friend, and it 'says' it adds warmth to the vocals?
Any input?
Thanks again for your help!
Amber
 
From what I have read, a great pre-amp is gonna cost you a bit, however there are a number of inexpensive pres that you can start with until you are able to pop for a big bucks unit. The Joe Meek models that Gidge mentioned are popular and versatile, though I don't own either. When I got my first condenser mic, I used it with a Mackie 1202 mixer as the pre. Then I tried the ART tube MP, I built another one that was a tube kit, and I actually did buy the Ultra-Voice pro. You know what? They are all merely OK. Yet, if I had saved the money, I'd be well on my way to one really good preamp.

The Ultra-Voice Pro has a lot of features, most of which will drastically alter the sound of your mic--EQ, compressor, de-esser, enhancer and tube emulation. It has +48v phantom power too. If you get it, turn all that stuff off to start and learn what you mic sounds like without it. From there, very small tweaks will make very perceptible changes in your sound. Don't go overboard. My favorite thing on the unit is the expander, which cuts the room noise out when the mic is getting no signal. For $129, its a cheap way to learn about compression, gating, tube drive, eq, de-essing and setting gain levels and such. A Focusrite, its not--but it would more than hold you over until you want to get something more expensive.

I bet a V67 and a Joe Meek VC3 would be great for your purposes and would get you in under budget!
 
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I also agree with Chris. The 57' is a better deal then the 58'.
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What makes you guys think that???
Click to expand...

I just don't think that paying 20 bucks more for, basically, a 5$ pop-filter is economicaly logical :)

I also think that the ball on 58' makes it sound less accurate.


Oren
 
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