most versatile mic?

[drumboi]

i'm only 14, and i'm starting to get into home recording. for my birthday i might be getting a behringer 1204-pro and an audiophile 24/96 plus an rca cable to connect the 2 from my parents, and i'll be getting maybe about $100 or $200 in cash from family. if i had the option to only choose one microphone to record drums, vocals, guitar, and bass (not at the same time), what would you recommend?

 

[ssscientist]

Shure SM57. I've had mine since I was about your age and it's still serving me well.

http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--SHUSM57LC

It's never to early to start buying quality microphones.

 

[Big Kenny]

Not enough $ to fill all those needs. AT 3035 will suit you well but you will need some sdc's for drum overheads, a bass drum mic, possibly snare and/or tom depending on how you record. SP C1 would help too, as well as a CAD anything

 

[DJL]

i'm only 14, and i'm starting to get into home recording. for my birthday i might be getting a behringer 1204-pro and an audiophile 24/96 plus an rca cable to connect the 2 from my parents, and i'll be getting maybe about $100 or $200 in cash from family. if i had the option to only choose one microphone to record drums, vocals, guitar, and bass (not at the same time), what would you recommend?

One of the most versatile mics is the Sennheiser MD421... and you can find good used ones for about $200 on ebay and etc.

I recommend the Sennheiser MD421.

 

[Ronan]

Welcome to the world of recording. Buy one or two Shure SM57 mics!!! They are amazing mics to start with and 10 years from now if you are big shot record producer doing multi million dollar budget albums, you will still be pulling out your Shure SM 57s to record with. This is the one mic that has probably been used on more records than any other mic in history.

Eventually you will want got expand your mic collection and get some fancier condensor mics (The SM57 is in a class of mics called dynamic mics), but start with one or two SM 57s. They will sound good or great on almost anything you record, they are almost indestructable, and you will learn a lot using them.

 

[still4given]

Yup, stick with a stick mic. Learn about mic placement. EQing, etc. It will do an amiable on each of the sources you mentioned. Probabply not the best at any of them. The MD 421 is no doubt a better mic, but it is 4 times as much money. I personall would not buy an MD421 for a 14 year old. You may not even care about recording in six months.

Blessings, Terry

 

[EddieRay]

You can't go wrong with a Shure SM57. Cheap (around $50 +/- used, under $100 new), versatile, durable, and very familiar to pros and amateurs. Excellent value for the money. The MD421 is a better mic but you do have to pay more for it.

 

[Han]

Oh boy, the 57 again? I'm with DJL this time, the MD421 will be the winner on almost every application.

The MD421 is one of the most versatile dynamic mics and you'll be happy with it.

It's a great mic on guitar amps, it's pattern is kind of wide cardioid, the 57 is less wide, the off axis response of a 421 is really nice, where the off axis of the 57 is nasty.

Yesterday I've tried the 57 on a 2nd snare (the drummer uses two snares), but after one song I replaced it by a Beyer M69, which was a 100% improvement.

Go for the MD421!

 

[drumboi]

would the sm57 work well for vocals as well?

 

[EddieRay]

would the sm57 work well for vocals as well?

It has been done. I know people who use'em on stage for lead vocals. I've read at this website that some use the SM57 for recording vocals too.

 

[EddieRay]

Oh boy, the 57 again? I'm with DJL this time, the MD421 will be the winner on almost every application.

The MD421 is one of the most versatile dynamic mics and you'll be happy with it.

It's a great mic on guitar amps, it's pattern is kind of wide cardioid, the 57 is less wide, the off axis response of a 421 is really nice, where the off axis of the 57 is nasty.

Yesterday I've tried the 57 on a 2nd snare (the drummer uses two snares), but after one song I replaced it by a Beyer M69, which was a 100% improvement.

Go for the MD421!

It's so easy and fun to spend other peoples' money, isn't it?

No doubt about it (IMHO), the MD421 is the better of the two. But for a 14 year old, and a beginning recordist, asking for a mic as a B-Day gift, the SM57 is an absolute winner.

 

[drumboi]

would the sm57 be decent as a kick drum mic?

 

[Han]

would the sm57 be decent as a kick drum mic?

Look, there you go, a 57 isn't a great kick mic. I understand that a 14 year old doesn't know much about recording already and asking questions here is really smart.

A new mic like a 421 costs a lot more than a 57, but you could get a good used 421 for about $150, but there's always a risk with buying used mics, so maybe you'd better get a new mic and the 57 will do most jobs decently, but it's not a great kick mic.

BTW, where are you located?

 

[Lance135]

Yeah, the SM57 is okay for vocals, especially screaming or breathy vocals, and gets better as the quality of the preamp improves. Get a pop filter, or wrap a nylon stocking around a coat hanger to reduce plosives.

I prefer condensers for vocals myself.

 

[drumboi]

to han, i'm located in california.

 

[geet73]

I used a SM57 for vocals on my band's stuff that I just finished recording. I didn't have anything else.. but it sounded fine. It will work. I would definitely suggest a 57.

Sure.. there are better mics. But the 57 will come in use, alot. It can get an alright kick sound. Not too much low end.. but it gets the job done.

 

[chessparov]

Fellow SM57 (and 421!) fan here.

however...

Along with a Sennheiser MD421 (the new one is different/brighter BTW), the Electro-Voice RE15 (or RE16), and Electro-Voice 635a will match a
Behringer or Mackie mixer pre's better than a SM57.

Also add the Studio Projects B1 to the short list for serious consideration.

IMHO getting a condenser AND a dynamic is the way to go for flexibility.

Chris

 

[Dot]

I think the Studio Projects B1 is now the most essential first mic for home studios - even surpassing the SM57. The B1 is simply a more versatile mic, sounding better on more sources than the 57.

Here's my rating on studio applications, based on a scale of 1-10:

SM57
amps - 9
toms - 4
kick -2
snare - 9
OH - 3
acoustic - 3
percussion - 2
vocals - anywhere from 1-10

SP B1
amps - 9
toms - 10
kick - not tested
snare - 9
OH - 9
acoustic - 9
percussion - 8
vocals - anywhere from 5-8

IMO, the 57 and the SP B1 are so unique, so inexpensive, and do what they do so well, that they're the only mics that I would consider "essential" in a home studio. At around $79 each for a B1 and a 57 - you can get both. But I'd still recommend the B1 over the 57 if you're just going to start out with one of them.

 

[Sklathill]

I wonder how come no one ever mentions stereo mics, like the Royer stereo ribbon, the AKG C24, etc. etc...

It can do MONO OR STEREO...of course it's more versatile! >D

(Only partly joking here... )

I personally would spend a little bit more money on the B3 over the B1.

And I'm really getting good use out of my Audix OM2 these days. Like it a lot better than my SM57 on both snare and amps. Can't believe it took me so long to try it out with my E-mu pres...

 

[DJL]

i'm only 14, and i'm starting to get into home recording. for my birthday i might be getting a behringer 1204-pro and an audiophile 24/96 plus an rca cable to connect the 2 from my parents, and i'll be getting maybe about $100 or $200 in cash from family. if i had the option to only choose one microphone to record drums, vocals, guitar, and bass (not at the same time), what would you recommend?

One of the most versatile mics is the Sennheiser MD421... and you can find good used ones for about $200 on ebay and etc.

I recommend the Sennheiser MD421.

would the sm57 work well for vocals as well?

Yeah, it works well for a lot of people.

would the sm57 be decent as a kick drum mic?

It depends on what you call decent... but yeah, it's been used for kick by a lot of people.

I still recommend the Sennheiser MD421... but, if you can only afford the Shure SM57, then by all means get the SM57. You should be able to find a good used MD421 for about $200, and and good used SM57 for about $50... keep an eye on ebay and etc. Good Luck.

EDIT: Spelling Correction.