New SM58 sounds funny

[DaSupaFoo]

Hey i'm an audio noob and i just went out and bought a new SM58 so i could record
vocals using Ableton Live 7. The problem I'm having is that the mic sounds really nasal
and low.. which is pretty much a bad thing cause i'm naturally a low baritone and it's
hard enough for me to sing high as it is haha. I've played around with some effects in
live 7 to try and correct my problem but to no avail. I have the mic hooked up to my
pc using a FASTTRACK recording interface on windows vista. If anyone knows what the
problem is and/or how to fix it i would greatly appreciate the help. thanks

 

[AudioGeekOnline]

Is the signal noticeably degraded, or does it just not sound how you want it to?
If your singing is nasally and low, then your vocal tracks will sound nasally and low, so maybe you need to work on your technique.

 

[DaSupaFoo]

i'm pretty sure it isn't my vocals that are the issue seeing as my friend who is an audio technician agrees that it sounds very far off what it should and another says it doesn't even sound like my voice

 

[AudioGeekOnline]

Did you get it from a reputable dealer?

SM58's are very easy knock off and there's plenty of them going around in NZ right now.

Regardless - obviously a dynamic will sound quite a bit duller than using a condenser, but if it's that bad then it is faulty at the very least. Take it back and get a refund or replacement.

 

[DaSupaFoo]

yeah the store i bought it from is great, i buy everything i use there. i just decided i don't think its the mic either because it sounds fine on my friend's apple computer.. so it must be related to my computer/speakers somehow but i think through tweaking the nasally sound has gotten a little better. i am recovering from a cold still but i sounded a lot worse through the mic than naturally before. still the lowness issue exists. having a low voice would it normally be a good idea to cut out some of the low end using live 7?

edit: i suppose low isn't the best word to describe what i am hearing.. deep seems more appropriate

 

[dgatwood]

If you're using computer speakers for any part of the recording process other than giving a cursory listen to make sure your final mixdown doesn't sound horrible on them, you're making a huge mistake. At a minimum, get yourself a nice pair of headphones and use those for monitoring.

That said, the SM58 is a fairly muddy sounding mic. Try adding a couple of dB shelving cut starting at 400 Hz or so and going down. You might also add a boost centered at 15 kHz and spanning down to 10 and up to 20 to make some of your consonants come through more clearly.

Oh, yes, and back away from the mic.

 

[DaSupaFoo]

hah yeah i wasn't going to actually start recording with the speakers going but i think this advice should help. thanks a bunch

 

[AMcB]

I would say you should probably back away from the mic. The closer you get the more bass freq you will get. A little thing called proximity. And a sm58 most likely not ever really going to sound exactly how you want (not saying it won't ever, but it's more the standard for live Vox) most and I mean most not all people use a large diaphram condenser for recording Vox.

 

[Armistice]

Have you "seasoned" your SM 58 mic?

Like a good cooking pan gets seasoned by a process of baking on oil under a high heat, an SM58 will only reach its full potential after being correctly seasoned.

I suggest you do (at least) the following, as part of the seasoning process:

* spit on it a hundred times
* soak it in a glass of beer for at least half an hour
* attach it to a lead and swing it round and round your head for 30 minutes - if you hit your cat or dog whilst doing this, that's an added extra which will further mellow the sound by adding an organic wind filter (over time after numerous strikes, of course)
* disconnect it from the lead, grab a bunch of nails and use it as a hammer to build a dog kennel or similar woodworking project
* take it out at night and hit a dozen random people in the head with it - don't get caught, this is actually illegal in most countries
* unscrew the cap and use it as a cheese grater, or better, to file down those rough patches on the soles of your feet.

Your SM58 should now yield a sound much truer to the classic 58 sound we all know and love...

If that doesn't work, buy a condenser mic instead. Good luck..