some recording questions..

[ZoSo58LP]

hey guys i've got some questions about my setup...see here's my deal...i've got the MR8 and that cheap mic that came with it back when the thing was first released from musicians friend...i forget what mic it is, maybe Nady? I would like some advice because i'm thinking of getting one of those Shure Sm58 mics because everyone seems to love them...but will there really be that big of a difference? and is it made for micing drums/guitar/bass? here, i will post 2 cover songs I recorded and maybe you guys can tell me how to get better sounds out of drums/and or/guitar mic'ing:

Both are Stone Temple Pilots covers...now here are my many questions to follow, please bare with me lol...
Drums:
okay, my setup is a Sonor 5 piece set with a kinda cheap Sabian drum pack (high hats and crashride)
what I do is take my el cheapo Radioshack mic, because even though it was $10, it picks up highs better than my Nady or w/e, so i place that overhead, leaning more towards the snare than the toms. now, my nady one is in my bass drum because I have a soundhole...now my question is, how do I make my bass drum have some definition and like more high end so it sounds like album stuff, instead of some dull "thump", ya kno what im sayin? and is there another position I can put the mic? and if I got a Shure mic, would I be smart to use that one as the overhead and keep the other Nady in the baass and just ditch my radioshack?

Guitar:
Okay my setup for guitar is a Crate GFX212 Amp, and my '89 Usa Strat...in sex type thing, the OverDrive2 setting was on with some Shape, thats all in the right channel if you pan, while lower in the left channel is the overdrive1 channel, so you can really hear it's a strat..now, i think the guitars have no definiton at all and sound so..blah..I mic it wtih my Nady mic..now..would a shure mic make it sound ALL that better? because i mean i compare my version to STP's, and dean's guitar has so mcuh more like hit to it and low end, and it just sounds so powerfull, i mean maybe it's because he used the demeter pre amps, but still, it has to be how they mic'ed it right? all i want is for it to sound less crappy than it does...hmm...and with bass, i'm pretty happy with the results, they're not as bad as the guitar, atleast I dont think anyawy....

so, anyone out there, i will take any advice thanks!

 

[kdgospel]

If you have a mixer or preamp that has phantom power the next mic you should get is a condenser. Look at the MXLs they are inexpensive but good.

 

[dwillis45]

For micing your amp, you should probably get a Shure sm57. It will cost about $99 (new) and you can also use it to mic your snare. The sm57 is probably the most commonly used mic for these tasks and there is lots of advice on this BBS regarding mic setups for guitar and snare drum. Then I would look for additional mics to fill out your drum kit, perhaps starting with an a AKG D112 Kick mic ($199). If you sing, you can look at inexpensive condenser mics (Marshall, SP C1, etc) or you can start with the sm57 until you budget situation improves. For STP type songs, you should be able to use the 57 with good results.