What would your first few mics be if you could start over

by **PeteeBee** » Tue May 19, 2015 12:55 am

Title pretty well says it all. Right now the only gear I have is guitar related. I'm looking to get a little PA setup for the band, but I figure if I can do it right I can get a recording setup at the same time. Not a mega studio setup obviously, but enough to not have to make apologies for audio quality on clips anymore.

I'm looking to get a Mackie ProFX8v2 as my mixer because Mackie makes good stuff, and it has a USB output, so it could be my interface for recording.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ProFX8v2
For the moment I'll just run it through a keyboard amp I have, but in the future I'll pick up some proper speakers.

So what mics should i get? The singer is going to try out a bunch of mics and buy whichever she likes most, but as far as instrument mics I'm relatively clueless. I've watched a bunch of videos and all I've learned is that recording is a huge world, and I probably want at least two mics for a full sound. I probably need each mic to be approx. $100, or one standout solo recommendation up to $200.

Tips? If you could start your collection over, how would you do it?

by **DRodriguez** » Tue May 19, 2015 1:29 am

If your budget is sub 200 per mic, you won't find anything more versatile than a collection of sm57's for instruments and beta 58's for vocals. If you're looking for a more particular application, that might change; but purely based on durability, cost effectiveness, and versatility, those would be the best choices. If you need more particular advice, feel free to talk to me directly, I do this for a living.

by **KaosCill8r** » Tue May 19, 2015 7:33 am

Yeah this is exactly what I came to suggest. The SM 57 and 58 dynamics are the best bang for your buck. They have been a workhorse mic for live or studio for over 50 years with good reason. A hand full of each would be one of the best choices you could make for a studio on a budget. The 57 can be used on a lot of instruments. Sax, trumpets, cymbals, guitar and bass cabs, vocals. Just about anything within reason. They can handle very high sound pressure levels. If you can, also try to budget a half decent ribbon mic into the collection. They just love guitar cabs. Also a half decent large diaphragm condenser mic would be on the short list too if you can afford one.

by **Iommic Pope** » Tue May 19, 2015 7:41 am

I would vote for the Swhores also. They're cheap, versatile, tough as fuck and you wont care as much when some wanker knocks them off as much as when you lose a fancy ribbon condenser.

John is gonna roll in here soon though and suggest a dickload of mad alternatives nobody even heard of.
So that will be exciting.

by **DRodriguez** » Tue May 19, 2015 9:26 am

If you're looking for a budget ribbon for guitar, I've had good results with the Cascade Fathead.

by **PeteeBee** » Tue May 19, 2015 12:44 pm

Thanks for the suggestions! I figured i would pick up a 57 or 58 then something different. Id love to over the next couple years get to where I can help bands cut demos and stuff just for fun, but that's a long road from where I'm at now haha

by **goroth** » Tue May 19, 2015 2:20 pm

I don't get why 57s are so well liked. I think they're kinda harsh with a prominent mid range and I've just never dug their sound. Not denying there are an awful lot of good recorded sounds done with a 57, I just think it's an odd mic to have become so popular. Off track, but same with vintage 30s. Shitloads of great sounding metal albums with vintage 30s (and a 57!) but I'll be damned if I can understand how to get that sound out of them. Icepicks!

by **GardenoftheDead** » Tue May 19, 2015 6:19 pm

goroth wrote:I don't get why 57s are so well liked. I think they're kinda harsh with a prominent mid range and I've just never dug their sound. Not denying there are an awful lot of good recorded sounds done with a 57, I just think it's an odd mic to have become so popular. Off track, but same with vintage 30s. Shitloads of great sounding metal albums with vintage 30s (and a 57!) but I'll be damned if I can understand how to get that sound out of them. Icepicks!

Couple of considerations:

1.) Mixing usually involves low-pass filtering the guitars. You'd be surprised how useless anything about 4 kHz is once you had some cymbals to the mix.

2.) SM57s are cheap, sound better than MXLs, and can be used to hammer in loose nails in a pinch.

3.) Studios with a budget will usually use more than one mic on a guitar cab. SM57s have a real nice way of adding presence to some smoother/warmer mics out there.

4.) IDK, I typically find that any mic isn't adding something that's not already there. People tend not to realize how harsh their tone is right off the speaker.

by **rfurtkamp** » Wed May 20, 2015 2:10 am

The 57 carryover to studio is "use what you already have for PA/FOH stuff."

It does work, I don't love it as a primary in this day and age. 25 years ago it was perfectly suited to the Tascam 4 tracks of the world, it really was.

Now I'd rather have a pick of the litter MXL for studio use (buy 4-5 from a place with a return policy, pick the ones you like, return the rest!) than a 57 to be honest, but I do more room micing than close these days, I want presence in the sound and can mix in DI/emulated speaker out for that direct cab sound pretty easily as long as there's a live source in there.

And as the emulated stuff and modelling gets better, I find myself needing that live source less and less (sometimes not at all).

Reason you see those and V30 on metal albums though - they used what they had. Those speakers are in so many damn amps that people somehow equate them with "quality" because they're a named, featured part of the Marshall or Fender now whatever they want to own but can't afford so they're punching a Gorilla 1x8.

So they go into dude's small-time studio, and ask for the thing they think people are using, and the snowball begins!

by **sonidero** » Wed May 20, 2015 3:52 am

57 for a starter amp, snare, cymbal, perc, horns, rainstorms, whatever workhorse and have your singer try a 58 first before spending moar... The 57 and 58 are popular because they are popular... Lots of stuff has been recorded or played live with them and for non players/fans they have a sound that they are used too and comfortable with... The mic rabbit hole can go deep but if you have a chance to try different mics at a gc or pawn shop or friends or local studio I suggest not reading reviews or hype and just going in and trying all the mics for whatever instrument you are using and go from there... A few dynamics and a decent condenser can go really far...

by **Ancient Astronaught** » Fri May 22, 2015 1:08 pm

<$100 = Audix i5, I like the midrange reproduction more than a SM57 and the top end is much smoother (perceived as more hyped by some)

>$100 but <$200 = Used Heil PR30 or PR30b.

I have two Heil PR30b's a Heil PR48 and an Audix i5 and I can record just about anything and make it sound good. The PR30's IMO absolutely destroy anything else in the price range. The low end is monstrous yet clear, the midrange is smooth and natural and the high end is sweet and "hyped" yet notwhere near overbearing, they sound great on everything from drums to guitars to vocals and beyond. They are the next step up SM57, them shits sound great on everything.

*edit* Also just wanted to throw it out there, those are the 4 mics I ended up with after "starting over".

by **PeteeBee** » Fri May 22, 2015 7:55 pm

Any thoughts on getting a 57beta over the regular? The shop was trying to talk me into the upgrade. Pressure was a little uncomfortable so I just bought the mixer and wanted to come back to you guys. The local shop is also real limited in mic selection. Like only two or three options for less than $300, which I get is kind of what you have to pay for nice mics, but I just want a couple staples.

edit: I'm not sold on the 57, just asking to verify info I heard today. Homeboy at the store was saying he would rather use one beta 57 than any two other mics for less than 200 a piece. I asked him about trying to capture room noise, and if he lost benefits from not just having a close mic, all he said was 'nope.' which made me doubt him some.

Maybe I'll pick up an audix i5 and this:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/enCORE100i
It's buy one, get one free, and I really like the idea of getting 3 mics

by **rfurtkamp** » Fri May 22, 2015 8:07 pm

I wouldn't bother with the upgrade personally. Or be a spiteful bastard and just order the beta online.

"If you're gonna be pushy, #yolo"

by **PeteeBee** » Fri May 22, 2015 8:35 pm

That's totally how I felt, rfultikamper. I want honest opinions, but the minute it feels like a biased up sell I'm out.

by **rfurtkamp** » Fri May 22, 2015 8:39 pm

I might consider a 58Beta if I wanted a more nuanced vocal mic (or for a female non-punker performer)....but....

sounds like they're just going for the extra $40.

What would your first few mics be if you could start over

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