My Taylor recorded with just a shure SM57

[Dub-T-123]

I've heard that mic recommended a number of times. Well, yeah, mainly for guys just getting into mic recording who don't want to spend a bundle, which you can do on a good mic.

It is the single most recommended mic of all time. People blindly recommend it because it is the only mic they know of

 

It is pretty much an objectively bad choice for recording acoustic instruments realistically.

 

Actual engineers mostly use them directly up against a very loud guitar amp or snare drum. One would generally only choose it for acoustic if they had nothing else or if they wanted a lofi sound

[deeman]

It is the single most recommended mic of all time. People blindly recommend it because it is the only mic they know of

 

It is pretty much an objectively bad choice for recording acoustic instruments realistically.

 

Actual engineers mostly use them directly up against a very loud guitar amp or snare drum. One would generally only choose it for acoustic if they had nothing else or if they wanted a lofi sound

 

The SM57 is fine. I have an Audix i5 that I prefer to the 57, but that's almost comparing apples to apples. Preamp, eq and placement are also, if not more, important than the actual mic.

[Dub-T-123]

Yeah but the SM57 has that rattly sound that just ain’t going away regardless of those things. I have the I5 too and it’s really similar to the 57 but more mid scooped. I have it on an amp and I like it for certain things

[uncle fester]

Yeah but the SM57 has that rattly sound that just ain’t going away regardless of those things. I have the I5 too and it’s really similar to the 57 but more mid scooped. I have it on an amp and I like it for certain things

 

What would you recommend if trying to record both acoustic and vocals with one mic? i.e. Same thing that would be good for acoustic (i.e. condenser or ribbon mic) or should I be zeroing in on anything specific with that use intended?

[Dub-T-123]

What would you recommend if trying to record both acoustic and vocals with one mic? i.e. Same thing that would be good for acoustic (i.e. condenser or ribbon mic) or should I be zeroing in on anything specific with that use intended?

It depends on a lot of things like your budget, your voice, what sound you want, etc

 

And believe me I’m not a huge expert or anything. I’m an amateur and I have mostly focused on electric guitar, bass, and drums.

 

It’s really a question with a huge list of potential answers. Using one mic means you have limited mixing and processing possibilities so the most important thing is to have a good balance and sound in the room before even bringing in mics of course. At that point you may choose a mic to address a specific issue. Are you getting to much brightness, too much room, not enough, etc

[SmokeyGhost]

I don't record with an objective of distributing it proving my lack of skills but simply to listen back and attempting to improve for my benefit. I have a Shure SM57 which is fine as far as it goes but to my ears the Rode NT1-A or NT3 condensers do sound better. I use a Boss RC-30 for my purposes. All of them are a costly in comparison with other goodies but are certainly reliable and flexible.

[Dub-T-123]

I don't record with an objective of distributing it proving my lack of skills but simply to listen back and attempting to improve for my benefit. I have a Shure SM57 which is fine as far as it goes but to my ears the Rode NT1-A or NT3 condensers do sound better. I use a Boss RC-30 for my purposes. All of them are a costly in comparison with other goodies but are certainly reliable and flexible.

The NT1 and NT1A were the first mics that I bought but I ended up selling them to buy another mic. I love to experiment with different mics and A/B them on playback. Generally speaking my personal favorite mics for my room/taste are my Beyerdynamic M160 and Sennheiser MD421. I have a pair of Neumann KM184 which I love as well. All 3 made in Germany coincidentally. Germans seem to be the mic masters