Which microphone?

[albertjohn]

I'm looking to buy a mike for vocals but don't want to spend too much but want something that's good............... - say £65-£100 or US$100-$150.

 

Any recommendations please?

 

Obviously it has to convert my tuneless warblings into something akin to Tom Jones and produce an uncontrollable desire in female audiences (over 18 mind) to instantly remove their underwear and throw said undies in my direction.

[jefleppard]

aj. i'm using an sm-57 and its always done the job - fantastic mic live and studio - but it may be closer to 100 pounds.

i have an apex435 condenser for the studio/home stuff. its a low end mic but does a nice job. live its feedback-ish and needs phantom power. i think you cant go wrong with the shure mic.

but be careful, aj - soon we'll be getting adult diapers lobbed at us instead of panties! yeesh!

hint - they look like bags of wet sand in flight.

[Thermionik]

wot cunk said.....

 

As I sit here, there is a boom-stand with my old SM-58 - vocals and guitars, never let me down and if positioned correctly will record most instruments and amps. Go with Sure for cheap and cheerful. The 57 is supposedly for instruments, the 58 for vocals, but I would be more than happy to use either for either job. UK price £75 to a ton depending in where you go.

 

A cheap microphone will never do the job properly - you can always filter out stuff, but never put in missing information. So - if you is gettin' serious, get a serious mic - and Shure are an 'industry standard'.

[onewilyfool]

ALbertjohn.....a good mic is a good start......but if you want all those effects from your singing......you many need to GET some effects, reverb, chorus, echo....etc....lol.....good luck...

[L5Larry]

The Shure SM-58 (>$100) is the "Industry Standard" for live vocals. For recording you can spend thousands on a condensor mic for the studio, but a SM-58 will still work fine. Condensor mics are great for spoken word, but I still think a good dynamic mic is best for vocals. I use a Shure SM-7 ($300) for vocal recording.

[ballcorner]

Sennheiser e835 - you should easily find one for $100 US and they are excellent.

[Michael]

SM-58!!!!!

[Thermionik]

Butch Chartered..... many options available to turn out-of-tune singing into perfect pitch with effects to make girls moist - something like an Eventide Harmonizer. On the cheap - their Eclipse is good (£1,700) but to really go to town, the H8000FW takes some beating (£5,000)

 

Course - if it is 'just' getting you in tune, Antares Auto-Tune or Celemony's Melodyne on your computer (there is even a free VST plugin called GSnap, never tried it.....), or if you need it for gigging, TC-Helicon do a neat rack unit called the VoiceWorks for about £380-£415 (corrects, does up to 5-part harmonies and does effects too).

 

And you though Gibson were expensive.....

[Johnt]

ALbertjohn.....a good mic is a good start......but if you want all those effects from your singing......you many need to GET some effects' date=' reverb, chorus, echo....etc....lol.....good luck...[/quote']

 

 

Yes one needs all those but in my case a PITCH SHIFTER is essential.

 

johnt exit stage right>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Whistling "I was booooorn under a wand'ring star

[TheLiveSoundGuy]

SM57

[jchabalk]

Check around for an audio-technica 4050 too. I found one on ebay for just slightly more than $150USD. It's certainly an excellent mic for recording acoustic guitar. The retail price is much more, but ebay and craigslist can be friendly for these things.

 

It requires phantom-power, don't know if you have that capability, if not a phantom-power power supply can be had for a few 10's

[albertjohn]

Wow thanks everyone. There seems to be a trend here! I think I've got time for a follow-up letter to Father Christmas.

 

But what is phantom power, please?

[Thermionik]

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It's where the mixer powers the mic down the cable.

 

Stick with a SM57 or SM58 - they don't need it.

[albertjohn]

but be careful' date=' aj - soon we'll be getting adult diapers lobbed at us instead of panties! yeesh!

hint - they look like bags of wet sand in flight.[/quote']

 

Health and Safety regs Cunk. I wear safety goggles at my gigs!

[albertjohn]

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.

 

It's where the mixer powers the mic down the cable.

 

Stick with a SM57 or SM58 - they don't need it.

 

Gotcha. Thanks

[albertjohn]

Butch Chartered..... many options available to turn out-of-tune singing into perfect pitch with effects to make girls moist - something like an Eventide Harmonizer. On the cheap - their Eclipse is good (£1' date='700) but to really go to town, the H8000FW takes some beating (£5,000)

 

Course - if it is '[i']just[/i]' getting you in tune, Antares Auto-Tune or Celemony's Melodyne on your computer (there is even a free VST plugin called GSnap, never tried it.....), or if you need it for gigging, TC-Helicon do a neat rack unit called the VoiceWorks for about £380-£415 (corrects, does up to 5-part harmonies and does effects too).

 

And you though Gibson were expensive.....

 

Rather akin to not walking when you know you nicked the ball on the way through to wicketkeeper.

 

It's just not cricket!

 

I'll just sing the best note I'm able! And have people with me who can sing better.

[John Lee Walker]

SM-58, can't go wrong there, been using them for years. Tough, durable, reliable.

 

Just an addition here, I needed a cheap USB mic for my laptop for recording whatever I write and want to keep while I am on the road, and I bought a Nady USB-24M to plug into my Tascam portable and it works like a charm - $40. Great little mic

[Snaglpuss]

I second the motion on the Sennheiser E835, it's what I've been using for the last several years.

It has a very smooth and warm sound to my ears.

 

I've also got an Audiotechnica and a Shure they are also good, but the Sennheiser is my favorite.

 

Buying a mic without trying it is kind of a crap shoot since everyones voice is different.

 

If you could try out several at a store or a gig where other people have differnet stuff....

 

If you have got to order without trying I'll vouch for the Sennheiser.

[onewilyfool]

I also second the motion on the Sennheiser E83, it is a little hardier than the Shure....SO the question is ALbert....do you want your voice to sound good.....or do you want it to sound like it is? LOL.....just kidding, my friend told me that I should be on radio.....(cause he could then change the station.......)

[albertjohn]

I also second the motion on the Sennheiser E83' date=' it is a little hardier than the Shure....SO the question is ALbert....do you want your voice to sound good.....or do you want it to sound like it is? LOL.....just kidding, my friend told me that I should be on radio.....(cause he could then change the station.......)[/quote']

 

Good one OWF! Surely you should be on the stage?

 

The first stage outa town!

 

Just kidding. Thanks for the advice.

[albertjohn]

Took delivery of a Shure SM58 last week.

 

I did a "Stars in Your Eyes" thing at the weekend for a laugh and the mic I was using was a pile of crap. So swopped it for my new one and it made a huge difference.

 

Not to the pitch of my singing. The judges heard it much more clearly which must be why we didn't win. The winner was a someone doing a song from the Hocky Horror Show, dressed as a transvestite.

 

Oh the joys of English village life!

 

Anyway thanks for the advice everyone. I'm very pleased with the SM58.

[TommyK]

I'm looking to buy a mike for vocals but don't want to spend too much but want something that's good............... - say £65-£100 or US$100-$150.

 

Any recommendations please?

 

Obviously it has to convert my tuneless warblings into something akin to Tom Jones and produce an uncontrollable desire in female audiences (over 18 mind) to instantly remove their underwear and throw said undies in my direction.

 

I ain't heard you sing a lick, but I'd glady send my tidy whities (slightly used) your direction. Since it appears your dainties drawer is coming up short and I'd hate to have you force yourself to wear womens' undergarments.

[albertjohn]

 

I ain't heard you sing a lick' date=' but I'd glady send my tidy whities (slightly used) your direction. Since it appears your dainties drawer is coming up short and I'd hate to have you force yourself to wear womens' undergarments.[/quote']

 

Err. Thanks (I think) for the offer Tommy. But you guessed right. No underwear hurled at me on this occasion!

[Thermionik]

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albertjohn, or Butch Chartered as we know him, launches his new consumer magazine.....

 

Which Microphone?

 

Available at all good newsagents.

[nolongermike@gibson]

For live, I'm a solid SM58 guy. For studio in that price range, there is a lot to choose from, but I'd say find a dealer that has several models, get some headphones, make sure the mikes are not going through a fancy tube pre or anything you don't own, and then try them out until you find the one that suits your voice. I'm partial, in that price range, to the ADK Hamburg Edition microphones. Love them. For more money, I'm using the Violet The Globe and Amethyst Vintage models. Love them too. So many mikes, so little time.