First microphone

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Hey,

A while ago I was going to buy a microphone for recording one shot samples however I didn't in the end but now I definitely want one. I produce electronic music and I want it for very short vocal hooks, more than likely to be vocoder but not always.

I don't have the biggest budget because I spent a lot on acoustics recently and that took a big chunk of my spare cash.

I seen in the back of my future music magazine that there is an s3 x1 condenser mic and project reflectio bundle for £189 (GBP). However I forgot that my sister was a singer and owns a shure sm58.

Then I thought abou just buying a reflection filter and pop sheild for around £60 from my local music store and using her shure.

Would an SM58 be good eneough to record in on? If I purchased the reflection filter and pop sheild or should I stick to a condenser mic? Again I am not in a big project studio just a room in my house I hve turned Into a studio. I mix all in the box and as mentioned produce electronic dance if that helps

Thank you!!
Anybody can do anything if they set their mind to it

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I would borrow your sister's SM58 and experiment with that first. You shouldn't really need any pop filter or reflection filter with a dynamic mic like the SM58, as you would with a condenser mic like the s3 (SE?).

The SM58 is a kind of indestructible workhorse that you can scream into and physically abuse and it will still work. Of course you don't have to treat it that way - it's just a very reliable and respected mic and I think it would be fine for what you are intending, especially if the recordings are going to be processed with a vocoder. A condenser mic might be preferable for capturing subtleties and nuances and recording things like acoustic instruments more faithfully.

Bear in mind that what you are plugging the mic into needs consideration. If you go with a condenser mic you will need phantom power to drive it. A dynamic mic like the SM58 will just need appropriate impedance and gain setting. Most interfaces these days seem to cater for both types but it's worth checking as you could end up forking out a fair bit more for the condenser option.

I would check out the results you get with the SM58 first.

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Thanks a lot for the reply it was very helpful

It's interesting that I don't need a reflection filter atleast I see the in most places but obviously I'm not doing what most people may do with their vocal set up so yeah makes sense

I'm using an RME Babyface as my audio interface. I think I will have a little bit of a nightmare with the condenser option then. I think I'll just buy a mic stand and take it from there, I'll have to double check the output on the shure as to the input of my RME, is the way way XLR do you know? Sorry for the noob question just I haven't done mics before

Cheers

Mike
Anybody can do anything if they set their mind to it

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You'll get a better signal from the SM58 with an XLR connection, but a 1/4 inch jack will work fine. I've used an SM58 for recording most things (vocals, snare, acoustic guitar, piano) for years. I recently picked up a Behringer C1 condensor for £30 ... amazing quality at that price point. To hear the results, check out my Sonor Drums sample pack demo. The kick, toms, cymbals and hi-hats were recorded with the C1. I used an SM58 on the snare.

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yeah, like everyone else says: sm58.

if later on you find its not doing what u need to do, then you can think about getting something else, as by that time you'll have a better idea as to what that something else might need to be...
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The RME Babyface has all the prerequisites for connecting either type of mic. It has breakout cables for just about anything and the phantom power for condenser mics.

The reason you could dispense with a reflection filter and pop filter with the SM58 is that it won't pick up much of the room (at least not like a condenser would) it's great for close range recording and has a cardioid pattern so catching unwanted sound from the sides is significantly reduced. Basically, whatever's going on directly in front of it and at quite a close range will get recorded whilst whatever's happening off to the sides and in the background will be much reduced, hence it's great for live performances and recording in situations where you want to isolate things from other noises, such as the snare drum in the scenario thecontrolcentre describes above. However, if your recording in a acoustically controlled environment and you don't have to worry about picking up unwanted sounds then you may find a condenser mic captures a more satisfying result.

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Thanks a lot for the replies I'm going to do that with the shure to start with then :)

Thank you!!

Mike
Anybody can do anything if they set their mind to it

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When you are ready to experiment with condenser mics, take a look at the MXL mics. They tend to perform well at a very reasonable price.
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Thank you i'll have a look at them,

Hopefully the Shure will stick out for a while but then ill check them out thanks

Mike
Anybody can do anything if they set their mind to it

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The SM58/57 is a fantastic mic.

You will find them in virtually every studio in the world.

Plus, they're tough as nails so they won't need replacing for quite some time (if ever).

I too have the Behringer C1 and I was totally expecting it to be a piece of trash, but it's surprisingly bright and lively, and the sound it generates is actually quite nice for vocals. Very cheap mic with surprising results.

(I A-B'd it with my SM58 and was floored)

Though once you move past the entry level stuff and want a better mic for multiple purposes, I would recommend the AKG C414-XLS. This mic is friggin' fantastic. Nine switchable polar patterns, three Low-cut filter settings and three PAD settings. You'll throw down 1G to buy new, but that mic will handle pretty much any task you throw at it. One of my favorites.

Cheers and good luck to you!

EDIT: I should add that you're mic is only as good as your Mic Pre. Investing in a good Mic Pre will save you headaches and bring out the full potential of the mics you have.

As far as a recommendation...you'll have to figure that out on your own! There is a very large market for Mic Pres and it really depends on your application.
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The SM57 gets my vote too!

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