what mic should i use to record?

Hey, im just woundering what mics are out there that sound great for recording the amp, and are affordable?

The standard responses are usually between the Shure sm57 and the Sennheiser e609. They're both great and about 100$ I personally like the 609 better. There's a ton of other mics though another common fav. is the Sennheiser MD421 (it's more in the 400$ range). There's plenty more but if you're looking for the most affordable it's between the sm57 and the e609, both great.

ok thanks. yeah i tried to record with some crapy mics lastnight and didnt realy sound all that great. so you say the e609 sound better then the 57?

i've got an SM57 w/ pouch for sale if interested... $75 shipped?

robyrobster12 said:

ok thanks. yeah i tried to record with some crapy mics lastnight and didnt realy sound all that great. so you say the e609 sound better then the 57?

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I wouldn't say it's objectively better I just like the e609 better but you'll get a lot of opinions going both ways. I'd say start with whatever you can get your hands on easiest. I'd probably take MusicManJP6 up on his deal if it's in good shape. There's no way to know how you feel about the mic until you've tried it, the 57 could be perfect for you.

Got another question. what is a really good mic that will take the sound from the amp and wouldnt mess with the tone?

we have many threads to this topic here already, still my 2 cents 8)

a really good mic catches the sound the way you hear it from your speakers. check if you want the pure dry speaker sound or the speaker with room ambience like its done in the industry studios.

any "flat" mic with a frequency from 50hz to 18khz will pass you a good result, my favourite are tube mics:

Neumann tube mic's are top, check also the akg solid tube, another more budget approach but with excellent mic's:

http://www.shuaiy.com/

choose the sm57 (dynamic hypercardioid) for life to separate the guitar sound from other sound sources.

stay tuned!

robyrobster12 said:

ok thanks. yeah i tried to record with some crapy mics lastnight and didnt realy sound all that great. so you say the e609 sound better then the 57?

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Remember also that mic placement has a lot to do with tone quality. I once got better results with a crappy $2 pc mic than with a bad-positioned Shure SM57. So I usually use an SM57, but I keep hearing great things about Heil PR30 and PR40 dynamic mics... I didn't have the chance to try one though. If you can, give them a try.

Audio-Technica 4050
Heil PR30

I just saw Green Day on Colbert Report and Billy Joe or his guitar player was using two shure sm7b mics. Micheal Jackson used this mic on Thriller and many of the albums that followed. Its a famous mic and really cheap in price. I cant wait to get one. You tube it and you can see Eddie Vedder singing through one. Its a Dynamic mic so it is great for Kick drums or any loud instruments.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr0BXXKLJb0

here is the Green Day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsHd25W_Dzs

ROPAX said:

I just saw Green Day on Colbert Report and Billy Joe or his guitar player was using two shure sm7b mics. Micheal Jackson used this mic on Thriller and many of the albums that followed. Its a famous mic and really cheap in price. I cant wait to get one. You tube it and you can see Eddie Vedder singing through one. Its a Dynamic mic so it is great for Kick drums or any loud instruments.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr0BXXKLJb0

here is the Green Day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsHd25W_Dzs

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SM7b runs about $300, not what one would call a cheap mic. It is excellent for vocals, broadcast and voiceover work though and that's why I have one. As for kicks, a 421 or RE20 is usually a better option. The RE20 also makes one hell of a guitar mic but it is not inexpensive either.

RE20 makes a good vocal mic, too, with a decent preamp.

Hey, im just woundering what mics are out there that sound great for recording the amp, and are affordable?

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well, "Great" sounding mics, typically aren't considered under the same category as "Affordable".....

can you define affordable?


the 57/421 combo is a great 'affordable' combination for close/room sound.....

i've used AT4033, KSM44, 414, ADK Hamburg, shure 57, RE20, SM58, AT4020, they all sound different, and do a good job if you put them in the right place.


right now, i'm using a Palmer PDI-09, and it's never been easier to get good tone fast.

mix that, with a mic, and the best of both worlds.

i use the classical SM57 plus a Samson C01 which is really cheap. over here in germany about 50.- Euros.
if you need a mic which can handle a bit more db, go for the C03 which is the same as the C01 plus a -10db pad switch.
for me, the C01 catches up the mesa sound perfectly. the combination of both mics fits into every mix.
i love it.

if you want a mic which sounds close to the SM57 but isn´t that harsh at the top-end, look for a audix i5.

JF Omalycat said:

RE20 makes a good vocal mic, too, with a decent preamp.

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When I was still working in radio I would "borrow" our extra RE20 or 421 mics for shows. They are fantastic for vocals, kick, guitars, just about anything really.