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Getting The Best Out Of An Sm58

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Haze47

Haze47

THE URBAN ARCHEOLOGIST
ill o.g.
i know there is a thread about recording techs but i just cant grasp it with this mic, i mean, how close is too close to spit into, i mean, the sm58 bass boosts when you are in close so surely that is what you need, but when you get in close you lose other freqs and it makes it sound muggy, for examples of what i am talking bout check the "pitt the younger" personna in my sig, how can i get crisper sounding vocals out of this mic in particular, i mean would some sought of booth make it better, if i stood like 6in away or what? any advice i am will to try anything.,....
 
Lazy Eyes

Lazy Eyes

The Beat Konduktah
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 7
Yo i got that same problem haze, when i record my own voice it sounds real low and dark.. real madlib alike.. i mean it's kinda dope, but it's not naturally my voice..
 
MarkN

MarkN

ILLIEN
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 55
some sort of booth would make it better yea but tbh and different mic would be a much better idea, the 58s are great for live stuff and ok fro micing instruments but they aren't that good at all for vocals ! as for how close you stand yes it makes a big difference just play around with the distance and find out what you like, its normally different for every track depending on how you want the vocals too sound !
 
J

J Cro

Hulkamaniac
ill o.g.
The SM58 is designed for vocals. Mic placement and technique will make all the difference. As well as the room you are recording in.

Recording vocals is an art in itself. Just read up on some stuff and practice your technique.

Whether your using a preamp or not is going to make a difference in the sound aswell.
 
Sanova

Sanova

Guess Who's Back
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 9
read the instructions booklet or w/e for the mic.

cuz like the mxl 990, it said something like the ideal capture radius is about 45 degrees from the front of it. so placement is everything
 
J

J Cro

Hulkamaniac
ill o.g.
Yea, a common trick to to record shit off axis.

Put the mic at the right distance, because if you get too close to it you'll increase the risk of popping and the level will change noticeably every time the singer moves slightly. Cardioid mics also exhibit a bass-boost 'proximity effect' that varies as the singer's mic distance varies. On the other hand, if the singer is too far away from the mic the room reflections will colour the sound, making it seem remote and boxy. As a rule, a mic distance of around six to nine inches (15-24 centimetres) is ideal.
 
Ash Holmz

Ash Holmz

The Bed-Stuy Fly Guy
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 207
bthis!
bthat!
^^^ word ..... i have lots of experince using 58s in the studio and stage ... imo when u get too close ( like almost touching the mic with ur lips) the bass make it sound bad in the studio.. i had good results putting a pop filter real real close to the mic like just barely not touching it.. get in close with but not That close u dont when you start to hear that bassy sound back up... my experince was that u need a good preamp with lots of gain to get a good sound out of it ... running it through my old motu 828mkii preamps sounded like shit .. literally .. it ws so dark and dull sounding.. terrible... u need a high gain, clean sounding preamp... basically with the sm58 u need to let the preamp do the work and color the sound .... i found it to be a very preamp-dependent mic ... like most shure mics are ....

also try screwing the ball off of the top and backing away from the mic just a little bit .. still using a pop filter.. it gives it a little more air up top and gives u diffrent sound...
 
Formant024

Formant024

Digital Smokerings
ill o.g.
SM58 vs SM57, perhaps some food for thought.
http://www.soundonsound.com/forum/showflat.php?Board=MRT&Number=290751

I dont know ( read care ) much about mics, but I used a SM58 at home through a lexicon and to use its converters which sounded quite good ( I dont have a pre amp, cuz I dont care about mics ). I also know that a sm58 without the capsule is a sm57 but thats only nice for snares and cab mic'ing.
 
O

open mind

Guest
just cut sum lows from recorded voice and u should be ok.works for every mic.
 
Haze47

Haze47

THE URBAN ARCHEOLOGIST
ill o.g.
cheers guys i will take all this on, with regards to a pre amp, i am recording throught tyhe line in on my emulator x soundcard, through a numark dj mixer <-----this is my preamp, is that too shit to do the job?

PZ
 
O

open mind

Guest
Lazy Eyes said:
BigRob, u want ur voice to sound like ur voice., eqing means damaging the signal a little.. i'd rather go for a better in put then editing the sound afterwards..
Click to expand...
i feel ya on that one but i mean very lil cutting just as much that voice not too diffrent.even if your input is great u will have to cut freq for not fucking the whole mix up with the beat and your voice.if u perform on diffrent locations live u gonna find diffrent hardware and your voice will sound DIFFRENT even if u put your mic with you.u betta live with that
 
eXampuL_oNe

eXampuL_oNe

LOW-PRO
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 21
bthis!
Haze47 said:
cheers guys i will take all this on, with regards to a pre amp, i am recording throught tyhe line in on my emulator x soundcard, through a numark dj mixer <-----this is my preamp, is that too shit to do the job?
Click to expand...

Dj mixer's can work but I think a Mic pre is always best. The DJ mixer's tend to hiss or buzz a little.
 
Hypnotist

Hypnotist

Ear Manipulator
ill o.g.
You can't really go wrong with the 58, especially in live performance situations. The 58 beta (wireless) is nice too.

Besides vocals, I've used a 58 on snare drums and got a nice warm crack, as opposed to the 57 when you get a nice pop or snap. I guess these words might not illustrate the sound properly, but you get the point. Another snare technique is to put a 57 on the top of the snare and a 58 on the bottom and you get a nice round sound to layer and mix together.

I've also used a 58 on a sax along with some Neumann KM184's and put it as close to the horn as possible. Shit sounded really good with the 58 panned in the middle and the KM184's hard left and right, placed about about 3 feet from the horn. (Remember 3 to 1 rule when using more than one mic.)

The 58 is good cuz you can drop the shit on the ground, step on it, swing it around like a lasso and it'll still work. You may need to replace a dented windscreen from time to time, not to mention when you do live shows you get people with beer breath and the mic starts smellin like gingivitis.
 
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