Recording vocals with a 57 or 58. Tips?
- Thread starter kylendm
- Start date
RedDog
Humanoid typhoon
HCL
Holy Crap! Lions!
bryan_kilco
Member
I've tried 57 and 58 on vocals, as well as a Beta 58.
Always resorted to the 58 and most of the time the vocalist performs better while holding the mic instead of having it on a stand.
Tried pop filters in the past, and noticed a slight loss in the high end "sizzle" of the vocals. The plosives never bothered me that much and never really stood out in the mix enough for me to need to tame them. Just my .02 cents.
Always resorted to the 58 and most of the time the vocalist performs better while holding the mic instead of having it on a stand.
Tried pop filters in the past, and noticed a slight loss in the high end "sizzle" of the vocals. The plosives never bothered me that much and never really stood out in the mix enough for me to need to tame them. Just my .02 cents.
Harley Barley
Member
+ on the pop filter if they are holding the 58 get them to not put their mouth right up on the cap. tame the room, go around clap and listen for flutter echos then put up blankets/mattresses etc to deaden the sound.
nezvers
Beast
RedDog
Humanoid typhoon
+1
With a pop filter. You can hear artifacts on the deep sub level and they fuck with the signal.
Cool, we'll try it free handed and then we'll try it with a pop filter on a stand. Thanks for the tips so far guys. Yeah our vocalist just told me he was feeling really congested the day of recording so I think that had a lot to do with the recording sounding a bit muffled.
BLUElightCory
Member
It's all down to the vocalist. Jonny from Job For A Cowboy tracked with a 58 into a slightly overdriving UA2108 on "Genesis" (and I think "Doom" as well). The mic was hand-held and he just used the built-in windscreen. Lots of other great vocalists have killed it with the 57 too, too many to name.
If your vocalist is the real thing, a 58 should be fine and you'll probably get better performances than you would using a traditional setup. Jonny's amazing, and with a vocalist like him you just hand him the mic and get out of the way.
If your vocalist is the real thing, a 58 should be fine and you'll probably get better performances than you would using a traditional setup. Jonny's amazing, and with a vocalist like him you just hand him the mic and get out of the way.
Clark Kent
Member
- Jan 23, 2011
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+1 on pop filter or SM58. I've got one of these for my SM57: http://www.thomann.de/fi/shure_a2ws.htm which I'm using as my main vocal mic btw. It's so much more comfortable and I've knocked my own teeth in so many times with the SM58. 
Trying to fight that proximity effect.
Trying to fight that proximity effect.
+1 on pop filter or SM58. I've got one of these for my SM57: http://www.thomann.de/fi/shure_a2ws.htm which I'm using as my main vocal mic btw. It's so much more comfortable and I've knocked my own teeth in so many times with the SM58.
These are great for getting rid of the massive "P" plosives that plague 57's when used live, I reckon they'd do a decent job while recording aswell.
I've used 58's before handheld and thought they sounded cool but the plosives can be a little much with some singers. For some guys you will have to put it on a stand and it will simply sound crap on some singers. Haven't used my 58's in the studio for vox since I got my sm7 though!
My advice if the 58 isn't sounding great on your singers vocals and you have a limited selection is to do a shootout with every mic you've got. You never know whats gonna sound good on some guys. I've used my oktava overheads on vocals before over some of my more normal vocal mics simply because they sounded better in a shoot out on those singers voices.
Yeah the thing with this was we used the same mic and signal chain. The only difference was where we recorded at, I'm thinking it was the vocalist at fault not because I recorded a take of my singing and it was pretty clear. Our vocalist is very loud, his screams are louder than his lows and they have to be to because that's how he's comfortable doing it. When he screams he has to backup from the mic a good bit or else he'll start clipping but if I lower the gain any more the lows are pretty quiet and you can only automate so much haha. I guess we're going to have to work out some kind of balance with both whether it be getting his lows louder, his screams quieter or a bit of both.
He's a killer vocalist though and sounds great I just need it to sound good through the recordings.
Also thanks a lot for the advice so far guys, I really appreciate it since I never really record vocals too much.
He's a killer vocalist though and sounds great I just need it to sound good through the recordings.
Also thanks a lot for the advice so far guys, I really appreciate it since I never really record vocals too much.
bryan_kilco
Member
Lows on one track, highs/screams on another. Adjust preamp gain accordingly. Automate from there if needed.
-Noodles-
3 Initals Mixer
- Dec 20, 2007
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to add an aside:
Almost 90% of singers are used to using a SM58 live. Many develop their mic technique using the humble 58 through years of rehearsals and practises. It does seem strange that studio engineers (myself included) question the use of the mic for recordings. Every time I've suggested a scratch track with a 58 in the control room.. they've come out great for the comfort singers have with their old friend the 58 produces a great performance.
Back on topic: if it's a smaller room, use a hand held 58 and a room LDC. If they're happy to have the mic on a stand, try a 58 and LDC together. blend.
If you fancy going all out - track separately the 58 and LDC, then mix together later. Two performances, with their own characters.
Almost 90% of singers are used to using a SM58 live. Many develop their mic technique using the humble 58 through years of rehearsals and practises. It does seem strange that studio engineers (myself included) question the use of the mic for recordings. Every time I've suggested a scratch track with a 58 in the control room.. they've come out great for the comfort singers have with their old friend the 58 produces a great performance.
Back on topic: if it's a smaller room, use a hand held 58 and a room LDC. If they're happy to have the mic on a stand, try a 58 and LDC together. blend.
If you fancy going all out - track separately the 58 and LDC, then mix together later. Two performances, with their own characters.
You will be happiest with your mic decision if you compare a few, side-by-side. 90% of vocal tone in the mix is based on which microphone you use. If you hooked up 3 different mic's and recorded the vocalist, you might be surprised with which mic sounds better. KEEP IN MIND, the human voice is the most dynamic instrument to record, comparing one person to the other. Each and every person puts completely different dynamics/harmonics into a microphone, compared to any other person. Play with different mic's. You'll be glad you did. It may be that it was a 58 that sounded best. It could be the 57 that takes the cake in your mix. Have you looked at a Sure 7b? They have a bit of a soft/dark flavour to them. In regard to heavy growl or high end scream, this might sit in the mix really well!
