Using a 57 for vocals

roy22341

roy22341

Member
Aug 23, 2008
778
0
16
Lafayette, LA
Hey guys,

I know the SM7, AKG C 414, etc. etc. are all great mics and an awesome way to go for recording vocals. Unfortunately at this time they are out my budget (in fact nearly EVERYTHING is essentially out of my budget right now ha). I do have some 57s floating around as well as some god awful Audio Technica vocal mics (I don't even remember the model of em to be honest).

So to the point: I know some of you guys have used a 57 to record vocals - I was wondering if you could pass on any tips - as far as performance and post processing as well. Thanks a ton guys.
 
i much prefer the 57 to the 58 on the vox, much more clear. i also use it with the SM57 windshield to reduce the pops. youd think it would take away alot of the top end clarity, but it retains quite alot of it. if using without the shield, just be very weary of the pops etc!
 
I've heard that swapping the stock transformer in the 57 to a TAB-Funkenwerk item gets it very close to the SM7, albeit far cheaper.
 
I use a 57 clone all the time. I just put some panty hose in front of it to reduce explosives and then do the normal stuff I need to do to my vox afterwards: compress, eq, limit, a little overdrive, reverb, and delay. I never seem to need to do de-essing on my vox, not sure why. maybe it's the mic?
 
I've used it before on singing and screaming. If your recording singing, your not going to get a great sound out of it, but you can get the job done for sure. Get the pop filter for it or just get a normal pop filter. If not, use panty hose or a sock. Because of the 5Khz peak in the mics frequency response, your vocals will have some presence to them. But they won't have those warm low mids that a good tube condenser can give you, or that natural "airy" sound in the highs some condenser mics give you.

p.s. Its actually a pretty good mic for screaming!
 
zakky said:
dude i love the vocals can you please explain in detail the reverb/delay and Waves Rcomp settings i cant get near this :OMG: thanks...
Click to expand...

Thanks! Yeah sure dude, I need to double check a couple of things and then I'll happily post the settings.

I love the SM57 - although I've not had much experience in using any other mics really :lol:. I have an old Shure Beta Green which was fairly ok for live use but was lacking something when I tried recording with it.
 
I find it depends on the singer, my bands singer has a kinda thin voice thats quite high pitched, the 57's didn't suit him at all, but I've recorded other singers- particularly more aggressive ones who roar and screan instead of singing, where it sounded great.
 
Speaking of modding the 57, I've read about the mod to just take out the transformer and that should improve the sound (although make it also some dB's lower in output). This should be an easy mod to try out, since they're so cheap. At least for me :p
 
vespiz said:
Speaking of modding the 57, I've read about the mod to just take out the transformer and that should improve the sound (although make it also some dB's lower in output). This should be an easy mod to try out, since they're so cheap. At least for me :p
Click to expand...

Right, now you're actually obliged to do a comparison for us ;)

I can only access our organization's 57's and considering we have two (!) left 'cause some twat has stolen (or broken and buried) the rest during the last couple of years, I really don't dare to mod them :)
 
I like the 57 for scream vocals much better than any of the budget condensers.

My band's CD was recorded with an AT4040 for both clean and scream vocals. We layered the scream vocals in some parts with a Beta58A, but mostly with an SM57... I like both the dynamic mics much better for scream vocals, but I am kinda sorry I didn't mix them as the main scream mic and used them only to back and thicken the condenser.

I'm also sorry we did not have an SM7B available...
 
I'm sure I read something on the web about boiling something inside your SM57 to make it sound more like an SM7? :lol:

Perhaps it was something to do with modding one of the components inside.

Damned if I'm going to try it though! Maybe if I had a spare one I would...
 
Hahaha, I'm pretty sure that's so you can loosen the wax to get the transformer out dude, not just for the sake of boiling it :lol:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

kylendm
Recording vocals with a 57 or 58. Tips?
Replies
20
Views
2K
F.O.H.
Studdy
S
_Brutalism_
Micing Toms - Getting a Rattle with the 57
Replies
9
Views
742
F.O.H.
Loren Littlejohn
L
Fredrik-Ablaze
Using lowcut or not for vocals?
Replies
7
Views
1K
F.O.H.
RiF
R
Another Guitar Dude
Room mic for guitars?
Replies
3
Views
1K
F.O.H.
MrBongo
MrBongo
Siriun
Mics used to mic Guitars
Replies
35
Views
4K
F.O.H.
Heabow
H
Top Bottom
Back