Mic Recommendations?

Behringer XM 8500 is good universal mic at a low price http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Behringer-XM8500-Microphone?sku=270490
Behringer B-5 Condenser Microphone is even better for acoustic guitar but much more expensive
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Behringer-B5-Condenser-Microphone?sku=270492

MXL has also good mics for good prices
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/rec/navigation/mxl-microphone-condenser-microphones-wireless-live-sound?N=100001+304625+202555&page=1

Kalle

I am learning that mikes make or break a good recording. at the moment I have a Shure SM 57. it is a tight pattern condenser. it does not work for vocals, brecause when I record I have the mic line in full up. the guitar line in has to be turned way down so the vocals have presence on the recording.
on the other hand, the SM57 works great for my dobro and acoustic.

so I hear the large diaphram condensers are good for vocal and instruments.
a dynamic mic is even better for vocals.

and a ribbon mike is the best for vocals.

large diaphram condensers are anywhere from $ 90 to 150 on sale.
dynamic mikes come in all price ranges.

ribbon mikes are very expense. arms, legs, and first born children are required to get them. haha.

Marshall or MXL have decently priced large diaphram condensers. 69 to 99 on sale. they need a shock mount for sure.

I have been searching the web and ebay for several weeks now. ebay is very competitive.
I think a good mike for our studio recording should be in the 200 to 300 range. ouch. but from what I have been reading. that is what it takes.
the better the mike the better the recording.

here is an instance, I am sensing, that it is not in the fingers. it is the equipment.
if you find something you like please let me know!!

whoa. I have to edit my post.
the SM57 is not a condenser. it is a Dynamic mic. it is an industry standard for miking amps.
it does well on my resonator! it isn't well suited for vocals.
I now have a CAD GXL2200 . a large diameter condenser.
it is good for vocals, instruments, enhancements, and miking a room.
I am going to be testing it out today.

what i;'ve been hearing and reading is that dynamic mics are good for electrics and condenser mics are good for acoustic and for vocals. the person at GC told me about a Sennheiser. I still researching. i don't want to jump and buy something.

I am also looking for a mic for the near future. Some days ago I found this page, it explains the different types of mics and also gives some examples on brands and prices. The Shure SM57 is recommended as a good dynamic microphone.

http://homerecording.about.com/od/microphones101/a/mic_types.htm

Nuno

If you were only to have one microphone in your recording kit most people in the business would tell you to buy the SM57 by Shure . It does some things as well or better than anything else out there (snare drums , guitar cabinets) . It also does just about everything else well to very well . It is called the "Swiss Army Knife " of microphones . It works best very close to the signal source . Condenser mics are better at picking up sound from a distance , that is , they will give you more gain when the sound source is more than a foot away from the microphone . The gain on dynamic mics , like the SM57 , tends to drop off rapidly the farther it gets away from whatever it is that you are trying to amplify or record . One problem with condenser mics is that the cartridge is very susceptible to damage by moisture , such as what comes out in your breath and a windscreen is absolutely recommended when used for vocals .

Pre-amp has a lot more to do with this than the mic.

A lot of pros use relatively inexpensive mics -- such as the Shure SM57's. None of the pros use relatively inexpensive pre-amps!

The pre-amps in the M-Audio firewire aren't horrible, but they're not great, so don't expect that what you hear will match some recording done in a studio. The problem most likely won't be in what effects you have or your mixing technique!

That said, any good small condenser mic will do you well.

Personally, I've really been digging what can be done with XY condensers such as the Rode NT4 lately, but at roughly $450 that might be out of your budget.

A great instrument mic to consider is the Audio-Technica Pro 37. It has a pretty good response for a mic in it's price range and works well with lower-end pre's (much better than Shure does, in my opinion).

I am now connected, finally, and can record (sometimes). The next thing I would like to get is a microphone to record my non-electric guitar. I connect to my iMac through an M-Audio Firewire Solo. M-Audio has a microphone. should I stick with that or find something else. Any recommendations?

I'd recommend the Audio Technica AT2020/2021 bundle.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AT2041sp/

I get pretty good results with them

Here is a good Web site to listen a lot of mics and decide what you like.
http://www.thelisteningsessions.com/session5.htm

I'll have to agree with the SM57 suggestion. The AKG package looks nice as well. If I had to go and buy a cheap mic, I would look into a used 57 and or a Shure SM81(condensor).

While condensors are nice to have, a cheap condensor is going to sound cheap. They generally have a hyped top end to give the illusion of airiness. Unfortunately this can also cause the mic to sound brittle on many sources like cymbals guitar and even some voices.

The SM81 is a stalwart that has been in use for a long time. You could probably find one in a pawn shop for well under $100. Also, they do not require phantom power necessarily as they can function with a single AA battery

The 57 is a great mic that you will use well into the next decade. You will not find a studio without one.

In the end it will be more about mic placement than anything. Poor placement will ruin any recording. With condensors on acoustics, distance is your friend. The closer you bring the mic the more proximity effect you will have to deal with. That will leave you with unwanted boominess. I learned this the hard way. I couldn't figure out why I was having problems till I backed off the mic. :oops:

In that respect a decent dynamic mic can be a good solution. There is still proximity effect to deal with but because dynamics are less sensitive, you can get a lot closer to you guitar thus eliminating more of the room sound. Which for most people is a problem. As, most of us can't afford to properly treat our living rooms to the extent of a pro or semi pro studio. Not to mention our other halves may have a problem with us doing so. :P

Anyway sorry for rambling.

the reason i want a condenser mic is that i was under the impression that dynamic mics are not for recording acoustic. am i mistaken?

Condensors are fine but overrated these days. Too much emphasis is put on gear. The truth is that a lot of condensors on the market right now sound like garbage. The appeal (and the problem) with condensors is that they are considerably more sensitive than dynamic mics are. So you don't need as much gain and therfore less noise is produced.

You can put a dynamic mic right up close to your guitar and it won't distort. You can put it up against the grill of your amp and crank it and it should sound fine.

With a condensor it's much easier to overload the capsule. So, distance is an issue. And, to be honest, the further away from the source especially when dealing with acoustics, the better the mic can sound. Depending of course on the qualities of your room.

I'm not saying don't buy a condensor. What I am saying is regardless of the mic you buy, plan on spending time playing with where you put the mic. That in itself is the single most crucial element to how good or bad your recording is going to sound.

Personally, if you do decide to buy a condensor, consider a small diaphragm condensor with a high pass filter. The Audio Technica package that moonrider suggested is a good option with both a large and small diaphragm condensor. And, for a very good price, I might add.

I have two mics now.
SM57. dynamic mic. great for miking my amp. works for miking my resonator. I put it about six inches away from the cone and it cut through the mix and sounded just like my resonator.
new..
a CAD GXL wide condenser. I got it for 69.99 on ebay.
new, free shipping, included a shock mount and he thew in the cord.
I spent yesterday checking it out.
works great for vocals.
I think it would work good for miking a small circle of acoustic players.

I am sorting through my recorded takes and will post one later in Hear Here.

Even with best eqipment it's more how it's used than what you are using that will determine how good it sounds. You can make pretty good recordings with any mic unless it's just complete cheap junk. Even a cheap mic may give an effect you want though. Recording is as much an art as playing, it will take some time to get recordings you like.

Having said that the SM57 is an excellent all around mic. Even cheap condesors can sound decent.

All the stuff I have recorded was done with SM57 on guitars and an MXL 990 (about $60) for vocals. I'm not saying the recordings are anything special but they sound OK. My signal chain is source--->MXL 990 or SM57---> Behringer ub802 mixer---> MIA MIDI audio interface--->Cubase

you can hear them at http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=517123

Great thread, ptk!
Thanks to everyone who has posted. I know nothing of mikes so I'm learning a lot.
Can anyone offer single mike recommend if I was looking to record both vocals and acoustic at the same time? Provided the results didn't have to be great?