i was wondering if anybody knows of some famous tracks/artists who use
completely "cheap" mics to record their vocals in the studio.

For example, I heard that Phil Collins likes to use an Sm-58 (I've also
heard he likes a C-12). And I understand that Bono sings his album
tracks into an Sm-58 while listening to a cranked PA stack with no
headphones.

I heard Michael McDonald uses/used an Sm-57 a lot in the studio, and I
think Bonnie Rait likes an RE-20?

I would classify a "cheap" mic as anything under $700, and preferably a
dynamic. Bonus points for a handheld.

I heard the Phil Collins track "I missed again" tonight when I was
shopping and it got me thinking.

micheal jackson - thriller, SM7 (now sold as SM7b)
wrote:
i was wondering if anybody knows of some famous tracks/artists who
use
completely "cheap" mics to record their vocals in the studio.

For example, I heard that Phil Collins likes to use an Sm-58 (I've
also
heard he likes a C-12). And I understand that Bono sings his album
tracks into an Sm-58 while listening to a cranked PA stack with no
headphones.

I heard Michael McDonald uses/used an Sm-57 a lot in the studio, and
I
think Bonnie Rait likes an RE-20?

I would classify a "cheap" mic as anything under $700, and preferably
a
dynamic. Bonus points for a handheld.

I heard the Phil Collins track "I missed again" tonight when I was
shopping and it got me thinking.

wrote in message
oups.com...
micheal jackson - thriller, SM7 (now sold as SM7b)

Here in Seattle, SM7's have had a surge in popularity for grung vocals.

Julian

Julian Adamaitis wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
micheal jackson - thriller, SM7 (now sold as SM7b)

Here in Seattle, SM7's have had a surge in popularity for grung
vocals.

Julian

When I worked on a Joe Cocker project many years ago I was told he used
a Sennheiser MD421 for his studio vocals. I also read (here, I think)
that Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) uses an SM57.

Ted Spencer, NYC

prestokid wrote:

Julian Adamaitis wrote:
davidkakon wrote in message

micheal jackson - thriller, SM7 (now sold as SM7b)

Here in Seattle, SM7's have had a surge in popularity for grung
vocals.

When I worked on a Joe Cocker project many years ago I was told he used
a Sennheiser MD421 for his studio vocals. I also read (here, I think)
that Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) uses an SM57.

Many folks seem to think all there is to this is what they consider a
cheap mic. They forget all about the caliber of the mic preamp, maybe
having little or no experience with what happens when you plug a decent
dynamic mic into a really good preamp.

--
ha

wrote:

i was wondering if anybody knows of some famous tracks/artists who
use
completely "cheap" mics to record their vocals in the studio.

Elton John - SM58 (in some cases)
Billy Squire - SM57

many, many, others I'm shure.

I would classify a "cheap" mic as anything under $700, and preferably
a
dynamic. Bonus points for a handheld.

I guess that means all but a couple of mine are
in this category.

rd
fan of "cheap" dynamic mics

youre right

micheal jackson - sm7 gml pre - quincy's ears

david

Bonnie Raitt: RE20
Mick Jagger: SM58

MJ may have used an SM7 on Thriller, but he's been using one of Bruce
Swedien's mint U47s for the last few albums. Bruce did a thing at AES a
few years ago where he played tracks with the Basie Band, Sarah Vaughn
and Michael Jackson all recorded with that same microphone. Pretty
interesting.

Karl Winkler
Lectrosonics, Inc.
http://www.lectrosonics.com

In article .com writes:

completely "cheap" mics to record their vocals in the studio.

Elton John - SM58 (in some cases)
Billy Squire - SM57

many, many, others I'm shure.

One reason why experienced performers like to use the same mics in the
studio as they use on stage is because they're comfortable using those
mics. They know how to use the proximity effect and how to work the
directional pattern. An experienced engineer recognizes that it's more
important for the artist to be comfortable when singing than to put
him in front of an unfamiliar mic (or five) and futz with which one
the engineer or producer sounds best.

Some vocalists are into that sort of thing and usually don't end up
with the SM57 in the studio, but others just want to start singing
into something that works and expect the engineer to make it work. A
good engineer won't have any problem with that and he'll enjoy a
well-sung vocal that sounds as good as it needs to.


--
I'm really Mike Rivers - )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

On Wed, 27 Apr 2005 14:22:25 GMT, (hank alrich)
wrote:

prestokid wrote:

Julian Adamaitis wrote:
davidkakon wrote in message

micheal jackson - thriller, SM7 (now sold as SM7b)

Here in Seattle, SM7's have had a surge in popularity for grung
vocals.

When I worked on a Joe Cocker project many years ago I was told he used
a Sennheiser MD421 for his studio vocals. I also read (here, I think)
that Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) uses an SM57.

Many folks seem to think all there is to this is what they consider a
cheap mic. They forget all about the caliber of the mic preamp, maybe
having little or no experience with what happens when you plug a decent
dynamic mic into a really good preamp.

It also helps if you can sing.

gml preamps have been around since the Thriller days?

didn't know about Billy Squire. Don't Say No had some great tracks on
it.

also, I thought Thriller was mixed on a Harrison console. And since
dedicated outboard preamps weren't as much on the market back then, I
would have thought they would have tracked using the Harrison preamps.

wrote:

didn't know about Billy Squire. Don't Say No had some great tracks
on
it.

Billy was an 'endorser' for the 57 and featured in
advertising for the mic (mid 80's ?)

rd

NO. Michael Jackson to the SM7 to the GML pre to Bruce Swedien's ears.

Get it right. They did.

--


Roger W. Norman
SirMusic Studio
http://blogs.salon.com/0004478/
wrote in message
ups.com...
youre right

micheal jackson - sm7 gml pre - quincy's ears

david

"hank alrich" wrote in message
.. .
prestokid wrote:

Julian Adamaitis wrote:
davidkakon wrote in message

micheal jackson - thriller, SM7 (now sold as SM7b)

Here in Seattle, SM7's have had a surge in popularity for grung
vocals.

When I worked on a Joe Cocker project many years ago I was told he used
a Sennheiser MD421 for his studio vocals. I also read (here, I think)
that Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) uses an SM57.

Many folks seem to think all there is to this is what they consider a
cheap mic. They forget all about the caliber of the mic preamp, maybe
having little or no experience with what happens when you plug a decent
dynamic mic into a really good preamp.

Here's what I don't get - if dynamics are so good for vocals, how come they
all use transformers, and typically crappy ones? The Blue Ball is the only
FET-based dynamic I've encountered, why aren't there more buffering options?
I'd be curious to hear Bonnie through a tube RE20...

Zigakly wrote:

Here's what I don't get - if dynamics are so good for vocals, how come they
all use transformers, and typically crappy ones? The Blue Ball is the only
FET-based dynamic I've encountered, why aren't there more buffering options?
I'd be curious to hear Bonnie through a tube RE20...

Actually, good dynamics tend to use good transformers. There's nothing wrong
with a transformer.

Some of them, like the RE-20 and the 421L, don't have any buffering inside
at all. There's nothing wrong with that either.

Until folks started making really crappy mike preamps in the eighties,
nobody ever worried about buffering issues because they weren't a problem.
The Blue Ball is basically an attempt to compensate for bad preamp design.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

playon wrote:

(hank alrich) wrote:

prestokid wrote:

Julian Adamaitis wrote:
davidkakon wrote in message

micheal jackson - thriller, SM7 (now sold as SM7b)

Here in Seattle, SM7's have had a surge in popularity for grung
vocals.

When I worked on a Joe Cocker project many years ago I was told he used
a Sennheiser MD421 for his studio vocals. I also read (here, I think)
that Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) uses an SM57.

Many folks seem to think all there is to this is what they consider a
cheap mic. They forget all about the caliber of the mic preamp, maybe
having little or no experience with what happens when you plug a decent
dynamic mic into a really good preamp.

It also helps if you can sing.

Just 'cause _YOU_ don't have AutoVoice!

--
ha

Karl Winkler wrote:

Bonnie Raitt: RE20

Believe that was less an artist's preference than a result of good
fortune while tracking basics. Was supposed to be the scratch vocal, but
obviously, it had everything it needed to deliver the song.

I note that with the exception of the SM58 the mics being mentioned are
not exactly the botoom of the dynamic mic price barrel. SM7, RE20, MD421
_are_ very fine mics for many things, including vox.

--
ha

Zigakly wrote:


The Blue Ball is the only FET-based dynamic I've encountered, why
aren't there more buffering options?

Fet-based dynamic? Does this thing have an on board pre-amp?

Joe Sensor wrote:
Zigakly wrote:

The Blue Ball is the only FET-based dynamic I've encountered, why
aren't there more buffering options?

Fet-based dynamic? Does this thing have an on board pre-amp?

It's not much of a preamp, only a few dB of gain running on phantom
power. But it's enough that the thing has a very low output impedance
and doesn't have issues dealing with cheap preamps.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

wrote:

i was wondering if anybody knows of some famous tracks/artists who use
completely "cheap" mics to record their vocals in the studio.

For example, I heard that Phil Collins likes to use an Sm-58

LOL - you beat me to it !

That is indeed a *cheap* mic in every possible way - except for its
horrible indestructibilty !


(I've also
heard he likes a C-12). And I understand that Bono sings his album
tracks into an Sm-58 while listening to a cranked PA stack with no
headphones.

I heard Michael McDonald uses/used an Sm-57 a lot in the studio, and I
think Bonnie Rait likes an RE-20?

I thought RE-20s were meant to be good ?


I would classify a "cheap" mic as anything under $700, and preferably a
dynamic. Bonus points for a handheld.

You're a bit touchy about your mics aren't you ?

I did once use a U87 live as a drum mic - wow was it amazing ! I couldn't
bear the thought of it getting damaged though.


I heard the Phil Collins track "I missed again" tonight when I was
shopping and it got me thinking.

Funny thing about *really cheap* mics like the ones we source from Taiwan
for about $8 is that they actually sound *better* than a '58. I guess
no-one has yet worked out how to make any other modern mic sound that bad ?

Or maybe it's the transformer in the '58 ? I bet it saturates with "rock 'n
roll" levels combined with proximity effect.


Graham

"Pooh Bear" wrote in message
...
wrote:

Funny thing about *really cheap* mics like the ones we source from Taiwan
for about $8 is that they actually sound *better* than a '58. I guess
no-one has yet worked out how to make any other modern mic sound that bad
?

Yes, they have. Try a "Crate" mic some time. No, on second thought, don't.

Peace,
Paul

wrote in message
oups.com...
i was wondering if anybody knows of some famous tracks/artists who use
completely "cheap" mics to record their vocals in the studio.

For example, I heard that Phil Collins likes to use an Sm-58 (I've also
heard he likes a C-12). And I understand that Bono sings his album
tracks into an Sm-58 while listening to a cranked PA stack with no
headphones.

I heard Michael McDonald uses/used an Sm-57 a lot in the studio, and I
think Bonnie Rait likes an RE-20?

I would classify a "cheap" mic as anything under $700, and preferably a
dynamic. Bonus points for a handheld.

I heard the Phil Collins track "I missed again" tonight when I was
shopping and it got me thinking.

According to Gary Pihl, Brad Delp (Boston) uses an RE-20.

wrote:

I would classify a "cheap" mic as anything under $700, and preferably
a
dynamic. Bonus points for a handheld.

Several on-line retailers 'list' the price of the
RE20 as $750. (although discounts are available)
Does that mean that at least one more of my
mics is not in the "cheap" category ?

rd