Home recording and mixing can indeed compete with some commercially produced music, with the right amount of love and care. Microphones are a fundamental part of the recording chain and should not be overlooked.
Microphone choices for me were relatively simple, I had two things to consider:
The answer to both of these considerations, for quality and price, is ‘SHURE.’
There is a reason that you hear SM58 and SM57 banded about at band rehearsals or recording sessions. These are two of the most versatile and robust microphones on the planet. Vocalists love the SM58 for its sound, but I think more for the fact that it can be dropped and is so sturdy. It can be abused onstage and off.
For micing any drum kit, I knew I wanted two overheads, three toms, snare top, snare bottom and kick out. I already owned an SM57 for general use, so that meant with the PGA7 setup, this suited my needs perfectly.
I have written an in-depth article covering “Quality Professional Studio Sounding Vocals On a Budget” (see article here), where I listed the following budget microphones:
And if you haven’t already, check out the article here on pop filters.
Pop filter products:
Don’t waste money on unbranded microphone stands, they are cheap, and they don’t last five minutes. Go for any of these Hercules models, and you won’t go far wrong.
Not sure how to budget for all of your microphone needs? Check out our home studio budget calculators here.
Back in 2009, I bought myself a copy of Pro Tools and recorded some home made music. It was challenging to start with, as I had no idea what I was doing. I made many mistakes on my journey - some fun, some expensive, and many time-consuming! I find running a Home Music Studio a fascinating and rewarding hobby and still enjoy it every day. This website is where I’d like to share everything that I’ve learned.