SM 57 Used on MSNBC Interviews - Pres. Debate

[Exmun]

MSNBC's Ron Reagan and Joe Scarborough used 57's in their post debate interviews. Sounded awesome. I know it's gearslutz sacriledge, but it never ceases to amaze me how good the 57 sounds on so many sources in so many different contexts. Pure genius... and for $80, it's a steal.

[LTA]

Originally posted by Exmun
MSNBC's Ron Reagan and Joe Scarborough used 57's in their post debate interviews. Sounded awesome. I know it's gearslutz sacriledge, but it never ceases to amaze me how good the 57 sounds on so many sources in so many different contexts. Pure genius... and for $80, it's a steal.

I saw a few SM57s floating around the pre-debate tonight too. They were used handheld and sounded fine, with no handling noise. Perhaps they had a boom too, but who knows. I actually got excited about something tonight. "Look!!! An SM57!!! I have 2 of those!!"

I bet they worked better than an omni (or cardioid even) condenser wireless in the noisy environment.

[Jmess]

Originally posted by Exmun
MSNBC's Ron Reagan and Joe Scarborough used 57's in their post debate interviews. Sounded awesome. I know it's gearslutz sacriledge, but it never ceases to amaze me how good the 57 sounds on so many sources in so many different contexts. Pure genius... and for $80, it's a steal.

THE BEST ALL AROUND MIC YOU CAN BUY. I still use it on guitar cabs and years ago I recorded a number records using the 57 for rock vocals and still sounds great.

[pounce]

two sm57's on a dual mount are what's usually used for presidential speaking.

[Drumsound]

Just because somethings sounds fine for broadcast speech doesn't mean it's a great studio tool...


Flame on, I'm just not a big 57 fan.

[shikawkee]

Sinatra sang into a 57 usually. (That photo of him most people reference with a U47 is a staged promo shot.)

[Absolute]

Yeha I think that what Dean used for those amazing vocals on that scream. They should have patched in some echo

And...maybe its just me but doesnt Kerry's head look like, at some point, it was a normal shape...but then got smushed in a vice?

[rmx16]

I know Sinatra favored the sm56 too.How you choose a 56 over a tele 251 I don't know

Ed the radial is happening

Peace

[shikawkee]

Originally posted by rmx16
IEd the radial is happening
Peace

Cool! I figured you'd dig it.
Good stuff.

[chessparov]

'Ol Blue Eyes normally used the Shure 546 at Reprise.

The SM56, as you may know, is the non-reflective version.
(otherwise the same)

With someone like Bill Putnam at the helm, they knew how to pull great sound out of those microphones there.

Another offbeat model that works great on me is the Shure 548.
A bit smoother than the 546 (or SM56), and right up there with
$1000+ condensers I've tried out.

ALL the lead vocals on "Pet Sounds" were recorded on a Shure 545 by Chuck Britz, the Beach Boy's AE.

Darned if I can tell any difference between it and the U47's/RCA 77's used for group vocals on it!

Chris

[cfuehrer]

The workhorse of the industry! Still the best snare and guitar mic.

[shikawkee]

Originally posted by chessparov
'Ol Blue Eyes normally used the Shure 546 at Reprise.

The SM56, as you may know, is the non-reflective version.
(otherwise the same)

With someone like Bill Putnam at the helm, they knew how to pull great sound out of those microphones there.

Massenburg and Alan Sides swear Sinatra used a 57.
I agree about Bill Putnam though.

[Exmun]

Originally posted by Drumsound
Just because somethings sounds fine for broadcast speech doesn't mean it's a great studio tool...

Well, I've used it in the studio to great result. My point wasn't so much about how good a studio tool it was. It was more of how incredibly versatile the 57 is while still sounding good. Kind of the same factor that's made the U87 what it is (versatile and sounds decent on most any source--not always the perfect choice, but never sucks).

[Midlandmorgan]

Originally posted by shikawkee
Sinatra sang into a 57 usually. (That photo of him most people reference with a U47 is a staged promo shot.)

I thought Frankie used an RE16 ... be that as it may...

Last weekend, I set up a 57 on the drum (term used for instrument and players/singers) at the Native American Powwow in Odessa...one mic worked like a freakin champ...careful aiming seemed to accent singers while still getting plenty of the drum in the house system...

Actually, I ended up selling 2 of my 57s to the Powwow regional committee because of it...

[chessparov]

IIRC the SM57 wasn't around until 1965, and the 546 around 1961 (it's on Shure's website).

In fact, Shure gave him a special gold-plated 546
in light of his use of it there in the studio.

GM and Alan Sides might be mainly referring to both of the "Duets" albums at Capitol.

He seemed to favor the RE15 (or RE16) on the
collaborative music he did with Antonio Carlos Jobim, based on the "Man and His Music" TV Specials. That'd made sense with the mellower vocal style of Boss Nova vs. full orchestration.

IMHO the RE15 and RE16 are more underated than even the SM57 among recording musicians.
Same goes for the EV 635a.

Chris

[shikawkee]

Originally posted by chessparov
GM and Alan Sides might be mainly referring to both of the "Duets" albums at Capitol.

Right, but supposedly he used it's earlier counterpart before those records. Whatever, they're good mics. He was a great singer. That's the real key.

[LTA]

Originally posted by slipperman
"Sure...." Bobby deadpanned... "I think we got enough in there(the mic locker) to cover the whole she-bang....

I think i busted a gut on that line. Where can i send you the hospital bill





Thanks to this thread, i've started hallucinating the SM57 on everything. There is a sinatra track on a commercial that sounds like a 57. And i was told it was a ribbon mic all these years.... It has a kind of thin fatness to it, the SM57. I'm sure you can eq it, but that upper-mid peak is pretty distinctive once you think you are hearing it. Next thing i know, you'll be telling me mark knopfler used an sm57 on most of his guitar tracks.

[Exmun]

The story brought a tear to my eye Slippy.

[chessparov]

The Beyer M500 ribbon reputedly shares a similar presence peak to the SM57.

Slipperman, humble grasshopper (me) thanks you for that story. Overheads and high hat,
that sure seems amazing.

How long did it take you to learn that degree of skill in mic placement?

Was messing around with placing a SM57 for vocal practice today, and must admit that it sounded dramatically better when paying better attention to optimal placement.

Becoming less sure of prior assumptions on mic selection, as time goes by, due to stuff like this.

Chris

[everybody's x]

Let me ask you guys, why do the people setting up for the debates set up two 57's side by side?. wouldnt this cause a bunch of phasey shit, or maybe even cancel each other out? And if not, why not?

I noticed the other night the mics were the same distance from the source and parallel to each other.

And why do they need two anyway?

maybe two just looks more "presidential"

[Ted Nightshade]

Great story, Slipperman!

I bet a person could get a drum sound with just one of those fancy mics that would smoke whatever anybody could do with several of anything, though. Might need a little cooperation from the player though. Of course I've never cared for these hyped up "improved" drum sounds, with the exception of the manipulation necessary to a little plastic bassdrum tone to make it sound more like a real big bassdrum with calf heads.

The 57 has a kind of distortion to it that just sounds like amplified sound is supposed to sound. Someone speaking into one just sounds "right", even though it's not half as natural as some other mics. Maybe it's just what we're used to? Maybe it's that plus some other psychoacoustic factor.

[LTA]

Originally posted by everybody's x
Let me ask you guys, why do the people setting up for the debates set up two 57's side by side?. wouldnt this cause a bunch of phasey shit, or maybe even cancel each other out? And if not, why not?

Redunancy. Only one will be open at a time. You can't really stop a presidential address to swap mics, cables and preamps if something goes awry.

[everybody's x]

that make sense, I didnt even think about that

[kevinc]

Originally posted by slipperman

I will NEVER, EVER, question the power and effectiveness of the Shure SM57 as a transduction device in the hands of a skilled operator till they stick me in a box and whip dirt on me.

SM.

HAHAHA

Too true dude.

I`ve quickly learned a few lessons about high quality dynamics after buying a few expensive condensers recently.

I bought a Sennheiser 441 off ebay for about $250 and it`s my go to mic on vox about about 3/4`s of the time over a U99 I bought for $2000 or so. I`m allmost thinking of selling the thing because I really dig the 441 better.



As for the 57 it`s really a toss up everytime between that and the Royer 121 I bought recently on guitars usually.

I totally agree with what Ted said above especially on amps.

It seems to be the best mic overall at giving the true representation of what the amp actually sounded like at the time.
Sometimes a ribbon will give this euphoric thing that sounds even better than that but if you`ve got a real kick ass tone on the amp and want it exact the 57 is the mic for the job.

Plus you can use a 57 on EVERYTHING which you can`t do with a lot of mics.

[bigbubbaj]

Same goes for the EV 635a.

Chris [/B]

I have one of those, and it is AWESOME.

Has a really cool tone. A singer I am recording wants to use it for her lead vox track to get the "effect". Who would have thought.

[chessparov]

Methinks SM is being modest.

Anyway...

Yeah the 635a is the fave for bluesy vocals on me so far. Never tried the 664 though and that's
supposed to have a cool vibe too.

Chris

[pgk]

the greatest, most versatile mic ever made, imvho. use it on anything. you can drive nails with one. it's the most preamp-intolerant mic i've ever seen; just plug the damn thing into whatever. and you can depend on 'em like the sun coming up. for me, a 57 combined with a royer 121 for electric guitar is IT. fini. i've never been happier with my tone in the studio.

[Timeless]

Originally posted by pgk
for me, a 57 combined with a royer 121 for electric guitar is IT. fini. i've never been happier with my tone in the studio.

Let's not forget the pre amp!

The older 57's and R 84 and Coles 4038 and Senh 409/60 silvers

Into a TG2 with any guitar and amp .............. and walla!