In summary, the retro design of this piece combined with the high build quality make it a great fit for a variety of uses. Great for — People who sing and play an instrument. Lovers of vintage music or who want a timeless yet high quality sound.
While designed with lead vocals in mind, this entry from AKG is also well suited to instrumental use, making it especially useful for instrumental solos that pack a punch. For instance, the mic has a switchable 20dB attenuator and bass-cut filter designed to reduce proximity effect as well as a ultra-low noise for close recording of high-output sources.
All that without compromising on dynamic range… which clocks in at an incredible dB. This means you can expect great clarity and detail on vocals as well as a range of acoustic instruments and electric guitars.
The mic is incredibly robust with a shock and scratch resistant all-metal die-cast body. Still, for all its durability it still manages to boast an attractive and elegant design that will be a good look for any live performer.
A sensational all-rounder at a great price which is sure to appeal to a range of users. Great for — Touring bands. Home studios. Live performers with a history of dropping their mics. This great value condenser mic is a fantastic investment for those new to vocal recording who want a great quality microphone that delivers high-quality upfront sound at an affordable price.
Still, this means that the mic does a great job of shutting out background noise and delivering vocals with clarity richness. It even has a microfibre cleaning cloth to accompany it as well as a 10 foot XLR cable. But how about the sound quality? Self-noise, however never reaches higher than an unobtrusive 12dB and the 80Hz high pass filter switch ensures that there is no excessive bass.
Great for — New recording artists who want a good quality affordable mic with great output. Even those who are new to recording will likely be familiar with the name Shure. And while there are certainly cheaper vocal mics on the market, you really are getting what you pay for with this effort from Shure.
The spiritual upgrade from the ubiquitous SM58, this cardioid dynamic mic offers outstanding mid range emphasis. This lends a wonderfully warm and round character to vocal recordings and with a built-in pop filter you need never worry about explosive breath sounds altering the quality or integrity of recorded vocals.
This model also comes equipped with a A7WS detachable windscreen. This helps further in reducing reduce plosive sounds while lending close-talk vocals a warmer and richer sound. It even offers electromagnetic shielding against the potential interference emitted by computer monitors.
Yoke mounting offers not only great stability but also helps to ensure complete directional control for maximum rejection and bare minimum coloration from off axis sound. Not if you are only planning to make straight audio recordings via a mic.
But if you want to use virtual instruments eg create drum, synth and bass tracks , create your own sheet music, or learn to play keyboard then even an entry level keyboard is a must. You can read more if you want us to help you decide if you need a keyboard. If you already own a digital piano or keyboard then you can easily connect it to your computer with a simple interface or USB lead, and save money.
If you know you definitely want to buy a MIDI keyboard, then we have a comprehensive guide on how to choose the best MIDI Keyboard Controller which considers everything from number of keys to whether or not you should have additional faders, onboard sounds etc. Choice of software very much depends on what you want to achieve. If you are looking to do very straightforward recording and editing, then the easiest software to start out with is Audacity Recording Software which is free, and very easy to use when you are starting out.
The other software to think about trying is Reaper , which you can use for free for 60 days and is very inexpensive to purchase if you like it.
So, the important thing is to get your hardware right first whatever you want to do. And you could also check out our post on music making software which looks at the different things you might want to do — for example making your own sheet music, or learning to play an instrument. But whatever you want to do, make sure you have the right equipment or you might find the software does not work as well as it should. We keep coming back to the key component of your recording studio, which is likely to be your audio interface.
Once you have got the sound into your computer, you need to get it out again! So at least you will need to invest in some good quality studio headphones like the Audio Technica ATH-M50x and if not straight away, you will also want a good pair of monitors like the KRK Rokit 5 powered speakers.
Studio monitors provide a neutral uncoloured sound so you can perfect your mix and judge it accurately. However, good monitors are not cheap, so if you are on a tight budget, maybe start by investing in headphones.
We have an introductory guide which examines which are the best studio headphones for different recording and mixing situations. The key audio cable types you are going to need are a mic cable, to connect your microphone to your audio interface unless you have decided to choose a USB microphone and also the cables to connect your audio interface up to your studio monitors unless for now you are going to use headphones.
Also a mic stand is absolutely essential if you are using a microphone, it is not practical to attempt to record through a handheld mic on your computer and try and operate the software at the same time. USB mics often come with a stand. And you can get away with a sturdy desktop stand rather than a full floor standing boom stand.
Just make sure you factor this in when purchasing your mic. Absolutely perfect for the complete beginner, because you know everything is going to work well together. Our favourites are below, and if you want to know more, read our full reviews of these all-in-one recording studio software and equipment packages.
To find out which ones I recommend, check out this article :. One strange thing about the human voice is…. Creating a punchy low frequency sound known as Popping. Place your hand in front of your face as you say these two sentences :. To see which pop filters I recommend, check out this article :. But on recordings, when your mouth is right up against the mic, it often sounds painfully obvious. Using a condenser mic which is more prone to sibilance , record yourself saying this line :.
Hear that annoying hiss? To fix this problem, you COULD just mask it with software tools like de-essers and multi-band compressors …. But the smarter strategy is to avoid recording it in the first place. Grab a pencil , and secure it directly over the diaphragm of your mic with a rubber band , as shown in this picture. Now…those high frequency blasts will be split in half by the pencil, and diverted off to the side.
Problem solved. Due to the design of the cardioid mics …. With certain instruments such as acoustic guitar, this can serve as a useful tool in adding warmth. If the acoustics in your room suck, so will your vocals.
A better mic will often times pick up more of the background ambiance therefore having the opposite effect. You will get better results in recording by focusing on the environment and sound isolation to complement the microphone rather than buying a more expensive one.
Sometimes, all it takes to liven up the vocal is creating a better recording space for the mic by blocking unnecessary sound reflections coming from the back of the mic. We've already established where a Cardiod mic picks up the main body of sound, but in reality, sound from the back of the mic, or room ambience, can still be captured by the mic due to room reflections. This is why in recent years VoxGuard type shields have become very popular. They are mounted to the mic stand and create a barrier around the back and side of the mic: instant awesomeness!
There are several different manufacturers making these sound isolation tools, or you could make some yourself with some wood, screws, foam and fabric. One of the last things often overlooked in this whole equation is how Proximity Effect will shape the tone of the sound. It takes a lot less energy to move the microphone capsule when the vocalist is right in front of it as opposed to standing 1 - 2 feet back from the mic.
Also, there is a noticeable overdrive to low frequencies. Most people will try to fix the sound with an EQ or Compressor. While that might sound good for the moment, it make it much more difficult to mix in context with the rest of the finished production. An easy ish way to deal with proximity effect is to position the pop filter with enough distance away from the mic in order to prevent the singer from getting too close. There is a good chance you, as the engineer, might have to remind the singer to step back and not lean into the mic too much.
It will happen. There is a point that I believe needs to be addressed primarily regarding vocalists sorry to pick on you guys.
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