sm7 for rock vocals, NE experience?

Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 11:15 am

This came up on another of my posts and so I was curious if anyone had used this mic for rock vocals. Like I said in another post I read somewhere that Rick Rubin used this on some of the System of a Down vocal tracks.

Justin

Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 12:07 pm

On the record we just finished we used an Sm7b into an API pre pretty extensively. I often here that the sm7 is used for "aggresive" singers, but it worked great with our singer who has a style more on the "sweet" end of things. Jeff Tweedy of Wilco is an sm7 user of note.

We used the bass cut, but no mid boost. My understanding is that with both of these features engaged the mics response is more sm-57 like.

Great mic

Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 12:28 pm

I am definitely interested in trying this mic. thanks for the info.

Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 12:28 pm

Anyone else with Sm7b experience?

Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 5:56 pm

I have just bought one, mainly because my sonic hero brendan o'brien uses it all the time on vocals..(latest incubus, bloodsugarsexmagic, and one of the best sounding albums/vocals i know: interiours by brad)
I was pretty dissapointed when using it with my focusrite voicemaster going through my urei 1178.for electric guitar this was super, but for vocals it sounded a bit too sm57..
I have now bought a grace 101, haven't really used it yet, but first tests sound hopeful..
I'm guessing brendan o'brien normally amplifies his sm7's with some vintage neve stuff..(for bloodsugarsex they had a neve console anyway..anyone knows more about this? please tell!!!)

cheers
huub

Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 5:35 pm

update: yup...sm7b trough grace 101 and urei equals sweet vocals...
interestingly...condensers still sound nicer through my focusrite...
the grace sounds a bit too 'real' for fat vocals..

Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 10:26 am

Bob Ezrin used an SM7 on Jared Leto for 30 Seconds to Mars' debut album. im a big fan of how that album sounds.

read the interview here:

http://www.shure.com/otws/tech/ezrin.asp

Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 10:52 am

An SM7 is usually a go to first mic for most of our vocal applications...We've used them on rock, as have most people at one time or another....(Swedien used an SM7 on Michael Jackson's Thriller)...

I especially like them thru an OSA API clone for country (both bubblegum and real country varieties)...also have used SM7s for radio/TV voiceovers...Its just a killer mic that needs a lot of gain.

Plus, they excel at just about anything else you put them on....

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