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Hey everyone.

I'm trying to record vocals, although I don't have all the equpitment I needed so I just did it to see what it would sound like. This is what I did it with:

-Dynamic Shure SM58 + windscreen
-XLR to Audio In cable to mac
-Compressor/EQ/Noise Reduction/etc on Logic 8

Okay, so I know the specs are bad, but I'm getting a BLUE preamp that I'm going to use. My results with the above were really really stuffy, merky sounds. And so I have a few questions:

+ Will a preamp make vocals more clearer and vibrant than no preamp?
+ Is recording with a dynamic mic useless? Could it ever sound like high quality vocals with a dynamic mic?
+ Is the 'Blue Icicle Preamp' a fair preamp?
+ Is recording useless if you dont have a $200+ condenser mic and $100+ preamp?

Thanks!

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Comments

TheJackAttack Sun, 05/03/2009 - 08:27

The Shure 58 is a great mic. Don't change it. Using your 1/8" jack on your computer is the problem. You need a cheap 2 channel interface for your computer. For a single channel, the Blue Icicle should work for you but it isn't much of an interface. It doesn't have any DSP capabilities but it will get the audio into Logic.

mannyr Sun, 05/03/2009 - 14:23

TheJackAttack wrote: The Shure 58 is a great mic. Don't change it. Using your 1/8" jack on your computer is the problem. You need a cheap 2 channel interface for your computer. For a single channel, the Blue Icicle should work for you but it isn't much of an interface. It doesn't have any DSP capabilities but it will get the audio into Logic.

So does not having DSP make a really big difference?

How clear do u think my vocals will be with a shure 58 + blue preamp + logic 8 ? passable as an itunes release song?

Codemonkey Sun, 05/03/2009 - 19:12

"Will a preamp make vocals more clearer and vibrant than no preamp?"

A mic outputs a "mic-level" signal.
Mic level signals will require...

Guess what?

Your word: PR_AMP
"I'll take a letter O!"
"Nope."
"E?"
"YOU GOT IT BUSTER!"

You need a preamp about as much as the Army needs You!

As for tonal qualities of preamps, until you're spending sick amounts of money + got your ears tuned (check behind the lobes, there's a few buttons) then you won't be able to appreciate them.

Cheap stuff will do the job: convert your mic level signal to a line level signal which your computer will handle better.

BTW, I don't think that half of the crap on iTunes is passable as quality but I'll point out:
Talent != gear.
I couldn't cut hits in a $100k studio, and I mean that. I can't sing.
If you can sing, you can cut hits on a cheap setup and get more money to record more hits in a pro studio.

TheJackAttack Sun, 05/03/2009 - 19:50

If your goal is iTunes then your little icicle toy thingie will work for you. If you have never done any recording then this is the most inexpensive way to get started. Talent will show through regardless of the technology. And when you start to really get into this then you'll want to upgrade to the next step. Or skip a few steps. Do I think a little 2 channel FW interface is a better starting point? S(h)ure I do. The 58 is one of the most used rock vocal mic's of all time. It will work great for you.

RemyRAD Sun, 05/03/2009 - 21:34

You are better off with a SM58 with a good preamp. As opposed to a more expensive microphone (i.e. condenser) and a cheap preamp. I'll always take the SM58. The SM58 can in fact sound great through a single five dollar IC chip preamp such as the Signetics 5534AN. Really. Believe it. It's just important to set the preamp gain properly for maximum headroom & lowest noise. Outboard processing such as equalization & compression/limiting can be effectively accomplished in software without any hardware devices. Processing the microphone with outboard hardware can sound subjectively different than software. Is it important? Not necessarily. We are talking a nuance of difference, which can only really be appreciated with years of experience. So don't worry, you're headed in the right direction.

58 lover
Ms. Remy Ann David