Best budget microphones

DYNAMIC

Most dynamic microphones are made for live performance. As a result, you can use them in your studio or on stage without the need of  phantom power.

Shure SM57 - $99
A vocal/instrument microphone, the SM57 is used on many applications. It's a go-to mic for recording drums and acoustic guitars.

Shure SM58 - $99
Considered the most used microphone the world, this is a great microphone that everyone should have in their mic closet. Although it's essentially a live sound microphone, the SM58 has been used as a vocal and instrument mic on zillions of recordings, even some famous ones. 

CAD-22A - $25

The specs are almost identical to an SM58 (the CAD is 60 Hz to 15 kHz) and CAD is a very good company with a solid product line. I haven't heard it, but I'd like to get one. It's hard to beat the price.

CONDENSER (PHANTOM POWER NEEDED)
Audio-Technica AT2020 - $99

Studio Projects B1 - $119

USB
Audio-Technica AT2020 USB - $149

MULTI-PATTERN

CAD M179 - $179

Resources

Cubase LE forum

Setting up MIDI in Cubase LE

VISTA

Vista compatible interfaces list

Using Samson USB mics with Vista

Microsoft page on USB devices and Vista
Windows Vista recording information

How to fix Vista issue on Cubase LE
Dell support forum on laptop audio
Information on interfacing microphones with sound cards
Vistaheads

Article on audio latency issues with Vista

REVIEWS OF SONY ACID MUSIC STUDIO 7.0
What PC Pro says
Reviews on Amazon.com
Musicians Friend reviews

SOLVING PROBLEMS

How to find and eliminate a ground loop or hum

DIY hum eliminator

INTERESTING AND HELPFUL INFORMATION

Voice frequencies chart

DIY Guitarist site

Resources

Cubase LE forum

Don't be afraid of MIDI, it's great!

Many home studio enthusiasts shudder at the thought of using MIDI. They don't have any idea what it's all about or why they would benefit from hooking up to their computer with a music keyboard via MIDI. Today, MIDI is easy to interface and the pluses are numerous.

I first began using MIDI, which stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, in 1992 when I began squencing music using Master Tracks Pro on a Mac Plus computer. With the help of a sync box, I would synchronize my computerized song sequences with my portable cassette multitracker. Instead of recording only four tracks, or suffer signal degradation by bouncing three tracks down to one for a total of five or six tracks, I could record five, six or seven tracks via MIDI and blend it with my cassette tracks. With a total of eight or nine total tracks, my songs started sounding more professional.

Recording programs under $100

For under $100 you can buy one of several recording applications that can transform your computer into a recording studio. Not only are there several under $100, but a few are free open-source programs.

THE FREE ONES
Audacity (Windows)
Audacity (Mac OS)
Koblo

SOFTWARE THAT COMES BUNDLED

GarageBand (Mac OS only)
Cubase LE (comes bundled with the purchase of several items)

Sonar LE

UNDER $100
Mixcraft

Sony Acid Music Studio

DEMOS

Sonar

Favorite podcasts on home recording

The best podcast is Project Studio Network featuring Allen Wagner and Michael Bolan. This podcast, which is available via the iTunes Store or directly from the PSN website, contains a wealth of information on recording. And Big Al and Mike are so darned entertaining.

Subscribe Free Now!

Studio Monitors

LowFi

MIC PREAMPS

My first condenser — Studio Projects C1

It's easy to get taken over by the desire to buy new and expensive microphones. It's often referred to as "mic lust," which I certainly have experienced, especially while perusing a pro audio catalog. But nowadays there are numerous inexpensive, quality choices for those without a lot of cash.

A few years ago I saved up my money to buy the Studio Projects C1 condenser microphone, which was touted as poor man's Neumann U87. It cost me $239 from Sweetwater.com.

Getting my first real studio microphone was both exciting and frustrating. It was exciting because I finally had this impressive-looking microphone with wonderful 20 hz - 20 kHz specs. But I quickly discovered that there were down sides too. Because it was such a sensitive mic, it picked up computer and other ambient noise in my home studio. That was kind of a bummer. And I learned about the true meaning of the word "siblance."

I recorded a friend, a R&B/Gospel singer named Tina Mosley. Her S's sizzled way too much. Here's an example of Tina's voice on the Studio Projects C1.



Conversely I used the C1 to record my cousin Bob Day, who has a wonderful baritone voice. The recording, which was made using an AudioBuddy preamp to a Sharp mini-disc recorder, sounds great. I think the C1 really works for his voice.



So I learned that microphones have difference characteristics and sound differently on different voices. That's an important lesson to learn.

Do-It-Yourself

Homemade microphone with $3 Radio Shack electret mic element

A while back I made two small microphones using condenser microphone elements that cost just over $3 each. Altogether, with cables and connectors, the mics came to about $10 each. The mic elements (RS #270-090) are omnidirectional signal-to-noise ratios of 60dB.

Take a listen. I think these little microphones sound surprisingly good.

LISTEN TO THE HOMEMADE ELECTRET MICS

Examples of DIY microphones