I know it’s tempting to want to put all of your money towards one really nice microphone. The logic goes like this: if you are recording everything one instrument at a time, you can use that same nice microphone on every track. It’s almost like you had a bunch of really nice microphones that you used to capture the entire band. What I’m about to tell you turns this whole idea upside down.
Via Oreste Pantegani Flickr
How To Avoid “Sameness”
Last month I was in Los Angeles for the winter NAMM show. At one point in the show there was a Q&A session with Joe Barresi (Soundgarden, Queens of the Stone Age) who is one of my favorite rock mixers out there. Someone asked him a question about recording, and he answered with this little nugget:
I’d rather have two or three different sounding microphones on a recording project, even if they were really cheap, than only one microphone for everything. – Joe Barresi
He went on to describe the idea of recording everything through one mic gives a “sameness” to the tracks. And speaking to primarily a lot of home recording enthusiasts, he suggested that they at least pick up one additional mic that sounds totally different.
Why Buy One Mic When You Can Buy Two?
His point is super valid. The goal of a great mix is to have separation and clarity of each instrument. This doesn’t happen only with EQ plugins during the mix, but in the recording phase. And which microphones you choose to use can help shape that sound getting you closer to the final clarity you desire.
So it begs the question: why put all your eggs into one basket (i.e. one kind of expensive microphone) when you could spread them out over 2 or 3 more affordable mics with very different sonic imprints? You’d get a lot more control and sonic options for the same money, and it will only make your mix come together faster.
A Practical Example
Let’s put together a practical but hypothetical example of what I’m suggesting. John Doe wants to buy a really quality microphone for his home studio so he can start making some serious recordings. He has a budget of $300 and he’s considering buying a Blue Bluebird condenser mic. Great choice.
But, with the Bluebird he will only have one sound. One sound for his vocals, acoustic guitars, electric guitar amps, strings, drums, percussion, you name it. Another option for John is to take his $300 budget and instead purchase two microphones: a Blue Spark ($200) and a Shure SM57 ($100). In this scenario, John would have another fantastic condenser microphone (made by the same company as the Bluebird) and then a totally different sounding microphone, a dynamic to be exact.
On one level, John has clearly doubled his mic locker for the same amount of money. That’s cool. But on a sonic level he now has way more options for tone shaping his tracks. He can now better match his instruments to microphones and begin carving out unique sounds for each track.
If You Had To Choose
In a perfect world (one in which money is no object), you could buy whatever mics you wanted and have them all at your disposal. You’d have a killer sonic arsenal at your disposal. Cool!
But we live in the real world, one dictated by budgets. So we have to make smart decisions. We have to choose. And in most peoples’ cases, the choices are between two affordable microphones or one more expensive microphone. Given that choice, I would take the two affordable microphones in a heartbeat, assuming they sound very different from each other.
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My name is Graham Cochrane and I'm the founder of The Recording Revolution, one of the world's most loved audio recording and mixing blogs with over 200,000 readers each month. 
I think the most valid argument here is not only do two different mics sound different and give you more options in your recording, it’s also that not every mic is useful in any given situation.
I like that you give the example of an excellent condensor like the Blue Spark and a workhorse mic like the 57. Because these don’t only sound completely different, I also wouldn’t use them in the same situations. E.g. I’d much rather use the 57 for a loud and focused source like a screaming guitar amp or a snare drum. It’ll just capture the essence of the instrument a lot better compared to a condensor, which would be much more useful for, say, solo acoustic guitar or vocals.
totaly agree
The same thing works with any “equipment”. For example plugins, if you use the same compressor(or any) plugin on every track of the arrangement it will give you the so called “bottleneck effect” in sound (or that’s what we call it in Finland). It is even recommended to use different manufacturers, because often the manufacturers have their own certain sound in all their products (at least in the same category of products).
I use a SM 58 for vocals and then unscrew the top off and there’s my SM 57 for acoustic. Sounds great actually. In the end, the listener can’t tell the difference anyway. This blog has saved me tons of cash because I was always lead to believe that you have to have top notch equipment. I record for myself
using Logic and have no complaints over my recordings.
Thanks Graham.
Shure Notes for Houses of Worship #28 – Inside the Classics: SM58® and SM57 said that they are the SAME MIC, the only difference is the ball… the page is gone, but I am “shure” I have the article saved somewhere on one of these HDD or a DVD….
On the other hand. …. Sometimes, Using the same mic / plugin, kinda glues the track together to complete the whole idea you are trying to convey….. But that’s just me.
Graham,
Great article, as usual! I agree with what you’re saying, and it totally makes sense. But, just to play “devil’s advocate” – what about The Number One Rule of Home Recording? Seems like having more microphones instead of fewer microphones would “violate” the Rule. I’m not trying to be mean or anything. Just wanted to bring this up and get your thoughts if you have time. Thanks again for the fantastic website!
Fair question 🙂 As regards The #1 Rule, this point is for people who are thinking of spending more money than needed on one fancy mic. Stick with the $100 mic (another rule in that ebook) and spend the remaining money elsewhere. A great option is a second mic (which you’ll need if you hope to track drums with more than one mic).
Understood. Thanks for the response, and the fantastic website! We amateurs really appreciate your time and effort. Looking forward to mixing month!
I think this logic applies when you are talking about recording lots and lots of things. But I think when people listen to music they are listening at least 60% to the lead vocal. It has to sound great. I would say its better to buy an excellent mic and make your vocals really shine, and put up with sameness, than it is to have an average vocal sound but avoid sameness. This is why I would suggest, get the best vocal mic you can. When its time to expand, you can add more cheap mics to your arsenal. I guess it depends what style you are recording..
With two mics you can also experiment with multi micing. The phase relationship between mics can give you more sonic options than a single source. Don’t forget on and off axis too. Just because you only have one or two mics doesn’t mean you only have one or two sounds.
Great advice here. I have had good luck with a couple matched pairs as well 🙂
A little trick some of the newer guys to recording may mot know with the SM 57/58. You can turn the mics into Omni directional by putting a small piece of tape around the bottom capsule vent holes. It is actually a tip from a Shure engineer, I’ll provide the link here. Really adds versatility to the mics, especially when trying to capture more room. http://recordinghacks.com/2012/11/01/engineering-secrets-sm57/
Sweet!
I think I asked this on another video, but…
I have two condensers: an MXL 990 large diaphram and an MXL 991 pencil condenser. Which one would be recommended for a guitar cabinet. Specically for high gain metal tone. I also have access to some cheap dynamic mics. Not sure what way to go.
Whichever sounds best 🙂
What about budget stereo recordings? using m/s with one nice variable pattern condenser and another cardiod, haven’t tried but maybe the 57 works nice.
i think as soon as one can get into stereo recordings you get a lot of sonically and space options.
Great article!
I’m just not that big of a fan of stereo recordings in most cases. Just me.
Nice article.. i really believe in this… at first when i started my home studio i went with a mic pack of MXL 440/441 which was i think the wise move as i mainly did voice-overs and some time some guitar recordings. after 6 months down the line i got my new Sennheiser e835 and i use it some time to avoid this “sameness”
Yes, having a condenser and a dynamic helps a lot to handle different situation.
Then buy a pair of pencil condenser, and a kick mic, and you’ll vet a complete mic locker to handle everything.
One of a kind: small and large condensers and small and large dynamic.
Great comments,I use Rode NT1A n if u tilt the Mic just a bit it really has its own EQ in it therefore if u record in a Booth it captures that space pretty well,but have to say the mic sounds way better on soft voices other than hard rap vocals,but hey the issue is always acoustics even the cheapest mics like samson get be good,so does 57′
Thanx guys nice blog happy recording
Spot on as always, Graham!
I’m a prog rock drummer with one of those obnoxious 10-piece kits recording to 13 tracks at a time. I’ve collected a total hodge podge menagerie of affordable mics, many $19 deals at Music Go Round. After following your advice, making some tests, and using my ears as my compass, I’m getting huge sounds with tons of character! Home/Project studios can sound amazing with effort, skill, patience, and knowledge. Thank you for being such a great resource.
To the average person the same vocalist won’t sound much different from mic to mic. Play a non musician ‘one’ by U2 and then play them the live version. Ask if the voice sounds different. Better or worse etc. and even though one might have been recorded through a 2000 dollar Neumann and the other through a 58 the average listener won’t notice.
I read an article on ‘Battle Born’, the Killers last record; Flowers used a 58 through an Apogee Symphony into Logic Pro 9 ( and mixed on a new API desk. If they used a Rode, Neumann etc instead I bet nobody would notice.
Great song and a great vocal by a great vocalist are 99% of a great vocal. Mics only matter to producers and audiophiles and the majority of music listeners are neither.
i disagree and here is why…its all about the vocals… get the best vocal mic you can find for the money you have.. take the acoustic guitar direct, take the bass direct… borrow something for the drums, its all about the song and the vocal… ps, get a good vocalist.
I agree that it’s all about the vocals (and vocalist really). Just disagree that more money on a vocal mic means a better vocal recording.
I think slate digital is attempted to address this precise issue.
http://www.slatedigital.com/vmspreview/
A wise article. I’m not knocking the Slate Digital article because I don’t know enough about the gear but to me it seems like a lot of expensive gobbledygook to hook the customer into thinking they now have it made. So many times a musician today will say I’d like that Elvis sound or that Bieber sound or that Stevie Ray sound or Hank Williams sound etc. instead of just trying something THEY like or something that will be unique to THEM. It is quite possible that a “sound” can be subjective and some will love it and some will not. But using different mics for your OWN projects and making whatever you do, your OWN sound is really what it’s all about… finding that sound mix that might just be unique to you. Thanks again Graham.
I totally agree with this. Not only does having multiple microphones increase your tonal variety, but allows a producer to experiment with different stereo phasing techniques. In addition, low cost mics are getting better and better in recent times, so it sure seems like multiple low cost microphones are a better way to go.
Hey. I want to start recording and I’m looking for a decent microphone. I’m on a budget, so ‘all rounder’ is what I’m looking for (from what I’ve heard, the vocal samples of SM57 were not that great, so I had to pass on it). So far I’m choosing between MXL V67G and Blue Spark. The latter one has the ‘Focus’ function which rolls down the low end and decreases dynamic range (from what I’ve heard). If I’m looking for just one ‘all rounder’ mic for a start, does it mean Blue Spark would give me some more versatility (providing two different tones in one mic) and I should go with it instead of MXL V67G which doesn’t have a function like this?
Never used the MXL in question but the Spark is fantastic.
I know you have some experience with the Spark, it was featured in at least one of your videos. However, since MXL has just one mode and Spark has two, does that qualify for Spark making it easier to avoid ‘sameness’? I’m asking because both of them are around the same price, and naturally it comes to mind that since MXL just gives you the mic, with no additional stuff, it would be a better mic, but maybe it’s better to get a mic of slightly poorer performance (which still, as you said, is fantastic), if it provides you with some variety? Sorry if these questions are dull, but I’m just starting to get into recording and I’m figuring this stuff out.
Hi Ali,
I think you’re gonna be happy with either mic, honestly. The EQ curve one each will likely be slightly different, but no one will notice.
Ok, will have make up my mind then. Cheers for the input and for the videos
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