Lots of cheaper mics that IMO sound better than the ol' 58. Samson Q series, Berhringer. The Sennheiser e35 is a better mic for the money. The Shure PG48A and 58beta are also great.
Feamle vocal in our band bought SE V7 while I use 58A beta but that mic is much worse than my spare SM58 and we use that one rather than hers because it sounds much worse and it needs so much tweeking to do anything.
It sounds like you only have 1 mic/1 input available at any given time. The part I don't like about that is that you might be missing out on the possibility of a stereo image on the piano. If you were to ask me(and probably ONLY me), I'd say 2 of those Beta 58s or even the Beta 87s would be just fine on a piano, BUT YES... it WOULD pick up a lot of the clack and clunk from the keys.... however, some people like that. Even if you only had 1 mic for the piano, those Betas sound pretty good. If you are looking for an upgrade on mics that will give you a studio sound with less "condenser" sensitivity, I would recommend Ribbon Mics like the sE Electronics X1R. These mics are not too expensive at all, and they sound like a dream (especially for how inexpensive they are). However, they are definitely not as "bright" as a condenser mic.
The other thing I'd say is that even a standard SM58 sounds decent for vocals in a studio setting, however if it is true that you only have the one input, then regardless of mic choice; I'd recommend recording the piano first AND THEN the vocals. I certainly would not recommend using a single mic to record both the vocals AND the piano at the same time. As for the other mics you mentioned... The SM7b is AWESOME on female vocals, but it IS pretty pricey even for how good it sounds(at least in my opinion) and the Rode NT1 is simply a horrible choice all together. I'd rather one of the Betas on a piano before the NT1. You'd definitely be better off with a Ribbon mic (or 2, since you should be going for stereo image anyway) OR even an NT5 before that NT1. In any case.... Those fluid performances CAN still be recorded independently from each other, especially if you are like me because I cannot fathom doing an entire performance without a click for at least the main portion of it.
Shure SM58 or Beta 58. Lovely, rugged, clean-sounding dynamic mics that excel at off-axis rejection and maximizing S/N ratio. The Beta 58 has a slightly higher output level; the SM 58 does slightly better at reproducing bass. You won't be unhappy with either!
Have you tried the KSM8? It’s kinda sorta smooth around the mids, very little proximity effect, doesn’t emphasize 800–1.2 kHz area. If budget’s tight, good old Beta 58 or 87 are worth to give a shot.
Before cutting 350–400 and 750–800, I’d first sweep around 900–1.2 kHz and put a gentle dip there. Then add a small cut near 350–450 Hz, plus a dynamic EQ band around 800–1 kHz to duck on big vowels. HPF around 100 Hz, and if it sounds dull, add a touch of air.
What I also find useful is playing with the mic angle and aim, try 20–30° off-axis and aim just below the lip line. That often takes the edge off. You can test and try to figure out a sweet spot for your singer.
If you sprinkle in some VST magic like Waves F6/C6 and pair it with the right capsule and mic technique, that works best.
Why I like F6/C6 in this case is; F6/C6 let you set per band thresholds, ranges, and time constants, even sidechain a specific band, so you can make the 900–1.2 kHz dip only when it pops out without dulling the whole. Metering shows exactly which band is working and how much, which makes dialing faster. Many decent modern consoles built in dynamic EQ is also great and close enough. If your desk already has per band dynamics with good metering, you can use that too. Plugins mainly win on ergonomics and precision.
Top External Microphones on Reddit
1
Shure
SM58
79% positive of 373 users
Indestructible live workhorse; but muffled for studio vocals.
activematrix99
