The Shure SM57 is a mic that every studio should have. I have four of them on hand. I mostly use them for snare and guitar amps but have also successfully used them to record other drum percussion. They have the closed dynamic mic sound so I don’t use them on vocals very often, there is of course the odd voice where it is the perfect mic. I also use them for orchestral trumpet sometimes. If you mostly record orchestral instruments I would not make this a high priority microphone but if you are like most of us you record anything that pays the bills and the SM57 will be used a lot.

You can get a package deal which includes the mic, stand and cable through this link on B&H.

Here are some specs:

• Frequency Response: 40 to 15,000 hz
• Pickup Pattern: Cardioid
• Impedance 150 ohms
• Connector: 3 pin XLR

The Shure SM57 is a great value for any studio. It is inexpensive, versatile and sounds great!

I just found the best deal on this microphone from B&H through this link.