SHURE BETA 57A PROFESSIONAL INSTRUMENT MICROPHONE

SHURE BETA 57A PROFESSIONAL INSTRUMENT MICROPHONE


When most people is the music or broadcasting business think of a brand name for a microphone, one of the first names that probably pops into their heads is the brand name Shure. The most recognizable Shure microphones are the ever popular SM57 and SM58. But there are also many other great microphones in the Shure line of professional microphones, and I shall be reviewing one of them here today. The microphone I am reviewing today is the Shure Beta 57A Professional Instrument Microphone. The Shure Beta 57A has a retail price of $275.00, but it can be had from a reputable Internet retailer or a musical instrument chain store for a discounted price of as low as $139.97.

The Shure Beta 57A Professional Instrument Microphone is a “dynamic” microphone with a “supercardiod polar pattern.” The term “dynamic” refers to a type of microphone that uses a moving coil, and that does not require an outside electrical source to pick up sound waves (different microphones use different principles to achieve this, i.e., condenser microphones use a DC electrical voltage source). When the sound waves in the vibrating air impacts upon this diaphragm, the moving coil, which is attached to the diaphragm moves, over a small permanent magnet, and this movement generates a small AC current, which in turn reproduces the sound which was being carried by the moving air and sound waves.

The Shure Beta 57A also has a “supercardiod” polar pattern. The term “supercardiod” means that this is a microphone that is most sensitive to sounds that are emanating from directly in front of the microphone, and it is less sensitive to off-axis sound sounds originating from the sides or back of the microphone. This makes this Shure Beta 57A able to employ high gain settings, while at the same time minimizing the likelihood of feedback as well as making it more able to reject unwanted background noises that might be emanating from the sides or back of the microphone. This is a very important feature to have in a microphone that is being used in a studio for recording purposes or in a live venue.

The Shure Beta 57A Professional Instrument Microphone has a smooth, wide frequency response (50 to 16,000 Hz.) that is tailored for capturing the sound of musical instruments, such as drums, guitars, and horns. The Shure Beta 57A it is also acceptable for capturing vocals, but it is not as tailored to this task as its cousin the Shure Beta 58A. It has a built-in pneumatic shock mount, which makes it resistant to picking up vibrations and noises from a microphone stand, and hand-held usage. The Shure Beta 57A is also a good vocal mic, and it weighs in at a mere 9.6 ounces. The Shure Beta 58A also has a very sturdy steel mesh grille which is closer to the mic element, which permits one to more easily profit from the proximity effect. Like most Shure microphones, the Beta 57A is built to last, and its inner workings are protected by a silver blue enamel painted die cast metal outer frame and a steel mesh grille. This makes the Beta 57A very tough and resistant to damage from falls, and from other types of wear and tear that a microphone might be routinely subjected to in daily use.

As mentioned above, the steel mesh grille at the front of the Beta 57A is relatively close to the mic element, which makes it easier to profit from the “proximity effect.” Simply put, the “proximity effect” is what happens when a cardioid dynamic microphone is placed close to a sound source. The closer or more proximal the microphone is to the sound source, the greater will be a boost in bass frequencies. In the case of the Shure Beta 57A, because the mic element is relatively close to the microphone grille, it creates the opportunity for enhanced bass frequency response, creating a warmer sound than when the microphone is placed farther away. Simply put, the closer the Beta 57A is to the sound source, the warmer and richer the sound will be, and the further away from the sound source it is placed, the thinner and less bassy the sound will be.

As I mentioned earlier in this review, the Shure Beta 57A is a great microphone to use for recording a wide variety of different musical instruments, and it is also quite good for vocals as well, although it would not be my first choice for this. The following are a few examples of mic placement and usage for the Shure Beta 57A with regards to recording guitar or bass amp cabinets.

If you are looking to capture the sound of an electric guitar cabinet or bass guitar cabinet, and if you want to record a thin sound with a soft attack, place the Shure Beta 57A about 3 feet back from the speaker cab, and point the front of the mic directly at the center of the speaker. If you want to capture a sound with a lot of emphasis on the low end and a sharp attack, place the Beta 57A about 1 inch from the speaker cabinet and point the front of the microphone directly at the center of the speaker. If you want to record a sound that has an equally sharp attack, but which has less emphasis on the low end, keep the Beta 57A 1 inch from the speaker cab as before, but this time aim the front of the microphone at the edge of the speaker cone. The sharp attack will be preserved, but their will be less emphasis on the low end frequencies that are being picked up, and the sound will be bright and clear.

A good rule of thumb to remember is that in most cases, the further from the center axis of the speaker and the closer to the edge of the cone, the more edgier and brighter will be the sound. Remember that with a microphone that is as sensitive as the Beta 57A, even moving the microphone a few inches closer or to the side of a speaker cone can potentially result in a very different sound being recorded. I have found that by using the same guitar or bass amp cab, and using the same microphone to record with, one can easily begin to get a feel for how to record just about any sound one wants to capture by simply mastering the art of proper microphone placement. The very same speaker cabinet, with the very same settings on the guitar or bass pre-amp, will sound the same to the ear. However, this very same amp and speaker cabinet will sound dramatically different when recorded with different mic placement of a good quality microphone like the Shure Beta 57A.

Do not be afraid to be bold in your experimentation with microphone placement, as you may be very surprised at how many different types of sounds you can capture from one amp. Try placing a microphone at the back of an open back speaker cab and record a few tracks that way. You might be pleasantly surprised. If you have a home studio, ask a friend to move the microphone to different locations in relationship to the speaker cabinet while someone is playing, and listen through your speaker monitors or headphones to the differences in sound that are being captured as the microphone is positioned in different spots. Do this without effects like EQ or Reverb. Record a good sound to start with, and studio effects will only serve to enhance your recordings. On the other hand, if you do not have a good recording track to work with, all the effects and sound processors in your studio are not going to dramatically correct the problem. Using a good quality microphone like the Shure Beta 57A is going to help you a great deal, and it will make it a lot easier for you to capture the sounds that you want.

Well I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my review, but now if you will excuse me, I must get back to my practicing.