The microphone is where every recording starts, and choosing one is the first big decision in a home studio. The good news is that you do not need an expensive or exotic mic to make great recordings. A handful of proven models from Shure and Audio-Technica cover almost everything a home recordist needs, from vocals and podcasts to guitar amps and drums.
This guide explains the two main types of microphone and picks five worth buying, all still made and widely available.
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Dynamic or condenser
Most studio microphones fall into one of two families. Dynamic mics are rugged, need no power and are forgiving of loud sources and noisy rooms. They are the standard on stage and on guitar amps and drums. Condenser mics use a lightweight diaphragm and a fixed plate that act as a capacitor. They capture more detail and air, which is great for vocals and acoustic instruments in a quiet room, but they need 48-volt phantom power, which nearly every audio interface supplies.
A sensible plan for a home studio is one of each: a dynamic for loud sources and a condenser for vocals and detail.
A quick word on pickup patterns
A microphone's pickup pattern describes where it listens. Every pick here is either cardioid, which hears mostly what is in front and rejects sound from behind, or supercardioid, which is even tighter at the sides. Both help in home studios, where untreated walls and computer fans can creep into recordings.
1. Shure SM57: the do-everything dynamic
If you buy only one mic, make it the Shure SM57. It is a cardioid dynamic instrument mic built for drums, guitar and bass amps, horns and more, and Shure says it has dominated snare drum recording for the better part of 60 years. It needs no phantom power, handles high sound pressure without distortion and survives knocks that would destroy other mics. Read our full Shure SM57 guide.
2. Shure SM58: the vocal standard
Shure says that if you have ever heard someone sing or speak into a live microphone, there is an excellent chance it was an SM58. Its frequency response is tailored for vocals, with a brightened midrange and bass rolloff, and a built-in spherical filter cuts down wind and breath pops. It is the safer pick for loud singers in untreated rooms, where a condenser would hear too much of the space. See our Shure SM58 guide.
3. Shure Beta 57A: the step-up instrument mic
The Beta 57A is a high-output supercardioid dynamic mic. Shure says its tighter pattern gives high gain before feedback and maximum isolation from other sound sources, and a hardened steel mesh grille stands up to wear and abuse. Typical uses include drums, guitar amps, brass, woodwinds and vocals. Choose it over the SM57 if you want a bit more output and isolation; choose the SM57 if you want the classic sound.
4. Audio-Technica AT2020: the first condenser
The Audio-Technica AT2020 is a side-address cardioid condenser and one of the most common first condensers in home studios. It covers 20 to 20,000 hertz (Hz), handles up to 144 decibels sound pressure level (dB SPL) and is pitched at musicians, podcasters and streamers alike. Our AT2020 guide covers placement and recording tips.
5. Audio-Technica AT2035: the condenser with extras
The AT2035 is a side-address cardioid studio condenser designed, in Audio-Technica's words, for critical home, project and professional studio work as well as live performance. It adds two useful switches, an 80 Hz high-pass filter to cut rumble and a 10 dB pad for loud sources, and it comes with a custom shock mount and a protective pouch. If you expect to record a lot of vocals, it is worth the step up from the AT2020.
Which should you buy
- Mostly guitar amps and drums: Shure SM57.
- Mostly singing in an untreated room: Shure SM58.
- Vocals, voiceover and acoustic guitar in a quiet space: Audio-Technica AT2020, or the AT2035 for the extra switches and shock mount.
- Want more isolation on stage or around a drum kit: Shure Beta 57A.
- Building a well-rounded studio: an SM57 plus an AT2020 covers a remarkable amount of ground.
Placement basics
Where you put a microphone matters as much as which one you buy. For vocals, start about a hand's width away and use a pop filter with condensers. Moving closer adds bass through what engineers call the proximity effect, which can make a voice sound warmer or muddier depending on the singer. For a guitar amp, put a dynamic mic close to the speaker grille, pointed at the center of the cone for a brighter tone or toward the edge for a darker one. For acoustic guitar, aim a condenser where the neck meets the body rather than straight into the sound hole, which tends to boom. Record a short test, listen on headphones and move the mic an inch at a time until it sounds right.
What else you need
Every pick here uses a standard XLR connection, so you will need an audio interface to get the signal into a computer. Our guide to the best audio interfaces for home recording covers good options, and every one of them supplies phantom power for condensers. Add a mic stand, a decent XLR cable, a pop filter for vocals and a pair of closed-back headphones so the mic does not pick up your playback.
More recording gear lives in our home studio hub.
