Microphone for Instrument Recording in a Dorm Room Studio

If you want to record more than just keyboards or direct guitar in your dorm room studio, you need at least one microphone. On a limited budget, I would suggest a Shure SM57. These are good mics that are found in just about any studio because of their durability, quality, and inexpensive price.

SM57s are used mostly for instrument recording and work well for loud signals. Guitar amps, horns, loud wind instruments, and parts of drum sets are handled by this microphone. I have recorded piano with it too, they can produce a nice wooden sound in the right situation. On a budget and in the limited space of a dorm room studio, an SM57 would be a good investment.

There are situations where this microphone will not do a good job. I have found that they are terrible for vocals and delicate wind instruments such as flutes. They can get a good result on bass clarinets though. Even if you cant find something to use them on in a recording session, they can make good talk back microphones.

The SM57 is a good standard mic to have for your dorm room recording studio, and it wont cost you a lot to get one. They last a while and can take a lot of abuse so they are well worth the money. If you need something to do a little instrument recording, consider one of them for your studio.