KSM44 Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone Review

By Jeremy Maxwell Edison

Your music is only good as the signal chain you used to make that music and there is no element more important in your signal chain than the microphone that you use. This article is about one condenser mic that will certainly get the job done and which is not too pricey (although it is certainly not cheap either.)

The mic in question is the Shure KSM44. I write about this condenser microphone from my own personal experience with it because it's been the "go to" mic in my home recording studio for about 7 years and I've used it to record a wide variety of sources.

The KSM44 is a large diaphragm condenser mic and it's a "multipattern" mic. What's multipattern mean? Well there are 3 directional patterns that microphones can record in (what makes the KSM44 "multipattern" is that it can be switched between all three.) Those directional patterns are omnidirectional, figure-8, and cardioid.

Cardioid means that it only records what is coming from the front while rejecting all of the sound coming from the back and most of the sound coming from the sides. A figure-8 pattern picks up sound from both the front and the back but rejects everything coming in the sides. An omni pattern records sound from all around. All of the recording patterns can be the most effective pattern in different situations and this is why it's so cool that this mic can be switched between each of the possible patterns.

Many mics favor particular frequencies when recording in order to "color" the recording in some way. While this "color" can be perfect in some circumstances, having a mic that has a neutral response can allow quite a lot more versatility. The Shure KSM44 condenser microphone is known for it's flat frequency response and this is one of the big reasons why it's such a flexible mic. The KSM44 can be used to record any acoustic source.

Like all other condensers, this microphone needs a mic preamp in order to function. The quality of the preamp can greatly effect the quality of the sound you get and investing in a good quality mic preamp should probably be your next move after purchasing a good microphone. Yes, most audio interfaces do have built in mic preamps but you'll get better results from an external preamp. - 32518

About the Author:

Recording Music at a Home Studio

By David Quincy Jackson

It's possible to make high quality (possibly even "professional quality") music at a home music studio because of the amazing improvements in "prosumer" audio gear. A studio that might have cost $50,000 to build 20 years ago can be put together for about $2,500 these days.

The most essential element of a good home studio in the 2000s is a good quality PC (or a Mac, I don't want to get into that debate) with lots of hard drive space and lots of RAM. Thankfully quality computers are becoming less and less costly. I recently bought a computer with 6GB of memory for less than $850.

Once you order your quality computer (and the one you're using now may be good enough) you need DAW software (DAW stands for "Digital Audio Workstation") that you will be doing all of your recording and mixing with. By the way, if you're a Mac person, I recommend Logic Studio.

What you get after that initial purchase of a computer and a DAW depends on what kind of music you want to create. If you want to make entirely electronic music without any sort of live instrumentation or vocals then there's a good chance you will want to considering ordering various software programs like Celemony Melodyne Editor but most folks (even those doing electronic based music) will want to be able to record vocals and instruments and will need some sort of audio interface.

If you're one of those that is going to need an audio interface you should be aware that many of them actually come with free DAW software.

To give a simple answer to the question "What is an audio interface?" I'll just say it's how your recorded sound (whether it be from a microphone or a direct input) gets into your computer.. I use the E-MU 1616M and it's highly recommended for those on a PC who don't need a whole lot of inputs. There's a wide selection of audio interfaces available, it is really too large of a subject to cover in detail here. Pro Tools is the so called "industry standard" when it comes to interfaces but that doesn't mean it's the best choice for you.

Another "must have" for most people is a microphone. A good mic will allow you to record vocals and all sorts of acoustic instruments. A good mic will likely be an essential part of your recording studio. The Shure KSM44 is an excellent choice if you can afford to buy it. - 32518

About the Author:

Sign Up for our Free Newsletter

Enter email address here