Mar
2
(image from wikipedia) Our next instrument of non-destruction is, well, an instrument (or close enough that I can’t be bothered to come up with a better witty introduction).
Shure describes the model SM58 microphone as a “unidirectional (cardioid) dynamic vocal microphone is designed for professional vocal use in live performance, sound reinforcement,and studio recording” with “Legendary Shure quality, ruggedness and reliability.”
Their marketing team is obviously a bunch of pansies.
Let’s try “the Sure SM58 is a small, hand-held tank, suitable for use in all hazardous environments including areas of nuclear, chemical and biological (NBC) contamination and active military combat operations, which also does a surprisingly good job of recording sound. And it shoot laser beams”
That’s better.
There have been countless copies made since the 60s’, and they can be had brand new for $99. Since the laws of physics do now allow one to actually be destroyed, they’re available used in perfect working order in every pawn shop in the country for less than $50.
Intended use
Introduced in 1966, the SM58 quickly gained favor among rock bands for its durability and its great, full sound in live performance.
Few musicians from that era are more qualified to comment on its unique combination of attributes than “The Who’s” Roger Daltrey. The band’s insane performance volume was bested only by the even more insane damage they inflicted upon their equipment and instruments.
For performing his trademark stage move- spinning a microphone on its cable like a medieval flail- Daltrey always preferred the SM58 secured to the cable with copious wraps of industrial gaffer’s tape.
“The SM58, well it’s the best microphone any singer in a rock band could ever wish to have, especially in the early days of The Who. I mean we were getting drums smashed over our heads. I’d be slamming my mic into cymbals … we didn’t get our gear free then so it bloody well had to be durable.”
(one of Daltrey’s battered SM58s after a concert in Los Angeles, from whocollection.com)
Shure, I’ll go cover Katrina
In August of 2005, Katrina slammed into the Gulf coast and I was temporarily called out of my desk-job retirement to go cover the aftermath. (the results of that coverage are here).
As I packed my equipment, I made sure to back back-ups for everything I’d need: cameras (still and video) batteries, chargers, etc. When it came time to grab my audio gear, the first microphone I grabbed was my Sennheiser ME66 shotgun. It produces beautiful sound and can be used a distance away from the subject (though not as far as most people think). It’s also delicate, requires batteries, and can be easily overloaded in very loud environments. My backup mic was an easy choice: the old SM58.
I admit that the Sennheiser served me in most situations, but the SM58 was always nearby and saved my audio-recording ass in a number of loud situations. A few weeks after Katrina, hurricane Rita started bearing down and I was off to Houston to greet it.
After the storm hit, we headed down to Cameron Parish, La., where a huge swath of country was under water. We drove until the road disappeared into the flood waters, where we found two men getting into a shallow motorboat. They agreed to let me tag along and we set off.
(yours truly, hoping into said boat. Photo by Bob Sullivan)
The full story can be read/watched here, but the point of bring it up here: the audio was recorded entirely with the SM58 while it was being dunked repeatedly in oily, nasty floodwater. The boat motor was deafening and the Sennheiser was completely unable to deal with it. I plugged the SM58 into a long cable and connected it to the camera. The mic isn’t very sensitive and has to be hand-held close to the subject. When I wasn’t recording, I stowed it in a pocket of my equipment belt.
Almost immediately after hopping in the boat, we started running upon barely-submerged fences, forcing us to jump out of the boat. The water in most places was up to my chest, and my gear belt (with the SM58 in it) was submerged over and over again. I would pull it out, shake the hell out of it, and start recording again. I couldn’t tell through my headphones how it sounded, but I could hear it generating sound and didn’t really have much of a choice.
It sounded great and that mic continues in occasional use to this day.
When in doubt, look to the Scandinavians
Swedish music mag Studio TV decided to put the legendary Shure through a series of test, apparently derived from the abuse a Scandinavian heavy metal band receives on a daily basis (or at least should, IMHO).
They hammered nails with it, dropped it repeatedly onto concrete, froze and dunked it. I don’t want to spoil it further but I’ll just say they got crazy with beer, a microwave and what appears to be some sort of grilled cheese fish cake thing.
