SM57
Encyclopedia
The Shure SM57 is a low impedance
unidirectional dynamic microphone
made by Shure Incorporated and commonly used in live sound reinforcement and studio recording. It is one of the best-selling microphones in the world; used extensively in amplified music and by every U.S. president since its introduction in 1965. In 2004, honoring its four decades of "solid, dependable performance", it was inducted into the first-ever TEC Awards
TECnology Hall of Fame.
pickup pattern. In 1959, another Shure engineer, Ernie Seeler, advanced the art significantly with the Unidyne III. Seeler torture-tested the Unidyne III during three years of research and development
, and so produced the SM series of rugged and reliable Shure microphone capsules. The "SM" stands for Studio Microphone; Seeler was an aficionado of classical music, and expected the SM57 to be used for orchestras. He "despised" rock music
but the microphone ended up being one of the most widely used for amplified concerts.
and features a balanced output, which helps to minimize electrical hum and noise pickup. According to Shure, the frequency response
extends from 40 Hertz
(Hz) to 15 kHz. The SM57 is manufactured in the USA, Mexico
and China
.
The Shure A2WS is an accessory windscreen for the SM57 that attenuates wind noise and plosives ("pop" sounds), and protects the microphone capsule.
s' choice due to its sturdy construction and ability to work well with instruments that produce high sound pressure levels, such as percussion instrument
s and electric guitar
s. The School of Audio Engineering (SAE) recommends the SM57 (along with other makes and models) for four roles in a drum kit
: kick drum
, snare drum
, rack toms
and floor tom
. The cardioid pickup pattern reduces the pickup of unwanted background sound and the generation of acoustic feedback.
Every United States President since Lyndon B. Johnson
has delivered speeches through an SM57. It became the lectern microphone of the White House Communications Agency in 1965, the year of its introduction.
Due to its popularity, the SM57 has been widely counterfeit
ed by manufacturers in China and Thailand
. Shure Distribution UK report that the SM57, SM58, Beta 57A and Beta 58A
are their most commonly counterfeited microphones. In 2006, Shure mounted a campaign against the trading of counterfeit microphones.
Electrical impedance
Electrical impedance, or simply impedance, is the measure of the opposition that an electrical circuit presents to the passage of a current when a voltage is applied. In quantitative terms, it is the complex ratio of the voltage to the current in an alternating current circuit...
unidirectional dynamic microphone
Microphone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
made by Shure Incorporated and commonly used in live sound reinforcement and studio recording. It is one of the best-selling microphones in the world; used extensively in amplified music and by every U.S. president since its introduction in 1965. In 2004, honoring its four decades of "solid, dependable performance", it was inducted into the first-ever TEC Awards
TEC Awards
The TEC Awards is an annual program recognizing the achievements of audio professionals. The awards are given to honor technically innovative products as well as companies and individuals who have excelled in sound for television, film, recordings and concerts...
TECnology Hall of Fame.
Background
The SM57 traces its origin to 1937 when Shure engineer Ben Bauer developed the first single-element directional microphone, the Unidyne, which had a cardioidCardioid
A cardioid is a plane curve traced by a point on the perimeter of a circle that is rolling around a fixed circle of the same radius. It is therefore a type of limaçon and can also be defined as an epicycloid having a single cusp...
pickup pattern. In 1959, another Shure engineer, Ernie Seeler, advanced the art significantly with the Unidyne III. Seeler torture-tested the Unidyne III during three years of research and development
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
, and so produced the SM series of rugged and reliable Shure microphone capsules. The "SM" stands for Studio Microphone; Seeler was an aficionado of classical music, and expected the SM57 to be used for orchestras. He "despised" rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
but the microphone ended up being one of the most widely used for amplified concerts.
Characteristics
The SM57 uses a capsule similar to that of the popular SM58, but has some mechanical and acoustic differences. Like the SM58, the SM57 is fitted with an XLR connectorXLR connector
The XLR connector is a style of electrical connector, primarily found on professional audio, video, and stage lighting equipment. The connectors are circular in design and have between 3 and 7 pins...
and features a balanced output, which helps to minimize electrical hum and noise pickup. According to Shure, the frequency response
Frequency response
Frequency response is the quantitative measure of the output spectrum of a system or device in response to a stimulus, and is used to characterize the dynamics of the system. It is a measure of magnitude and phase of the output as a function of frequency, in comparison to the input...
extends from 40 Hertz
Hertz
The hertz is the SI unit of frequency defined as the number of cycles per second of a periodic phenomenon. One of its most common uses is the description of the sine wave, particularly those used in radio and audio applications....
(Hz) to 15 kHz. The SM57 is manufactured in the USA, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
The Shure A2WS is an accessory windscreen for the SM57 that attenuates wind noise and plosives ("pop" sounds), and protects the microphone capsule.
Use
The SM57 is a popular musicianMusician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s' choice due to its sturdy construction and ability to work well with instruments that produce high sound pressure levels, such as percussion instrument
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
s and electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
s. The School of Audio Engineering (SAE) recommends the SM57 (along with other makes and models) for four roles in a drum kit
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
: kick drum
Bass drum
Bass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of...
, snare drum
Snare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
, rack toms
Tom-tom drum
A tom-tom drum is a cylindrical drum with no snare.Although "tom-tom" is the British term for a child's toy drum, the name came originally from the Anglo-Indian and Sinhala; the tom-tom itself comes from Asian or Native American cultures...
and floor tom
Floor tom
A floor tom is a double-headed tom-tom drum which usually stands on the floor on three legs. However, they can also be attached to a cymbal stand with a drum clamp....
. The cardioid pickup pattern reduces the pickup of unwanted background sound and the generation of acoustic feedback.
Every United States President since Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
has delivered speeches through an SM57. It became the lectern microphone of the White House Communications Agency in 1965, the year of its introduction.
Due to its popularity, the SM57 has been widely counterfeit
Counterfeit
To counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
ed by manufacturers in China and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. Shure Distribution UK report that the SM57, SM58, Beta 57A and Beta 58A
Shure Beta 58A
The Shure Beta 58A is a rugged dynamic supercardioid microphone developed by Shure Incorporated specifically for live vocal performances. The microphone won a TEC Award in 1996 for outstanding microphone technology....
are their most commonly counterfeited microphones. In 2006, Shure mounted a campaign against the trading of counterfeit microphones.