Quote:
Originally Posted by P-Toes
Actually SM57's aren't uncommon for vocals. For example, Anthony Kiedis has always done all his vocals through a 57. My guess about using the 57 for Maynard is that the output from the megaphone is probably pretty loud to get that distorted blaring sound. Since 57's are dynamic mics they can handle a lot hotter signal without blowing the diaphragm. It also provides a little natural compression since the transients on a 57 are going to be less pronounced than with a condenser or a ribbon mic. That could help the distorted vocals sit a little better in the mix without having to process them much.
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Kiedis does not use SM57s. His most common mic for recording has been the SM7B.
Almost any mic can be over-driven by pushing it hard in the performance. However, this is unlikely to be done for an extended period of time. What is more likely done is an over-driving of the preamp, i.e. the input gain on the pre is set very high, with the output turned down so that it does not overload the recorder.
The SM57 also has a bump in the mid-range, a bit honky sometimes. That characteristic can help with driving the distortion in the pre because of the mic's emphasis being directly in the area of the human voice.