# Plugging a Shure SM58 mic into the computer for recording vocals?



## The Beard (Jul 2, 2010)

I've been working on making a recording of a rough idea for a song for my band. Me and my vocalist were trying to figure out how to get his Shure SM58 mic plugged into the computer for recording his vocals in good ol' Audacity.

We went out and bought an adapter so we could plug it into the mic port on the front of my computer, we thought everything would just be that simple and that it would work fine, but apparently not  haha

Then we tried plugging it into the pink port on the back of the computer, still nothing.

Here's the things I need to know for sure:
1) Where to plug it in?
2) What do my settings have to be in Audacity?
3) What do my "recording device" settings in the bottom right hand corner of the screen have to be?

Any tips to offer?


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## MorbidTravis (Jul 2, 2010)

in audacity look for input options


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## Espaul (Jul 2, 2010)

I'm not trying to be douche, but the sound will suck bigtime even if you get it working


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## The Beard (Jul 2, 2010)

Espaul said:


> I'm not trying to be douche, but the sound will suck bigtime even if you get it working


Haha I know, it's just for recording a quick idea 

And I tried all the input options, none of them have worked


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## Razzy (Jul 2, 2010)

It's not going to work, because you need a preamp. The resistance of the mic, and cable, and all that is too much to get a signal through to your soundcard, with it's wimpy little, line level input.

Get a Line 6 tone port or something.


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## MorbidTravis (Jul 2, 2010)

ya i was assuming you had all the right gear. but, you will need all of that stuff.


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## McKay (Jul 2, 2010)

Razzy said:


> It's not going to work, because you need a preamp. The resistance of the mic, and cable, and all that is too much to get a signal through to your soundcard, with it's wimpy little, line level input.
> 
> Get a Line 6 tone port or something.



I recorded this without a preamp, like OP wants to: 

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1926148/TOA/THRONE OF ATHENA - INFECTION.mp3

While it's far from perfect (my first time tracking vocals) it works. In fact, the guitar, bass _and_ vocals on that track are all DI'd into the red mic socket with an adapter.


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## Razzy (Jul 2, 2010)

McKay said:


> I recorded this without a preamp, like OP wants to:
> 
> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1926148/TOA/THRONE OF ATHENA - INFECTION.mp3
> 
> While it's far from perfect (my first time tracking vocals) it works.



YMMV with different sound cards.*


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## McKay (Jul 2, 2010)

Razzy said:


> YMMV with different sound cards.*



I'm just using the onboard card that came with a stripped down, business edition HP Vista machine.

Dude should be fine.


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## The Beard (Jul 2, 2010)

McKay said:


> I recorded this without a preamp, like OP wants to:
> 
> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1926148/TOA/THRONE OF ATHENA - INFECTION.mp3
> 
> While it's far from perfect (my first time tracking vocals) it works. In fact, the guitar, bass _and_ vocals on that track are all DI'd into the red mic socket with an adapter.


What is this red mic socket you speak of?
Is it on the back of the computer? Good lord i'm clueless 

I'm diggin that tune by the way


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## manana (Jul 2, 2010)

McKay said:


> I recorded this without a preamp, like OP wants to:
> 
> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1926148/TOA/THRONE OF ATHENA - INFECTION.mp3
> 
> While it's far from perfect (my first time tracking vocals) it works. In fact, the guitar, bass _and_ vocals on that track are all DI'd into the red mic socket with an adapter.



what did you use to do it? I plug in my sm58 with Xlr to 1/4 into my pod and odnly with a giant gain and distortion boost can I get any signal but if I tap it on anything even without gain I can hear it. What gives?


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## Espaul (Jul 3, 2010)

The big clue here is:



McKay said:


> In fact, the guitar, bass _and_ vocals on that track are all DI'd into the red mic socket with an adapter.



This will be a sort of preamp. The signal is louder than just from a mic alone straight into the soundcard.


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## McKay (Jul 3, 2010)

Espaul said:


> The big clue here is:
> 
> 
> 
> This will be a sort of preamp. The signal is louder than just from a mic alone straight into the soundcard.



What, this?


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## 7 Strings of Hate (Jul 3, 2010)

plug the mic into the same input you plugged your guitar signal into the computer with.

It WILL work just straight up pluggin in the mic with out a preamp, but it will sound like ass.

I'd also suggest to look in your audio settings and make sure the right line in setting is chosen. My computer has more than one mic and line input, and you have to make sure the right one is the default device


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