Shure SM57
Shure · 1965
What It Is
The Shure SM57 is a dynamic cardioid instrument microphone that has been the default choice for recording guitar amplifiers since its introduction in 1965. It's not flashy — no transformer isolation, no fancy capsule — but it's rugged, consistent, and sounds right on guitar cabs in a way that's been validated on thousands of records. In a modeler context, the SM57 is the baseline mic position that most amp sim developers calibrate to. When a modeler sounds 'direct,' it's usually approximating an SM57 close to the cone.
Tonal Character
The SM57 has a slight presence peak in the upper midrange (around 5–10kHz) that adds definition and cut to guitar tones. The low end rolls off naturally below about 100Hz, which helps control mud in the mix. Placement relative to the speaker cone makes a huge difference — close to the center gives more bite and presence, angled toward the edge warms the tone and reduces harshness. The SM57 is rarely described as 'beautiful' but almost always as 'correct.'
Found In
| Platform | Model Names |
|---|---|
| HeadRush | DYN 57 |
| Line 6 Helix | 57 Dyn (SM57 close) / 57 Dyn (SM57 far) |
| Neural DSP | SM57 mic model (all plugins) |
| Kemper | Reference mic used during profiling — commonly SM57 |
Videos
Manual
View ManualFamous Uses
- →Essentially every major rock record since 1965
- →Brendan O'Brien — Pearl Jam, Soundgarden productions
- →Rick Rubin productions — Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash
- →Standard White House podium microphone (same model)
Best For
Sample Configurations
Starting points for common tones — dial in from here.