I know they are great for death metal and screaming and used on major albums for that purpose but does anyone know of any modern rock bands using sm7 on vocals? I know michael jackson, etc. But how about linkin park, and bands in this genre

I've seen these guys using them: Metallica, Wilco, Oasis, Springsteen, Tool and more that I forget at the moment...oh and once saw Josh Grobin using one.

damien rice uses them there's plenty i've used mine on.

Black Crowes

Red Hot Chili Pepper, System of a Down

That could be the most used vocal mic of all time - next to the 87 or the 47.

It is one of Gods gifts that it is only $300 beans. I don't think there is a good enough reason not to have one. I will remedy that for my studio shortly.

Jim O'rourke uses these alot.
Someone already said Wilco but its safe to assume they have popped up on more than a few records he's had a heavy hand in.
His records, Smog etc.

Along with the SM57 and for the price it is probably one of the best no-brainer mics out there. I think it's fantastic for anything hard rock, screaming or singing. A top notch vocal mic for $300? How can you go wrong?
If you are working on a ballad, however, make sure you've got a descent LDC handy, too.

Oh, yeah... if you get one, take off the foam windscreen and use a good pop filter. It sounds better.

Also Scott Weiland used one for all the vocals on his first STP album, but has since moved on the the U47.

Man thats a good mic. I usually end up not having to eq after using that mic. Love it... absolutely love it!

Thanks everyone! I will try with the foam off and a pop filter.

Hi Broham,

This past week I was trying to get a vocal tone similar to Jim O’Rourke’s Life Goes Off. I had tried everything from my U87s to ribbons to you name it. I then came across your post. Last night I borrowed a friend’s SM7. Sounded a lot closer as compared to what I had before. Perhaps it’s a U47 for that particular song but the SM7 is close enough. Thanks. Would never have thought of it.

Sam Smith in Live at Abbey Road, is a non-screamer example of the SM7b.
The mic can be seen ala video/show YouTube.
The mic in the Time After Time cover, appears to be a 7b. set to flat EQ.

Mic List on Abbey Road has "16qty SM7 " ,I would imagine old & new, 7- 7a/b ..who knows?

For VO, foam on. But yeah, for singing, from off. Pop filter to taste. I often don't use one, and I'm carful with my plosives.

Yeah, ok.

You have to find the right mic for the singer. No mic is "universal"..an SM7 might work well for one vocalist, but be useless for another.

It's not just the mic, either. The mic preamp, compressor, and the room you are recording in all are equally important factors. Throw in the skill level
of the vocalist while you're at it. Crappy singers can't be "fixed" with any mic.

Personally, I'm no fan of dynamic mics in the studio. They are better suited for live stage use, in my experience.

i have been using one in the last few days. so great.
need some more

If a mic is working correctly and you use correct gain staging you should be able to get a clean vocal from any mic. Whether you wind up liking the sound is a different issue. Pristime sound capture often gets called “cold,” and distorted sound capture (to varying degrees) gets called “warm.”

A great performer giving a great performance is so much more important. So if someone is singing great, and the only mic you have is an sm57 or sm7, that’s going to capture that vocal much better than an xlr without a mic on the end…

I’m not a fan of the sm7/57/58, but I also noticed that as my general audio skills improved that those mics suddenly sounded “better.” Not a coincidence!

Used an SM7b for the tune I'm finishing now... just wanted to change it up a little from my usual M88. The tune has very smooth vocals in the verse with very slightly belty chorus.... ended up sounding great. Mic ended up sounding great.

FWIW -- I know the "Talk" guy loves the SM7b and uses one all the time.

IDK -- I feel like I get more consistent performances out of myself with a mic I can sing into vs a condenser which I always feel like I'm singing across a distance at. I do prefer condensers on most other people though and none of them are babies about wanting to hold a stupid mic like I am.

I love mine for vocals, output is really the only issue that mic has IMO but if you can deal with that, then it works great for most things, actually.