Guitar Mic Showdown: Comparing 10 Mics for Metal

Getting a killer metal guitar tone that punches through the mix without sounding like a can of angry bees can feel like a dark art. But a huge part of it comes down to two things: your mic choice and how you EQ it. We recently dove deep, comparing ten different microphones on a heavy guitar riff, and the results (and subsequent EQ tweaks) were pretty revealing. Let’s break down what we found so you can nail those tones in your own productions.

Understanding Your Mic Locker: Dynamic, Condenser, and Ribbon Essentials

Before we even talk about specific mics, let’s quickly refresh on the main types you’ll encounter. Each has its own flavor and excels in different areas.

Dynamic Mics: The Loud and Proud Workhorses

Think of dynamic mics as the tanks of the microphone world. They can handle seriously high Sound Pressure Levels (SPL), making them a go-to for loud sources like guitar amps and drum kits. They generally don’t need external power (like phantom power) and are known for good noise rejection. This is why you see them plastered all over loud stages and cranked amp cabs.

Condenser Mics: Capturing the Detail

Condenser microphones are all about sensitivity and detail, often picking up ultra-high frequencies much more easily than dynamics. They do require power – either from a battery, external power supply, or phantom power from your interface/preamp – because they use a capacitor to convert sound. This usually results in a stronger signal with a wider dynamic range. They’re fantastic for capturing nuance, but can sometimes be a bit more fragile with extreme SPLs compared to dynamics.

Ribbon Mics: Smooth, Dark, and Figure-Eight Fun

Ribbon mics are a type of dynamic mic but with a distinct character. They tend to sound darker and smoother, with a really pleasant bottom end. Their diaphragm is a thin metal ribbon suspended between magnets. A cool thing about many ribbons is their natural figure-eight polar pattern, meaning they pick up sound from the front and back, but reject sound from the sides. This can be great, but also means the room you’re recording in plays a bigger role.

Mic Shootout: Hearing the Differences on Guitar

We threw ten different mics on a guitar cab playing a chunky riff, first listening with a drum backing track, then soloed, to get a real-world feel. We level-matched by ear as best as possible, though with varying frequency responses, "same volume" is always a bit subjective. Here’s a rundown of what stood out:

The Dynamic Staples: Shure SM57 and Audix I5

No surprise here, the Shure SM57 is a legend for a reason. It sounded pretty balanced right off the bat, which is probably why it’s on countless records. It has that characteristic mid-forward punch that helps guitars cut.
The Audix I5 is often seen as a direct competitor to the SM57. It had a similar vibe, maybe a touch more sculpted in the highs and lows. Both are solid choices you can’t really go wrong with for aggressive tones.

Beyond the Usual Suspects: Shure SM7B and Sennheiser MD 421

The Shure SM7B, famous for vocals, also does a great job on guitars. It’s a dynamic mic but with a smoother, fuller response than an SM57. We did notice a specific resonant frequency (a "cricket" like sound) that needed taming with EQ, but its overall character is beefy.
The Sennheiser MD 421 is another dynamic classic. Compared to the SM57, it definitely brought more high-end information around 10kHz – those "noisy" frequencies. It can be great for adding bite, but you might want to manage that top end.

Condenser Clarity: Shure SM81 and Neumann KM184

Moving to condensers, we tried two pencil condensers. The Shure SM81 was impressively flat. It didn’t have many obvious resonant peaks like some of the dynamics, offering a more "true" picture of the amp’s sound. It had a bit of "poofiness" around 300Hz that we addressed later with EQ.
The Neumann KM184, another renowned pencil condenser, shared some similarities with the SM81. It had a slightly nasally character initially but responded well to EQ, providing a clear and detailed capture.

The Darker Side & Large Diaphragms: AKG C414, Neumann U87, and Ribbons

The AKG C414 B-ULS (a large-diaphragm condenser) came across as noticeably darker than the pencil condensers. An important thing with multi-pattern condensers like the C414 is that different polar patterns (cardioid, hypercardioid, figure-8, omni) will yield different frequency responses. Omni, for instance, often sounds the brightest but picks up more room. This darker C414 could be excellent for blending with a brighter mic.
The Neumann U87 Ai, a studio icon, was also on the darker, more mid-rangey side for this particular guitar riff. While amazing for vocals due to its warmth, it might not be the first pick for a cutting metal rhythm guitar tone on its own, though it definitely has its applications.

Then came the ribbons:
The Royer R-121 was instantly recognizable. Ton_s_ of smooth low-end, very characteristic of a ribbon. It’s super bassy and might be too dark for a modern metal rhythm by itself, but it could be killer blended with a brighter mic (like an SM57 or MD421) or used on high-octave leads to smooth them out and prevent brittleness.
The Beyerdynamic M160 is also a ribbon mic, but it’s hypercardioid and known for being a bit brighter than many other ribbons. And indeed, it sounded quite good and even, definitely brighter than the R-121, with a nice low-end presence. This one felt like a strong contender alongside the dynamics and pencil condensers.

EQing Your Guitar Tracks: From Corrective to Creative

Mic choice is just the start. EQ is where you sculpt that raw capture into a mix-ready tone. We approached this in two main stages:

Step 1: Taming Resonant Frequencies (Corrective EQ)

This is all about finding and surgically removing those annoying frequencies that poke out too much. Think of it as "notching."

• Spotting the Culprits: Using an EQ plugin with a spectrum analyzer, like FabFilter Pro-Q, makes this way easier. You can often see sharp peaks that correspond to what you’re hearing.
• The Process: We listened for any "whistles," "honks," or overly prominent notes that weren’t part of the core guitar tone. For example, on the SM7B, there was a clear resonant peak that, if left untouched, would mask the musicality of the guitar and even add an unwanted note to the chords.
• Less is More: Just a few narrow cuts (high Q value) are usually enough. If you start making dozens of notches, you can easily "fall down a tone hole" and suck the life out of your guitar. Make sure each cut is making a positive difference.

Step 2: Sweetening the Tone (Musical EQ)

Once the problem spots are handled, it’s time for broader, more "musical" EQ moves to shape the overall character.

• Understanding Frequency Zones:
  • Fizz (Highs): Typically above 3kHz-4kHz, you get into the "fizz" and pick scrape noise. Boosting here excessively just makes things harsh and grating. We often found ourselves needing to tame this area slightly, especially around 10kHz on mics like the MD 421 or SM81 if they felt too "noisy."
  • Muffled Mids (Low-Mids): The 300-400Hz region can often make guitars sound "muddy" or "boxy." A gentle cut here can clean things up considerably and make space for the bass guitar.
  • The Sweet Spot (Mids/Upper-Mids): This is where the actual notes and musicality of the guitar live, especially around 1kHz to 2kHz. If your guitar tone feels dull and you want to brighten it, reaching for this range is often much more effective than boosting the super-high fizz. Boosting around 2kHz can give you the best of both worlds: enhanced musicality of the notes and a bit of brightness from the pick attack, without adding harshness. We often used a high-shelf boost starting around this area, sometimes with a 24dB/octave slope for a focused lift.
• The Goal: The aim of sweetening EQ is to bring out the good stuff in the guitar tone – the power, the clarity, the aggression – while ensuring it sits well in the context of the full mix. For more in-depth strategies on shaping your metal guitars, check out our EQ Strategies for Mixing Modern Metal hub page.

For instance, with the SM57, after a small corrective notch, we brightened it up with a high shelf, and scooped a bit of the "muffled" low-mids around 300-400Hz. The difference was a clearer, more defined tone. On the MD 421, taking down some of that 10kHz "noise" and then sweetening the mids made it sound much bigger and less nasally.

Blending Mics: The Best of Both Worlds?

While we focused on individual mics here, don’t forget the power of blending. For example, that super dark Royer R-121 could be phenomenal when combined with a brighter, punchier mic like an SM57 or even a condenser. You get the weight and smoothness of the ribbon, plus the aggression and cut of the dynamic. Phase alignment is key here, but the tonal possibilities are huge.

Nail Your Guitar Tones (And Entire Mixes!) Every Time

Choosing the right mic and EQing it effectively are fundamental skills for any metal producer. As we saw, different mics offer vastly different starting points, and smart EQ can take a good raw tone to a great polished one. The Shure SM57 remains a champ for its balance, but pencil condensers like the Shure SM81 or Neumann KM184 offer incredible clarity, and even brighter ribbons like the Beyerdynamic M160 can be fantastic all-rounders.

Mastering these techniques comes from understanding the principles and then getting hands-on experience. If you’re serious about taking your metal productions to the next level, imagine learning these concepts directly from the pros who’ve mixed albums for bands like Gojira, Periphery, and Meshuggah.

At Nail The Mix, that’s exactly what you get. Every month, you receive the actual multi-tracks from a massive metal song and watch the original producer mix it from scratch, explaining every decision, every plugin, every technique. You’ll see firsthand how they choose mics (or deal with the mics they’re given!), how they EQ guitars to sit perfectly with heavy drums and crushing bass, and how they bring an entire metal mix to life.

Ready to stop guessing and start learning from the best?
Check out Nail The Mix and see how you can Unlock Your Sound: Mixing Modern Metal Beyond Presets. Stop just reading about great guitar tones – learn to create them.