The SM-57 is a unidirectional (“cardioid”) dynamic mic that has been used in some respect on 75% of the recordings in your collection — from snare drum to vocals to guitar cabs to, well, everything. It is known for sounding pretty good on everything, and more specifically for its “carefully contoured presence rise,” sometimes less charitably known as “midrange honk.”

It is a utility mic, usable on just about any source in any context, and is probably the most popular microphone in history.