Good mic for recording at home and/or in general?

I'd like to know. If there's a good mic for self-recording that is also good to use in live settings or good in general, please, tell me. I have a friend who needs to know a good brand, and I'm curious now. lol

Well, everyone loves the SM-57 and SM-58 - they're durable and good for voices. They're normally used live, but some singers like them in the Studio as well. Those two are a good place to start.

Alright, thanks, man.

I've got the 58. It's good I think. Not that I know much. It wasn't expensive either.

The SM 58 is a classic mic, but these days it's used mostly for hard rock/metal/punk, as it's rugged enough to handle screaming and the rigors of the road. It as a nice sound, though a bit on the lo-fi side. A condenser mic would be better for any other genre. What's your budget?

For live work I use the Shure Beta 87A, which goes for $250 and is worth every penny. This is a small diaphragm condenser mic (it requires phantom power, but most boards these days provide this) that is rugged and looks like a stage mic.

For recording most people like a large diaphragm condenser mic, and there are MANY to choose from, ranging from Chinese-made mics like the MXL 990 ($45) all the way to the stratosphere--Neumanns in the 2k-4k range. I use a Rode NTK ($550) that does a fine job. I've heard that some of the cheaper imported mics are quite good, but I've never tried them. You're safest bet is sticking with a known brand in the $200-600 range.