Microphones

Alright so i am thinking about getting a mic to record with. So am I going to need a preamp and stuff to go with it. I am literally poor, so I am looking for the least expensive way to record decent tone. I like my amp, it sounds ok, so recording it would be fine. I was also looking at the option of a Pod Xt live so that I would be able to record from that by plugging it into the interface and it has pretty decent tones so... my problem is just that I have no way of recording into my laptop and get a quality of sound that is acceptable. I have an interface I just don't have the go between for the amp to the interface. As far as I can tell a pod would solve this problem and would be better as far as sound levels go considering I live in a dorm room.

Anyway maybe there is an option I don't know about yet or haven't seen, it all just comes down to what is the least expensive way to get decent tone for recording. Thanks for any help.

you might want to look at a USB condenser mics with a built in pre. Samson make one for about 100 USD. Blue also make one called the snow ball which is OK

If I got a Shure SM57 would I be able to just run it straight to my interface? I just stick it in front of my amp and plug it in. I have phantom power if that is necessary, but I think that might just be condenser mics, anyway I just thought maybe that would work. Everyone seems to like them, and the SM58 so...

yep providing you have the correct connections.

you will probably need to have the preamp on your interface turned up high and also have the vol on your amp up as SM57s (being dynamics) are not very sensitive. Also you will probably spend quite a lot of time finding the sweet spot for the mic. Start with the mic on axis (i.e. pointing straight) at the top right edge of the speaker cone, as close in as you can get and adjust form their.