SHURE SM57 Mic Rental

The SM57 is a cardiod (unidirectional) dynamic microphone with a contoured frequency response of 40 to 15,000 Hz, perfect for clean reproduction of vocals and instruments.

The SM57 is a dynamic microphone with a cardioid, directional pattern.  Dynamic mics sound different than condenser mics, which are better for capturing hi and low frequencies.  A dynamic mic like the SM57 does not need phantom power, which makes it more adaptable to mixers and recorders that don't have this feature.  It records what it points to and rejects stuff from the side and from behind it.  That makes it great for drums and good for the stage.  It can also take very loud sounds without breaking up.  Many drummers use it on the kick and snare drum because the sm57 can handle it, without a pad, where a condenser mic's sound would break up with distortion.  Because of the tight directional pattern, it rejects bleed from other drums better than other mics.