"In general, also in mixing I use very little EQ. My mics are my EQ." --Al Schmitt
Hopefully you've heard this before...mixing starts at the mic. I think I've proven it starts well before that, but I digress. Picking the right mics, their placement and proximity to each other is crucial in making records. Even if you're working with synthesized music and a pop vocalist singing over the top of the production...your mic choice could be the difference between a soothing compelling vocal that works for the song or an out of place element on the track that sounds cheap and distracting from the experience of the song.
There's so much to be said for proper mic technique and though some of the fundamentals can be gleaned from credible books on recording, much of it like any skill is practice, practice, practice. Don't be afraid to take time and find the right spot for that SM57 over the snare drum. Try something new altogether and look up to those who've proven their salt at the skill.The same mic can sound different at difference distances and angles from the source. So, even if you have the most limited microphone locker, there's still a world of possibilities for you to discover and try on your next recording.
Recommendation: I tend to value books over YouTube videos when it comes to audio instruction, as they've survived the test of time. One that I can recommend to you is "Modern Recording Techniques" by David Miles Huber. It's a great primer into audio engineering and will give you the fundamentals you need to start micing things up with confidence.
