I currently use a Shure SM57 for my vocal mic (while playing the acoustic guitar). I find that I need to be right on top of the mic for good sound. I'd like to sing a few inches from the mic and have a little bit of freedom to move around while playing and singing. Plus when I use my ipad for lyrics/chords it's really hard to read the ipad while playing the guitar and need to be right on top of the mic. (Yes, I know, I should learn the songs better and ditch the ipad. That will happen eventually. But in the meantime....) If I have more gain (say, using a cloudlifter) will that let me back away a few inches from the mic? Or is it better just to get a different mic? And if the latter, what mic? I'd use this setup playing live and at home. Thanks!

Angelina by Tommy Emmanuel Still got a long way to go with practice. How do you go about learning a song like this by ear?

My Mum thinks I should do this Lady Gaga song for my upcoming concert. What do you think. This is my first time playing it so it needs some practice. https://youtu.be/G06tVvZmkZU?feature=shared

Started to work on a "Kiss from a Rose" today. Very rough recording but maybe You will be able to give me some hints and advice as I go? At the end I will most likely add a second vocal harmony and maybe some another guitar riffs and so on.. for now I have the lyrics in my head and started to practice singing this one. Still a lot of work to be done. And my timing is so terribly wrong .. haha :D

Here is some noodling I did today after practicing the groove for some hours.