Topic: Taping of the SBD...

[Nielsen81]

Hi guys.

Now, this is not something I intend to try, but I always wondered how anyone got away with taping from the SBD, when they weren't invited to tape a show.
An example is Nirvana's show at Roseland Ballroom, New York, 07/23/1993, where the rumor goes that some guy made the recording (the source is incomplete) by stealth from the SBD.

So is it really possible, and how would it be done, without anyone noticing (the SBD area is always surrounded by a small fence, right)?

Looking forward to read your answers
Nielsen

[Life In Rewind]

Next to impossible these days...

Even harder now that most big venues will have digital boards.

[eman]

I think most here would agree that we don't want to piss of the audio staff by messing with their gear. If you go plugging into someone else's board without permission and they catch you you pretty much deserve whatever you get and then some. Some bad things can happen when you plug into a live board even if you plug into the right place let alone the wrong place. It does not reflect well on amateur taping in general so just don't.

But yeah, it is possible perhaps if you figured out where they were rolling a recording and there were RCA outs in the back you might find good levels and not blow anything up. Again, I might look at this and think "I could probably poach a recording from right there" but not actually do it.

[noahbickart]

In the old days (now, unfortunately, including the 90's) it was usually an "inside job." Someone working for a production company or the local place that rents the venue the backline, or some random member of the crew; someone who knows his way around a FOH or Monitor world, runs a pair cables out of a EQ or out of the passthrough on an amp, not usually out of the board itself. A small DAT deck was ideal.

But now that everything is digital....

[edtyre]

But now that everything is digital....

......you just plug your laptop into the usb output :-)

[billydee]

In the 80's and into the 90's I became friends with several club and theater sound engineers/production people/venue owners that appreciated live music enough to know it was worth archiving for the future. Back then there was no internet distribution (or really even internet for the most part) so the only real worry was something getting out and being bootlegged.

I had a verbal agreement with the folks that gave me these soundboard patches that I'd not share or trade any of it for at least 20 years. And for the most part those commitments were kept. I would trade some of it with a few very trusted friends that had similar arrangements at other venues and other cities. And we all trusted each other enough to keep it close. I can only recall one soundboard I ever made that was bootlegged onto CD.

Over the years I filled boxes and boxes with cassette, DAT and PCM soundboard masters, many of which are just recently getting converted and starting to see the light of day.

But to put it in context, these were not arena and stadium shows, mostly bands on their way up or on their way back down. In your Nirvana example, it was probably easier to get a soundboard from a show like that then you might expect. If it were a punk or some other underground band playing I would typically just ask them and 90% of the time they'd say yes, record however you want.

[bonghitwillie]

small venues are always best. some sound people will hook you up no questions asked. always have xlr, 1/4" and rca ready to go. make it easy for them. i usually asked them to put the volume at 50%, because the signal is usually very hot. bring headphones and a pad. feeds can be uneven in small venues. loud instruments might be low in the mix.  some sound people say ask the band. others say must have advance permission and must get there before doors open. at some events with press they will have a mult box you can hook into.
alot of venues have assisted listening systems. this is lo-fi sbd. 1/8" out.

[daspyknows]

In the 80's and into the 90's I became friends with several club and theater sound engineers/production people/venue owners that appreciated live music enough to know it was worth archiving for the future. Back then there was no internet distribution (or really even internet for the most part) so the only real worry was something getting out and being bootlegged.

I had a verbal agreement with the folks that gave me these soundboard patches that I'd not share or trade any of it for at least 20 years. And for the most part those commitments were kept. I would trade some of it with a few very trusted friends that had similar arrangements at other venues and other cities. And we all trusted each other enough to keep it close. I can only recall one soundboard I ever made that was bootlegged onto CD.

Over the years I filled boxes and boxes with cassette, DAT and PCM soundboard masters, many of which are just recently getting converted and starting to see the light of day.

But to put it in context, these were not arena and stadium shows, mostly bands on their way up or on their way back down. In your Nirvana example, it was probably easier to get a soundboard from a show like that then you might expect. If it were a punk or some other underground band playing I would typically just ask them and 90% of the time they'd say yes, record however you want.

Any chance these were the Rockefellers and the place in Minneapolis?  I believe that was the source of the Pretenders Show from the Chestnut Cabaret in Philly too. 

[Chilly Brioschi]

I think most here would agree that we don't want to piss of the audio staff by messing with their gear. If you go plugging into someone else's board without permission and they catch you you pretty much deserve whatever you get and then some. Some bad things can happen when you plug into a live board even if you plug into the right place let alone the wrong place. It does not reflect well on amateur taping in general so just don't.

But yeah, it is possible perhaps if you figured out where they were rolling a recording and there were RCA outs in the back you might find good levels and not blow anything up. Again, I might look at this and think "I could probably poach a recording from right there" but not actually do it.

I cannot count the times that a line would drop from the tower at Dead shows
Usually it was a singer's foldback send

Them days is gone, brothers and sisters.

[acidjack]

As already noted, lots of sound guys record everything they mix, even if they don't ask permission. Sometimes that stuff gets out. There are ways to surreptitiously stick a cable into something, but for all the reasons noted I wouldn't do it. With a digital board, you will get no signal from an out unless the engineer sends it, so that eliminates most house boards. For analog boards, you can certainly try and sneak up with a cable, but that is an extremely uncool move and will likely result in a crappy recording anyway.

[billydee]

In the 80's and into the 90's I became friends with several club and theater sound engineers/production people/venue owners that appreciated live music enough to know it was worth archiving for the future. Back then there was no internet distribution (or really even internet for the most part) so the only real worry was something getting out and being bootlegged.

I had a verbal agreement with the folks that gave me these soundboard patches that I'd not share or trade any of it for at least 20 years. And for the most part those commitments were kept. I would trade some of it with a few very trusted friends that had similar arrangements at other venues and other cities. And we all trusted each other enough to keep it close. I can only recall one soundboard I ever made that was bootlegged onto CD.

Over the years I filled boxes and boxes with cassette, DAT and PCM soundboard masters, many of which are just recently getting converted and starting to see the light of day.

But to put it in context, these were not arena and stadium shows, mostly bands on their way up or on their way back down. In your Nirvana example, it was probably easier to get a soundboard from a show like that then you might expect. If it were a punk or some other underground band playing I would typically just ask them and 90% of the time they'd say yes, record however you want.

Any chance these were the Rockefellers and the place in Minneapolis?  I believe that was the source of the Pretenders Show from the Chestnut Cabaret in Philly too.

I lived near Philly back then and what I refer to above was all Philly or thereabouts, no Minneapolis connection at all. As far as the Pretenders Chestnut master, that was mine and the only master of that show, taped onto a Maxell XLI, a bit substandard for the time but somehow that's what I had at hand that night. I was told about that show just a couple hours before it happened.

[daspyknows]

Good job on that one Billydee.  I had heard stories of a secret PCM at both Rockefellars in Houston and the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.  A bunch of those are floating around but not all of them likely ever made it out.

[billydee]

Good job on that one Billydee.  I had heard stories of a secret PCM at both Rockefellars in Houston and the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.  A bunch of those are floating around but not all of them likely ever made it out.

Well, we did have my PCM equipment in the rack at one unnamed venue for a couple months once. Otherwise we had to drag those anchors around with us!
My PCM's are just about all transferred now thanks to some fine fellas in Philly.

[larrysellers]

My PCM's are just about all transferred now thanks to some fine fellas in Philly.

...sending you some more transfers tonight.

[daspyknows]

My PCM's are just about all transferred now thanks to some fine fellas in Philly.

...sending you some more transfers tonight.

Copy me on those haha.  Yes, we all know the Philly Crew.  Enjoyed my time hanging with them a few months back.