Topic: Soundboard rec

[gristlejaw]

Tonight i'm doing my 1st soundboard recording....i have one final question for you guys....

the show isn't a huge (major-label band) production......its possible that the bass and guitar might not be mic'd thru the board (i assume that happens sometimes right?)...anyways....if that's the case would i still get good sound from the board...maybe picking up the guitar and bass from other mics on stage?

thanks for all the help.

-gris

[wbrisette]

I really all depends on the size of the venue. A lot of the smaller clubs here in this area won't mic the bass or guitar and rely on the stage cabinets for them. Usually that means you end up with a recording that has lots of vocals and lots of drums (which usually aren't mic'd very well).

Stage vocal microphones usually don't pick up the guitar and bass as well as you would think, so yes you'll hear some, but don't be surprised if you end up with a lot of vocals and little else on your tape.

The only real solution for this is using microphones in the audience and mixing the two sources OR just going with audience mics and forgetting about the board feed.

Then again, it could be the board has everything mic'd and you'll be fine.

Wayne

[Simp-Dawg]

I really all depends on the size of the venue. A lot of the smaller clubs here in this area won't mic the bass or guitar and rely on the stage cabinets for them. Usually that means you end up with a recording that has lots of vocals and lots of drums (which usually aren't mic'd very well).

Stage vocal microphones usually don't pick up the guitar and bass as well as you would think, so yes you'll hear some, but don't be surprised if you end up with a lot of vocals and little else on your tape.

The only real solution for this is using microphones in the audience and mixing the two sources OR just going with audience mics and forgetting about the board feed.

Then again, it could be the board has everything mic'd and you'll be fine.

Wayne

^^^  i concur.

an onstage / stage-lip recording will work if you don't care about vocals.

[hoobash]

Most clubs run mono. The mix in a club will never sound right on tape even if they mic everything. The band put off so much sound from the stage you have to mix with it.

[dank]

Simp said:
n onstage / stage-lip recording will work if you don't care about vocals. -

I hear this alot when people talk about onstage taping -- I don't understand... when would you ever NOT care about the vocals?  

[RobC]

Simp said:

I hear this alot when people talk about onstage taping -- I don't understand... when would you ever NOT care about the vocals?  

When the Band plays mostly or all instrumental music

[InfiniteOhms]

Even after many tries i have never got a good board tape in a small club, untill i got to know the sound guy and he let me make my own mix on a aux channel. But i have had decent luck in larger clubs and theaters. Out of the large venues ~1/4 sound great , ~1/4 sound good and 1/2 sound like ass.

so the moral of the story is ... if its your only option, its allways worth a try

[gristlejaw]

Thanks for all the input.  It turns out that everything was mic'd.  Aside from the sound guy not knowing anything the recording came out really well.  Thanks for all the help.  

[creekfreak]

how's that D8 working out for you?

[DaryanLenz]

Just curious...if taking an aux channel, what exactly would you ask the sbd dude to do?

Daryan

[InfiniteOhms]

Just curious...if taking an aux channel, what exactly would you ask the sbd dude to do?

Daryan

Depends ...  basicly your going to be "in the way" when ever you change a level, so you plug your stuf in and ask the sound guy when your going to be the least pain in the ass to tweak a few knobs. The only reason i was ever able to do this was because this was a very small place with only one house sound guy... who was realy nice. If your this friendly with the sound guy it would be just as good (if not better) to get a (cheap Beringer) mixer and a bunch of 1/4 to 1/4 patch cables. (most mixers i'v seen have a line out for each channel , or a insert for each chanell that can be switched to one)

[Simp-Dawg]

Just curious...if taking an aux channel, what exactly would you ask the sbd dude to do?

Daryan

Depends ...  basicly your going to be "in the way" when ever you change a level, so you plug your stuf in and ask the sound guy when your going to be the least pain in the ass to tweak a few knobs. The only reason i was ever able to do this was because this was a very small place with only one house sound guy... who was realy nice. If your this friendly with the sound guy it would be just as good (if not better) to get a (cheap Beringer) mixer and a bunch of 1/4 to 1/4 patch cables. (most mixers i'v seen have a line out for each channel , or a insert for each chanell that can be switched to one)

i think a more direct answer to d's question, if i'm not mistaken, is that most boards have an aux level in addition to the main level for each channel, so you can have a different signal level going to the aux channel than to the mains, which would be beneficial for recording but not affect the sound of the house.

[gristlejaw]

Creek freak,

the D8 is absolutely awesome....i've recorded 4 shows (8 sets) thus far and all of them sound great...and i'm just using a little sony ecm ds 70p condenser mic. but its perfect for the punk shows....hardly noticeable but professional at the same time. and the bands really likes to get a CD back of the show you taped. no problems thus far and if you ever need it...put me down as a reference...you the man. thanks.

-gris