I made my first recording of a show recently, though I wouldn't say I'm completely inexperienced or uninformed either. Any recording that I've been a part of or would be a part of, would be stealth.
Here's a quick question. There is no way to get rid of the actual screen display on the R-09, right? What exactly do people do? If you cover the screen display, you can't set your levels as the show starts. Does everyone simply deal with the lighted screen display, and put the recorder in their pocket for the whole show? If so, then I guess this means you can't/don't/wouldn't use the built-in mics then? Seems to me like it might not be a good recorder for stealthing then, or for using the built-in mics, but then again, I don't know if other recorders have similar light displays. Maybe that should be added to the FAQ.
Or would anyone just cover the light display and just set the levels by "guessing" prior to entrance? I think I found a good number on the R-09 anyway. You can't really set levels while recording to begin with, so when the show starts, you kind of have to "guess" anyway, providing you want to start recording before the first song starts.
Speaking of which, is there any FAQ, guide, or resource where people just go from scratch into the whole "stealth" thing? What is the ideal stealth set up? I mean do you just have to deal with the fact that everyone is going to know you're taping? I've seen the types of things where people hide mic's in glasses or in a hat, on shirt collars, and so on. That's a situation where it's hidden but still in plain sight. Are there any mic's that are considered the best stealth mic's? I'm sure there are different ones though with different prices. Basically, I have no idea what I'm doing or what "most people" do, I really don't understand the actual process of recording. You can't just stick your mic's straight up in the air and pointed directly at the PA's, or you're going to get seen. Or you could keep the mic's/recorder way down below chest level but the sound won't be as good. So there's obviously something in between. I've looked around but I haven't really seen much in terms of stealth info, or even pictures of stealth setups. It's too bad there isn't a photo/video tutorial where you could see someone recording a show. Are normal mic's preferred for stealthing, or built-in mic's, sound quality aside? I think stealth is my primary concern, so if anyone has links or info for mic's where I can actually view them (pictures) while reading about them, that would be hugely appreciated.
Lastly, for now, I'm also wondering about what generally are the best ways to balance out your allotment of funds, in terms of mic's, mic prices, and equipment. For instance, I used the R-09, but I haven't actually committed to it yet monetarily. So would I literally be better off spending that ~$350 on one of the cheaper recorders (I've heard a little about the Jukebox 3 but I don't know about any others), and then spending all the remaining cash on mic's & other things for my set up? I do like some things about the R-09, it seems nice overall, and I think the ability to transfer the actual file of your recording to a PC via USB or memory card is an absolute must. The only thing that I don't like about it is that the screen display stays lit, I can't wrap my head around that one. Some last questions to stick in here... which unit of all the major & known/recommended recorders would be considered the best or among the best for stealth? Which unit of all the major and widely-known/recommended units would be considered the best or among the best for their included/built-in mic's themselves, and/or for using them for stealthing? The R-09 did seem nice, but I'm really not sure what to do. I have to figure out how much that lighted screen means to me, and I have to figure out if it would really be a better idea to take the ~$350-400 and buy some low-end recorder, but spend the rest on mic's. Over time I could spend more, like by early fall and on into winter. I'm sure I could throw loads of money into it by then. But for the meantime, for the spring and summer probably, this is what I have going, and now that I've made my first own recording, I'm not going to want to go back to the other way, or go to the next show without taping. I have a good deal of time to figure out what's best, and cheaper is better ideally. I mean if I could get a great stealth rig for $300 or that range, that'd be fantastic, but obviously I assume that's what a lot of people would want. Still, stealthing seems to be the biggest factor, so if you tell me there are great stealth options that make it nearly impossible to be visible to others, which are extremely expensive, I'd still be interested. I'm a little phased by exactly how many people know you're recording. It was just one show, so I really have no idea what the pros do, but it seems like there must be an easier way. But for the meantime. until maybe later on in the year, I'm generally looking for the best stealth solution for that kind of moderate price range... maybe $300-500, or $350-400 being a nice guideline. It's something I could definitely make price adjustments to and stretch it higher if I knew there was one 'definitive' solution for me, or an absolute-best route to go for someone who is worried about stealthing. I get the feeling though that it's just a matter of weighing different options and that even the best stealth setups are still quite visible. Thanks in advance to anyone who answers any of the primary questions I had, especially about what they do with that light display. Thanks again.
Topic: R-09 question / Recorded first show recently (Read 1797 times)