Topic: ISO: 6-8 mic setup for field recording (in rooms AND outdoor)

[Gutbucket]

I have two Tascam stereo records and place the room mics whererver they fit best (mist times near the soundboard is too much talking)

Consider placing your 'room mics' and/or 'room recorder' on stage facing out into the audience instead of back at the soundboard facing towards the stage.  Widely spaced mics will work best for this component of the sound.  If you are using the internal microphones of the Tascam recorders, consider using external microphones which can be placed widely instead of the close configuration mandated by using the built-in microphones.


For acoustic setups, you may be able to sort of area-mic the performers on stage instead of close-mic'ing each individual instrument.  It takes some thought to setup but is simpler in the amount of gear needed and simpler to manage during the performance, and done properly can sound deeper, richer, more involving, more coherent and generally more "you are there real" than a stereo mix built from individual pan-potted mono-sources.  You can usually use three or four channels on stage to pickup all the acoustic instrumentation. 

[hoserama]

I generally prefer taking the 12-24 tracks off a soundboard, usually from the inserts so its pre-fader. If in the case of things are not already mic'ed, or acoustic, then yes, you'll need to mic it yourself. Even still, I would try and get as direct of a signal. You can apply reverb and such to smooth out the sound, plus adding general room mics into the mic. If you try to strategically place room mics in specific places, I could see things just getting more and more distant. It's easier to make something clear sound room-y and than to take something roomy and clean it up.

So basically--close mic what you want, either through soundboard or independently, and get a good room mic sound. Probably one pair at soundboard and then one pair on stage aimed at crowd.