Topic: Taping outside in the rain- is it worth trying?

[kylieshotpants]

Hi

Aside from making sure your (recording) equipment does not get wet- is it worth trying to tape in the rain or should I pack up?

[T-90]

let it roll baby....never pack up, if you are well prepared, unless there is lighting involved!

[acidjack]

You can make a fine recording.  Assuming you're running a stand, get a good light stand umbrella to protect your mics, and trash bags and a waterproof gear bag to protect your rig (put the rig inside the trash bag so it doesn't get wet from the bottom).

Obviously, if the rain is actually hitting your mics, it's up to you whether to keep going.  I put heavy windscreens on, but if my screens were getting more than the occasional drop of water, I'd pull my rig down depending what rig I was running.

I've even made one good pull where I had stealth mics on a hat and had to throw a couple of shirts over my head and make a makeshift hood around my head.... and it was POURING that day.

[u2_fly_2]

Go for it, if it rains too much then ofcourse don´t risk your equ.: Good luck:-)

[it-goes-to-eleven]

I've even made one good pull where I had stealth mics on a hat and had to throw a couple of shirts over my head and make a makeshift hood around my head.... and it was POURING that day.

"Note to self: do not buy acidjack's mics."

[Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B)]

I've rolled in some pretty heavy storms at Red Rocks (with a TON of wind). Had to stand there and hold on to my stand to keep it from taking off. My gear still works fine.

For me the key is to keep your umbrella as low as possible (i.e. as close to your mics as you can get).

Moving on down the line, I like to put duct tape on your connectors from the mics to cables to keep moisture from getting in there.

Cables are already waterproof so nothing to worry about there.

Next I keep my gear in my bag covered with CONTRACTOR GARBAGE BAGS. These are extra thick. They cost a little extra but they are wort hit. Buy the smallest box possible and hand some out in the section...you'll probably get a beer or 2 in return.

I make sure that my cables run into the CONTRACTOR BAGS from the bottom (that way rain can't get into the hole in the bag from above...still not a bad idea to tie up the opening, or even seal it up as best you can with more duct tape).

If you can get your gear off the ground that is a bonus, but you'd need to hang it off something or set it on something. I've thought of using a milk crate. Haven't had the chance to try that. I'm not sure security would be too keen on you bringing a milk crate in, but if you explained what it was for, hopefully they'd understand.

[bryonsos]

These are your friend when taping in the rain:

http://www.ziploc.com/Products/Pages/BigBags.aspx

[DigiGal]

This stuff is great to use on your gear bags and umbrella.

[mfrench]

I have mics that the manufacturers North American CEO has personally suggested to me, these cleaning instructions; To clean them, swizzle the mics in a cup of distilled water, and then plug them in to assist in drying. They'll hear again when the dry out
Would I run in the rain?
Not a chance.

[ashevillain]

It's always been worth it to me to record in the rain. However, I won't record if it's raining sideways or if there's much thunder/lightning.

In addition to the above suggestions, I would make a loop in your mic cables (somewhere in the middle) so water can't run down the entire length of cable and into your gear bag. It will drip from this loop though so keep that in mind.

[Myco]

If it's raining hard, you can also just throw a small towel or some sort of loose fabric over the top of your umbrella so that you muffle the sound of the rain hitting your hit also. 

[tgakidis]

I've even made one good pull where I had stealth mics on a hat and had to throw a couple of shirts over my head and make a makeshift hood around my head.... and it was POURING that day.

"Note to self: do not buy acidjack's mics."

 

[Myco]

I've even made one good pull where I had stealth mics on a hat and had to throw a couple of shirts over my head and make a makeshift hood around my head.... and it was POURING that day.

"Note to self: do not buy acidjack's mics."

 

Aquaman, engaging hydrophones. 

[it-goes-to-eleven]

Hey, wait a minute. I have hydrophones!

[Myco]

Hey, wait a minute. I have hydrophones!

I bet you probably do. 

[acidjack]

I've even made one good pull where I had stealth mics on a hat and had to throw a couple of shirts over my head and make a makeshift hood around my head.... and it was POURING that day.

"Note to self: do not buy acidjack's mics."

That particular pair is no longer in my bag. But they worked beautifully long after.  They didn't get wet that day, and none of my mics ever have.

[stevetoney]

YES it's worth it.  In fact, if you tape enough, you WILL encounter rain so it's best to assume you'll be taping at some point in the rain.  Every real taper that I know packs the following into his taping rig...

- 2 or 3 plastic bags for your gear bag once it starts pouring...
- a collapsible umbrella for the top of your stand...
- either duct tape or clamp to attach umbrella to your mic stand...
- stakes to keep your stand in place when the wind picks up (and grabs your umbrella)
 
Optional
- hand towel or hanky to put on top of the umbrella to dampen out the dripping sounds as rain drops hit your umbrella
- clips to fasten the towel to your umbrella and keep if from flapping in the breeze

[mfrench]

BS,... I'm approaching 35 years of "real taping", and I've recorded boatloads of music, and never once encountered rain.

[cashandkerouac]

great thread, and great suggestions for mitigating risk in the rain.  so far i have not encountered rain that wasa bad enough to make me stop taping.  i've been in some pretty hard downpours, but a basic plastic trashbag around your gear bag does wonders to protect your gear from impending doom. 

on a side note i was taping this past weekend in the Sierra mountains and it was dry as could be.  there was dust everywhere!  after experiencing major dust for the first time i'll take taping in the rain over taping in the middle of a dust cloud anyday. 

[Gutbucket]

I've recorded boatloads of music

Boatloads taken literally..
Here's a few rigs that can handle damp. 
You want straight stereo or surround?

I'm wondering if these come with not-so teenie-weeni pokadot bikini storage covers.

2 channel stereo-







4 channel surround-





Polars for those giant APE-like sphere attachments-





Video and audio samples here- http://www.ambient.de/en/products/ambient-recording/underwater/sound-examples.html  I haven't had a change to listen to any of them yet.  Just came across this stuff this morning on the Ambient Recording website, makers of the Emesser fig-8 which drew me there.

[DigiGal]

[Gutbucket]

^^^
Mono close mic'ing!

Whale crooners were previously unable to get that intimate sound before 'Ping' Crosby revolutionized hydrophonic vocal mic techique.

BS,... I'm approaching 35 years of "real taping", and I've recorded boatloads of music, and never once encountered rain.

You must admit that maintaining that kind of record is far easier in the desert climate of SoCal than the Pacific NW or the SE.

[Fried Chicken Boy]

BS,... I'm approaching 35 years of "real taping", and I've recorded boatloads of music, and never once encountered rain.

Then I must be getting your rain juju 'cuz the vast majority of times I've taped outdoors (which, admittedly, isn't that often) it's been raining.

Some very good suggestions in this thread.

[darby]

as long as you get everything wrapped up tight
and keep your stand and umbrella low... go for it
once it starts raining, I wouldn't want to disconnect anything
http://archive.org/details/moe1997-07-27.akg451.darby.flac1644

[mfrench]

^^^
Mono close mic'ing!

Whale crooners were previously unable to get that intimate sound before 'Ping' Crosby revolutionized hydrophonic vocal mic techique.

BS,... I'm approaching 35 years of "real taping", and I've recorded boatloads of music, and never once encountered rain.

You must admit that maintaining that kind of record is far easier in the desert climate of SoCal than the Pacific NW or the SE.

I've travelled to New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, Nor. Cal., and all over So Cal., for recording.  I've also spent considerable time in monsoonal flow weather patterns that create flash floods during our "dry season". Our outdoor season would typically kick off with Dead shows in the rainy season in so.cal., during the spring break time frame; outdoor concerts typically run from late march to early november here.  There has been plenty of exposure to rainy season possibilities.  In all of it, I felt like no less the real taper because I was missing out on standing in flowing muddy concert grounds. I did miss a few concerts because I didn't want to attend a soaking rain fest; but also feel that no concert is worth risking gear on. 
In addition: **Lots of expensive gear corrodes away just due to high levels of humidity, increasingly more now with micro-traces and integrated circuits. The old fashioned thick circuit traces were more easily replaced/repaired than the new micro-traces and IC's.  Its just not worth it to me to risk ruining gear for the noodley jam band du jour.  Y'all can have your rain and mud fests - I'll take a nice cushy theater seat to rest my heiner in when I'm recording, over a trickle of water running down my ass crack.

**  with the speed of changing digital technology, and immediate obsolescence of gear, this is likely a moot point.

[it-goes-to-eleven]

BS,... I'm approaching 35 years of "real taping", and I've recorded boatloads of music, and never once encountered rain.

The Hoff even scares the rain away.

[mfrench]

water parts itself in his presence.

[Chuck]

Like some of you, I figure it just goes with the territory to have to record in the rain sometimes. Actually my very first recording was of a Syracuse, NY rain storm when I was in my early teens. I just loved (and still love) the sound of rain. I had a small collection of rain/nature recordings. The first were made on my dad's 8-track recorder with a very cheap electret mic. I don't think I'd be a concert taper today if I didn't have the opportunity to record that nature stuff back then.

I was fascinated with the idea of making indoors sound like outdoors. It even sparked my interest in quadraphonic sound, which was big when I was a teen.

I never fully realized my dream of having ground sounds played through speakers on the ground and air or trees sounds playing through speakers position up high in my room. Mostly because of money. I had to cut quite a few lawns just to get the money to buy my first Radio Shack "stereo". Real quad was out of my reach then.

Anyway...

As everyone else said, heavy ply plastic bags, an umbrella, big windscreens and a plan to keep water away from the recorder is what is needed.

[Gutbucket]

I was fascinated with the idea of making indoors sound like outdoors.

I've made a few surround recordings of the frog chorus in the backyard that congregates after a good rain.   If I play it back inside immediately after with the windows open they get all riled up out there and turn it up a notch.  Played back some similar circadia and cricket recordings one night at extra volume and the whole block seemed to come alive. he he.

Choir simulated rainstorm (1:03!)-
http://youtu.be/Aj7DPK1C500

[bryonsos]

OK, now that the Hoff has made his appearance, I'll show you the most ridiculous way I tried to deal with rain. Hypnocracy and I got staff upgrades in exchange for taping the entirety of a local fest. 800 attendance. We got free food and booze for our taping efforts. It was forecasted that there would be a really good chance of rain the 2nd and 3rd days of the fest, but not much chance the 1st day. Well, the voodoo practitioners of meteorology got it wrong, it situationally rained like hell each day. Since I thought I was OK for the first day, I went ahead and ran spread omnis. Turned out to be a bad choice. During the last act of the day, it started to rain a bit, so I needed a mic protection solution quick. I ran to the hospitality room thinking I could at least get some Saran Wrap (remember, we got a pretty good incentive to tape everything) or a couple plastic bags, but all I could find quickly were some surgical gloves. I grabbed a couple and put them over the mics. The next day I/we were more sensible and ran closer mic patterns so we could be under an umbrella. This wasn't perfect the 3rd day, but that's another story.

[Hypnocracy]

This wasn't perfect the 3rd day, but that's another story.

Rained so hard the drops forced themselves thru the fabric of the umbrella...Last song before the Deluge...check out the Thunder clap at the end...

http://soundcloud.com/hypnocracy/mac-n-juice-plus-thunder-clap

[DigiGal]

This wasn't perfect the 3rd day, but that's another story.

Rained so hard the drops forced themselves thru the fabric of the umbrella...Last song before the Deluge...check out the Thunder clap at the end...

http://soundcloud.com/hypnocracy/mac-n-juice-plus-thunder-clap

Seriously, get some of this stuff

[daspyknows]

Depends on who I'm recording.  I still remember taping Pink Floyd in 1987 with rented Schoeps and my PCM F-1.  The mics were fine but the PCM shut down a few times after the dew warning came on. 

[hoppedup]

This wasn't perfect the 3rd day, but that's another story.

Rained so hard the drops forced themselves thru the fabric of the umbrella...Last song before the Deluge...check out the Thunder clap at the end...

http://soundcloud.com/hypnocracy/mac-n-juice-plus-thunder-clap

Didn't realize The Deluge played Big What? 

Perfect segue for a "Something In The Air" cover

[cashandkerouac]

once it starts raining, I wouldn't want to disconnect anything

really good point.  at Wanee this year i recorded about an hour of no music because of the rain.  all my equipment was well covered and safe from the rain, but if i would have tried to stop my recorder or disconnect my mics everything would have gotten soaked.     

[bryonsos]

This wasn't perfect the 3rd day, but that's another story.

Rained so hard the drops forced themselves thru the fabric of the umbrella...Last song before the Deluge...check out the Thunder clap at the end...

http://soundcloud.com/hypnocracy/mac-n-juice-plus-thunder-clap

Seriously, get some of this stuff

Trust me, that or an impervious plastic umbrella are on the shopping list! The (maybe not so) funny part is we went out to check on things during the storm, and the folks on stage were shouting at us to get under cover. Later we found out one of the sound guys got hit by lightning. Yowza! If we hadn't checked, we wouldn't have discovered the dripping though.

[T-90]

ive only shut down 1 time for rain, at wanee 2008 during del mccoury band....i had left the stand umbrella at my camp and didnt want to risk losing the mics which were getting pretty soaked...i was pretty bummed to have only recorded half of his set, but there were many others there recording and my gear lived on to record again later that evening....i almost always put the umbrella clamp on these days if im outside, clear sky or not....but then again i live in northeast fl and it rains almost each afternoon during the summer.

the irony is that we all got shut down by rain at wanee 2012 during the mule set....well to be more exact mule got shut down by rain, we kept on recording waiting for them to come back, but they never did...the entire fob crew was well prepared with plenty of plastic bags and umbrellas for all and no one left during a pretty heavy downpour .....at one point vwmule and i dropped our stand and covered our mics in a plastic bag, for extra protection, since we were not recording any music at the time.

[achalsey]

Just wanted to thank everyone for their advice and OP for starting the thread.  Was normally overly cautious of rain, but after reading through this the past few days decided to say, "to hell with the 60% chance of thunderstorms, I'm going out."  First time running in the full on rain and everything turned out fine.  Had always put the bag a heavy duty garbage bag and brought the little umbrella with the chance of rain, but got to put it to the test last night.

Also, Myco's suggestion:

If it's raining hard, you can also just throw a small towel or some sort of loose fabric over the top of your umbrella so that you muffle the sound of the rain hitting your hit also. 

Definitely helped.  I draped an old pillow case over the umbrella and can barely hear the rain drops even thought the umbrella was as close to the mics as I could get it without touching the windscreens.

So, thanks all!  I will no longer cower in fear of rain.

[stevetoney]

So, thanks all!  I will no longer cower in fear of rain.

Moke seemed to get pissed at me earlier in this thread when I implied that real tapers prepare for and tape in the rain, but tell the truth now...don't you feel like you took it up a notch and feel a greater sense of accomplishment with that recording since now you know you can get a great recording (without one iota of damage to your gear) even if it rains on you?

[achalsey]

So, thanks all!  I will no longer cower in fear of rain.

Moke seemed to get pissed at me earlier in this thread when I implied that real tapers prepare for and tape in the rain, but tell the truth now...don't you feel like you took it up a notch and feel a greater sense of accomplishment with that recording since now you know you can get a great recording (without one iota of damage to your gear) even if it rains on you?

It was a definitely a fun time.  Warm night, the rain was actually kind of nice.  Very glad I followed the advice here.  Also got this fun tune out of it.  Haven't seen the show in probably 15 years so was not expecting a jammed out 90s cartoon show theme song.  Awesome.

http://soundcloud.com/achalsey/jeff-sipe-trio-inspector

[Myco]

So, thanks all!  I will no longer cower in fear of rain.

Moke seemed to get pissed at me earlier in this thread when I implied that real tapers prepare for and tape in the rain, but tell the truth now...don't you feel like you took it up a notch and feel a greater sense of accomplishment with that recording since now you know you can get a great recording (without one iota of damage to your gear) even if it rains on you?

I personally wouldn't feel that it's a badge of honor or something, this isn't a competition. If you do it and enjoy yourself, great, if you don't and pack it up and that makes you happy, great too. I find it difficult to believe that standing in a rain storm with electircal equipment that costs hundreds or thousands of dollars adds much to ones machismo. All except the most hardcore taper would look at that as a being a tool really. 

[DigiGal]

Taping in the rain certainly isn't any fun, although personally I'd rather be prepared for the elements than to pack it in.  To each their own though because it's definitely not a competition and not everyone will be up for it.  Now an electrical storm is entirely different matter but then the show would be shut down anyway, for safety reasons.


This Portabrace promotional photo helps demonstrate you don't need to be macho to tape in the rain.

[stevetoney]

So, thanks all!  I will no longer cower in fear of rain.

Moke seemed to get pissed at me earlier in this thread when I implied that real tapers prepare for and tape in the rain, but tell the truth now...don't you feel like you took it up a notch and feel a greater sense of accomplishment with that recording since now you know you can get a great recording (without one iota of damage to your gear) even if it rains on you?

I personally wouldn't feel that it's a badge of honor or something, this isn't a competition. If you do it and enjoy yourself, great, if you don't and pack it up and that makes you happy, great too. I find it difficult to believe that standing in a rain storm with electircal equipment that costs hundreds or thousands of dollars adds much to ones machismo. All except the most hardcore taper would look at that as a being a tool really. 

Myco, all I'm talking about is satisfaction at the success or failure in getting a recording, which has nothing to do with being macho.  To me, it's geek-ily satisfying to know that if I've prepared for rain and if it starts to rain, that I'll still come home with the goods anyway.  It's the silly notion of a goofy taper geek (which I am) that even rain won't keep me from getting my recording.

The analogy was when I played golf and still shot my handicap in the rain...I didn't feel like I was any better than anyone else for shooting my score, but I felt pretty dang good that, because I had prepared for it, a little rain didn't spoil my day.

That said, there's no way I'm standing out in a driving rainstorm to get a stupid recording (the preacher scene in Caddyshack comes to mind LOL), and there's REALLY no way I'm sticking around if lightning is in the air, even in the unlikely event the band keeps on playing.   

[bryonsos]

I taped 5 outdoor shows in the last month. I was rained on at 4 of them. Does that make me macho? Nope, just wet 

FWIW, I'm pretty sick of taping in the rain for awhile.

[acidjack]

I taped 5 outdoor shows in the last month. I was rained on at 4 of them. Does that make me macho? Nope, just wet 

FWIW, I'm pretty sick of taping in the rain for awhile.

  Here's to the fall season

[Myco]

I've been on both sides of the equation myself. I've dropped when I've deemed it not worth my effort, and I've been out in the driving rain also. Basically it's about the personal satisfaction in doing what your doing, which many of you have mentioned. Sometimes it comes across as a little bit of chest thumping I guess. If your having fun doing what your doing, then it doesn't really matter what anyone else thinks of what you do. 

[F.O.Bean]

I have tapee out in the rain NUMEROUS times and I still find it fun and worth doing It takes a lil more than rain to scare me away

[it-goes-to-eleven]

The analogy was when I played golf and still shot my handicap in the rain...

[splumer]

I've been taping for 12 years, and I honestly don't think I've ever gotten rained on. Even the outdoor shows I'v been to have been under some sort of shed, though. I've only been to a few actually open-air shows.

[page]

Taping in the rain certainly isn't any fun, although personally I'd rather be prepared for the elements than to pack it in. 

+1

FWIW, I'm pretty sick of taping in the rain for awhile.

I like talking about taping in the rain more than I do actually taping in the rain. The worst is setting up in the rain as that takes help and care (someone else to hold the dry plastic over your bag so you can open it and assemble everything under cover).

I've been taping for 12 years, and I honestly don't think I've ever gotten rained on. Even the outdoor shows I'v been to have been under some sort of shed, though. I've only been to a few actually open-air shows.

I'd have to check the logs, but I think I've only run in the rain twice and neither of those are recently. I've setup for it a bunch but most of the time it doesn't actually rain and torn down with haste at the end of the show as it looked imminent.

[acidjack]

Taping in the rain is, in my experience, improved dramatically by (a) the use of beater mics and (b) Fried Chicken Boy's "homemade limoncello".  Or at least, the nervousness level is much lower 

[Gutbucket]

zest + alcohol + time + sugar water =  liquid sunshine.

I can confirm from personal experience that the home-made Lemoncello technique for recording during rain has been tested and confimed bi-annually down here in FL for the past 5+ years or so up at Spirit of the Suwannee.  I suspect next month to be no different.  There's a little ray of sun breaking through the clouds in every sip.

I can also confirm that it works just as well when the sun is shining.

[dallman]

I must be missing something or I feel the need to chime in, because the real story is taping during a snowstorm. The MN Tapers regularly have our outdoor January taping festivals and it gets to 30 or 40 below. For a while Ben Turnbull was up in International Falls (with Rocket J Squirrel and Bullwinke BTW) and while he does not like to talk about it, his tongue got stuck to a mic stand while taping "The Bad Plus" outdoors. To this day he talks with a lisp. Most of us have snowstorm horror stories of missing fingers and toes, because it is just so damn hard to operate the gear once you get to 20 below. But heck, it's a way of life out here. Rodeen moved to Australia for a while hoping his toe would grow back, but it never did. I personally will never forget taking pictures of moe. during "snowfest" and damaging my eye socket because it stuck to the camera eyepiece while snapping a shot of my rig. For a while I considered using the handle here cyclops, but out of respect for Ben, I thought it too hard to say with his lisp...

So I guess taping in the rain is also hard. With our weather patterns though we only have about 35 days above freezing so it is rarely an issue...

[Chuck]

I recorded the Breckenridge, CO moe. show in April 2011.

http://www.timebetweenthenotes.com/images_moe.html#snomoe

It was snowing like crazy, but not too cold (20's- 30's degrees). That must count for something... lol... 

[Gutbucket]

There are some underwater concerts down here in the FL Keys, mostly gimmics I assume.  I've never been and I'm not sure if there is actual underwater musicianship, possibly the playing of keyboards and midi percussion I suppose, but there are underwater PA speakers for the snorklers, scuba-dudes and free-dive swimmers.  I doubt any of these events have ever been taped by a hydrophone wielding concert taper, but it's a brave new world of opportunity- no problems with patrons talking over the music or fear of frozen toes.

[bryonsos]

Hmm..., snow taping sounds like a fun challenge. I may have to look for some MN or CO opportunities.

[capnhook]

There are some underwater concerts down here in the FL Keys, mostly gimmics I assume.  I've never been and I'm not sure if there is actual underwater musicianship, possibly the playing of keyboards and midi percussion I suppose, but there are underwater PA speakers for the snorklers, scuba-dudes and free-dive swimmers.  I doubt any of these events have ever been taped by a hydrophone wielding concert taper, but it's a brave new world of opportunity- no problems with patrons talking over the music or fear of frozen toes.

Can you get a board patch?

[Gutbucket]

Sure-

[T-90]

^ha!

[udovdh]

Also, when stxxlthing in rain, you can wear the mics at the shoulder line and wear a hat.
Hat should be somewhat water repelling in nature so it can hold up for hours.
This way the mics won't get soaked and when teh volume of the music is OK you will not hear the rain.

(Werchter 2010, some artist)

[fsulloway]

so what do ya think? should we have packed it in? The video gives you an idea of how hard it was raining. we collapsed the umbrella and moved the stand underneath the sound guy's tent while our gear bags stayed in the seats fob.

[LikeASong]

I got rained the other day (it was a sudden summer storm so I didn't carry an umbrella) while taping an outdoor show, and I was so scared for the mics that I had to change my optimal position in the middle of the field for a crappy seat under the stadium's roof. My question is: do mics (standard, small stealth mics like CA14s with windscreens or AT943s without winds) GET actually damaged under wet conditions, or it's just that getting them wet MIGHT damage them?

[sacchini]

Sound Professionals SP-CMC-10 (Audio Technica 933) worked perfectly (and still working!) after 3 hours of heavy rain without protection, like this:


Not the weather I prefer but you can still try to get some audio from that...

[LikeASong]

Thanks for the answer. 3 hours of rain and still working is impressive - I doubt I would do that to my mics though

By the way... Is that The Boss?

[sacchini]

Thanks for the answer. 3 hours of rain and still working is impressive - I doubt I would do that to my mics though
By the way... Is that The Boss?

Well, no Neumann or Schoeps but 300$ of gear!!! 
And yes, Springsteen in Florence (Italy) on 10th of june 2012... 

[LikeASong]

Thanks for the answer. 3 hours of rain and still working is impressive - I doubt I would do that to my mics though
By the way... Is that The Boss?

Well, no Neumann or Schoeps but 300$ of gear!!! 
And yes, Springsteen in Florence (Italy) on 10th of june 2012... 

I would like to hear that recording (if possible). I'm a huge Bruce fan, and I'm curious as to how can a recording sound with the rain directly hitting the mics!

[sacchini]

Thanks for the answer. 3 hours of rain and still working is impressive - I doubt I would do that to my mics though
By the way... Is that The Boss?

Well, no Neumann or Schoeps but 300$ of gear!!! 
And yes, Springsteen in Florence (Italy) on 10th of june 2012... 

I would like to hear that recording (if possible). I'm a huge Bruce fan, and I'm curious as to how can a recording sound with the rain directly hitting the mics!

Here you are...
http://we.tl/1k133e8VOs
In info.txt file you'll find explanations; basically, 3 short MP3 samples (before the rain, after 2 hours of heavy rain and... getting underwater!).

[time will tell]

This has been one of the most informative threads that I have read. I don't know if I would bring my gear to a show that there was a 80%+ chance of rain, but I want to be prepared if I am taping not to let my gear get trashed. So far, this is the list that I have gathered from reading through this thread:

Umbrella and clamp for umbrella
zip lock bags for recorder and preamp/power
heavy duty garbage bags for back pack
towel for umbrella (clothes pins or clips for towel)
stakes and high gauge string or thin rope to keep stand from flying away
heavy duty wind screens
duct tape for connections
roll cables to help water run off, hold in place with zip ties

am i missing anything there?

[page]

am i missing anything there?

practice setting up and taking down as though it were raining.

If you want to see what it's like, take your stand, clamps, shockmounts, and umbrella (but not mics) and put them in the shower and adjust the shower head so it's pointed down. That should give you an idea of what it's like to fiddle with stuff while water is rolling off and help practice how to hold things so they don't get wet. If you do that, wrap about the last 6 inches of your cables in plastic wrap and tape them shut just in case you drop them or get them wet while practicing.

[darby]

I sometimes use 2 stands if possible and put the umbrella on a stand of it's own.
I find it much easier to raise and lower the separate stand,
plus if the umbrella does the Mary Poppins on you, your mics don't go flying thru the air.

[fatstratcat]

Lots of good info in this thread. I went to Tedeschi Trucks Band / The Black Crowes a couple of weeks ago. It rained the entire time, and I passed on recording during TTB, but clamped on under doodee's umbrella for the Crowes. I'm working on an umbrella for my rig now. I found a 21" golf bag umbrella I'm modifying - seems like a good size. Another taper was running during Tedeschi Trucks under an umbrella and caught the great timing of "The Sky Is Crying".

[JusTapin]

Is it worth trying?  It depends on how much you are willing to spend to repair or replace equipment.   I was caught in a torrential downpour between sets at a show back in June and figured the mics were already getting wet and thought I remembered reading here somewhere about it being ok (silly me  )!  Well, after $580 to have one of my mic preamps and both caps repaired, I won't fly naked again that's for sure.  Something else you may think about, as the AKG tech told me, electronics and moisture just don't go well together.   

From now on, as much as I'd hate to, I'll pull mine down and protect my gear considering it has cost me a small fortune to put together.  Also, considering most shows, at least the larger ones I do, are recorded at the board by the crew anyway so it's not like something that would be lost forever.

I'm not saying it can't be done or don't do it by any stretch, for me though it's just not worth the replacement or repair cost. 

[jbell]

You didn't use an umbrella?? 

Is it worth trying?  It depends on how much you are willing to spend to repair or replace equipment.   I was caught in a torrential downpour between sets at a show back in June and figured the mics were already getting wet and thought I remembered reading here somewhere about it being ok (silly me  )!  Well, after $580 to have one of my mic preamps and both caps repaired, I won't fly naked again that's for sure.  Something else you may think about, as the AKG tech told me, electronics and moisture just don't go well together.   

From now on, as much as I'd hate to, I'll pull mine down and protect my gear considering it has cost me a small fortune to put together.  Also, considering most shows, at least the larger ones I do, are recorded at the board by the crew anyway so it's not like something that would be lost forever.

I'm not saying it can't be done or don't do it by any stretch, for me though it's just not worth the replacement or repair cost.

[DigiGal]

Taping in the rain certainly isn't any fun, although personally I'd rather be prepared for the elements than to pack it in.  To each their own though because it's definitely not a competition and not everyone will be up for it.  Now an electrical storm is entirely different matter but then the show would be shut down anyway, for safety reasons.


This Portabrace promotional photo helps demonstrate you don't need to be macho to tape in the rain.

Here was a recent case in point of a show getting shut down for safety reasons during a lightning storm -->  http://archive.org/details/furthur2013-07-19.akg.digigal.125306.flac16
Oddly enough the storm looked to be coming closer and right after the show was called the weather cleared.  Stronger storms hit the area much later that night and perhaps the venue was ultimately concerned for their own crews safety in cleaning up after the concert was over, better safe than sorry!

It has rained for every outdoor concert I've taped this summer but I was prepared for the elements in protecting my gear so no worries. 

[LikeASong]

Taping in the rain certainly isn't any fun, although personally I'd rather be prepared for the elements than to pack it in.  To each their own though because it's definitely not a competition and not everyone will be up for it.  Now an electrical storm is entirely different matter but then the show would be shut down anyway, for safety reasons.


This Portabrace promotional photo helps demonstrate you don't need to be macho to tape in the rain.

Here was a recent case in point of a show getting shut down for safety reasons during a lightning storm -->  http://archive.org/details/furthur2013-07-19.akg.digigal.125306.flac16
Oddly enough the storm looked to be coming closer and right after the show was called the weather cleared.  Stronger storms hit the area much later that night and perhaps the venue was ultimately concerned for their own crews safety in cleaning up after the concert was over, better safe than sorry!

It has rained for every outdoor concert I've taped this summer but I was prepared for the elements in protecting my gear so no worries. 

Another famous recent example was Pearl Jam's show at Wrigley Field, Chicago. Show was held up for 3 hours after a lightning storm reached the area. The Chicago Major in person called to make sure the show was shut down due to the high danger. The fans waited inside the venue and when the storm was over the show was restarted (finished at 2 in the morning lol).

[F.O.Bean]

Taping in the rain certainly isn't any fun, although personally I'd rather be prepared for the elements than to pack it in.  To each their own though because it's definitely not a competition and not everyone will be up for it.  Now an electrical storm is entirely different matter but then the show would be shut down anyway, for safety reasons.


This Portabrace promotional photo helps demonstrate you don't need to be macho to tape in the rain.

It has rained for every outdoor concert I've taped this summer but I was prepared for the elements in protecting my gear so no worries. 

Same here. Ive gotten soaked at both festies Ive been to so far Summer Camp in May and All Good in July. Hopefully Rootwire next weekend will be much nicer

[JusTapin]

You didn't use an umbrella?? 

Is it worth trying?  It depends on how much you are willing to spend to repair or replace equipment.   I was caught in a torrential downpour between sets at a show back in June and figured the mics were already getting wet and thought I remembered reading here somewhere about it being ok (silly me  )!  Well, after $580 to have one of my mic preamps and both caps repaired, I won't fly naked again that's for sure.  Something else you may think about, as the AKG tech told me, electronics and moisture just don't go well together.   

From now on, as much as I'd hate to, I'll pull mine down and protect my gear considering it has cost me a small fortune to put together.  Also, considering most shows, at least the larger ones I do, are recorded at the board by the crew anyway so it's not like something that would be lost forever.

I'm not saying it can't be done or don't do it by any stretch, for me though it's just not worth the replacement or repair cost.

I didn't want to tell that part of the story jbell!! LOL  Because I'd have to admit that I forgot my new umbrella I bought from Ted on the kitchen table when I left the house for my hour and half drive to the show.