Topic: Soundboard recordings with laptop?

[jim_morrison]

Hi all,

My friends who happen to be in a band are playing their first gig. I would really dig to record them. I have read the basic instructions and have a basic understanding.

My first question is, if I was to record the sound straight from the soundboard onto my laptop, what equipment would I need? (Besides the sound card)

On the topic of external Sound Cards, is the Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 NX a good sound card?

Thanks,
Brett

[stantheman1976]

Your laptop has a 1/8" plug for line in.  The soundboard should have either RCA or 1/4" outputs for recording.  Get a stereo RCA to 1/8" stereo male cable like this one from Radio Shack:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2453699&cp=&sr=1&origkw=RCA+3.5mm&kw=rca+3.5mm&parentPage=search

Also get a couple RCA to 1/4" jacks like this one:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062455&cp=&sr=1&origkw=RCA+1%2F4%22&kw=rca+1%2F4&parentPage=search

Then you will be able to record off almost any board you see.  If it has RCA outs just use the cable to line in on your laptop.  If it has 1/4" use the adapters on your cable.

[wbrisette]

Make sure you read Terrapinnj's comments here:

http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,88409.38.html

While laptop recording can (and is) being done. It certainly is not without issues.

Wayne

[stantheman1976]

Running a laptop is no riskier than running any recorder that saves to digital format IMO. 

[wbrisette]

Running a laptop is no riskier than running any recorder that saves to digital format IMO. 

Actually it is. Sound Design, Zaxcom, and others have recovery methods to salvage recordings. I have only once ever lost a recording with the Deva (and I was running a beta version of the software at the time, which we think attributed to the issue... and this was pretty early on in the Deva development cycle). I can tell you that many times I've watched people with laptops at shows end up at the end of the night with nothing to show for it because of some issue. Laptops are risky because the OS is the risk factor since it has no built-in tools to salvage an open file like the critical type hard drive recording devices.

Wayne

[terrapinj]

even if your soundcard has line-in the signal may be too hot for the input without some sort of attenuator.

you will find very few serious tapers using laptops without some sort of backup for good reason. many more things that can go wrong even if your lappy is configured solely for recording. 

if this is a 1 time deal you should probably be ok but if they are gonna want to record their sets more and more frequently you should invest in some type of recorder. many can be found around $100/$150 that will at least offer some sort of input volume and are meant to be a dedicated recorder should something go wrong.

plus live recording can be a gnarly environment so you may not want to subject your laptop to risks of dropping, spills, etc.



and wayne....its' sound devices 

[wbrisette]

wayne....its' sound devices 

Sorry. Sound Design was an old Mac OS 7 application.

Wayne

[sygdwm]

battery issues are something else to think about unless AC is available.

[db]

if you do run your laptop, don't run other programs and shut off any internet connection gizmos--especially with windos.

also, if the board is of any quality, odds are you're going to have balanced line outs (xlrs). maybe the 1/4"s as well, but it pays to check.