Topic: Taping an outdoor concert

[daspyknows]

Is there any trick to avoid claps in the recording? I have a few concerts taped with MM-HSLO and I love the sound even with the background chatting noise but...CLAPS are horrible.

stun guns and other non supported methods  .  I usually try and make friends with a few folks around me using bribery.  Its definitely hit or miss though.  If successful you will be surrounded by 4 or 5 people who want your recording more than you.

[OldNeumanntapr]

Definitely hit or miss. 

[daspyknows]

Definitely hit or miss. 

Yep.  Roger Waters was sort of a miss but my Clapton Winwood from Antwerp was perfect.  I had a few crew around me and it helped.

[pridix]

Hi again guys!

Two terrible things screwed out my tape. First of all, after setting all the gear in my body, with all the cables hidden and the mics perfectly set in my CAP...started to RAIN CATS AND DOGs and also to hail. I tried to keep my gear on but it was so fucking heavy so I was scary about my gear and I had to keep my gear in my pockets. The second problem is...I don't know how (newbie in here) my mics (both omnis an cards) raise the peak level most of the time...with the gain set to 0...Do I have a BIG problem? Should I buy -20dB pads?.

Thank you. I'm fucking sad but I know that taping is patience and experience so...no problem I'll try again and again...

PS: Also I want to know how you tape when it rains VERY VERY heavy.

[Myco]

Hi again guys!

Two terrible things screwed out my tape. First of all, after setting all the gear in my body, with all the cables hidden and the mics perfectly set in my CAP...started to RAIN CATS AND DOGs and also to hail. I tried to keep my gear on but it was so fucking heavy so I was scary about my gear and I had to keep my gear in my pockets. The second problem is...I don't know how (newbie in here) my mics (both omnis an cards) raise the peak level most of the time...with the gain set to 0...Do I have a BIG problem? Should I buy -20dB pads?.

Thank you. I'm fucking sad but I know that taping is patience and experience so...no problem I'll try again and again...

PS: Also I want to know how you tape when it rains VERY VERY heavy.

That's really too bad, but keep at it, we all have those types of shows. Quite often actually. Tough to say what exactly caused your varying levels, but the moisture may have had something to do with it.

If you ever do find an answer to your last question, I do hope you share it with the rest of us, because I've never found a way to tape in very, very heavy rain. 

[acidjack]

Hi again guys!

Two terrible things screwed out my tape. First of all, after setting all the gear in my body, with all the cables hidden and the mics perfectly set in my CAP...started to RAIN CATS AND DOGs and also to hail. I tried to keep my gear on but it was so fucking heavy so I was scary about my gear and I had to keep my gear in my pockets. The second problem is...I don't know how (newbie in here) my mics (both omnis an cards) raise the peak level most of the time...with the gain set to 0...Do I have a BIG problem? Should I buy -20dB pads?.

Thank you. I'm fucking sad but I know that taping is patience and experience so...no problem I'll try again and again...

PS: Also I want to know how you tape when it rains VERY VERY heavy.

That's really too bad, but keep at it, we all have those types of shows. Quite often actually. Tough to say what exactly caused your varying levels, but the moisture may have had something to do with it.

If you ever do find an answer to your last question, I do hope you share it with the rest of us, because I've never found a way to tape in very, very heavy rain. 

With a stand, if you aren't too worried about your mics, a stand umbrella will do the trick.

The only time I was semi-"stealthing" (it was a stealth w/o guilt type thing) and I didn't have an umbrella, I threw my friend's fairly thin shirt over my head and the mics to make a sort of "hood".  It actually worked out OK, but not something I'd do again if I could avoid it.

[bryonsos]

In a    situation where you absolutely have to tape in the rain, you could cover the mics with small plastic bags. You'll probably lose some dynamic range, but the mics will be protected.

[stevetoney]

I've never done it, but some people say condoms work well...and if you're young and single they're probably always handy as well. 

Sorry about your first experience.  It's always frustrating to have things happen that ruin a recordings. 

If it's any consolation, you're not alone.  Most of us were unsuccessful the first time out.  Actually, most of us have had many failures before we learned all of the things NOT to do.  It comes with the hobby and as you gain experience. you get better and better at making sure those things are taken care of ahead of time.  Even though the weather was not in your control, we usually make the mistakes first and learn from them instead of anticipating and avoiding the mistakes in the first place.

That said, in my experience, there's really not alot that you can do to save a recording from really heavy rain.  Light rain is no problem, but when it starts downpouring, I usually just pack it in even if I do have umbrellas, rain fly's etc. 

[pridix]

Thank you to all of you! I feel like home in this forum hahaha. I'll keep learning and getting experience. It's just one battle the one I loss but I will win the WAR (after many years I think hahaha).

Thank you again.

PS: I'll try the condoms or plasticbag but...¿I have to do a little hole in the bag/condom in the point where the mics end (in the capsule) or are the condoms "transparent"?

[Javier Cinakowski]

use large finger cots (for normal sized SDC) or small finger cots for small electret mics.


The cots stretch over the capsule making the rubber thin and acoustically transparent.  I've done some home testing and they really don't change the sound. 
Since they stretch tight they stay on really well too... 

Umbrellas work well too...  put a small towel on top of the unbrella to muffle the rain drops.  You can also stretch panty hose down over the umbrella and tie it off on the stand.  This will keep the umbrella from blowing inside out in heavy wind (and hold your towel in place)...  The little small umbrellas for golf bags work really well.... 

[pridix]

Thank you so much for all the information! 

[OldNeumanntapr]

Sorry that it 'rained on your parade.'  There's really not much you can do when the elements turn nasty like that. Rotten luck.

[pridix]

Thank you to all of you guys!

One more question...Any clue why my DR40 was rising the peak level all the time with my external mics (while gain set to 0) and didn't the internals... I didn't think AT where SO sensible. Should I have to buy -20dB pad? Are they selling them?

[eman]

Something to check- when this happens to me I usually have the source on my recorder accidentally set to "internal mic". Make sure it is set to "line in" and not "mic" or "internal mic". I think you said you have an external preamp, so going into "mic in" will overload the recorder's preamp. It will be bypassed using the "line in" setting. I am sorry if this is obvious to you already but I continue to make beginner mistakes like this from time to time.

[pridix]

Something to check- when this happens to me I usually have the source on my recorder accidentally set to "internal mic". Make sure it is set to "line in" and not "mic" or "internal mic". I think you said you have an external preamp, so going into "mic in" will overload the recorder's preamp. It will be bypassed using the "line in" setting. I am sorry if this is obvious to you already but I continue to make beginner mistakes like this from time to time.

Thank you but I'm not running a preamp. I'm using phantom. So..when I say gain to 0 I mean, input level to 0 in the DR40...:S It's kinda strange...I think