Topic: Someone settle this: What exactly is FOB.

[cleantone]

That place looks awesome.

[chucky]

It's a recording that's made so in front, in the crunch that you here the taper saying.

                                "Fuck Off Biatch"

[Cooker]

FOB in the logistics industry means Freight On Board
FOB in the Asian community means Fresh Off the Boat
FOB in the alcoholic community means Friend Of Bill   

[kgreener]

not to dredge up an old thread, but regarding this subject i've always wanted to ask...when FOB taping is allowed, don't mic stands get in the sightlines of the sound guy, and does it ever bother them?  at first i thought well, all they need to do is hear the music, right?  but what if the band is giving visual cues to the sound man and they need to see each other?  of course if you're doing it stealth with a lo-pro stand that wouldn't matter.  i'm talking about open taping that allows FOB.

okay, just something i had to ask    thanks

[Brian Skalinder]

not to dredge up an old thread, but regarding this subject i've always wanted to ask...when FOB taping is allowed, don't mic stands get in the sightlines of the sound guy, and does it ever bother them?

Some sound engineers don't mind the stands at all, some want a completely clear, unobstructed line of sight.  IME, just depends on the engineer.

[terrapinj]

i like to ask the soundguy if it I am clearly gonna be in his sightline - most will be cool with it or request you keep it below a certain height, but there are some that don't want you in their view at all. much easier to ask before setting up than being asked to move after you are all set up.

[kgreener]

thanks guys, this helps me understand this FOB stuff more, +T

btw Brian your text files rock, the more info the better IMO, it really helps me understand the scenario and where you're located, i wish more people would be this detailed.

[mmmatt]

i like to ask the soundguy if it I am clearly gonna be in his sightline - most will be cool with it or request you keep it below a certain height, but there are some that don't want you in their view at all. much easier to ask before setting up than being asked to move after you are all set up.

Just asking will usualy get you the OK to go anywhere you want (in smaller venues anyway)... respect thing ya know!
   Actually... Kgreener.  I thought you were kidding!  I thought I remembered you being an FOH engineer?  BTW, what txt files are you talking about?  And why do they call front of house front of house?  Don't they usualy sell you tickets at the front of the house?  Or is that like a stage left/right thing?

Matt

[grider]

Skalinder and I recorded a show in a church FJC (facing JC).

or how about FOP (front of pulpit) 

[kgreener]

i like to ask the soundguy if it I am clearly gonna be in his sightline - most will be cool with it or request you keep it below a certain height, but there are some that don't want you in their view at all. much easier to ask before setting up than being asked to move after you are all set up.

Just asking will usualy get you the OK to go anywhere you want (in smaller venues anyway)... respect thing ya know!
   Actually... Kgreener.  I thought you were kidding!  I thought I remembered you being an FOH engineer?  BTW, what txt files are you talking about?  And why do they call front of house front of house?  Don't they usualy sell you tickets at the front of the house?  Or is that like a stage left/right thing?
Matt

Hey Matt, I wish I was a FOH engineer!  in my dreams maybe, but not at this point    sorry if my question sounded silly but i really have wondered about the FOB thingy.

regarding the txt file, it's the thorough description i was talking about...for example, a txt file from a recent Brian recording...i love this:

NOTES

Taper        : Brian Skalinder / bskalinder@yahoo.com
Location     : Center, 30' back, ~7' stand
Mic Config   : Blumlein (Figure-8, 0cm, 90º)
Source       : AKG C414B-XLS (figure-8) > Edirol R-4
Record Format: 24-bit, 48 kHz
Conversion   : Edirol R-4 > USB > PC
Edit         : Adobe Audition 1.5 (resample, fades)
Dither       : MegaBitMax, Normal, Medium Noise Shaping
Final Format : 16-bit, 44.1 kHz
Track        : CD-Wave

gba2006-04-15-c414-r4.flac16

[macdaddy]

how does dfc get abused..?

you are either directly front and center, or you aren't...

fob, front of board
dfc, dead f'n center

thats the way I learned it.

exactly.

but how do you abuse that - you are either there, or you aren't...

[mmmatt]

i like to ask the soundguy if it I am clearly gonna be in his sightline - most will be cool with it or request you keep it below a certain height, but there are some that don't want you in their view at all. much easier to ask before setting up than being asked to move after you are all set up.

Just asking will usualy get you the OK to go anywhere you want (in smaller venues anyway)... respect thing ya know!
   Actually... Kgreener.  I thought you were kidding!  I thought I remembered you being an FOH engineer?  BTW, what txt files are you talking about?  And why do they call front of house front of house?  Don't they usualy sell you tickets at the front of the house?  Or is that like a stage left/right thing?
Matt

Hey Matt, I wish I was a FOH engineer!  in my dreams maybe, but not at this point    sorry if my question sounded silly but i really have wondered about the FOB thingy.

regarding the txt file, it's the thorough description i was talking about...for example, a txt file from a recent Brian recording...i love this:

NOTES

Taper        : Brian Skalinder / bskalinder@yahoo.com
Location     : Center, 30' back, ~7' stand
Mic Config   : Blumlein (Figure-8, 0cm, 90º)
Source       : AKG C414B-XLS (figure-8) > Edirol R-4
Record Format: 24-bit, 48 kHz
Conversion   : Edirol R-4 > USB > PC
Edit         : Adobe Audition 1.5 (resample, fades)
Dither       : MegaBitMax, Normal, Medium Noise Shaping
Final Format : 16-bit, 44.1 kHz
Track        : CD-Wave

gba2006-04-15-c414-r4.flac16

Yup! ...that's why we like the guy,   

Matt

[Brian Skalinder]

how does dfc get abused..?

you are either directly front and center, or you aren't...

It gets abused all the time, the same way anything of this sort gets abused:  people aren't truthful, or more likely simply have different definitions of this "standard".  And really, how descriptive if DFC/FOB?  Not very, IMO.  In many venues, FOB could mean anything from stage-lip to 100' back.  In others, the soundboard is off to the side, and still others at the absolute rear of the venue.  I don't think most people list DFC/FOB incorrectly because they intend to lie (though I suspect some small percentage of people list DFC/FOB because they want people to want their recordings), but because some people are looser with standards than others.  For example, some people will list their mics as set up ORTF, even if their mics aren't set up 17cm at 110º...but say, 15cm at 100º instead.  I can't tell you how many times I've seen people reference DFC/FOB even though I've seen their actual position as:

• 6' left of center, -at- the board
• 4' right of center, and by the way the -entire venue- is FOB so it's a meaningless definition at that point
• DFC, but some undetermined distance in front of the board that is 100+' back (not very useful, is it)

It's silly, I know, but I believe it happens -all- the time.  The real reason I make careful notes in my info file is for myself.  I want a reference for the next time I go to the venue.  I'm glad other people like the detail, and I hope they find it useful;  I sure do.

As for the desire to be cryptic, I fully understand it.  But that's not usually the case when people misrepresent DFC/FOB, IME (prety good, eh...three TLA's in a row!).

[kennedy]

NERDS!

[Nick's Picks]

for me, I only write "fob" on my sources if:

1.  I am actualy way in front of the sound guy, not just in front of the board, but some actual distance between him and me.

2. if their is an OTS (official tapers section, which took me forever to figure out), and i'm not in it because I think it sucks for a taping location.