Topic: Clipping (and other) questions on first taping experience

[Sherbz]

So, I taped my first show two nights ago (Buckethead at Variety Playhouse) running SP-CMC-4 (AT853s) -> SP Batt box -> Iriver. Got there early, grabbed the direct center seat in the front row of the balcony. Had the mics attached to my hat in a sort of ORTF set up (see the pic below). Opening act, Pnuma trio, electronic jam band stuff. I was taping them as a test run to make sure everything went right. Two minutes into the set, the cliplight on the remote goes off, so I lower the gain and it runs fine for the rest of the show. However, checking the levels between songs, I realize I'd been an idiot and didn't clear enough space for the show. Deleted some files real quick, and started taping again. I lost maybe ~10 minutes, the end of one song and most of the next. So my first question is, would it be ok to seed this incomplete set at etree? I think it was a great show and the tape sounds great (IMO), and I did get the great majority of the show (52 min). Also, if I do, what should I do about the clipping? Looking at the wave in soundforge, the levels are a bit hot up to around 2:00-2:10, where it clipped and I lowered the gain. I've included an mp3 starting at 1:44 and going a little past where I lowered the gain, plus a look at the waveform in soundforge. I'm using really shitty headphones on my computer, but I can't really hear anything. Should I lower the volume of this whole section?

After Pnuma went off, I went down to the bathroom and merch table and when I returned I found my seat taken by some wooks. I luckily found a free seat in the front row left section by a guy video taping the show. The recording turned out great after getting everything figured out during Pnuma. I was worried about potential problems wearing the mics, but it worked wonderfully. Rockbox and the iriver make an amazing combination, checking and setting everything with the remote instead of digging the main unit out of my pockets. Once I get Buckethead all tracked, it'll definitely be going on etree.

Thanks in advance for any help

[RebelRebel]

im on crappy speakers now too, and dont really hear anything too nasty. Ill listen on my  monitors later on..

one thing that I learned from using the JB3 is that Clipping lights DONT ALWAYS mean that the audio is clipping. You really had to ride the JB3 hard , way after it showed clipping to get decent levels...I owned 3 jb3s and they all indicated clipping at different SPLs.....somehow I dont think the iriver level meters are that great. . get a feel for your gear, perhaps grab one of those digital camera level meters(the name escapes me but they are pretty popular here) and rely on that, the wavform and the audio you hear of course.....

[Just Taper Mark from NC]

I didn't hear a thing either  sounds like a nice combo you got there though as far
as the rig goes 

[Sherbz]

Yeah, taking a (very) close look in soundforge, it literally clips for less than a thousandth of a second. So enough to be detected, but not to be audible. So I guess there wasn't really anything to be worried about.

[Just Taper Mark from NC]

yeah,you're good to go.as far as the incomplete set...there were other tapers there,yes 
if another source isn't up yet I would put it up but be sure to make it known up front that
it's incomplete and where and if you want to,explain why it is.and then throw in there that you
though you'd put it up until another source surfaced so that people could go ahead and get a
listen 

[SparkE!]

Is that a III hat?  Are you going to cover any of the shows on the upcoming Hank III tour?

[Sherbz]

That's actually a plain old Adidas hat 

Anyway, I uploaded it to etree, I'm almost certain there were no other tapers. Thanks for the help.

[pfife]

I just listened off my laptop on 7506s, and I thought I heard a little bit (on the kick drum, maybe?), but nothing much.