Topic: Basic checklist for my first recording?

[RemotelyLocated]

Hello TSers. Self-editing what I type isn't my forté, so grab a cup of coffee if you're mildly interested.

What
I've been granted permission to record a high school's orchestra concert. I'm doing this mainly for my own learning and to hopefully provide the kids, or at least the director, with a decent recording. I'll likely burn him a CD but I'm hoping he'll let me post to archive.org or somewhere. His only stipulation was a reminder for there not to be any money changing hands for the recordings (didn't plan on that anyway) so that the school wouldn't need to buy a mechanical copyright license. Hopefully online sharing isn't viewed the same way.

All of this is on short notice and I've scrambled to put together equipment on a budget so low it might make you wince. The last time I did anything like this was when I was in jr. high a thousand years ago using the school's equipment -- two SM57s (or equivalent) into a TC-377. If using 4 mics for the choir's SATB sections a Shure M68FC would have been dusted off.

Mics
I found two dirt cheap, used Behringer B-5s. One has arrived, looks new and tests good for both capsules. Although I don't anticipate audience noise being much of an issue I'm intending to use the cardioid capsules, not omnis. The other mic should just make my deadline next week. If it doesn't, I'll have to buy two mics locally on very short notice in order to do this show. That would kill my finances for the month; I might just record mono if that happens ...

Stereo bar
I like the AEA bar's protractor markings. I'll never be able to afford their mics, but this seems like a fun little splurge.

Location
I attended a concert last week there. I'd say the stage is "typical high school stage size" (a dedicated auditorium; this isn't the cafeteria or gymnasium) but I neglected to measure anything. Mics will be at stage lip, but not on the stage.

I told the director/conductor/teacher my goal was to position one stand on the floor, up fairly high, between front row and the stage, but as close to the stage as possible and he's cool with that. There's a generous 4' or 5' of floor space there.

I bought one of Adorama's house-brand light stands (Flashpoint 13') -- at $40 and with a reversible, threaded post up top (not just a stud) it seemed like a big bang for my buck. It's arrived and works fine. I bought a wing nut and some washers to secure the AEA mic bar to the stand.

If for any reason I'm forced to scrap the light stand idea and use a short mic stand (which I lack, but the school surely has ...) I'll secure the AEA bar with a spare mic clip.

I'll extend the Flashpoint up as much as I dare and presumably angle the mics downward to mid stage depth --- rear-seated players won't be on platforms. I will have no sound check for any of this and of course be gain-riding the first song somewhat.

The biggest issue I anticipate is HVAC noise (unless someone doesn't see my obnoxiously-colored sandbags for the light stand!). When I was there a week ago for their jazz band concert, I sat about 5 rows back from the front and the sound of air rushing out from the ceiling's HVAC (above the stage, no less) was often prominent. I'll ask that it be "turned off" or at least the t-stat be adjusted. (yeah, right) It's a decent auditorium but somebody forgot to tell the designers it's not necessary to have an HVAC produce gale force winds to cool down any size room.

Cables
I have two 100' lengths of bulk Canare L-4E6S on the way. I'll be way off to the side, or backstage and "shouldn't" need 100', but as these will be my only cables that's what I'll bring, unless the Canare don't make deadline and I have to solder my Neutriks to that big pile of CAT5 I have ...

Preamp + ADC
tc electronic Impact Twin. Tested briefly with the lone B-5, playing loud music from my stereo, they seems to like each other well enough although I keep forgetting to look up impedance specs (does that matter for condensers?)

Recorder
Late 2008 MacBook Pro running Amadeus Pro. I've owned this for several years but have never recorded with it. The Impact Twin can provide 24/192 but I'll stick to 24/96 here and have made some test recordings.

Other
gaffer tape
Monoprice closed-back headphones
water bottle
empty but foam-lined Gator GR-4L "suitcase" to toss stuff in.

Wish me good luck!

[F.O.Bean]

Best of luck bro! Sounds like you know exactly what you need to do!

[Since85]

Good luck.

I would also recommend bringing the A.C. power supply for your computer, since you are recording onto it.

[RemotelyLocated]

Thanks, that reminds me! I have a long outdoor-style extension cord I should bring, with splitter.

If I could afford to do so, I'd buy a replacement battery for the laptop because its original one only holds about a 40 minute charge now. So yeah, I don't even move it around inside the house anymore without A/C power.

Also, tc electronic says the Impact Twin, because it connects via FireWire 400, can run from just the laptop (FireWire 400 can supply 12v) but I've always used it with its wall wart power supply.

[bombdiggity]

All of this is on short notice and I've scrambled to put together equipment on a budget so low it might make you wince. The last time I did anything like this was when I was in jr. high a thousand years ago using the school's equipment -- two SM57s (or equivalent) into a TC-377.

One could in fact unintentionally do a lot worse than two SM57's...  I know whole albums that have been recorded on those (and sound very good).  Just make sure you got real ones and not the more prevalent counterfeits. 

Good luck. 

[sacchini]

Thanks, that reminds me! I have a long outdoor-style extension cord I should bring, with splitter.

If I could afford to do so, I'd buy a replacement battery for the laptop because its original one only holds about a 40 minute charge now. So yeah, I don't even move it around inside the house anymore without A/C power.

Also, tc electronic says the Impact Twin, because it connects via FireWire 400, can run from just the laptop (FireWire 400 can supply 12v) but I've always used it with its wall wart power supply.

If you run the Impact Twin from the laptop you will not encounter any problem in case someone run through the extension cord unplugging A/C power, thanks to notebook battery.
About Murphy Law...

[RemotelyLocated]

Another good point. The Impact Twin can be run as a standalone thing (not that I think I ever would, and I think resolution would be limited to 16/44) but then I'd just need another interface for the laptop, which this box already is.

Most of my goodies have arrived ... waiting on the cables.

[Gutbucket]

I you do manage control over the HVAC, crank it down cold as early as you can before-hand so it is as chilly as possible before the room fills with walking radiators when you turn it down or off just before the performance. 

But as that isn't likely, getting your mic position up high and angled down at the stage may help by orienting the less sensitive region of the cardioid patterns towards the air woosh noise from the ceiling vent.

You didn't mention what stereo mic configuration you plan to use.  I'd suggest ORTF as a good starting point from that location.

[RemotelyLocated]

Yes Gutbucket, you have the idea I was going with regarding aiming. ORTF and using the mics' cardioid capsules is also in the plan. I'll have to eyeball it best I can ahead of time since I don't expect a "sound-check" to happen.

Another reason to angle down is to maybe reduce some potential slap-echo that will probably come from the back of the stage where hard/flat acoustic shells are. You all know the type, they look like the ones on the left here: http://blackcatmusicblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/legacy-shells-help-transform-acoustics.html

[F.O.Bean]

Yes ORTF that close should work pretty well. My first DAT recording was Phish Cleveland 12/5/97 with ONE Shure SM57>Sony D8

[earmonger]

 I'll likely burn him a CD but I'm hoping he'll let me post to archive.org or somewhere. His only stipulation was a reminder for there not to be any money changing hands for the recordings (didn't plan on that anyway) so that the school wouldn't need to buy a mechanical copyright license. Hopefully online sharing isn't viewed the same way.

I don't want to be a buzzkill, and in the real world the high school probably doesn't have to worry.  I'm not a lawyer, but apparently  the letter of the copyright law doesn't distinguish between whether recordings are sold or given away.  Here's a long link--hop down to Simple Rule #2.

http://www.musicforall.org/resources/copyright/the-copyright-monster

According to this thread,  which seems especially knowledgeable down near the end, a mechanical license (to record the copyrighted music)  would probably run a few hundred dollars. I would guess that the school is aware of licensing, since the director brought this up in the first place; hope they have paid their performance license.

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/remote-possibilities-acoustic-music-location-recording/541620-school-recordings-legal-issues.html

Practically speaking, you can probably distribute some CDs without the mechanical license because publishers have bigger things for their lawyers to enforce than the royalties from CDs for band members. But you might have to reconsider archive.org., or at last make sure that the recording isn't traceable back to the particular high school.

Or the group could play all public domain stuff...Beethoven hasn't sued anyone in years.

[cybergaloot]

All of this is on short notice and I've scrambled to put together equipment on a budget so low it might make you wince. The last time I did anything like this was when I was in jr. high a thousand years ago using the school's equipment -- two SM57s (or equivalent) into a TC-377.

One could in fact unintentionally do a lot worse than two SM57's...  I know whole albums that have been recorded on those (and sound very good).  Just make sure you got real ones and not the more prevalent counterfeits. 

Good luck.

Bill Whithers first LP 'Just as I am' (Ain’t No Sunshine was the hit) was recorded with all Shure 546s, the precursor to the SM57.

[F.O.Bean]

Got a link to your first recording

[Phil Zone]

That sounds great, and very prepared! More than I ever bring

[RemotelyLocated]

Just coming back to this thread. The recording turned out well despite HVAC roar and one of the B-5s developing a buzz. Both issues were partly excised in software later. I'd just as soon get another pair of something else relatively inexpensive but that's a subject for elsewhere.

F.O.Bean: Nope, although I did suggest posting to LMA without objection. I only made a few CDs for the band director. Oh, and one for the harpist's mom who whined during setup my mic stand might be in the way of her video despite the obvious fact she had the freedom to make a decent video from any location, whereas I didn't have the same opportunity by putting mics just any 'ol place. And "Yes" was the answer to her question when she asked if the band director knew what I was doing. I told him about it later and he laughed.

And thank you earmonger. Yes, good links there. The mechanical license is a weird one. My understanding is that it's tied to distribution, not recording per se, but that you can't effectively record without someone (even if it's just the recordist) listening later, so there's your distribution ... I understand "CYA" but if a band gives me permission and I don't distribute publicly I think I'd feel OK which is to say, "safe." And I now understand that doing the work for free means nothing.

I have potential opportunities coming up to record a university ensemble, a professional big band and more high school shows. All of these would be permission granted/non-stealth with the intention of helping to promote their efforts.

Ideally, I think live recordings could/should be used for promotion towards getting people involved and going to shows be they high school or professional bands. What's frustrating is that the moment you post the shows online, copyright treats that the same as if you were doing it to make a buck on the recording and not the unique performance. There has to be a middle ground there beyond 30-second music clips.

Here was the stand with mics. Had them aimed a little too far down perhaps but it was OK. I was stationed stage-right out of view. The only cables I have are 100' and way too long here.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/181646/EHS%20mics.JPG