Topic: Newb Taper etiquette

[tthcore]

ALright, thanks to otheroneK i got a MD.  I'm stoked to get taping.  I wanted to know if their is any special way to ask the soundguy to patch in to a sbd?  I cant afford to get some mics for a few paychecks.  However i do plan on getting a cable to allow me to patch in.  Should i get a long cable and ask the guy to plug in, and stand next to him all night?  Or give him the whole MD and let him plug it in.  Sorry for the newbness.  I'm gonna record a few open mics and a small shows this weekend to get a feel.  I'd really like to record the silver jews in a few weeks.

[fozzy]

Most boards will have an RCA out, get at least a 6 foot RCA > mini.  Ask the guy if you can get a patch and hand him the end to plug into the board and then setup you recorder and stay out of his/her way but don't expect him to bother with you deck. 

[TNJazz]

Get a longer cable, because the FOH will probably not want to deal with starting your deck for you.  Make sure you have everything you need!  Adapters, cable, batteries, etc.

It's pretty simple really.  Go up to the engineer, introduce yourself and tell him you would like to record the show and would he mind giving you a feed?  (here is where you would insert "I spoke with the band and they're OK with it if you are" assuming you have permission from the musicians).  He may check with them, so don't lie!

If you're friendly and low-key, he probably won't have a problem.  Once you're plugged in, offer to buy him a beer.  If he accepts, once you bring him the beer is a good time to politely ask him to send you a signal test (if he isn't already).

If the band is OK with it, offer to make him a copy if he'd like one.  Most FOHs don't care, but a lot of them say yes just to see if they'll ever actually get a copy.

If he says yes, FOLLOW THROUGH with a copy to him immediately.  Get his name and address, and send it out within a day or two.  Include a brief note thanking him, as this will greatly increase your future chances of recording if he is the house engineer.

[tthcore]

so i need an RCA?  I was going to get a 1/4.

[Krispy D]

so i need an RCA?  I was going to get a 1/4.

personaly, I'd get XLR cables (your gonna need 'em for your mics anyway) and a small selection of adapters.  4) xlr>1/4, 2) 1/4>rca, 2) 1/4>1/8 mini stereo Y cable.  I's nice to have all that jazz with you anyway for patching and lending and whatnot. that should get you covered.

[TNJazz]

so i need an RCA?  I was going to get a 1/4.

Here's what I'd get:

1 RCA/RCA cable - 15-20 feet if possible
1 RCA female -> 1/8 male connector for the MD side
2 1/4 male -> RCA female connectors to turn the RCA ends into 1/4

You'll need XLR cables eventually for mics, but having RCA and 1/4 connections should allow you to plug into the board about 99% of the time.

[Javier Cinakowski]

The xlr idea is a good one, but he is using a MD recorder and I am assuming he will be sticking with the electret condensor mics.  I would get a nice 6'-15' mini->mini cable and get a few adaptors (mini->rca, mini->1/4)

[poorlyconditioned]

Most boards will have an RCA out, get at least a 6 foot RCA > mini.  Ask the guy if you can get a patch and hand him the end to plug into the board and then setup you recorder and stay out of his/her way but don't expect him to bother with you deck. 

Just to add a note there: let the soundguy plug the RCA connectors in.  The number one rule is don't touch *anything* that isn't yours.  Tech guys (like tapirs!) are fussy about that kind of stuff.

What I do is just use a 6' or so connector, and put the MD somewhere behind the board.  I leave it in pause-record mode.  When the band starts I come over and start it, and adjust the levels if necessary.

Good luck and +T for starting the long journey...

  Richard

[macroint]

I'd really like to record the silver jews in a few weeks.

Then you better hope to have your mics by then...it's looking more and more like the Silver Jews will be stealth only, definitely not a board patch. And if you're considering the Jews Ottobar show, and haven't gotten a ticket, it's sold out.

[TNJazz]

i'm well on my way to retiring my jb3's for aud recording so what adapters would i need to buy if i wanted to go sbd > jb3 with the patch cables i already own?

the problem is the cables i have were for board patching with the  ua5 in the chain; i never went directly into the jb3 mini input. 

i already own:
(2) male rca > male rca
(2) male xlr > male xlr
(2) female xlr > female rca
(2) male xlr > male rca

what adapters do i need to buy to get a signal to my nomad from the usual rca/xlr or 1/4" outputs, and are they available at the local radio shack?  links to actual adapters would rock, since i'm retarded, not lazy.
 

Any combination of XLR, RCA and 1/4 on one end, with a mini on the other.  In other words:

female XLR -> female RCA -> male rca > male rca -> RCA to mini adapter
male rca -> male rca -> RCA to mini adapter
1/4 mono to RCA female plugs -> male rca > male rca -> RCA to mini adapter

Where the bold and underlined cables you already have as indicated above.

So go buy...

2 of these:  http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062455&cp=&kw=mono+phono&parentPage=search
and this:  http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103225&cp=&pg=1&kw=rca+mini&parentPage=search

 

[tthcore]

I'd really like to record the silver jews in a few weeks.

 And if you're considering the Jews Ottobar show, and haven't gotten a ticket, it's sold out.

Dude, you just broke my heart.  Its sold out in NYC, and Philly too. 

[TheWildKindness]

I'd really like to record the silver jews in a few weeks.

 And if you're considering the Jews Ottobar show, and haven't gotten a ticket, it's sold out.

Dude, you just broke my heart.  Its sold out in NYC, and Philly too. 

 I am pretty sure all of the Silver Jews shows are sold out...and I wouldn't bother asking to get a soundboard patch at any of the Silver Jews shows anyway..it simply won't happen. DCBerman has stated that if you ask to tape any of his shows, he will tell you no. He did state that he is not in the type of person to tell people what to do either...so if you plan on taping, it will have to be stealth.

[kskreider]

I board patched for a fews years before patching off folks with mics to decide what to get. 

What I did was bought a long pair of decent quality RCA>RCA and filled an Altoids box with adapters.  A pair of each, RCA>1/4" RCA>XLRm, RCA>XLRf, RCApair>Mini Stereo, a pair of phone barrel connectors.  That way one pair of cables and a small metal box full of adapters.  Lighten your load, man.  In fact I still carry these with me today to pull my random analog board feeds.

Edit: www.markertek.com is your friend!

[mmmatt]

so i need an RCA?  I was going to get a 1/4.

Here's what I'd get:

1 RCA/RCA cable - 15-20 feet if possible
1 RCA female -> 1/8 male connector for the MD side
2 1/4 male -> RCA female connectors to turn the RCA ends into 1/4

You'll need XLR cables eventually for mics, but having RCA and 1/4 connections should allow you to plug into the board about 99% of the time.

I would try to stay around 10' to avoid picking up excess noise with unbalanced cables.  Some people will say up to 15', but for recording most people agree 10' should be max.

Matt

[TNJazz]

I would try to stay around 10' to avoid picking up excess noise with unbalanced cables.  Some people will say up to 15', but for recording most people agree 10' should be max.

Matt

Good point about the noise, although I ran 55 feet of RCA at a show last night with no issues.  If you use good quality shielded cables, you'll have fewer problems with distance.

Dirk

[mmmatt]

I would try to stay around 10' to avoid picking up excess noise with unbalanced cables.  Some people will say up to 15', but for recording most people agree 10' should be max.

Matt

Good point about the noise, although I ran 55 feet of RCA at a show last night with no issues.  If you use good quality shielded cables, you'll have fewer problems with distance.

Dirk

 

[TNJazz]

I would try to stay around 10' to avoid picking up excess noise with unbalanced cables.  Some people will say up to 15', but for recording most people agree 10' should be max.

Matt

Good point about the noise, although I ran 55 feet of RCA at a show last night with no issues.  If you use good quality shielded cables, you'll have fewer problems with distance.

Dirk

 

Yep.  Let me also add that this is not really recommended.  I needed a long run to the center of the room because I was doing a small multichannel recording (6 channels) and I thought it best to stick close to my mics, which were set up blumlein in the middle of the room.  Turned out to be a wise move.  Ordinarily, the long cable runs should be the balanced ones of course; my point was you have to work with what you have. 

You need to find out how close you can get to the board and estimate your cable length from there.  10 feet is ideal for RCAs, but often you need more than that (at least in clubs around here).  You just have to make it work for you somehow!

Dirk