Author Topic: Recording setup for the Peace Corps (Read 5473 times)

bradohboy · « **on:** March 28, 2009, 01:35:01 PM »

Hi everyone,

It looks like i'll be heading into the Peace Corps soon, most likely Africa. My background is in music, music business and artist management. As a musician I am reasonably well versed in microphone placement for my own instrument (trombone and other brass and wind instruments). My thoughts are to take a small flash based recorder and a few decent microphones and to record the music of whatever place I'm in.

I would edit it on a small laptop and post it to my personal website or start a small sustainable record label where the proceeds go back to the artist. That idea is a book length post for another topic.

We all have budgets to work with and mine is rather modest, though the quality of even consumer level recorders has usurped those of many tape based field recorders of the 1960's and 1970's. My concerns, being in a remote location are numerous. Quality is always an issue and a low noise floor is always appreciated especially if these recordings may someday serve as a commercial vehicle to better local African artists' lives. Portability, power and frankly cost play equally as high on the list.

For those of you who have not traveled in Africa, theft is extremely high and I don't know of anyone who has been in the Peace Corps who has not had numerous things stolen. An expensive recorder stolen=expensive replacement.

I would like to keep the components to a minimum and prefer an all in one solution as opposed to having to carry another battery powered pre-amp etc. The Tascam Dr100 though new looks nice (top of my price range) the pmd661 is equally nice, and the Marantz pmd620 is another consideration.

Frankly, the size, portability and current price (with $100 rebate for the 620) has me leaning towards that model. Perhaps I could use the sm57 i have with an xlr to miniplug and buy to battery powered condensors and be done with it.

Any suggestions, anyone have experience living in remote places (I'll be there for 2 years and shouldn't expect electricity so a solar AA charger seems best).

My budget max is 500-600, With the marantz620 i could get the recorder, flash card and a mic or two and be done..

Let the opinions begin and thanks for reading this lengthy post.

Brad

jlykos · « **Reply #1 on:** March 28, 2009, 04:33:52 PM »

I am a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (from Georgia) and have worked in Rwanda in the past. I would recommend something very simple that takes AA batteries. Those solar chargers are pieces of shit and can barely recharge a cell phone, let alone a recorder. You can literally blow up the recorder if you try to recharge its batteries on a foreign power source with unstable current, even with an inverter. Theft is always an issue so make sure that if you lose your recording setup, you won't cry too much.

I am biased to the Sony PCM-D50 because I have one and love it, but I would highly recommend it in this situation. It has good quality internal mics and runs forever on four AA batteries; something like 25+ hours on alkalines. You can probably find one new on ebay for around $450 or used from the Yard Sale on this site for a good bit less. The D50 has 4GB of internal memory but you need to purchase a Sony Memory Stick card if you want additional capacity. The build quality is also second to none of any of the portable recorders, which is a significant benefit in a country with limited access to repair shops. If you want to add some external microphones for better quality, I also recommend the Sonic Studios DSM-6 series with the D50. They are pretty expensive new, but can be found for quite a bit less used. Check the Yard Sale on this forum for better prices. The key benefit of the Sonic Studios microphones with the Sony D50 is that you do not need an external preamplifier to power them.

Other people like the Edirol R-09HD with Church Audio external microphones and a Church Audio preamplifier. I have heard recordings with this combination and they sound excellent as well. I don't have too much expertise with this combination, as I don't run it, but I am sure that others can help. I believe that this would also fit within your price range.

Good luck with everything in the Peace Corps. The experience is what you make of it so work hard and great things will happen.

bradohboy · « **Reply #2 on:** March 28, 2009, 05:44:53 PM »

jlykos,

Thanks for the response, it's extremely helpful to hear from someone who has been through a similar situation. I'm worried about power sources as well and have been trying to research what my best bet is.
I'll take a closer look at the d50, even with the sony premium price I've heard good things.

The Sonic Studios sound great but they are quite far out of my price range and I would cry if something happened to them. In musical settings I will surly be using external microphones for sound quality and placement so need to factor those into my budget as well. My other concern is data backup, since theft is so rampant my thought was to buy a cheap assus 8 inch laptop, back it up to the hard disk and whenever possible upload the raw files to the internet (ha! i probably won't have electricity no idea where i'll find the internet).

As far as microphones I have lots of experience with sure sm57's and 58's . I know a condensor usually has a better sound and range but the build quality of the 57's are legendary, and I have yet to see one break (plus i already own one).

I look forward to hearing from everyone else and again thanks for responding.

bradohboy · « **Reply #3 on:** March 28, 2009, 05:54:42 PM »

Hi Moke thanks for the tip i'll check them out. At least I wouldnt have to lug around a ton of cables!
And after some thought the SM57's I have are decidedly not the best way to go to get a wide frequency response attempting to reach a professional recording quality. At a distance, unless the group is quite loud they are almost useless. Does anyone have any clips or the Church Audio with some thing other than rock, perhaps some classical or jazz?

jlykos · « **Reply #4 on:** March 28, 2009, 07:57:34 PM »

Quote from: bradohboy on March 28, 2009, 05:54:42 PM

Does anyone have any clips or the Church Audio with some thing other than rock, perhaps some classical or jazz?

Check out www.dimeadozen.org for some samples with Church Audio microphones on non-rock recordings. You have to have an account there, and it can be a pain to receive one, but it is worth trying for microphone samples with lots of different types of music. One thing to keep in mind is that I believe that you need a preamplifier with Church Audio microphones, but you may want to contact Chris Church directly (he is on this forum) for more information.

I would not use the SM57 or SM58 either; there are much better options available.

bradohboy · « **Reply #5 on:** March 30, 2009, 08:15:25 PM »

Wow, the church mics sounds great and with proper placement and environment they very well could produce a decent album. Since it seems like power will be a persistent problem does anyone have any ideas on how to recharge AA batteries? It's already been mentioned that the solar chargers are crap. I'm handy with a soldering iron but any ideas would be great and if I can skip using disposable AA batteries which tend to be very expensive in developing places (if not already run down). Thoughts ideas?

jlykos · « **Reply #6 on:** March 30, 2009, 09:24:07 PM »

For rechargeable AA batteries, buy them in-country. You can usually get some AA batteries and a foreign voltage charger at supermarkets that cater to Western expats and such. Every country in which I have traveled has one. Yes, they will be expensive, (maybe around $30 for batteries and a charger) but they will also work. Good brands that are widely sold in foreign countries include GP, Energizer, and Kodak. You can also look in Kodak or Konica photo processing stores when you are abroad to see if they have rechargeable batteries and chargers.

sunjan · « **Reply #7 on:** March 31, 2009, 04:59:53 AM »

Quote from: bradohboy on March 28, 2009, 05:44:53 PM

My other concern is data backup, since theft is so rampant my thought was to buy a cheap assus 8 inch laptop, back it up to the hard disk and whenever possible upload the raw files to the internet (ha! i probably won't have electricity no idea where i'll find the internet).

This doesn't make sense. If thieves can steal your recorder/memory they might as well steal your laptop.

I say ditch the laptop idea if you're concerned with theft and lack of electricity. Buy a whole stack of cheap 2GB/4GB SD cards, they are $4.50/$6 each at newegg. After filling one up, post it back to US by registered mail.
If you really want to backup on location, get a USB stick type SD card reader, and bring it to an internet café. There's at least one internet place in every capital/major city, but don't expect upload speeds above 0,5mbit or so. Uploading might take a hours with intermittant dropouts.

Then again, crime in Africa is largely overexaggerated. Apart from the big cities (Joburg, Nairobi, Lagos, Kinshasa, Cairo etc) you're pretty safe:
http://goafrica.about.com/od/healthandsafety/a/dangers.htm
http://www.finfacts.com/qualityoflife.htm

For a small convenient rig, i'd go for Church mics (omnis for outdoor use?) >R-09HR.
A Church pre might be a good addition, but stock up on 9v batteries, they might be hard to find in the field.
You could also consider sending an R-09 to Chris Church and have the internal mics upgraded (Micskeeter mod). That gives you versatility to haul up the recorder from your pocket and tape anything on the fly.

I made six trips to Africa, taping in remote locations in places like Benin, Burkina Faso and Angola. I wouldn't gamble and buy rechargeables in-country. For sure there weren't any in Luanda last time I was there, and even less so in the other towns. The ex-pat stores are far inbetween, you might end up in a wild goose chase. Since you're on an assignment, you don't have all the time in the world to scout around, so I'd be safe and order a charger with the right voltage and plugs before you go. Plenty of them on ebay.

Church-Audio · « **Reply #8 on:** March 31, 2009, 05:36:17 AM »

Quote from: bradohboy on March 28, 2009, 05:54:42 PM

Hi Moke thanks for the tip i'll check them out. At least I wouldnt have to lug around a ton of cables!
And after some thought the SM57's I have are decidedly not the best way to go to get a wide frequency response attempting to reach a professional recording quality. At a distance, unless the group is quite loud they are almost useless. Does anyone have any clips or the Church Audio with some thing other than rock, perhaps some classical or jazz?

If your going to get my mics the mics I would recommend for your trip are my ca-14 omni mics... they will sound killer and I can build them so they will plug directly into an Edriol r09hr the recorder ( with a preamp as an option * the CA-9100 is a very quiet preamp if your recording very low level sounds this would be an asset ) You simply clip the mics to a hat or your shirt collar and your in business.

I dont mean to suggest that my mics are the only option there are lots of mics that are of very good quality. Please look around at other vendors as well. But if you do want my gear that is my recommendation. I think the Sony is great but its pretty big and easy to spot = easy to steal the r09 is small and will fit into a fanny pack with my preamp and mics easily. Let me know if I can be of any assistance. Also look around in the yard sale thread for used gear.

Chris

Church-Audio · « **Reply #9 on:** March 31, 2009, 05:38:36 AM »

Quote from: bradohboy on March 30, 2009, 08:15:25 PM

Wow, the church mics sounds great and with proper placement and environment they very well could produce a decent album. Since it seems like power will be a persistent problem does anyone have any ideas on how to recharge AA batteries? It's already been mentioned that the solar chargers are crap. I'm handy with a soldering iron but any ideas would be great and if I can skip using disposable AA batteries which tend to be very expensive in developing places (if not already run down). Thoughts ideas?

http://www.greenbatteries.com/powerfilm-rollable-solar-panel-r15-300.html
This is the rechargable battery I recomend for use in my preamp http://www.greenbatteries.com/ma.html
http://www.greenbatteries.com/9vnimhsmart.html this can be used with the solar cell unit above.
This charger is the one to get for AA bats it will work with the above solar cell...

su6oxone · « **Reply #10 on:** March 31, 2009, 03:33:26 PM »

Quote from: bradohboy on March 28, 2009, 01:35:01 PM

It looks like i'll be heading into the Peace Corps soon, most likely Africa.

I'm so jealous... I always wanted to join the Peace Corps too.

Have fun and good luck!

jlykos · « **Reply #11 on:** March 31, 2009, 06:10:36 PM »

Quote from: sunjan on March 31, 2009, 04:59:53 AM

Quote from: bradohboy on March 28, 2009, 05:44:53 PM
My other concern is data backup, since theft is so rampant my thought was to buy a cheap assus 8 inch laptop, back it up to the hard disk and whenever possible upload the raw files to the internet (ha! i probably won't have electricity no idea where i'll find the internet).

This doesn't make sense. If thieves can steal your recorder/memory they might as well steal your laptop.

I say ditch the laptop idea if you're concerned with theft and lack of electricity. Buy a whole stack of cheap 2GB/4GB SD cards, they are $4.50/$6 each at newegg. After filling one up, post it back to US by registered mail.

Virtually every Peace Corps volunteer brings a laptop with them these days. In my 2+ years in Georgia, none of them were stolen. Keep an eye on your stuff and you will be fine.

sunjan · « **Reply #12 on:** April 01, 2009, 06:20:42 PM »

Quote from: jlykos on March 31, 2009, 06:10:36 PM

Virtually every Peace Corps volunteer brings a laptop with them these days. In my 2+ years in Georgia, none of them were stolen. Keep an eye on your stuff and you will be fine.

I don't know zilch about the Peace Corps, I was more reflecting on the places in general where you might end up.
If you have no relaible source of electricity, what good is a lappy?

But who knows, if you guys have a nice compound with a security guard and diesel generator in the back yard, there's nothing to worry about...

Red Boink · « **Reply #13 on:** April 07, 2009, 07:11:46 PM »

Listen to what's being preached by Church... solar cells can be great in the field.. I've been using:

http://www.amazon.com/Brunton-Watt-Foldable-Solar-Array/dp/B000GEFFBO/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1239145597&sr=8-1

I'm a full time field engineer and I know of folks all over the world using this setup to keep cameras, audio kits, radios, etc. working. They are the preferred source of solar energy by some of our troops in the war zones.

Take a good look at them.. they're very reliable, efficient, easy to operate, and durable.

Best,

John Hartney
Studio and Field engineer
847.742.9321

georgeh · « **Reply #14 on:** April 12, 2009, 09:14:24 AM »

Quote from: Church-Audio on March 31, 2009, 05:38:36 AM

Quote from: bradohboy on March 30, 2009, 08:15:25 PM
Wow, the church mics sounds great and with proper placement and environment they very well could produce a decent album. Since it seems like power will be a persistent problem does anyone have any ideas on how to recharge AA batteries? It's already been mentioned that the solar chargers are crap. I'm handy with a soldering iron but any ideas would be great and if I can skip using disposable AA batteries which tend to be very expensive in developing places (if not already run down). Thoughts ideas?

http://www.greenbatteries.com/powerfilm-rollable-solar-panel-r15-300.html
This is the rechargable battery I recomend for use in my preamp http://www.greenbatteries.com/ma.html
http://www.greenbatteries.com/9vnimhsmart.html this can be used with the solar cell unit above.
This charger is the one to get for AA bats it will work with the above solar cell...

have you feild tested either of these? I am interested in the various solar charges myself.

georgeh · « **Reply #15 on:** April 12, 2009, 09:24:01 AM »

sorry, didn't notice the above post, looks very interesting.

bradohboy · « **Reply #16 on:** May 13, 2009, 07:13:58 PM »

Hi all, thanks for all the good suggestions.

I found out im heading to Mauritania, ie Sahara Desert.

I've decided to not take a laptop since I don't know what I will have available to me as far as a reliable power supply goes.

Looking at my budget and taking into account everything I'd need to buy I keep coming back to the m-audio microtrack ii with a AA battery pack charger.
I know it doesn't have a ton of bells and whistles but it does have phantom power, would let me get a pair of matched pulsar ii cables and be out the door for under $600 bones. (Plus media cards).

Unless something used comes up like a used Fostex Le-2 or PMD 661, the small footprint, decent sound amd light weight of the microtrack might be the way to go.
Unfortunately I don't have too much time to screw around until I leave, i ship out the second week of June and have much to take care of while still here.

Brad

jlykos · « **Reply #17 on:** May 13, 2009, 11:04:11 PM »

Quote from: bradohboy on May 13, 2009, 07:13:58 PM

Hi all, thanks for all the good suggestions.

I found out im heading to Mauritania, ie Sahara Desert.

I've decided to not take a laptop since I don't know what I will have available to me as far as a reliable power supply goes.

Looking at my budget and taking into account everything I'd need to buy I keep coming back to the m-audio microtrack ii with a AA battery pack charger.
I know it doesn't have a ton of bells and whistles but it does have phantom power, would let me get a pair of matched pulsar ii cables and be out the door for under $600 bones. (Plus media cards).

Unless something used comes up like a used Fostex Le-2 or PMD 661, the small footprint, decent sound amd light weight of the microtrack might be the way to go.
Unfortunately I don't have too much time to screw around until I leave, i ship out the second week of June and have much to take care of while still here.

Brad

I had one of the original Microtracks and hated it. I lost two out of 15 recordings I made because of hardware errors and that is an unacceptable ratio for me. I urge you to seriously consider something else like the Edirol or the Sony unit. You may spend a few extra dollars, but their reliability will be well worth it. The Sony also has an outstanding build construction so keep that in mind if you are in the desert.

See if you can contact some Peace Corps volunteers who are in Mauritania now through the country office or something like LinkedIn or Facebook to ask them what the situation is like over there. It may prove to be very helpful. Also seriously consider bringing your laptop if there is anything resembling a decent power supply; you will be surprised how handy it comes.

Good luck with everything over there. PM me if you ever decide to go through Mali; I have been assigned to the USAID mission in Bamako for at least the next two years and I will most likely leave at the end of this year.

spcyrfc · « **Reply #18 on:** May 14, 2009, 12:43:05 AM »

i would also vote for the sony d50. the run times on a set of 4 AA batteries are out of this world. 12+hrs. nothing as far as i know comes close to touching that time. the build is solid and the unit seems to do very well on bench tests. with the built in 4 gig hd and an 8gig memory stick, you can get recording times to match the battery life. it has internal mics, which, tho add to the overall size, will likely rarely be a negative, cause you can record just to them and they will be fine for conversation or some such.

couple this with a pair of CA mics and i imagine you would be good to go. the MTII units have a spotty track record and overseas and out of touch, reliability is mostly likely at the top of the list.

good luck, let us know what you decide. bring a hat.

sunjan · « **Reply #19 on:** May 14, 2009, 06:25:46 AM »

Quote from: bradohboy on May 13, 2009, 07:13:58 PM

I found out im heading to Mauritania, ie Sahara Desert.

I've decided to not take a laptop since I don't know what I will have available to me as far as a reliable power supply goes.

Cool! I was bumming overland from Morocco to Senegal in 1999, passing Mauritania on the way. Unless they drop you off in the middle of nowhere, most towns certainly do have AC power.

If you know where you'll be staying, drop a line here:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/sahara-travel-forum/

It's a great forum with lot's of knowledgeable expats, living in the Sahara countries, incl. Mauritania.

bradohboy · « **Reply #20 on:** June 06, 2009, 02:53:36 PM »

I'm leaving in one week for my placement in Mauritania. Though microphone stands might be an issue where i'm going I do have the basic recording setup purchased. Due to space and packing considerations I wont be taking a mic stand (I'll figure something out in country).

The setup I went with for budgetary and flexibility includes the following:

Zoom H4n
Mini Table Top Tripod Stand
Transcend 16 GB SD card
1 gb Generic Card that came with Zoom
16gb Sandisk card (also for digital camera)
Backup, 4 gb Panasonic SD (mainly for camera)

Microphones: Samson Cl2 Pencil Mics with Card and Omni caps, wind screen, shock mount, bar mount and mic stand adapter.

Cheap in ear headphones for mp3 player (but also considering taking Samson Ch700..im sure they will last a week before they break)

Backup and basic processing: Aspire Aspire One with 160gb hard disk and 6 cell battery.

I know it's not the most professional setup but it seems quite capable. I just received the microphones in the mail today so will play with everything tomorrow.

Thanks for everyone's advice and im off to ensure everything and buy a pelican case that I can cram everything into (and that fits into my little backpack) so thing's dont get trashed.

Brad

Any tips on this setup (your help and guidance so far has been great and everyone's opinions uber helpful)

sunjan · « **Reply #21 on:** June 08, 2009, 04:26:44 AM »

Quote from: bradohboy on June 06, 2009, 02:53:36 PM

Any tips on this setup (your help and guidance so far has been great and everyone's opinions uber helpful)

Oh yeah, I almost forgot... Sand is everywhere in Mauritania! Most travellers get their camera and other electronic gear screwed up.

Make sure to duct tape all slots and lids of your gear, and get a bunch of zip-loc bags for individual storage of each part.
It sounds anal, but you won't regret it. Especially any moving parts are prone to breakdown (think camera zoom lense, shutter, mic membrane...).

If you run into trouble and need on-the-spot assistance, take note of the web site above. I had a lot of help from the guys there.

bradohboy · « **Reply #22 on:** June 08, 2009, 09:47:02 PM »

Thanks man for the dust tips.

I bought some black Pelican cases for the mics, camera and zoom bodies and i will be sure to take some ziplock baggies. Great website too.

Rock on,
Brad