Topic: Best Noise Dampering Mic Configuration

[rdptha2nd]

A few problems I see with getting "too close" to the stacks:
 a) High SPL's might cause distortion in your recording, either on the front end (mic capsule) or clipping in the rear (pre-amp & A/D)
 b) If such a small band some of the instruments (Drums, Guitars, Bass for example) are maybe left un-mic'ed and not run through the PA (drums especially) and therefor would not be as present in the mix as they should be.

Does the band have vocals?  If not you might want to try and run on-stage or at stage lip with some omni's.  What is your gear?  What kind of band?  What kind of PA setup?

The band does have vocals.

I have been running Grider's 480s lately into my Digimod UA5>Jb3....I hope to be acquiring some TLs soon 

The band plays everything from bluegrass tunes to herbie hancock covers....phish like repertoire....but do not sound like phish when they play similar songs

I am not sure what kind of PA setup they use, but the stacks are relatively small and they are always on the floor of course.

[HBK216]

I've been debating this question in my mind as well. I tape a few artists that I'm friends with around NYC. The problem is most places in NYC are nothing but social togethers so the recordings I have made sound nice considering the gear used but the chattiness annoys me to no end. I am upgrading my gear & will be using a stand. One venue I'll be a regular at is a pub with a small stage & 2 stacks hanging across from each other. I was thinking of using hypers & pointing directly at the stacks from about 7-10 ft away if even, would that be a good idea? I'll be using the OKtava MC012's & I have a matched set with all the capsules.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[rdptha2nd]

I have been setting up around 10ft. from the stacks and using a DIN Config that isn't precise by any means, but is more of positioning the stacks and the mics to be pointing at each other the best I can.

I have been using hypers also and it sounds like I am doing the same thing you are thinking of trying, but I haven't had any bad recordings...actually my last recording from 12-4-04 is my best so far.

I am not sure about the possible distortion with MC012's since I haven't run them before, I have been running Grider's AKG 480 hypers. 

My question was more one of whether or not it would be a good idea to get real close to one of the stacks and ignore the other one since a diagonal setup in a corner makes it difficult to be in the center of the stage in the venues I have been taping at that are long and narrow.  It seems to me that the difference shouldn't be great as long as the band is running mono of course!

Hope this helps.

Ron- 

[newblue]

One thing I havn't seen mentioned here is in extreme situations where you have a loud talker or clapper you can position yourself as a baffle between the source of noise (the definition noise being unwanted) and your mics.  This takes a little effort and isn't always 100% effective but aside from going over to said person(s) and asking them to STFU, it's an alternative.  Obviously this dosen't eliminate chatter but you feel like you're at least doing something.  I'm a pretty big guy so I act as a decent baffle, so this may or may not work for you depending.

[hhf32]

well, in a loud and chatty place ala mr smalls sat nite, alex ran hypers and i ran cards, his tapes have chatter on the rear lobe, mine have no chatter whatsoever

so im thinking sometimes inclubs like that, use cards and run high

Yep, learned the hard way Saturday! haha. Mr Smalls has a bar at the back of the club where everyone talks, so I think running hypers actually picked up more chatter from the rear than beans cards did! DAMN!

I had a similar problem last Thursday. I had just got my hyper caps for my akg 300's the day before and was dying to try them out. They were alot more chatty but I think this was due to the set up of the bar. The stage was long and narrow...drummer was right on the lip of the stage.
I set up DFC about 12 ft back...raised the stand about 7.5ft in DIN config. They did'nt have everything micked, just the Keyboards,vocals, bongo's and drums. I set up at the front of a table but behind me about 3 ft back they had put plexiglass up to cut down on the sound going out into a different section of the bar. I think the plexiglass was causing the sound to get trapped in there and might have been better off with the cards that night. That rear lobe made it more chatty.
                                                                                                                                   John

[F.O.Bean]

well, in a loud and chatty place ala mr smalls sat nite, alex ran hypers and i ran cards, his tapes have chatter on the rear lobe, mine have no chatter whatsoever

so im thinking sometimes inclubs like that, use cards and run high

Yep, learned the hard way Saturday! haha. Mr Smalls has a bar at the back of the club where everyone talks, so I think running hypers actually picked up more chatter from the rear than beans cards did! DAMN!

I had a similar problem last Thursday. I had just got my hyper caps for my akg 300's the day before and was dying to try them out. They were alot more chatty but I think this was due to the set up of the bar. The stage was long and narrow...drummer was right on the lip of the stage.
I set up DFC about 12 ft back...raised the stand about 7.5ft in DIN config. They did'nt have everything micked, just the Keyboards,vocals, bongo's and drums. I set up at the front of a table but behind me about 3 ft back they had put plexiglass up to cut down on the sound going out into a different section of the bar. I think the plexiglass was causing the sound to get trapped in there and might have been better off with the cards that night. That rear lobe made it more chatty.
                                                                                                                                   John

thats about what alex said from jmp last weekend, cause my cards, oddly, have no chatter really at all

[charles]

I am a very tall guy so the baffle idea is pretty functional here. Just need on more really tall guy and I'd be set. I still like the good old STFU though....you know, in a nice way..or not. Since I'm so big sometimes I can just look at the talkers real intensly and they shut up.

[Ed.]

you can always ask the band to play louder, heh.