Topic: How would you record this band?

[acidjack]

http://maryalouette.com/music

I've been asked by a video guy if I can help record this act in a lounge type setting (i.e., not a concert venue as we'd normally do it). 

Presumably I can do whatever I want. I"ll have my gear.

It sounds like it's guitar, upright bass, and vocals.

My thought would be a basic onstage setup, maybe wide cards ORTF, and board patch the vocals. 

Any better ideas?

[runonce]

I would be thinking mostly about how the bass player will be presented...is he using an amp? or PA.  Acoustic or electric upright?

[acidjack]

I would be thinking mostly about how the bass player will be presented...is he using an amp? or PA.  Acoustic or electric upright?

Yeah, no idea.  How would the recording method differ depending upon what it was, though?  This music is a bit out of my comfort zone, so any tips would be appreciated for sure.

[SmokinJoe]

My thought would be a basic onstage setup, maybe wide cards ORTF, and board patch the vocals. 

That's a good plan.

Another thing to consider is lots of times the board feed is mono-ish, meaning even if you get a stereo feed, you are getting pretty much the same thing in both channels.  So I'll grab 1 channel of the SBD, and grab the bass channel via direct out or bass DI for the 4th channel of my R4.  At one particular venue I did that every week for months.  When I got home I'd mix the bass channel a little right of center, and the SBD a little left of center, because the bass player was always on the right and the vocalist was on the left.

[acidjack]

My thought would be a basic onstage setup, maybe wide cards ORTF, and board patch the vocals. 

That's a good plan.

Another thing to consider is lots of times the board feed is mono-ish, meaning even if you get a stereo feed, you are getting pretty much the same thing in both channels.  So I'll grab 1 channel of the SBD, and grab the bass channel via direct out or bass DI for the 4th channel of my R4.  At one particular venue I did that every week for months.  When I got home I'd mix the bass channel a little right of center, and the SBD a little left of center, because the bass player was always on the right and the vocalist was on the left.

Thanks. If that is possible, that is a very useful idea.  I had an artist once complain that my onstage omnis didn't pick up the upright bass properly, and with this config, it will be very important to do that.

[page]

My thought would be a basic onstage setup, maybe wide cards ORTF, and board patch the vocals. 

That's a good plan.

Another thing to consider is lots of times the board feed is mono-ish, meaning even if you get a stereo feed, you are getting pretty much the same thing in both channels.  So I'll grab 1 channel of the SBD, and grab the bass channel via direct out or bass DI for the 4th channel of my R4.  At one particular venue I did that every week for months.  When I got home I'd mix the bass channel a little right of center, and the SBD a little left of center, because the bass player was always on the right and the vocalist was on the left.

Joe had my suggestion.

For two vocals, spot mic each instrument, and each vocal and use omnis for the instruments to get room reverb and crowd noise. Then just do subtle panning later, maybe add a touch of reverb if you end up taking 4 direct outs from the sbd (each instrument and each vocal) as they likely won't use omnis.

[Roger Gustavsson]

http://maryalouette.com/music

I've been asked by a video guy if I can help record this act in a lounge type setting (i.e., not a concert venue as we'd normally do it). 

Presumably I can do whatever I want. I"ll have my gear.

It sounds like it's guitar, upright bass, and vocals.

My thought would be a basic onstage setup, maybe wide cards ORTF, and board patch the vocals. 

Any better ideas?

If you have your microphones on stage, the pickup will be wide, perhaps 120 degrees or so. There are not that many configurations that fit. There is a risk that you get a big "hole" in the middle. With ORTF, you cannot have any musicians outside of the axis of the microphones. I suggest XY (coincident) at 135 degrees. Here is a diagram that give a clue to how the soundstage will come out with different setups.