Topic: What's a good next step?

[d5lefko]

I'm in a band that does a lot of jamming/live improv, and in around November 2023 I started taping all of our live shows and keeping an archive of them on Bandcamp. I bought a TASCAM DR-05X that I set with plenty of headroom and try to be strategic as to where I place it to get the best balance of instruments (we're a six-piece) with minimal crowd chatter. Then I take that raw file and run it through a few rounds of EQ and compression in Logic to get the best sounding tape I can. Here's our most recent show, which came out sounding pretty solid: https://boxfactoryrva.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-lurchfest-4-13-24

We play a mix of house shows and small clubs/bars, but let's just focus on the latter. I'm resigned to the fact that house shows will likely always sound like house shows on some level

What would you folks recommend as my next step up for quality and clarity? Bringing A USB for FOH SBDs (if so, any thumbdrive recommendations?)? Buying a second handheld recorder and placing it elsewhere in the room? Multitrack stems would obviously be ideal, but I don't want to over-hassle our local sound people. Thanks in advance!

[fanofjam]

I love recordings that are a matrix of a SBD recording and a good sounding FOB-ish recording.  The SBD gives the direct sound of the performance, while the FOB recording provides the space and live ambience and feel of the live show. 

If you can, just have the FOH guys run you a balanced mix to your own pair of outputs and then record those outputs.  Yeah it requires a little bit of extra effort for the FOH guys to set up a second output, but nothing they probably wouldn't do if you offer to buy them a beer.  As you probably already know, recording the room mix is oftentimes not a very good option since the room dynamics can oftentimes shift the balance to the point of distraction, say if vocals need to be loud in mix because of the room, or if lead or rhythm guitar is way low in the mix because of the room or how loud you have your amp on stage.

If that's of interest, what I'd do is buy a Zoom F3 that uses 32-bit float format and then use that for your FOH recorder.  Press record an hour before the show and you never have to think about it again (assuming you have sufficient power).  Then use your Tascam to record the SBD recording...yeah make sure and set levels with plenty of headroom.  Or better yet, get two Zooms F3's (or the multi-channel Zoom with 32-bit float) and you never have to worry about levels.

EDIT:  Holy shit, just checked out your link...you guys are in Richmond!  I live in Chester, but I'm working out in Cali until November.  When I get back home, I'll come out and do all of the above for you.  I've got quite a bit of high end gear and have been doing the taper thing now for over 25 years.  I love taping new bands and helping them get great sounding recordings.  That's one of taping passions, actually.  I wish I was there now so I could help out sooner, but November will be here soon enough.

[d5lefko]

Oh wow, what are the odds -- RVA all the way!

Thanks for the tips, I'll definitely start looking into an F3. And absolutely, whenever you're back in the Richmond area, come on out to a show!

[Scooter123]

I would stick to one recorder to avoid having to time synch a pair of recordings. 

Drums typically take up most of the XLR space in any band, so unless you have about 16 channels you'll have to compromise a bit. 

A Zoom F8 has phantom power and 8 channels and is nice and compact.  It can be operated via an iPad via bluetooth.  Get a pair and synch the two time clocks if 8 channels is not enough.