Topic: Trying to get into taping, have some general questions

[hoppedup]

The Manfrotto 649 and super clamp are both excellent choices. I usually have both with me at all times. I have two 099B Manfrotto extensions. They work great with either clamp.

I also have an Impact super clamp knockoff and it works fine. I have two of the Impact air-cushioned light stands and they seem to be pretty durable.

As far as a mount, if you are going the 853 route, a lot of people have built mounts out of PVC. Hypnocracy made a nice one: http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=155832.msg1968914#msg1968914

I usually keep my recorder in a bag on the ground/floor, but I also have mounted it to the stand with a clamp. There are folks who just hang the smaller recorders in a small bag on the stand. Crown Royal bags seem to be popular.

[goodcooker]

These are the things I have used most often when trying to rig up avoiding the use of a stand

Impact Superclamp
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/824360-REG/impact_cc_106r_super_clamp_with_ratchet.html

Windtech C clamp
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?=WindTech+Multi-Position+%22C%22+Type+Clamp&N=10298908&InitialSearch=yes&sts=pi

Manfrotto 196-AB2 Articulating Arm
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=manfrotto+196ab-2&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=

Manfrotto 099 Extension Pole
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=manfrotto+099b&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ps

Also have used lots of gaffers tape and some double sided velcro tape in a pinch. Early in my taping days I wanted to be as unobtrusive as possible so I taped a Sony MS907 and a minidisc recorder to a support column in a club I frequented. Now that I've gained considerably more self confidence and have formed relationships with a lot of promoters and club owners I can pretty much do whatever I want (also having more of an understanding about how to stay out of the way and not inconvenience anyone on the crews).

There is a good thread here about clamping and rigging that has some pictures and specific how to scenarios (clamping to balconies, poles, railings, etc) with tons of helpful links.
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=151303.0

I would never wear my recording gear to get in the sweet spot. I like to get a little over head level to cut down on chatter and such and I also want to be able to move around, have a beer, go to the bathroom and generally enjoy myself at a show. If I'm going to a show that I know will be packed, the sweet spot is right in the traffic pattern or chatterboxes will be all over the place I will often bring along clamping and rigging gear, get there early and clear my plans to keep my stuff out of the way with the venue staff. They are often appreciative of my efforts, loan me ladder to clamp to a lighting truss or something and run my cables to a safe place out of the way.

Hit record, get beer, problems solved.

Windscreens - I almost always have some screens on my mics even when running indoors. HVAC can be a problem and you never know when someone is going to get all excited and start throwing beer so I like an extra layer of protection just in case.

I use the DPA UA0896
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/282432-REG/DPA_Microphones_UA0896_UA0896_Windscreen_for_0_75.html#!
which are for 19mm mics. Whatever mics you chose I recommend getting some screens and using them all the time.

[Brian Skalinder]

Brian, you mentioned stack-taping. Just how close to the PA are you talking? Another concern with that is that since the venues are so small, drums and other instruments often aren't miced, so I wouldn't pick up those if I was only stack-taping.

I've never really stack taped, so I can't say specifically.  I imagine it's situational, anyway.  Maybe a fellow TSer can chime in?

As for small venues in which not all instruments are mic'ed, I would start by moving around the venue and finding the spot that sounds best to your ears, while minimizing the crowd (also keep in mind cardioid mics will reject some of the nearby crowd noise).

[Gutbucket]

In small venues in that kind of situation, I find it advantageous to find a spot where I get both the PA sound from a position close enough to the speaker get good clarity from it, but also the sound emanating from the stage as well.  That helps get a good representation of everything, including good representation of the drum kit transients (which are never as "live sounding" through the PA), and often also guitars, sometimes vocals and spoken stuff as well depending on the noise level in the room and the amount of PA amplification.  That often means being up front but often a few persons back, off-center near the stack, over to the inside edge of it but not too far off-axis from the speaker.  If you can see the treble or midrange horn of the PA, a good rule of thumb is to stay enough on-axis enough that you can see into the horn, and are not outside of the internal horn wall.  The clarity cut-off is often abrupt moving farther off-axis past that point, and easily audible.  Move around while listing to the house music before the band plays to find that edge.  Recording this way you may have the PA on one side and the direct stage sound on the other in the resulting recording, but a bit of level balancing of between both sides will bring the image to center.

If there are audience PA fills along the front of the stage, you are gold, get up close to one of those can get both the PA sound and stage sound very nicely balanced.  Not many venues use those unfortunately (IMO, stage monitor wedges should have PA fills built into the back side of them for the audience up front!)

In large venues, the PA is so loud it will completely bury the stage sound.  In that case, just find the clearest spot (its not always closest, though it is usually on-axis with the speaker) and position yourself so that the PA speaker is in the center of the stereo image, even if that means not really facing the stage.