Topic: taping for idiots. meaning me.

[Tim]

tim just likes to see how wasted he can get and stilll pull a tape, but he's been doing this for years so don't listen to him

best advice... ever

[F.O.Bean]

tim just likes to see how wasted he can get and stilll pull a tape, but he's been doing this for years so don't listen to him

tim and i need to start taping together!!!

[Chuck]

Then in all honesty, taping might not be for you - I'd classify taping as independent labor. No talking, no singing, not much dancing or socializing in general. Gotta get there early, leave late, carry all your shit around, etc. If you're recording bands that aren't taper-friendly, then no MOVING. It's no picnic...but to those of us that do it, the rewards are more than worth it.

This is the best advice yet for you axelrose.
For the most part we all really dig the details of this stuff. The part that you would consider hard work. Like anything else, you have to put in the time to get it right. Do you think Micheal Jackson was good at child molesting in the beginning? No, he had to practice and get all the details down right. (Probably a bad example, because he probably knew what he was doing right from the start.) But you get the point.

[nickgregory]

tim just likes to see how wasted he can get and stilll pull a tape, but he's been doing this for years so don't listen to him

best advice... ever

I have to agree...you have to be a professional to pull this off...amateurs need not apply  

[pfife]

Then in all honesty, taping might not be for you - I'd classify taping as independent labor. No talking, no singing, not much dancing or socializing in general. Gotta get there early, leave late, carry all your shit around, etc. If you're recording bands that aren't taper-friendly, then no MOVING. It's no picnic...but to those of us that do it, the rewards are more than worth it.

Do you think Micheal Jackson was good at child molesting in the beginning? No, he had to practice and get all the details down right.

hahahahahahahahahaah  

[pfife]

drinking and stealthing don't mix...

that is, unless you want to record yourself pissing, or you want to stand there needing to piss for a while.
 

[BobW]

!/2 the fun of this hobby is trying stuff and then figuring out what buggers- up the recordings,
Start easy, work your way in deeper as you like.

My take ?
Get :
1)  nomad JB3
2) an inexpensive combo Pre-amp/Analogue to Digital converter.- like a Graham-Patten DMIC-20
3) whatever Mics suit your style and budget

Try stuff out a while and work on technique. Mediocre mics can make good recordings, if you know how to work them well.
Then buy more equipment as you get drawn deeper and deeper into the hobby. Soon you will quit your dayjob and buy a VW camper to follow festivals all around the countryside.

-Bob
P.S.- Be sure to trade recordings with those across the pond !

[George]

Like everyone else has said, you really gotta be into the idea of keeping still and quiet will taping, otherwise you'll be your worst enemy for getting a decent tape.  Just go research up on all the aspects of taping before spending any cash.  Best of luck.

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

I went to GuitarCenter today here in Raleigh to get some XLR>RCA cables...

Saw that they sold a package from Sony that included a Sony Minidisc recorder, a Sony Microphone, and a few other things that you need.  I didn't ask how much it was, but basically it is a "beginner's rig in a box" - probably the cheapest you can find...

Terry

[Jimna]

ive been taping for about 3 yrs now and i found when the experimenting becomes a full addiction you will be bummed out that you purchased lesser equipment in the end.  check out micsupply.com too

[ClevelandMike]

Are you thinking of taping in bars, or larger concerts?
If concerts... you should start by patching in to different rigs.

my guess is the taping scene in ireland isn't all that happening.

[busknuckle]

mics - these are (arguably) the most important part of the setup. They are the "ears" that hear the music. spend the most here.

pre-amp - this does 2 things: provides power for the mics, takes the signal that the mics are sending out, and boosts it to line level. line level is the best for recording

a/d (or analog/digital converter) - this is best done externally (apart from your recording device) it takes the analog signal and converts it to a digital signal

recording device (DAT/MD/PDA/CD burner/etc) this is where all your music is being stored. It's advisable to go with a recorder that has the following:

no compression of the incoming signal (md compresses)

Digital output capability (Sony portable DAT decks have this but you must use a special cable) most md decks (portable) do NOT have this. If you go the md route AND you desire to have pure digital transfers to cdr (preferable way to do it) you will need a home MD deck with digital output capabilities (coax/optical/toslink/all)

Once you have your recording, you probably want to put it to cdr. This should be done digitally and can be done a couple of ways:

- Get a standalone cd burner (phillips, otari, hhb) that has digital input which matches the output on your recording device
- Get a soundcard with digital input capability that matches the format used by your digital output machine.

That's enough for now....let's see how long you want to do this hobby now!

[Mobius]

Drunken/Drugged blur and taping usually don't mix.  Sad as it may sound you usually* have to be at least somewhat sober to get a decent recording of a show.


* Now having said that I'm sure someone's going to chime in with an account of how they made the best tape ever and were so drunk/ripped they don't even remember being there.

yup

I sometimes it works out you do a somewhat less than professional recording, but when you got a simple setup like myself, and youre stealthing, it takes the edge off and you enjoy it more

..though a little note, on one of my better sounding recordings you can hear me drop beer bottles into a pile at my feet in between songs (i had a friend bringing me a steady flow)

its the ONLY way to tape