Topic: How do you tape live shows....

[bigbadwolf007]

I've been taping live shows for a while with MD and a small mic, which I have placed under my shirt, chest level. I'm currently looking for a new type of gear, since I'm tired with the battery running out/ playing with discs all the time. So I need a recorder with a hard drive.

The question...
I see that almost all recorders have build in mics. How do you guys operate them? I can't really have the recorder in my hand recording a live show illegally can I? Suggestions...

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I've been taping live shows for a while with MD and a small mic, which I have placed under my shirt, chest level. I'm currently looking for a new type of gear, since I'm tired with the battery running out/ playing with discs all the time. So I need a recorder with a hard drive.

The question...
I see that almost all recorders have build in mics. How do you guys operate them? I can't really have the recorder in my hand recording a live show illegally can I? Suggestions...

Many of the recorders that we use here have additional mics on them (such as the Edirol R-09 series or the Sony PCM-D50) but we plug in external mics that we find have a better sound characteristic. So to answer you question, we don't use the mics on the recorder, thus we don't have it out in the open.

I remember stealth taping on MDs, that sucked at the end of 75-80 minutes... Had to get good at remembering and counting how long it would take to write the TOC on the infernal media and then yank it. I toasted a couple of shows by yanking mine too early.

[wsphansam]

I can't really have the recorder in my hand recording a live show illegally can I?

This all depends on what band you're recording. From what I'm gathering you primarily are stealthing shows, so unless you've got some balls then you likely shouldn't be holding the recorder throughout the show where people can see. Without getting into specifics on how to stealth, (this can be a touchy subject around here) most stealthers don't just use the stock mics in a recorder (although you can, just with lesser degrees of success). Small microphones are purchased and run into the recorder.

[acidjack]

I've been taping live shows for a while with MD and a small mic, which I have placed under my shirt, chest level. I'm currently looking for a new type of gear, since I'm tired with the battery running out/ playing with discs all the time. So I need a recorder with a hard drive.

The question...
I see that almost all recorders have build in mics. How do you guys operate them? I can't really have the recorder in my hand recording a live show illegally can I? Suggestions...

What everyone else said.  In my opinion, it's generally not worth taping a show with the internal mics (of course, opinions of what "acceptable" quality is vary).   

But in general, what you want is a small recorder and small mics of the type sold by Church Audio, Sound Professionals, Sonic Studios or Core Sound.  A few models you'll see are Church CA-14 and Sound Professionals CMC-8 or CMC-4, which I think are probably the highest-performing mics in their price range.  Church also makes a smaller/less expensive model CA-11, though I personally prefer the bass response of the CA-14.  Any of these will sound better than what you've got now with mics under your shirt.

The best small recorder is generally thought to be the Edirol R-09HR. It's easy to use, small in size and performs well.  There are some less expensive options as well such as modified iRiver 120s and others you can find in the yard sale.  It depends how much you want to spend.  Generally it's thought that you should spend the most you can on mics and get a recorder that is adequate. 

So if you can give a sense of your budget, that would help narrow things down.

[fmaderjr]

In my opinion, it's generally not worth taping a show with the internal mics (of course, opinions of what "acceptable" quality is vary).   

I agree with this as far as any off the shelf recorders go. However an Edirol R-09 can be modified by Chris Church so that it does a phenomenal job when recording stuff that is loud enough that a preamp is not needed. You'd have to hear it to believe it. Would cost about $350 to buy a used R-09 and have it modified. Note that an R-09HR can't be modified.

[acidjack]

In my opinion, it's generally not worth taping a show with the internal mics (of course, opinions of what "acceptable" quality is vary).   

I agree with this as far as any off the shelf recorders go. However an Edirol R-09 can be modified by Chris Church so that it does a phenomenal job when recording stuff that is loud enough that a preamp is not needed. You'd have to hear it to believe it. Would cost about $350 to buy a used R-09 and have it modified. Note that an R-09HR can't be modified.

True - I wasn't counting the "micsketeer" rig as "internal mics" even though the mics are, technically, stuck into the deck, since that's basically just buying some CA11's and having them mounted into the deck. 

I should perhaps have said, "in my opinion, recording audio with the stock internal mics of most machines is not worth the effort."  Though I hear the Zoom and D50 both have better internals than the R-09.....

[fmaderjr]

I hear the Zoom and D50 both have better internals than the R-09.....

I'm sure you are correct. I made a test recording of a bar band with the stock R-09 internals and they are worthless. It was immediately obvious the recording was made with a substandard mic. I could not have listened for pleasure to anything recorded with them.

[pepper]

Ive just bought an edirol r09-hr,and stick it in my shirt pocket,and use the internal mics.Ive only recorded one show,nothing major,but the internal mics are quite good.Saying that,in future i will use external mics,so i can put it in my jacket pocket so its not on show.I just wanted to see how good the internal mics were at a live show.I also have and still use a md,but decided to upgrade to an edirol,and i think its going to give me some nice results once i get to plug in some mics.