Topic: Stealthing comedy clubs.

[Kindguy]

We've been hitting the comedy club lately. Of course now I want to stealth em. 

I have a M1 anyone have A suggestions on what kind of mics to use. Don't say 4061's I'm not breaking the bank on this project.

I'm thinking bottom of the barrel that will bet the job done. Also any suggestions on cards, Omni, hypers?

Thanks
Jeff

[Brian]

there was a thread about stealthing comics earlier in the year.  i think the conclusion was use cardioids and get as close to the PA system as possible.  apparantly the constant laughing/cheers/clapping can sometime cause overs and can get to be a bit fatiguing when listening back.

if i were to stealth a comic, i'd want cardioids and a pre with a built-in limiter like the SD mp2.

[Kindguy]

Thanks brian T+ I'll do a search for the old thread.

[Brian]

no problem.....good luck!

[Brian]

FWIW - here is the thread i was talking about.

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=39399.0

[neognosis]

get as close to the PA system as possible

Not sure if I agree with that.  I've taped a lot of comedy and I've got the best results by simply keeping my distance from the crowd.  Of course, it helps if you're also near a speaker, and if the place is packed full then yes, you definitely want to be close to a speaker.

Best show I taped was Doug Stanhope at the Baltimore Improv, it was a late show on a friday night and the place was barely half full, so I took a seat in the back, had a speaker pointed right at me, got just the right amount of crowd noise.

A lot depends on the person using the microphone.  Some comics are really good at holding the mic steady and keeping their voice at a constant volume, but other comics can be all over the place.  I taped Joe Rogan (yeah, the Fear Factor guy) and he's probably the worst I've seen when it comes to that.  He would speak very softly at times and then all of a sudden yell really loud, without bothering to hold the mic away, so in playback I have to turn the volume up just to hear him, then kill it real quick when he starts yelling.  If you're next to the PA with that kind of comic you'll probably want to keep a close eye on your levels.

Glad to see this thread, and I can't believe I missed that other one.  I was beginning to feel like the only person who tapes comedy.   

[buffalofloyd]

I am glad this topic is here as well, too bad I just found it    Anyway, if you would like to hear a recording I made of Brian Regan it can be found here http://www.thetradersden.org/forums/showthread.php?t=18642

This was my first recording with this gear i just recently attained.  Im still trying to figure everything out and my next few shows will be all live recordings of bands, most notably David Gilmour.  I'm still trying to figure out wheather to use the 1/8" TRS inputs (which i don't have an adapter for yet) or the 1/8" mic jack. 

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated 

Cheers,
Jim

[china_rider]

Hope this does not fall under the break the bank catagrory.... but I've been recording many comedy/spoken word shows with my Sonic Studos rig.   Works great.

Sonic Studios DSM-6SM -> Sonic Studios PA-3SX -> Microtrack/JB3

While you are asking about comedy this combo works great for stealth music shows also.

Stay Kind,
Dana

[divamum]

My AT 831 cards pick up speech very well - I gather that's what they were designed for, so hardly surprising!! (in fact, that's one of the reasons I ultimately swithced away from them cause that frequency was TOO enhanced and I was getting an unclear picture of the classical voices I was recording, eg the men - who sing in "normal" speaking voice range - were always louder than me singing way above them and i was getting a complex!!!  Thankfully the flatter responses CMC8s showed me that it was <phew> the mic response which was misleading me - good thing cuz I was getting paranoid!)

But I digress... in any case, perhaps others can concur or not whether the 831s might suit your needs.  They're small and affordable.  Just a thought!

DM (the lowly n00b who doesn't really know much but contributes anyway  

edited for dumbass typos

[spyder9]

My only advice for stealthing comics:    Try not to laugh.   

[terrapinj]

460 . mk46 . ck1x 

i couldn't imagine you need to be too low profile