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Gear / Technical Help => Ask The Tapers => Topic started by: pigpen2604 on February 24, 2011, 07:24:55 AM

Title: Taping a solo acoustic show
Post by: pigpen2604 on February 24, 2011, 07:24:55 AM

I will be taping Ben Ottewell on Sunday night in Dublin.

His show will be solo acoustic, I presume thru a PA, but its my first time taping this type of show.

I use CA14s>CA-Ugly>Tascam DR1 - all stealth.

What I am wondering is what would be the best settings for my set up?

Gig is in a small room which holds about 200 people.

Title: Re: Taping a solo acoustic show
Post by: acidjack on February 24, 2011, 11:31:00 AM

Depending how amplified he is you'll probably want the UGLY turned up a bit more than you do for amplified rock music, BUT

The main thing to consider, though, is that (again depending how amplified it is) crowd noise such as applause may actually be louder than the music.  Therefore, it is best to be conservative with your levels - if the music is peaking at -12dB or so, that probably gives you enough headroom to deal with loud clapping between songs.  In post, you will need to hard limit, compress or otherwise reduce the clapping between songs, which can be a major PITA, but is kind of unavoidable in the situation you're describing. 

Title: Re: Taping a solo acoustic show
Post by: pigpen2604 on February 24, 2011, 11:37:47 AM

Cheers.

I'll give the ugly a bit of a boost and see how things go.

Title: Re: Taping a solo acoustic show
Post by: Belexes on February 24, 2011, 01:50:41 PM

I had a similar situation, but open taping:

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=143029.0

I had to crank my 9100 all the way and used a little over unity on the deck because it was an acoustic performance.

Title: Re: Taping a solo acoustic show
Post by: pigpen2604 on February 25, 2011, 03:56:50 AM

Quote from: Belexes on February 24, 2011, 01:50:41 PM

I had a similar situation, but open taping:

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=143029.0

I had to crank my 9100 all the way and used a little over unity on the deck because it was an acoustic performance.

thanks for the heads up.

Title: Re: Taping a solo acoustic show
Post by: Napo on February 25, 2011, 03:01:36 PM

the new CA9200 with +40 gain would have been handy in this situation.

I've just got mine, today.  8)

Title: Re: Taping a solo acoustic show
Post by: Lonman on February 26, 2011, 07:30:31 AM

Yes, just was able to put the 9200 to the test and it is the ticket. For those of us that do alot of acoustic music the extra db is needed. Mine has the volumne knob as well and I set the gain close to what I expected to need than trimmed it with the volumne knob to -12 while keeping the deck at unity. Can't imagine anything better for a small totally functional pre for the acoustic music recording. I velcro it to my M-10 or R09-hr and use ca14s or CAFs and works like a charm. Highly recommend the 9200 if y0u need the gain.

Title: Re: Taping a solo acoustic show
Post by: Belexes on February 26, 2011, 09:47:39 AM

I think I am about to spring for a 9200. Would have come in handy at the show I was just at. (acoustic)

Title: Re: Taping a solo acoustic show
Post by: pigpen2604 on March 01, 2011, 06:58:42 AM

Quote from: Belexes on February 26, 2011, 09:47:39 AM

I think I am about to spring for a 9200. Would have come in handy at the show I was just at. (acoustic)

I am thinking of doing the same. I don't attend that many acoustic shows but it would be nice to have a pre-amp that could handle them.

That said I taped the show in question on Sunday night and I am pretty happy with how it turned up. I cranked the Ugly up and the input on the dr1 and I got a pretty good pull.

Its on dime in case anyone is interested:

http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=347033