Where to be when taping...?

[macroint]

I posed this question to my local team board (MD/DC/VA), but never got any response...I finally have all the pieces for my rig and hope to begin taping within the next week or so (I figure my first several shows will be learning experiences and don't anticipate coming away with quality recordings...but you gotta learn to do it right). Most, if not all, of the shows that I'll be taping will be at a small club in Baltimore called The Funkbox...capacity MIGHT be 750. I read somewhere (here or elsewhere) that the optimal location for taping is as close to the soundboard as possible. At the Funkbox, there's an upstairs balcony right above the board, would taping from up there (FOB and 25 feet up) hold the potential for capturing a decent recording? I'd rather be upstairs, at least in the beginning while I'm learning, because it tends to be less crowded than downstairs.

Also, upstairs, there are side balconies and I'm wondering how that location would affect the quality of the recording...since you're closer to one side of the stage (and speakers)? While I'm getting tons of information from TS.com and other resources, I'm basically flying by the seat of my pants in figuring out what I'm doing.

Thanks,

Jeff

[neognosis]

What kind of rig you got?  What type of mics?

[Swampy]

Dont they make you clamp to a beam in there?

[krebsy]

FWIW, I think most people clamp to the center of the balcony rail.  I don't think they even allow stands there.  You might be able to run split omni's clamped the the side balcony areas if your mics are capable.  I'm fairly new to this stuff also, I know how easy it can be to get obsessed with doing it all correctly the first time.  Best advice is get out there and tape!!  Good luck!!  The Funk Box has some great acts on a fairly steady basis.

[twatts]

Depending on a few things, centered on the balcony should be a good spot.

Which show are you taping?  I'll be in Baltimore next week for work and may be able to meet you out.  Its not the DSO show is it???

Terry

[macroint]

What kind of rig you got?  What type of mics?

SP C4's>PS-2>AD-20>NJB3

Little, if no room for a stand, so I'll probably be clamping somewhere....

[macroint]

Depending on a few things, centered on the balcony should be a good spot.
Which show are you taping?  I'll be in Baltimore next week for work and may be able to meet you out.  Its not the DSO show is it???

  I'll be at the DSO show for sure and hope someone will be taping so I can get some ideas and pointers...I go to shows quite frequently (one of the reasons why I decided to start taping) and bought a pass that gets me into all Funkbox shows (out of all Baltimore-DC venues, the Funkbox seems to have the shows I want to see).


Jeff

[Cooker]

center rail is the place to be at the drunkbox.  there have been threads about this, check the older team dc thread, and search for "the bridge" to see some of the debate about locations there.

tpoff seems to like running on the pole downstairs. the problem with the 'box, and the reason why hypers don't work great in there, is that the spot where you clamp is sort of in a dead-zone between the stage stacks and the cieling stacks.

you definitely don't want to run off center there, you are very close (<10 feet) to the mains and you don't want to run a stand because the air ducts above that center rail spot are noisy.
also, rokpunk from this board is one of the engineers at the funkbox, he can shed a lot of light on the intracacies of the place.

i'd rather have my fingernails ripped out than go tape DSO, but i'm sure we'll cross paths at the funkbox soon, i'm on the fence for the upcoming stanton moore/robert walters show, and am definite for the j.mascis show....

[snapple ryes]

i normally tape from behind the stage

[sleepypedro]

cooker good to see you're a mascis fan, we'll be holding court together for those gigs

macroint... the 930 club in DC is a great place too!  i'm seeing camper van beethoven there this tuesday, taping fully allowed if you'd like to come down and clamp onto my stand

cheers, welcome to the squad
peter

[Cooker]

yeah Peter, i'm looking forward to that show more than any others right now. Been listening to Sloan's tape from Athens for months now. Kyle Spence is the man, and perfectly suited for this band... and DAS does a damn good job on bass too... nice to see he's playing 4 strings and not too many notes.

[Sloan Simpson]

yeah Peter, i'm looking forward to that show more than any others right now. Been listening to Sloan's tape from Athens for months now. Kyle Spence is the man, and perfectly suited for this band... and DAS does a damn good job on bass too... nice to see he's playing 4 strings and not too many notes.

I'm SO excited we get J. & The Fog at Smith's Olde Bar next month, Atlanta's premier live music venue as far as sound goes. . .  I'm looking forward to outdoing myself with the tape  . . .

Sloan