Topic: Sanity check: Do I really want to spend another $229?

[otherone]

I'll be taping my first show soon.  I have the artist's permission.  Went to check with the venue, and in a bizarro twist of events, I have been given an OPEN SBD feed, but told that I CANNOT "audience" tape.  Even more interestingly, I have been given the Hogan's Heroes authorization to stealth tape ("I know nassing, just make sure I see nassing")!  It's crazy, but awesome in a way - my contact at the venue was incredibly nice and extremely pleasant about the whole thing.

The group is a percussion-heavy, world music ensemble.  My understanding is that some of the musicians will be mic'ed, but probably not all.

So I'll be running (at a minimum) SBD->M10.

Question is this: do I pick up another M10 and just run the built-in omnis from my pocket the whole time, and then matrix it with the SBD?  I'd likely have the second M10 in my shorts pocket, as shirt pocket would be too noticeable in this particular venue.  Would the sound from an M10 in a pocket be worth adding at all? Or would the music be muffled and constantly interrupted by handling noise?

Note: I have mics and a pre on order, but they might not arrive in time, so I'm just going to assume that they won't and that I'd be stuck with an M10 and it's internals.  I do like the idea of having two recorders for matrix purposes, and would one day aspire to get a pull like this fantastic tape by tonedeaf: http://www.archive.org/details/dso2010-07-08.mk5mk6_16bit.  However, I have been known to make rash decisions when afflicted with Gear Acquisition Syndrome.

Am I crazy for thinking that such a matrix might be feasible for this first show?  Should I just stick with the board feed and one recorder until I've gotten enough other shows under my belt to know that this isn't some passing fancy of a hobby?  I need a voice of reason ASAP!

[rastasean]

There is nothing wrong with having a second m10 but I wouldn't use the built in mics to matrix together with a soundboard.

tonedeaf's recording is using four mics with a four channel recorder with two omnis an two cards, no soundboard feed.

[Will_S]

Spending $229 for one show strikes me as a little silly.  Maybe you can borrow a recorder from someone local.  But an M10 in your shorts pocket will probably not make a worthwhile recording anyway.

[otherone]

rastasean:  I've got a set of CA-14 cards and omnis coming my way, so eventually i would be able to do a "similar" mix.  I'm not expecting to get many board feeds.  I was just thinking that an audience recording, even if clandestine, might round out the SBD, which I expect to lack some instruments.  And obviously mine would be on two separate two-channel devices, so I know there'd be even more work to do in post.  I think I might just be getting ahead of myself in terms of initial investment in the hobby - down the road I would like to be able to do this type of matrixing, and just had one of those moments where I said to myself "well, if I'm going to do it anyway, why not splurge now?"

Will S: that's exactly the kind of comment I need.  Gear Acquisition Syndrome has its claws pretty deep in me at the moment, and I need to be brought down to earth.  I appreciate the honesty!

Thanks.

[page]

Spending $229 for one show strikes me as a little silly.  Maybe you can borrow a recorder from someone local.  But an M10 in your shorts pocket will probably not make a worthwhile recording anyway.

I concur with this. Case in point, I have everything except the D50 to do 4ch recording (722 & usbpre2) and while I'm using everything else now, if I bought the D50, I wouldn't use it till sometime this fall, so there isn't much reason for me to pick one up unless I get a great deal. The only time I'd break this rule would be if it was a band that I was crazy obsessive about, then I'd blow the money to get the other 2 channels (but I'd also blow the cash to rent a set of small mics or find someone to borrow mics from or something over using the omnis in my pants).

If you can't borrow gear for the night, then I'd just take the sbd feed. Where are you? Maybe there is a team thread for the general area in the Team section that you could ask in.

Last, do you have a backup plan if you get to the door and they say "no taping"? Second, lets say you get past security and then get denied a board patch, got a back up plan then? Don't need to mention it here, this is mostly a rhetorical question, but it would be wise to think ahead since you do have "interesting" circumstances so far.

[runonce]

If you have board access, and there is a D50 sitting there - does anyone really know what its doing...? If you have second compact recorder - just sit it there and turn it on. Not much of spectacle.
 
And - were you told "no AUD" by the soundperson? - or some venue management person...? Perhaps they think you are going to use a stand...? I would clarify that issue - and be ready for anything at the actual gig.

[TNJazz]

Seems like if you did anything, a Tascam DR-2d would be the logical choice.  Then you can do 4 channel all together and no one would ever really know...I wouldn't buy another M10.

[kcmule]

I have been given an OPEN SBD feed, but told that I CANNOT "audience" tape.

The group is a percussion-heavy, world music ensemble.  My understanding is that some of the musicians will be mic'ed, but probably not all.

So I'll be running (at a minimum) SBD->M10.

So, you can only get a sbd feed but not everything will be miced? 

[acidjack]

I wouldn't waste my time to pull an audience recording with internal mics unless they were perfectly, optimally placed, and even then, probably would not.  But I definitely would not buy an entire recorder for one show. You're better off building off that M10 and getting better mics, preamps, etc. that you can use again and again in the future.

[SmokinJoe]

I don't have to even read the thread... just subject.  Yes, you WANT to spend another $229.  No, you don't NEED to.