Topic: Gear for Live Music TV Show

[jje]

We are producing a live music TV show featuring local and regional bands. We're looking for the right equipment to get qulaity sound.  Please tell me if this line up of equipment will work:

1.  We will get a 16 cahnnel spliter snake to pull sound from the performers

2.  We're thinking of using a Mackie Onyx board to mix our signals

3.  We will capture it to either a PC or Mac using pro-tools or some other recording program,  then we
     will remix it in post.

We shot the pilot using the on board mic of a DVX-100A and it sounded O.K.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!



       

[cleantone]

Is this something that will be performed in front of an audience or only to cameras? Where are you located? If this is in front of an audience will it be at the same venue always? Studio or club?

16 channels will be a good start but depending on the size of production you may need more than that to do it right. I assume you needing to go live to tape. Or would you be able to mix afterward for broadcast?

You will want a limiter or finalizer over your master bus if your going live to broadcast.

[stirinthesauce]

As Clinton stated, 16 channels will more than likely not be enough channels.  It *may* be enough for smaller bands, but then you have to take into account an extra channel for your timecode, and and extra 2 channels for stage *ambient* mics, plus you will need a timecode generator to feed signal to your cameras, slate, and your rig.  Also, be wary of computer based rigs on remote gigs of importance (which this certainly looks like) when running multitrack.  Have had even my mac setup crash/choke on gigs.  I immediately listed the interface for sale.  Look into a deadicated hard disk recorder.  Something along the lines of an alesis hd24 (if your running pre's/ad's in front) or and hd24xr if your going line in.  You also want to look into reduncancy if this of the utmost importance.  IMO, 24 channels will be the bare minimum you need to have available.  Nothing worse than having to drop lines because you are short channels.  I had this happen once (luckily not a paying gig) and it sucked.  Never again. 

If you are doing the video, why not outsource the audio to someone who will get you the product you desire the first time around?  For example, we primarily provide audio for video.  We are the subcontract help.  This lets the video crew focus on what they are doing, and not having to worry about audio. 

Another place to research where you will gain valuable knowledge on this subject is the remote recording forum on gearslutz.com.

Good luck!
-Jon

[TNJazz]

^^^
what he said

 

[cleantone]

Have had even my mac setup crash/choke on gigs. 

Happened to me this weekend. I was doing FOH/Audio/Video at a wedding on Martha's Vineyard. I had to take as little gear as possible and had no vehicle of my own. I had to go two track. I brought my old P1 that doesn't always work well anymore. I also brought my TiBook that used to be awesome but has been failing me lately. I couldn't bring the multitrack gear for it. Anyway I was recording 2 track with the VX Pocket and I was getting processor glitches. Today I learned it was some fatal dropouts. I had KM184> V3 going to th laptop at 24bit stage lip. I had the SBD mix going to my P1. It was a 12 16 channel Yorkville with no routing to make and on the fly matrix. I also had my camera side stage shooting with an AT825 for audio. So I had three sources and none of them were perfect. The band was The Slip with Greyson Farmer on trumpet, Timo Shanko on tenor, Nathan Moore on vox, and Marco Benevento on keys. They played all Jazz, Soul, Funk and R+B with some rock tunes. I am going through it today to figure out how much damage there was in the three sets. I switched to 16 bit even but was still having issues. Anyway sorry to side tangent. I just do not trust computers enough anymore for important live shows.

[stirinthesauce]

Have had even my mac setup crash/choke on gigs. 

Happened to me this weekend. I was doing FOH/Audio/Video at a wedding on Martha's Vineyard. I had to take as little gear as possible and had no vehicle of my own. I had to go two track. I brought my old P1 that doesn't always work well anymore. I also brought my TiBook that used to be awesome but has been failing me lately. I couldn't bring the multitrack gear for it. Anyway I was recording 2 track with the VX Pocket and I was getting processor glitches. Today I learned it was some fatal dropouts. I had KM184> V3 going to th laptop at 24bit stage lip. I had the SBD mix going to my P1. It was a 12 16 channel Yorkville with no routing to make and on the fly matrix. I also had my camera side stage shooting with an AT825 for audio. So I had three sources and none of them were perfect. The band was The Slip with Greyson Farmer on trumpet, Timo Shanko on tenor, Nathan Moore on vox, and Marco Benevento on keys. They played all Jazz, Soul, Funk and R+B with some rock tunes. I am going through it today to figure out how much damage there was in the three sets. I switched to 16 bit even but was still having issues. Anyway sorry to side tangent. I just do not trust computers enough anymore for important live shows.

I feel your pain.  The last time I ran my powerbook, was the 2nd gig of the night.  1st gig (the opener) was our client, so we ran the near fool proof alesis hd24 rig.  2nd gig was fun, so we repatched to my previously owned saffire pro 26.  Ran 16 channels.  Had run 20 channels on several occassions, rock solid, through the mac.  Choked relentlessly on 16 that night, even after bumping down to 16 bit, it still choked.  I was pissed, needless to say.  It was an artist that is not taper friendly, but did give us permission to multitrack.  Got nothing 

Moral of story, computer rigs are great for homerecording, but leave them at home and take the deadicated hard disk recorders out in the field.

 

[jje]

Wow!  Thanks for all your help folks.  Your suggestions are making my job a lot easier.  I will keep you all posted as to the results of our efforts.  All other ideas or suggestions are welcome! 

I'm so glad I found this site!

JJE1

[rokpunk]

for around $1000 you can get an HD24, record onto that, then mix down on a real console (or computer).
like the others, i wouldn't trust a laptop for your multitrack recording. oh, and if this recording is *just* a recording and not for an in studio audience (ie. no PA speakers), this is a perfect opportunity for some nice sounding omni mics.

[Charlie Miller]

for around $1000 you can get an HD24, record onto that, then mix down on a real console (or computer).
like the others, i wouldn't trust a laptop for your multitrack recording. oh, and if this recording is *just* a recording and not for an in studio audience (ie. no PA speakers), this is a perfect opportunity for some nice sounding omni mics.

Exactly!

cheap plug: I still have my 24 channel ISO split for sale.

[cleantone]

I still have my 24 channel ISO split for sale.

Any pics or links?

[Charlie Miller]

I still have my 24 channel ISO split for sale.

Any pics or links?

Not really. It's a one square foot stage box with 20 sends and 4 returns. It has two 30 foot tails. I had it custom made to certain specs that kimock wanted. Asking $1,200 plus shipping (it's currently as kimock's house with most of my other gear) I can get a picture posted later.

[jje]

Again,  I can't thank you all enough for the direction and suggestions you have made.  Great news!  We have partnered with a national music store to be a sponsor of the show!  They're taking care of all the equipment we will need to make the music pop!

JJE