Topic: Recording from the soundboard

[jnl]

hey

i got this opportunity to record a concert directly from the soundboard. I have a Tascam DR-07 and a STC-9000 preamp (and i'm a newbie). How would you recommend to record this? And what cables would i need?

thanks

[rastasean]

Well probably left and right rca cables to 1/8" into the pre-amp and then from pre-amp to recorder, double ended 1/8"

[Kush]

I would skip the preamp and go straight from the sbd > Tascam DR-07.

[dorrcoq]

I would skip the preamp and go straight from the sbd > Tascam DR-07.

Ditto.  Lots of possibilities, so if you can check out the soundboard in advance you should, to make sure you have the correct connections.

[yltfan]

There are several threads on this, but bringing an rca>mini cable, 2 xlr(f)>rca adapters, and 2 1/4">rca adapters should have you ready for most scenarios.

[su6oxone]

This will cover you for any SBD patching situation (when using a 1/8" input like on your recorder).   Names in parentheses are the brand that I bought.  I recommend Monoprice.com for some of the cables/adapters and any brand is fine for the rest (try Ebay).

1. (1) Dual RCA male to 1/8" stereo male cable (Monoprice)
2. (2) RCA female to RCA female adapters (Monoprice)
3. (2) XLR female to RCA female adapters (Hosa)
4. (2) XLR male to RCA female adapters (Hosa)
5. (2) 1/4" mono male to RCA female adapters (Hosa)
6. (1) 1/4" stereo male to dual RCA female adapter (Hosa)
7. (1) 1/8" stereo male to 1/8" stereo male cable (in case I need to patch out of a line-out jack)

[jnl]

Hey, thanks so much, that was helpful. I have one 3.5mm jack male to 2xRCA male and i will search for those adapters.

As for the recorder setting up, any tips?

[avrilfan]

check the levels on your recorder... i often got too high levels when i was recording on portable recorders... now i always record on laptop with external soundcard which dont depend on batteries and levels there are always fine.

i also never like to have adapters, those are all you need to get sound to your recorder:

[su6oxone]

i also never like to have adapters, those are all you need to get sound to your recorder:

Incorrect.  I've needed XLR male and female at different times plugging into the SBD or the cables the FOH gives you to plug into.  Same thing applies to RCA male and female.  In any case, to each his own, but you will save a lot of space by using connectors instead of a different cable for every possible connection situation, especially if you may need a longer cable to reach your recorder.

[acidjack]

I use an R-44 for SBDs, which has the ability to drop the input gain, but I would be curious whether if you're using DR-07 you would be better off using the Church pre to drop the gain before it hits the recorder?   I really don't know the answer to this, but something for the OP to consider.

Also, it's worth nothing that if you are only running 2 channels (i.e., you are using the DR-07 to get this SBD patch and not using any mics or anything + another recorder) you may be better off just using mics. Unless you get a custom mix from the engineer that properly includes correctly mixed vox/guitar/drums/bass etc., you are likely to get something totally unlistenable if you just take the board's feed.  Almost universally, in any venue other than very large (1500+) venues, the mix from the board will NOT sound like what you're hearing.  In many cases, it will just be a heavy vox/drums mix. 

SBDs can be a great component to tighten up a recording, but they really are much better in a "matrix" than on their own...

[yltfan]

SBDs can be a great component to tighten up a recording, but they really are much better in a "matrix" than on their own...

I couldn't agree more. But this reminded me of a recent "thanks" comment on a show I torrented:

please seed for my girl, she's really into this guy,
i disagree with matrix mixs,
i dont care what the crowd screams,
i want to hear the unadulterated music...
less crowd the better. why ruin a perfectly good sbd.
flame away.

"Unadulterated" music--awesome!!!

[acidjack]

SBDs can be a great component to tighten up a recording, but they really are much better in a "matrix" than on their own...

I couldn't agree more. But this reminded me of a recent "thanks" comment on a show I torrented:

please seed for my girl, she's really into this guy,
i disagree with matrix mixs,
i dont care what the crowd screams,
i want to hear the unadulterated music...
less crowd the better. why ruin a perfectly good sbd.
flame away.

"Unadulterated" music--awesome!!!

It is funny how the average fan has this mystical idea of "the soundboard" and how a really great AUD sounds "like a soundboard."  If my AUDs sounded like any of the raw board feeds I have pulled, I would throw them out! 

[rastasean]

check the levels on your recorder... i often got too high levels when i was recording on portable recorders... now i always record on laptop with external soundcard which dont depend on batteries and levels there are always fine.

How does a laptop not depend on battery power?

[rhinowing]

Hey, thanks so much, that was helpful. I have one 3.5mm jack male to 2xRCA male and i will search for those adapters.

As for the recorder setting up, any tips?

the board output is probably going to be hot--I'd recommend running in 24-bit and setting your levels pretty low. that way you can bump the levels up in post if the feed turns out to be quiet

[auto_pilot]

(I stand to be corrected on this)

Worth noting that these are desks out there with no 'standard' audio outputs.

e.g. this was in use in a small local venue earlier this month:
http://uk.yamaha.com/en/products/proaudio/mixers/digital_mixers/ls9_16/?mode=overview

I'd arranged permission to desk-record. Got an email from the tour manager at 5pm on the night of the show to say that the only output was USB. Took a 4GB USB flash drive with me, which turned out to to be way over the top, as the best available output was 192k mp3. Recording turned out fine but I'd have been stuck without the USB drive.