Topic: free advice for newbie tapers

[musicfan68]

well I'm a newbie taper & last night I recorded my first shows live at the 100 Club in London 

listening back to them this morning there's some free advice I can offer other newbies- it might seem obvious to the more experience peeps out there but it wasnt for me

first of all Recording Levels- dont be lazy and use the auto settings - set them manually- it will give you better sounding results

mic settings - loud venue = low sensitivity

heavy bass- filters on (to reduce vibrations)

then where you are positioned in the venue is also important- being down the front of a packed crowd maybe great for atmosphere but you will have to compromise the quality of your recording

this next point is paramount - ALCOHOL INTAKE- I enjoyed the gig so much that I got absolutely p/ssed, stuck my recorder in my shirt pocket & jumped around like a lunatic for the 3 main bands- great night- not so great recordings     I was so drunk that I actually forgot to record one of the bands (but got 5 out of 6 so I'm not too disappointed)

FYI I was using Olympus DM5, internal stereo mics,

If I get time I will be uploading the recordings on Dime this weekend- I'm gonna see if I can do anything to improve the sound first.... but hey I'm learning. Any constructive advice or guidance will always be welcome from the experienced tapers out there

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

Hahaha!  Welcome to your new addiction!

Terry

[flipp]

well I'm a newbie taper & last night I recorded my first shows live at the 100 Club in London 

stuck my recorder in my shirt pocket & jumped around like a lunatic for the 3 main bands- great night- not so great recordings     I was so drunk that I actually forgot to record one of the bands (but got 5 out of 6 so I'm not too disappointed)

FYI I was using Olympus DM5, internal stereo mics,

If I get time I will be uploading the recordings on Dime this weekend-.... Any constructive advice or guidance will always be welcome from the experienced tapers out there

first, welcome to the section and check your wallet at the door

second, be realistic when you grade your recording - internal mics, deck in pocket, massive amounts of movement; please don't give this an "A" grade as in reality it is probably a "C" at best

you've already learned some lessons and as you learn a few more and get some more recording sessions under your belt you'll soon be able to accurately grade your recordings and even actually have some that deserve an"A" rating

please leave the "A++++" to the zoomies who apparently have no desire to learn how to make a true "A" recording

[danlynch]

My only advice would be to actually put some effort into getting it right next time.

Sticking a Zoom in your shirt pocket, hitting record and then getting drunk and dancing around doesn't make you a "taper" any more than me clicking the photo option on my blackberry a few times during a show makes me a "photographer".

[ScoobieKW]

My only advice would be to actually put some effort into getting it right next time.

Sticking a Zoom in your shirt pocket, hitting record and then getting drunk and dancing around doesn't make you a "taper" any more than me clicking the photo option on my blackberry a few times during a show makes me a "photographer".

The good news, is that you are in the right place. Read the forums, learn why even a budget pair of external mics will kick the internals ass. One good techniques is to go into the Kickdown Central forum, listen to the recordings that are being made and read the notes.

Where in the venue were they recorded?
Which mics?
If an open recording show, how high was the stand.
What pattern were the mics placed in.

We are in a golden age, more bands allow open taping than ever before. The gear is cheaper than ever.  Most importantly there are many tapers who've learned over the years how to get golden pulls, and they share their information.

Church Audio CA-14, Audio Technica AT853, and Countryman B3 mics are all in the small, discrete, and affordable range. Mics, a battery box and your Olympus and you'll be on your way.

[cashandkerouac]

My only advice would be to actually put some effort into getting it right next time.

Sticking a Zoom in your shirt pocket, hitting record and then getting drunk and dancing around doesn't make you a "taper" any more than me clicking the photo option on my blackberry a few times during a show makes me a "photographer".

The good news, is that you are in the right place. Read the forums, learn why even a budget pair of external mics will kick the internals ass. One good techniques is to go into the Kickdown Central forum, listen to the recordings that are being made and read the notes.

Where in the venue were they recorded?
Which mics?
If an open recording show, how high was the stand.
What pattern were the mics placed in.

We are in a golden age, more bands allow open taping than ever before. The gear is cheaper than ever.  Most importantly there are many tapers who've learned over the years how to get golden pulls, and they share their information.

Church Audio CA-14, Audio Technica AT853, and Countryman B3 mics are all in the small, discrete, and affordable range. Mics, a battery box and your Olympus and you'll be on your way.

^^^agreed.  i will also add this... don't feel obligated to upload your recording if it is of very low quality.  others may disagree with me on this point, but i think it's a waste of everyone's time (including the "taper") to seed recordings that are clearly inferior.  "inferior" is relative i suppose...  but if you're gonna put a Zoom in your pocket, get drunk and dance around during the show, then i vote for just keeping the recording in your own personal archive. 

if you decide that you really want to upload your shows to a public tracker i strongly encourage you to get some decent equipment and take the task of taping more seriously.  yes, taping is fun.  but it also involves a lot of work and discipline to do it right.  if you don't want to go that route just have fun with the Zoom and keep the recordings for your own enjoyment. 

[jlykos]

You're doing the right thing. I get drunk as hell and dance around all the time when I'm taping, and I make awesome recordings. The only difference is that my microphones are on a stand. Get one of those and you're golden.

[justink]

well I'm a newbie taper & last night I recorded my first shows live at the 100 Club in London 

listening back to them this morning there's some free advice I can offer other newbies- it might seem obvious to the more experience peeps out there but it wasnt for me

first of all Recording Levels- dont be lazy and use the auto settings - set them manually- it will give you better sounding results

mic settings - loud venue = low sensitivity

heavy bass- filters on (to reduce vibrations)

then where you are positioned in the venue is also important- being down the front of a packed crowd maybe great for atmosphere but you will have to compromise the quality of your recording

this next point is paramount - ALCOHOL INTAKE- I enjoyed the gig so much that I got absolutely p/ssed, stuck my recorder in my shirt pocket & jumped around like a lunatic for the 3 main bands- great night- not so great recordings     I was so drunk that I actually forgot to record one of the bands (but got 5 out of 6 so I'm not too disappointed)

FYI I was using Olympus DM5, internal stereo mics,

If I get time I will be uploading the recordings on Dime this weekend- I'm gonna see if I can do anything to improve the sound first.... but hey I'm learning. Any constructive advice or guidance will always be welcome from the experienced tapers out there

sounds about right. 

[greenone]

Man, there are some serious Grumpy Gus responses here. Put in more effort next time? Don't grade yourself too highly? Don't bother uploading it? He lists five pieces of advice, all of which are spot-on. More than I could say for myself after dropping $600 on a DAT to patch my first recording...I got a paused deck for set 1 and a mono recording of set 2.

The guy is acknowledging it's his first recording, realizes what he did wrong, and is going to the trouble of listing it for other first-time tapers...and half the posts are STILL talking down to him. (To be fair, there's some good advice in the other posts.) Guys, he taped a free club show in London, if this link is any indication. Open taping, not an option. Using a stand, not an option. The recording is "inferior"...to what? No recording at all? How often are there multiple tapers at any show, let alone one in London, let alone for a show like this? I could see if he were taping Springsteen or Radiohead or something like that, but telling him not to bother circulating something he's happy with...what's the point? And rolling your eyes because of DIME? Why? Like there aren't "inferior" recordings on other sites?

Dude, if you're happy with your recording, all things considered - and you seem way more in tune with the limitations of what you got - then circulate the shit out of it. As long as it's well-documented and folks know what they're in for, you're golden.

A night out catching a show beats just about any night of sitting at home bashing on a keyboard like yours truly...and you got a relivable memento of it too, warts and all. Nowhere to go from here but up.

[newplanet7]

it might seem obvious to the more experience peeps out there but it wasnt for me
heavy bass- filters on (to reduce vibrations)

Don't do this. You can reduce these frequencies with software after.

it might seem obvious to the more experience peeps out there but it wasnt for me
 stuck my recorder in my shirt pocket & jumped around like a lunatic for the 3 main bands- great night- not so great recordings     I was so drunk that I actually forgot to record one of the bands (but got 5 out of 6 so I'm not too disappointed)
FYI I was using Olympus DM5, internal stereo mics,

1) You can absolutely get drunk as fuck. However, It's pretty obvious that putting a recorder in your pocket will give you poor quality 99% of the time. The sound waves/pressure is effed by the time it hits your caps.
2) Get external mics as this will give your tapes a fair shot at having some consistency. You will be disappointed with your
tapes forever if you keep using the internals.
3) So many, too many folks, think that good sound just involves hearing the instruments semi-clearly. IMO, that is not even half of it.
You can have a clear tape but if there is no stereo separation of the music, you might as well just tape with one mic, mono. When I really dig a tape
it MUST have a stereo field.

[newplanet7]

My only advice would be to actually put some effort into getting it right next time.

Sticking a Zoom in your shirt pocket, hitting record and then getting drunk and dancing around doesn't make you a "taper" any more than me clicking the photo option on my blackberry a few times during a show makes me a "photographer".

This post needs to be at the header of the main page. People get pissy with Dan when he says these things, but he is spot on.
He is not a gear snob because he tells you to get better equipment, better equipment= EXTERNALS, not a all in one, will give you
best results. Honest advice sometimes gets dealt as being negative around here. Don't be a zoomie taper. Your above post is
spot on for zoomdom.
What I did love about your post musicfan68, is that you realize what you did was horrible and are actually looking to improve on everything.
That says you are willing to become a taper and not someone who just shows up with a recorder, stuffing it wherever humanly possible to get the absolute worst outcome and then wondering why it didn't work.
If taping is your hobby, act like it matters. One usually puts time into their hobby to get pleasure and get good at it.
Often times a hobby leads into a skill or a craft, which is what recording is. You can get drunk/high, have a blast and pull heat.

MOST IMPORTANT.... WELCOME TO TS! Read some threads, drop a little coin for a starter rig and have fun experimenting!

[MSTaper]

Man, there are some serious Grumpy Gus responses here. Put in more effort next time? Don't grade yourself too highly? Don't bother uploading it? He lists five pieces of advice, all of which are spot-on. More than I could say for myself after dropping $600 on a DAT to patch my first recording...I got a paused deck for set 1 and a mono recording of set 2.

The guy is acknowledging it's his first recording, realizes what he did wrong, and is going to the trouble of listing it for other first-time tapers...and half the posts are STILL talking down to him. (To be fair, there's some good advice in the other posts.) Guys, he taped a free club show in London, if this link is any indication. Open taping, not an option. Using a stand, not an option. The recording is "inferior"...to what? No recording at all? How often are there multiple tapers at any show, let alone one in London, let alone for a show like this? I could see if he were taping Springsteen or Radiohead or something like that, but telling him not to bother circulating something he's happy with...what's the point? And rolling your eyes because of DIME? Why? Like there aren't "inferior" recordings on other sites?

Dude, if you're happy with your recording, all things considered - and you seem way more in tune with the limitations of what you got - then circulate the shit out of it. As long as it's well-documented and folks know what they're in for, you're golden.

A night out catching a show beats just about any night of sitting at home bashing on a keyboard like yours truly...and you got a relivable memento of it too, warts and all. Nowhere to go from here but up.

Good post!

MSTaper

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

Go and talk to some of Team UK...  Meet them in person and buy them beers to get them to teach your their technique...

And start talking to the local bands and venues...  Get them involved too...

Terry

[newplanet7]

Man, there are some serious Grumpy Gus responses here. Put in more effort next time? Don't grade yourself too highly? Don't bother uploading it? He lists five pieces of advice, all of which are spot-on. More than I could say for myself after dropping $600 on a DAT to patch my first recording...I got a paused deck for set 1 and a mono recording of set 2.

The guy is acknowledging it's his first recording, realizes what he did wrong, and is going to the trouble of listing it for other first-time tapers...and half the posts are STILL talking down to him. (To be fair, there's some good advice in the other posts.) Guys, he taped a free club show in London, if this link is any indication. Open taping, not an option. Using a stand, not an option. The recording is "inferior"...to what? No recording at all? How often are there multiple tapers at any show, let alone one in London, let alone for a show like this? I could see if he were taping Springsteen or Radiohead or something like that, but telling him not to bother circulating something he's happy with...what's the point? And rolling your eyes because of DIME? Why? Like there aren't "inferior" recordings on other sites?

Dude, if you're happy with your recording, all things considered - and you seem way more in tune with the limitations of what you got - then circulate the shit out of it. As long as it's well-documented and folks know what they're in for, you're golden.

A night out catching a show beats just about any night of sitting at home bashing on a keyboard like yours truly...and you got a relivable memento of it too, warts and all. Nowhere to go from here but up.

Dave I agree with your post 100%.
However, he did specifically ask for tips, and guidance which is what he is getting when told to get externals.
I don't think anyone was grumpy about anything.

[stepeanut]

Go and talk to some of Team UK...  Meet them in person and buy them beers ....

This 

... to get them to teach your their technique...

And this, too, I suppose.