Recording from front row...or close to?!

[bonghitwillie]

most small 1000-4000 seated venues now have front fill speakers for the people who spent big bucks to sit in the front center. it used to be those seats only heard the stage sound which had low vocals. sometime you can see the front fills at the stage lip, sometimes they are hidden, sometimes on the side. the only problem is that i don't know how much effort is put into making them song good. i am not sure who is responsible for their mix. during the show, the foh mixer can't hear them and neither can the monitor mixer. i have been to some venues where they only put vocals thru them. but that being said, i have made some excellent recordings up front. there is a venue in dc, lisner auditorium. i was there last year on the side front row. i noticed nobody was sitting front row center, so i moved there. they had the front fills hidden under to stage facing the front row. the sound was incredible. you could not see the speakers, but you knew something was up. as far as getting caught, you can't look at your recorder. you have to set and forget. security will never see the mics. your girlfriend will never see the mics.

[ScoobieKW]

most small 1000-4000 seated venues now have front fill speakers for the people who spent big bucks to sit in the front center. it used to be those seats only heard the stage sound which had low vocals. sometime you can see the front fills at the stage lip, sometimes they are hidden, sometimes on the side. the only problem is that i don't know how much effort is put into making them song good. i am not sure who is responsible for their mix. during the show, the foh mixer can't hear them and neither can the monitor mixer. i have been to some venues where they only put vocals thru them. but that being said, i have made some excellent recordings up front. there is a venue in dc, lisner auditorium. i was there last year on the side front row. i noticed nobody was sitting front row center, so i moved there. they had the front fills hidden under to stage facing the front row. the sound was incredible. you could not see the speakers, but you knew something was up. as far as getting caught, you can't look at your recorder. you have to set and forget. security will never see the mics. your girlfriend will never see the mics.

FYI the Front Fill speakers are mixed by the Front of House engineer off a separate aux output. Vocals, keys, the same instruments you tend to find predominant in a bar soundboard. Usually the mix is set during soundcheck and then checked during the first song or two. With tablet mixing it easy to roam the venue and mix your front fills, bar fills, etc in the target locations.

[guitard]

The question is...

Are you going to a show and taking your girlfriend?  Or are you taking your girlfriend to a show?

Shows, girlfriends and taping rarely mix.  If all three do, you know you've got a keeper...     even two of three is exceedingly rare.

QFT!!

If I was the OP - I'd buy a third ticket and tell the girlfriend to invite one her girlfriends so they can enjoy themselves (read: talk all throughout the show) while you the taper are doing your thing in a spot some distance away from them.  It's a win-win this way.

And yes - I know this is a very sexist perspective.  But it's also true for 90% of the women out there.

[daspyknows]

The question is...

Are you going to a show and taking your girlfriend?  Or are you taking your girlfriend to a show?

Shows, girlfriends and taping rarely mix.  If all three do, you know you've got a keeper...     even two of three is exceedingly rare.

QFT!!

If I was the OP - I'd buy a third ticket and tell the girlfriend to invite one her girlfriends so they can enjoy themselves (read: talk all throughout the show) while you the taper are doing your thing in a spot some distance away from them.  It's a win-win this way.

And yes - I know this is a very sexist perspective.  But it's also true for 90% of the women out there.

Best idea yet.  My ex was actually really good about it.  Just had one flaw, she didn't want to be there until the music started. For many shows she would spend the first 90 minutes hanging in the bar drinking.  This made for many shows with a huge bar tab and a completely trashed girlfriend by the end of the show. We both ended up enjoying ourselves.

[nulldogmas]

If I was the OP - I'd buy a third ticket and tell the girlfriend to invite one her girlfriends so they can enjoy themselves (read: talk all throughout the show) while you the taper are doing your thing in a spot some distance away from them.  It's a win-win this way.

And yes - I know this is a very sexist perspective.  But it's also true for 90% of the women out there.

I'd want to see your data on that. My SO (female) is very good about staying quiet during recording, and letting me do whatever I need to set up. The only people I've ever had to shush repeatedly have all been dudes.

[guitard]

If I was the OP - I'd buy a third ticket and tell the girlfriend to invite one her girlfriends so they can enjoy themselves (read: talk all throughout the show) while you the taper are doing your thing in a spot some distance away from them.  It's a win-win this way.

And yes - I know this is a very sexist perspective.  But it's also true for 90% of the women out there.

I'd want to see your data on that. My SO (female) is very good about staying quiet during recording, and letting me do whatever I need to set up. The only people I've ever had to shush repeatedly have all been dudes.

Let me caveat this by saying I only ever work in mode.  And that might lend itself to my experiences being different than yours.

The point that I was trying to make is that, as a general statement, when women are together at a show - they love to talk.  I hate to make assumptions, but I'm guessing you're not a woman, so the dynamic between you and your significant other (female) doesn't really speak to that point.  And as far as her being quiet during the show and letting you do your thing - I say you're a very lucky man.

I don't know what to say about you only ever having to shush men and never having to shush women at shows.  I don't normally ever shush anyone, because as I noted, I'm normally in mode (although unless they are really being obnoxious, I probably wouldn't anyway).  Hopefully others can chime in with their experiences and provide you some "data."

[down2earthlandscaper]

Past few shows I've taken my girlfriend to (that weren't open taping situations) I didn't even bother letting her know I was recording. Worked out best for everyone that way    She's a real trooper to endure as many shows as I drag her to with ridiculous amounts of equipment (which she helps carry)...
A keeper, for sure 

[guitard]

Past few shows I've taken my girlfriend to (that weren't open taping situations) I didn't even bother letting her know I was recording.

My wife knows about my addiction ... and also knows there's no way in a million years that I would ever pass up a chance to tape.

[Sloan Simpson]

Sounds like your anecdotal sexist perspective is anecdotal.

[earmonger]

Set your priorities. Romance > recording.

[tay666]

I would say, go to the show and have a good time.
Set your recorder before you get up front and just let it run.
Forget it's even there and just enjoy the show and your girlfriend.

After the show you will have a great memory. And if you are lucky, you might even have a nice recording to go with it.
If the recording doesn't come out perfect, so what. If it comes out horrible, then just chalk it up to a learning experience.

To this day, I am kicking myself for not recording a show I was at near the barrier. I heard so much nuance from the guitar player's monitor it was amazing.
Unfortunately I was still new to taping back then, and only had a crappy microcassette recorder, and had no blanks that day.

[phil_er_up]

Furthur 1st row Red Rocks all 3 nights: They had front speaker fills on stage. One was pointed directly at me. Each night has a different person amp on stage pointing at me. Bummer I had to stand in one place all night. Wife was next to me and knows not to talk. She was trying to take everything in from front row. Very different experience then back in the crowd.  One thing good was I could stand about 1-2 feet infront of everyone else and crowd noise is coming from in back of me not from all sides. Has head of security next to me one night and he knew I was taping and did nothing.

Furthur 1st row Red Rocks
https://archive.org/details/furthur2010-09-24.dpa4022.phil_er_up.109974.flac16/Furthur2010-09-24_D101.flac

here is the OTS section from RR:
https://archive.org/details/Furthur?and[]=date:2010-09-24*

[rigpimp]

I've recorded big stages from the front row where they have speakers to "fill" the dead space not covered by the PA stacks.  I've pulled some pretty sick recordings this way.  Otherwise go back into the mouth of the beast and you'll capture what you really came for.

[furburger]

I listened to both Jeremy and Black and the mix is unbalanced. Vocals can sound slightly nebulous at some points while electric guitar is upfront.
Also, the recording sounds distant, echoey and suffers from heavily distorted low end.

Still, you're right : taping from the front row can work FINE. Not this time thought.

clearly, you were listening to the official PJ soundboards for that assessment.

the guitar SHOULD sound upfront, I was 4 ft. from Mike McCready.

the low-end is distorted

I can hear both the drums clearly and Jeff's fingers not only hit the strings, but the actual notes he's playing vs. "arena rumble".

who wants to listen to Eddie Cheddar clearly anyways?

how can a show recorded from the front row sound "distant"?

the entire crowd was *behind* me. the onstage amps were less than 20 feet away.

perhaps you have your speaker wires crossed. 

or just bunk speakers to begin with.

and it's "though", not "thought".

just so you know.

[Sloan Simpson]

Dude you have long since demonstrated suspect hearing.