Topic: Question about mics from a beginner

[kcomphlint]

I may attempt to tape my first show at the end of october. It is a Nickel Creek show, so I know it will have an accoustic sound to it...probably not even any drums.

I work on the sound team at my church and have access to several different types of microphones.

I will probably be running my 17" powerbook g4 with a tascam us-122.

Here are the mics I have to choose from:

shure sm81
shure ksm27 (studio style mic)
at 4040 (studio style mic)

Out of those three, i am leaning toward using two sm81's, but wanted to get an opinion from someone more experienced. I know that my tickets are about 8 rows from the stage, to the left. What would be a good pattern to run them in?

[Nick Graham]

I'm not familiar with any of those mics, so someone else will have to chime in there, but being that close and to one side...I'd recommend running x/y pattern:

[musicsherlock]

I may attempt to tape my first show at the end of october. It is a Nickel Creek show, so I know it will have an accoustic sound to it...probably not even any drums.

Cuidado!  Last I heard, Nickel Creek is not so taper friendly...

[Brian Skalinder]

Cuidado!  Last I heard, Nickel Creek is not so taper friendly...

Kcomphlint - definitely check out NC, whether you're taping or not.   

As of this past July, they were still pro-taping.  But they generally don't allow people to run FOB and their policy restricts electronic, online trading.  NC's current policy from their website:

What is Nickel Creek's taping policy?

Nickel Creek Official Taping/Trading Policy

Nickel Creek is thrilled that our audience appreciates our music enough to want to record and share it among friends, and we want to support our fans in every way we can. At the same time, we have certain obligations to our record and music publishing companies that we need to honor. This policy is intended to meet the needs of the fans while also honoring the commitments we've made.

Audio Recording
In general, audio recording of our shows is OK (with microphones only, no board tapes, and no video) as long as it's OK with the venue. (If the venue doesn't permit taping, we ll comply with their wishes, so you should be prepared for the possibility that you will not be able to bring your recorder into the show.) The spirit of our policy is to permit unobtrusive taping for personal enjoyment; we don t set up taper sections or provide audio feeds, so please don't bring large recording rigs or large microphones or booms. Your setup should be low key and shouldn't interfere with venue policy, or with anyone's enjoyment of the show (i.e. blocking their view or causing a scene.) Also, if there is another act on the show that doesn't permit taping, you may not be able to record any part of the show. Our tour manager (and venue management) will have final say over what is or is not permitted at any given show.

Video recording
Due to contractual obligations with our publishers, video taping is not permitted at any time except by news media in possession of advance written permission from our management. Video recordings made without permission will be confiscated.

Trading
We don't mind if you make an individual, physical copy of audio tapes, minidiscs, or audio CDRs of live shows to physically trade with another person (either by mail or in person). Please: no bulk B&P, mass distribution or tape trees; our intent is to permit single trades between individual friends.

Also, please don t make our music available (even to individuals with whom you're doing a one-to-one-trade) via electronic download, file sharing (Gnutella, KaZaa, Morpheus, AIM, etc), FTP, or other electronic/Internet distribution or sharing method. No money or value should change hands in exchange for the recordings, and this includes things like service fees, excess shipping fees, or the selling of items of nominal value that happen to include a recording of one of our shows as a freebie; the sale of any of these recordings is illegal and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

And while we don t mind the sharing of recordings of our live performances, please don t trade, give, loan, or sell CDR copies of our CDs or other music tha' s available for sale; in addition to being illegal, the sale of those recordings helps us to earn our living. Trading of video recordings and board tapes is not permitted at all.

Notification
If you find out about someone selling unauthorized copies of Nickel Creek s music or otherwise doing something that goes against the spirit and intent of this policy, we'd appreciate hearing about it. Please notify our management team.

[kcomphlint]

Yeah, they are taper friendly, they just do not encourage mass b&p or electronic trading, which is weird because two of their side projects: watkins family hour - sean and sara, and mutual admiration society - glen phillips and nickel creek are both on archive.org

[Swanny]

Use the AT 4040's deffinitely the best of the bunch

[jkoch]

never seen the huge advantage of running x/y over a/b for a stack tape..