Considering getting into stealth taping. Advice/opinions?

[bluenotem3]

So I've been considering getting into taping for quite a while now but never did because it is such a big investment and, frankly, most of the shows I have been going to get circulated just fine without me.


However, in the past few months I have been spending more and more time at taper-unfriendly, rarely circulated shows at small venues. More specifically, I am talking about jazz clubs like Birdland and the Village Vanguard or small theatres primarily suited to classical or jazz music, mostly around New York city. Now that I go to shows which are rarely taped and even more rarely circulated, I am starting to think that it would be well worth my while to begin taping.

But, I don't know much of anything about stealth taping. Is it even feasible for the type of venues I've mentioned? I see tapes circulate from these small clubs every once in a while but, of course, have never seen someone taping at one of them. How does on get away with it without being obvious? I'm curious about how one sneaks in the equipment as well actually going about recording the show. Some of my stealths some terrific, some of them sound awful. How do these two different results come about?

What is buying stealth taping equipment like? Is it more or less expensive or difficult to acquire than "regular" taping gear? What about conversions? The shows I would taping would be, I think, nothing less than gold for sites like dimeadozen. Could I find someone to convert it or would I have to do it on my own?

What are the legal implications of stealthing? If I'm caught at a nice, expensive jazz club will I be thrown out or will they take my gear or ban me from the club?

Is there any other advice you can offer me?


Thanks very much to anyone taking the time to answer any of my numerous questions. There are some great tapers on this site and I would love to hear from you.

[Brian Skalinder]

First things first:  Where To Begin

[bluenotem3]

Thanks, I checked that out and have saved it all for reference. Anyone have any more specific advice for me? I posted the same thread on phishhook and everyone told me to come here.

[Brian Skalinder]

How does on get away with it without being obvious?  I'm curious about how one sneaks in the equipment as well actually going about recording the show.

Search for keywords:  stealth, crotch

Some of my stealths some terrific, some of them sound awful. How do these two different results come about?

Location, quality of gear.

What is buying stealth taping equipment like? Is it more or less expensive or difficult to acquire than "regular" taping gear?

Check the Where To Begin forum, in which there's a thread detailing the costs of much of the gear we commonly use.  Each piece of gear is noted as stealthable or not.  Compare.

What about conversions?

Depends on your recorder.  JB3 = firewire / USB transfer. For more info, see the JB3 Tapers FAQ in the Archive | Recording Gear forum.  DAT = real-time playback of the digital signal through a bit-transparent soundcard.  MD = real-time playback of the digital signal through a bit-transparent soundcard.  Hi-MD...sorry, don't know.

Could I find someone to convert it or would I have to do it on my own?

Some people have "transfer bitches".  IMO, you're better of doing it yourself.

What are the legal implications of stealthing? If I'm caught at a nice, expensive jazz club will I be thrown out or will they take my gear or ban me from the club?

Is there any other advice you can offer me?

Check the Archive | Microphones forum for a thread with links to stealth gear discussions.  Everything you're asking has been covered before.  Read the Where To Begin forum in detail and understand it all, read the Archives, take advantage of the Search feature, then come back with specific questions.

And if you haven't figured it out, I'm the grumpy moderator who's seen every question asked 2,000 times and directs people to read the archives, use the search feature, etc. - basically, take some ownership and seek the answers first before asking. 

[keepongoin]

check your thread on phishhook again, dude.

[Brian Skalinder]

check your thread on phishhook again, dude.

C'mon, now...be nice - s/he's welcome here.  S/He just doesn't know what s/he doesn't know, hence my pointing out the how to start finding the information s/he seeks.  Hopefully s/he'll take my advice, develop a baseline of understanding, and come back with some more specific questions.

[bluenotem3]

lol, keepongoing was just letting me know that i/me has had my/mine thread responded to by him/that guy. he posted lots of helpful stuff/info and was just pointing me to it.

regardless, thanks very much for the helpful info Brian. I will check all of the threads and links you have referenced for more.

[Brian Skalinder]

lol, keepongoing was just letting me know...

Doh!  I thought it was a polite version of "Go back to phatty P-hook you stanky-ass w00kie!!".

[Brian]

lol, keepongoing was just letting me know that i/me has had my/mine thread responded to by him/that guy. he posted lots of helpful stuff/info and was just pointing me to it.

regardless, thanks very much for the helpful info Brian. I will check all of the threads and links you have referenced for more.

+T for having the balls to mock one of our glorious moderators

[itook2much]

Hi-MD...sorry, don't know.

USB -->PC.  Time can vary, depending on lenght of recording, whether or not it's compressed, & other factors.  Myself, I record in Linear PCM, transfer as 1 track via USB into SonicStage, out put 1 .wav file for editing/tracking/etc.

With PCM, you don't want to edit in SonicStage, it'll take forever.  Don't recall how long it takes (I'm usually doing something else), but I think the whole process is less than real time.  And SS3 now outputs .wav files without the extra program that was needed before.

[Brian Skalinder]

And SS3 now outputs .wav files without the extra program that was needed before.

Will SS3 output WAV files from both analog-in and digital-in recordings?  Or only analog-in?

[keepongoin]

lol, keepongoing was just letting me know...

Doh!  I thought it was a polite version of "Go back to phatty P-hook you stanky-ass w00kie!!".

no, i wouldn't do that, though people over there to get my geeky taper butt back over here sometimes. besides, i am much high on the w00k-o-meter than this guy is (based on pictures i have seen).

[sml42]

the w00k-o-meter

lol! +t

[Roamer]

And SS3 now outputs .wav files without the extra program that was needed before.

Will SS3 output WAV files from both analog-in and digital-in recordings?  Or only analog-in?

Analog-in only with Sony's tools. With digital-in recordings, one should use Marcnet's HiMDRenderer (faster than real-time) or catch/redirect audio while playing HiMD with SS3 (real-time).

[dunebug81]

HIMD transfers for me are about 2x when transfering PCM.  I dunno if I had a faster computer it would go faster..I assume it would.  Transfering in HISP is hella fast!  Maybe 10x or so...Ive onl taped one or two set in HISP and never really noticed how fast it goes.

-Greg