Topic: Need some opinions on my tape (SP-BMC-12)

[fandelive]

Hello tapers,

here's a sample taken from a show I stealthed. I'd like to collect opinions and advices in order to improve the sound of my tapes.

rig: SP-BMC-12 > SP batt. box w/bass roll-off filter set at 888Hz > Sony MZ-R700 MD (line-in)
location: 3rd row, dead center

mics were clipped on the collar of my shirt (~binaural mode).

the show took place in a medium sports hall in front of about 1500 people.
the band consisted of a lead singer/acoustic guitar player + an electric guitar player + a bass player + a keyboads player + 2 (!!?!) drummers.

I'm thrilled with the results. Now, please let me know what you think

http://cmlien.free.fr/sp-bmc-12.mp3

[Unitmonster]

Sounds pretty good.  My first suggestion would be to go from shirt collar to head worn.  Two choices for doing that.  Either get them into a mesh ball cap or use a head band setup.  You can do that by buying a pair of wrap-around headphones (the kind that go around the back of your head) and then removing the actual headphone. Then you just attach your mics to the plastic "wrap around" part. It works REALLY well, and if you have hair that's a little bit long it is almost invisible.

THis will help get the mics higher and away from crowd noise (clapping, singing, etc.).

I hope I was clear enough.
Good luck!


oh, and one thing you could try also is to normalize the recording to 0db using a sound editing program afterward.  Some people don't recommend it, but I think it helps a lot.

[sml42]

I'm thrilled with the results.

When you pull off a good stealth, it is indeed very satisfying! +t

And definately get the mics are high as possible. If you wear glasses (I do), clip the mics to the arms. I've experimented with positioning of mics, and had consistently good results this way. There was a thread a while back (probably in the microphone forum) where I think someone said that mics tend to work better if there is a lot of free air around them (or at least, behind them).

best regards,
stephen

[fandelive]

oh, and one thing you could try also is to normalize the recording to 0db using a sound editing program afterward.  Some people don't recommend it, but I think it helps a lot.

the recording you downloaded was already normalised. but I normalised the whole show as one single file and cut it into several tracks after that.
there were alot of chatters and screamers around me while recording so the 0db peak is when people are screaming. I didn't want to apply dynamic compression to the sound, cos' I don't like that "wave" effect you sometimes get.
(I think I normalised the recording to -5dB peak in fact...)

thank you for your advices

[fandelive]

If you wear glasses (I do), clip the mics to the arms. I've experimented with positioning of mics, and had consistently good results this way.

I already experimented a true binaural recording that way using Giant Squid omnis (clipped to the rims of my eye glasses). The result was really good, but the sound at the show was much louder and it took place in front of only 200 people or so!!! It barely *eliminated* all of the crowd chatters and screamers
I also think the mix was better this night.

http://cmlien.free.fr/giantsquid-omnis.mp3

There was a thread a while back (probably in the microphone forum) where I think someone said that mics tend to work better if there is a lot of free air around them (or at least, behind them).

maybe this person was talking about cardioid mics... of course, the sound will be muffled if some people stick in front of your mics during the show. but I think it's easier to get a good recording with a pair of omnis. I don't think they need as much *free air* as they are recording *what you hear*.

that's why I'm thrilled with my SP-BMC-12! I get exactly what I hear, even if they are clipped to my shirt, 15 cm lower than my ears.

[fandelive]

so it seems that more than 50 people hit this topic (as for now) and I only got 2 replies (thank you unitmonster and stephen!)
 

[Wiggle]

Your link is down which leaves me unable to listen to the samples which leaves me with nothing constructive to add... except this, of course.

I just ordered the SP-CMC-19 mics and I'm looking forward to trying them out next week when U2 comes to town. Never gone stealth before so this should be interesting.