Topic: Taping show in 2 days. Battery box or no???

[insanescott]

I am stealth recording an indoor jazz concert on Saturday that is in a synagogue.  I recently bought a Microtrack and and SP-CMC-4U mics.  I anticipated this show to be at a low enough volume to get away with not having a battery box, but I am starting to have second thoughts after doing some recordings around my house.  Is there any place locally that I can buy a battery box?  Also, the when recording the show I am going to be wearing a button down black shirt with two breast pockets.  After snaking the cables behind my shirt they will come up through my breast pockets, and will be clipped on the top of my breast pockets.  Is this placement adequate for this show?  Thanks in advance for all the help.  Take care.

Scott

[nameloc01]

since your're using SP  mics, you should contact sound pros(www.soundprofessionals.com)for the BB,they can overnight one to you(they are very reasonably priced). try clipping the mics to your shirt collar( if you have one on your stealth shirt).you'll be able to direct them outwards instead of upwards.
hope this helped a ittle

[insanescott]

Hey man.  Thanks for the help.  I think it might be too late to order one though.  It is too late to place the order today, and will probably take a day to process.  I am leaving at 10 am on Saturday to tape this show.  I have to drive 5 hours to Houston.  Is there anything else that I can do?  Also, if I don't have a battery box is it pretty much guaranteed that my recording will turn out bassy and clipping?  Thanks for the help.

Scott

[insanescott]

Also, my only concern with clipping my mics on my shirt collar is that it might pick up some breathing and throat clearing noises from me.

[nameloc01]

Also, my only concern with clipping my mics on my shirt collar is that it might pick up some breathing and throat clearing noises from me.

well, the BB is not going to affect clipping either way(unless you get one with a bass roll off,and thats not a gurantee) just make sure that your levels are set just right,not too high,thats where your clipping comes in.
i run hi-mds so i am not familiar with the operation of an MT.
the mics..yeah, you could get some unwanted noise,but if you keep it cool,you may get a better result with your mics up higher verses down on your shirt.i always go with the collar.wait until between songs to do any moving,drinking(speaking of that use the restroom prior to showtime,you dont want to have to go mid-show and lose music) it is difficult but rewarding if you can do it.
good luck to you

[insanescott]

I recorded a drum set in my house from about 3 feet away, and it seems to be coming in really loud.  I turned the input volume the whole way down and even still it will clip for a tiny second every now and then.  I hope the concert doesnt come in as loud as my drum set does.  Also, I tried fooling around with clipping mics to my collar.  I can't seem to get them to face anything but downward.  I can get the mics to go out a little bit better but they seem to be pointing more downward than I would like.  How do you clip them to your collar?  Thanks so much for the help.

Scott

[shaggy]

You can't get those things into a Kangol?  Or clip them to your glasses (or fake glasses)?  I would do that, the whole shirt collar thing is a shot in the dark, especially if the mics are cardioids. 

Drums at 3 feet away is going to give you the most extreme situation for transient high level SPLs (think 125dB plus for bass drum kicks or a hard snare/tom attack).  If you see occasional clipping, I wouldn't sweat it.  Besides, the MT puts out 5V thru the mini as plu in power.  Just stand a bit further back away from the stage, away from the stage lip.

[insanescott]

I think I'm going to try my hand at making my own battery box.  I found a website with a plan to make one and it seems relatively easy.  Also, what is a Kangol???  Thanks.

[dorrcoq]

I have a "stealth shirt" I use.  I poked holes under the collar and run the mics through the holes and clip on underneath the collar.  Works great for me, with cardiods or binaurals.

[insanescott]

Hey man.  Thanks for the tip.  I have tried this, but cant seem to get the mics to point upward.  I am able to get them to go outward but not upward.  It seems as if my mics are too heavy to point upward.  This position would definetly be ideal for me.  Do you know of a trick to help them point upward?  Take care.

Scott

[dorrcoq]

Well, upward might be tough.  I try to get them to point straight ahead, which might be the best you can hope for.  I do try to clip to the seam where the collar is sewn to the shirt.  This seems to make a more stable attachment.

[insanescott]

One last question I promise.  Should I use windscreens for indoor taping?  The windscreens make my mics way more noticable.  Is there a way to make smaller homemade windscreens?  Thanks for the help.

Scott

[dorrcoq]

 Should I use windscreens for indoor taping? 

Scott

Well, I never have.  Not much wind indoors.

[leshlush]

 Should I use windscreens for indoor taping? 

Scott

Well, I never have.  Not much wind indoors.

I have two different sets of Windscreens, some thick ones for outdoors and some thinner ones for indoors...

I once learned the hardway to always run windscreens... I must of set up somewhere close to a mild draft... I couldn't feel it, but it sure picked up (here or there) throughout the recording... From then on, indoors or outdoors, I always run windscreens... I never want to take chances again...

Besides, obviously not in this scenario where you'll be taping inside a synogogue, but when taping in smokey bars, it can assist in protecting your mics from all of the smoke...

Just my 2 cents

[leshlush]

.... So thats how they do it?!!

Hillarious... +T for sure