Topic: Cardboard J-Disc??

[Lexus507]

Would multiple layers of cardboard with some kind of foam work very well as a J-Disc? I am recording my friends senior percussion recital at Illinois Wesleyan University on Saturday night and I really don't have a whole lot of time to rig one up with wood or the like. I was thinking I could put together a few layers of strong cardboard and then go get some kind of absorbent material to put over that. Any advice would be appreciated.

[boojum]

I used an LP, covered it with cheap foam and then some fake lambs wool.  Works great.  And you have the real fun of having made the thing. B)

[Gutbucket]

I used heavy triple-walled cardboard for the chewy nougat center of my disk.  Worked well since it's stiff, light weight, easy to cut & free. 

Foam can work to cut down on the reflections off the disk face, but you might also consider using cut pile carpet as a good sound absorbent layer. Of all the stuff I tried listening to bounded sound off of with some dense pile carpet seemed to suck up much more sound than any of the different foams I tried, giving a deeper audio blackness when I hold the disk up to my ear.  Felt (old moving blanket) also worked really well for the highest frequencies so I settled on a layer of felt placed over the carpet, glued to each side of the cardboard with contact adhesive.  Plenty of other stuff works well too.

I hope your disk came together as planed and your recording turned out well.

[Lexus507]

Well I ended up getting some heavy duty foam board from hobby lobby and used two layers as the disc. I then cut foam in circles and unfortunately had to use duct tape to get them to stay on the disc. I will figure out some other way to attach the foam but I didn't have much time at all to do this on sat. I am at work but will take some pictures when I get home tonight. My girlfriend is going to sew me a cover for it so it doesn't look so ragged. Let me say cutting the foam with scissors didnt work out too well so the disc looks pretty awful.

The recording ended up being OK. I taped from the balcony MSH-10's (J-disc)>Presonus Firepod>Dell Inspiron 8500>external hard drive.
The balcony was not the ideal place for recording because the dynamics of the performances were pretty extreme. A piece could go from loud to soft pretty quickly and I definitely had some clipping going on because the gain was cranked during the quiet parts. I will post a clip later if my buddy gives me permission to post the audio. This was basically my first field recording experience and I think it went well overall. Now I just need a more portable rig that I can power without plugging in...unfortunately my european vaction and the 12 grand it will cost me to go to school next year will inhibit the gear acquisitions I would like, namely a UA5 and a microtrack.

[boojum]

I used spray on adhesive to attach the foam to the LP.  Scrounge some off someone. 

[Gutbucket]

...I taped from the balcony MSH-10's (J-disc)>Presonus Firepod>Dell Inspiron 8500>external hard drive.
The balcony was not the ideal place for recording because the dynamics of the performances were pretty extreme. ..

I'd suggest setting levels to accommodate the loudest segments and not worry about the quiet stuff.  In my limited Jecklin disk experience, I've found this technique works best when placed relatively close to the source.  When recording from further back using the same omni mics, I've gotten better results using a spaced A-B technique (about 39" usually).

 

I used spray on adhesive to attach the foam to the LP.  Scrounge some off someone. 

Spray adhesive is your friend. 

[Lexus507]

I didn't really have the ability to run a split pair. And I wish I could have taped from closer. Here is a tune called Roman Taxi Driver written by my friend Brian Baxter and performed by his jazz combo "Active Ingredient." Let me know how ya'll think my first taping venture (field recording not recording in general) went.
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/amfreema/shared/Roman%20Taxi%20Drivermp3.mp3

[boojum]

For some reason Firefox is not downloading this.  What am I doing wrong??  I clicked on the link.  And this is all it should take.  I get to this address: http://taperssection.com/index.php?action=post;topic=83154.0;num_replies=7   and then everything stops.   Huh???     

[Lexus507]

For some reason Firefox is not downloading this.  What am I doing wrong??  I clicked on the link.  And this is all it should take.  I get to this address: http://taperssection.com/index.php?action=post;topic=83154.0;num_replies=7   and then everything stops.   Huh???     

I am not sure. It works fine from all the computers I have tried it from and I know my dad was able to download it at his house. Maybe try right click->save link as???

[boojum]

OK, I got it playing in the dreaded IE.   Good music, good sound.  I think you are a bit far back.  But recording like photographing requires us to get closer than we would normally feel comfortable, or at least closer than where I would feel comfortable.  Let's hear it for jazz.

BTW UIUC is where HAL was programmed, so it has to be way cool, even if it is downstate.   ;o)

Cheers     

[Lexus507]

I wish I could have set up closer but especially since I was running the J-disc and dont have a tall stand, I didn't want to block anyones view, and my friend asked me not to.

[poorlyconditioned]

I built a Jecklin disk with a Belefonte record in the middle, rubber backed "runner" type carpet on either side, and then covered with fake fur.  It seemed to reflect a lot of the low mids.  I'm guessing I need some foam in there too.  Anyway, I would check the thing out, perhaps in front of a home stereo? before running for an important show.

  Richard

PS: to the asshole stealing my tickets: fuck off!

[boojum]

PS: to the asshole stealing my tickets: fuck off!

The variability of mental soundness attached to those who award and take tickets pretty much makes them meaningless.  Anonymous trolls can have a great time with it but their actions only reduce the worth of the tickets.   

[Gutbucket]

I built a Jecklin disk with a Belefonte record in the middle, rubber backed "runner" type carpet on either side, and then covered with fake fur.  It seemed to reflect a lot of the low mids.  I'm guessing I need some foam in there too.  ...

I'm curious if 'real' acoustic foam would work best. Maybe with the sawtooth or pyramid surface.  None of the different foams I tested were acoustic type foam and all seemd to either pass most sound right through or just absorb a little of the high freq suff.  What about drop ceiling acoustic tile material?

[boojum]

In my J-disc I have the fake lambs wool over the foam so I am pretty sure it absorbs a broad spectrum of sound.  I am thinking of making sure by putting denser foam on it when I find it.  In the meantime it records just fine.