RECORDING OPEN MIC

[Steve314]

Has anyone given any thought to recording the open mic event at the Taylor Venue?

As long as we didn't sell the CD's (or air them), I don't think there'd be too much of an issue if non-original pieces were performed.

I have a digital 8-track, but I'm still wrestling with it here at home. Trying to record a "live album" would probably drive me to drink. It's a Fostex VF-08, and I still haven't learned all the fun little inticacies involved with it. Maybe a more "user friendly" unit would be the way to go.

If anyone has any ideas on what type of recorder might be good for an application like this, lemme' know. I may be able to get one to use for that night.

Or, if this idea is just completely nuts, let me know that, too. Like I said, it's just an idea...

Steve

[david_m]

The VF-08 is a neat little unit. If you don't mind bringing it I'm sure we can figure out how to use it. There are a couple of attack plans.

1. The Taylor performance room is supposed to have a really nice sound system. The best recording option is to take the outs from the sound board into the recording unit. Either track by track or in stereo depending on how the sound person running the system has things set up.

2. We could bring our own mics and set things up ourselves. If we decide to go this way I'm more than happy to bring a nice pair of sequential Neumann KM184 mics. However, I think option #1 is the best way to go.

David

[W5BLT]

I'd be willing to bring my BR-8, mic's, stands etc. if this is acceptable. I think that this would be a chance of a lifetime.

However, some folks may object to having "original" unrecorded songs recorded..maybe a legal thing? :confused:

[david_m]

I primarily play original material. I have absolutely no problem with anyone recording any of it. You may not want to keep it, but you;re more than welcome to record it.

David

[W5BLT]

David,

That was a feeble attempt at humor. I've heard you!

Depending on the responses, I just might load up the car and have a shot at recording.

[Gutch]

My guess would be they have recording gear in-house. I think I remember reading somewhere about digital decks (ADAT, DA-88 or something of the sort) being installed with the sound system. If that's the case, it would easy to mix down.

I'm thinking worse case we can run a two-track off the board with a portable Minidisk recorder and press that. How Grateful Dead-ish of us!!!

[Steve314]

The VF-08 only has two inputs. It's perfect for my recording requirements at home, but I'd imagine it would be a bit more challenging for live stuff. If we could take the signal straight out of the board and go into it, that would certainly be a way to go.

I haven't heard or read anything about the recording gear that they may or may not have down there.

Either way, tossing around ideas will, undoubtedly, point us in the right direction. We'll certainly never hold an inaugural Taylorstock again, so I just thought it would be cool if we could get, at least, the music recorded.

As far as bringing microphones with you: Only do it if you drive. Last summer, I flew to Louiseville, Ky, to do some recording with some friends. I had three microphones in my carry on suitcase (I had no checked luggage). I was stopped and searched at every single security check-point I came in contact with, and that was BEFORE 9/11. Nowadays, I'd imagine that they'd want you to plug it in a sing a tune before they let you onboard a plane with one...

Steve

[david_m]

Point well taken regarding the mics. I figured if I took them they would be carry on. They would probably look pretty sinister in x-ray, so maybe it's best if they stayed at home.

Like Gutch said, I'm sure the Taylor folks have some type of nice recording gear available. If not, then a stereo out from the board into a minidisc recorder will sound great.

David

[Steve314]

Originally posted by david_m
[B]Point well taken regarding the mics. I figured if I took them they would be carry on. They would probably look pretty sinister in x-ray, so maybe it's best if they stayed at home.[B]

The funny thing about it was that the screeners said "Excuse me, sir, but you have what appears to be a microphone in your bag", as if there was something sinister about that. If' they'd ever heard me sing, that may not have been far off the mark.

My reply to them was "Well, I'd better have three of them in there". As the guy was going through my bag, he was also rubbing a cotten swab around the suitcase, looking for evidence of "incendiary devices".

Don't get me wrong; I had no problem with them searching my bag like that. It's just that, given our current security climate, I would think that passing through security with microphones could take even longer now...

Steve

[bob taylor]

We usually record events like this on DVcam digital video with a feed from the house and one taking the ambient sound. It works pretty good, really. Not perfect but surprizingly good, and appropriate quality for something like this. We'll take care of that for you.

[Steve314]

Originally posted by bob taylor
We usually record events like this on DVcam digital video with a feed from the house and one taking the ambient sound. It works pretty good, really. Not perfect but surprizingly good, and appropriate quality for something like this. We'll take care of that for you.

I gotta' think that if Bob is pleased with the sound they get from their system, we'll probably be pretty happy with it, too.

Thanks, Bob...

Steve

[Gutch]

I was in the video world when DVCam/DVCpro was introduced in the mid nineties. One of the great selling features of the format is the quality of the digital audio. It also uploads to the computer easily via FireWire with thumbnails of each scene on the tape (Sony Only - Panasonic didn't put the memory chip in their tapes). Makes it a breeze to edit!