Recording live performances - how is it done?

[MarkShapses]

Hello AGF,
I stumbled upon this beautiful performance of Amazing Grace http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktGu-_QzRAA
and am wondering how the recording is done. Are they recording the pickups directly, or are they recording the live sound with microphones for the video? From what I've heard (such as Doug Young's pickup samples), direct recordings do not sound very good. But this is a rich sound. Granted, it features some heavy reverb.

I would like to try recording a live performance sometime, so I'm curious. If I can get a clean, rich sound, I'd be very happy

Cheers,
Mark

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by MarkShapses

Hello AGF,
I stumbled upon this beautiful performance of Amazing Grace http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktGu-_QzRAA
and am wondering how the recording is done. Are they recording the pickups directly, or are they recording the live sound with microphones for the video?

It's hard to say about this specific video, but to me, there's a lot of pickup sound here, plus tons of reverb. Often live recordings are done with a combination of direct from the board, and mics, then mixed to taste.

Remember that the goal of my pickup page is not to make the pickups sound good - they're recorded direct and dry, so you're getting the sound direct from the pickup. Add EQ, amps, effects, etc, and you can do much better with any pickup. Tho to me this video isn't a very good sound, other than the nice playing and dramatic reverb.

[Ty Ford]

Mark,

Don't confuse direct with live. This is a good recording of a guitar with a pickup, not a mic.

It just happens that he's playing live, or so it's made to look. The lack of audience sounds leads me to believe that this is not a performance in front of an audience.

I'm guessing it was a direct feed from the guitar to a mixer or recorder. Reverb may or may not have been added later.

Nice rendition. Not a bad sound for a pickup. Certainly acceptable for live.

Regards,

Ty Ford

[KevWind]

I agree with Ty also just the way he is moving around suggests this is coming from the pic up rather than from a mic ( although there could be a room mic) regardless it sounds to me to be coming directly off the board with a lot of delay or reverb or both and most likely remixed for the video . IMO

[rhancox]

This guy, on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/mikemassedotcom, records his performances from the mixer into his computer. In some of his older videos, you can even see the laptop. He then syncs the video and audio together in a video editor and posts to YouTube.

I don't know if his mixer has a USB port to go directly into the computer or if he uses a USB audio interface. Either way, he's recording a stereo signal onto the computer.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

Often live recordings are done with a combination of direct from the board, and mics, then mixed to taste.

Just to be clear, when I said "and mics", I meant possibly a mic out in the hall, picking up the sound of the PA, not a mic directly on his guitar, which obviously isn't there in this case. So either way, you're hearing the pickup. Indeed, a good sound for a live performance.

[MarkShapses]

Hi,
Thank you for the replies! I appreciate it.
Maybe this would be a better example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guIcnvQKPz8 Thomas Leeb's performance at NAMM.

Doug, I just watched your Acoustic Guitar Magazine videos on pickups. You're right, I think I was reading too much into your samples.

[cotten]

Great to have you among us, Doug!

cotten

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by MarkShapses

Hi,
Thank you for the replies! I appreciate it.
Maybe this would be a better example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guIcnvQKPz8 Thomas Leeb's performance at NAMM.

Again pretty noticeable Delay going on , you can really hear on the first slap he does at the beginning. 2 cables coming out of the GTR ? perhaps someone knows what that might suggest.