[7-5] Where should I put the microphones while recording?
A usual technique is clipping them to your collar or the rim of your hat. Hats are especially good if you're fairly tall and using Cardioids, because it will get the microphones above the level of the audience and hopefully you'll pick up less audience noise. More importantly... where should you stand?
In every venue, there is a so called "sweet spot" — the point with the best sound in the whole building (other than the stage, that is!). This is often just in front of the soundboard. Another consideration is audience noise. If there's a balcony, a spot right at the front of that (combined with unidirectional microphones) will give you very little audience noise.
[7-6] Any other taping tips?
If the guy next to you is being noisy, it might be useful to offer him a copy of the tape if he shuts up.
Use the support band to test how good your sound is. Set up your gear how you think will be best, then tape the full set of the support band. Between sets (often over half an hour!), listen to your recording and make the necessary adjustments to your gear to get an even better recording of the evening's main event! It's cool to keep the support band's recording too. One day they may make it big, and you'll have a very rare early recording of them.
DATs have higher error rates at the beginning of the tape.
Don't bring along blank MiniDiscs — bring along discs with about 3 seconds already recorded onto them. This means there is already a table of contents (TOC) on the disc, so when you need to eject the disc to put in a new one, your recorder will be much faster when writing the new TOC.
[7-7] Can I get a soundboard patch?
If a band is taper-friendly, they may allow you to plug directly into the soundboard ("betty board"). If they do:
be polite to the sound guy
ask him to do stuff — never order him
be polite to other everyone else, for that matter
don't touch the sound guy's equipment
YOU will be required to supply the connecting leads — make sure you bring lots of different types because you don't know what their sockets will be like.
If the band is not taper-friendly, the sound guy will not let you connect to the soundboard — it's more that his job is worth (unless maybe you're a friend
[7-8] What happens if I get caught?
This depends on the venue. Check the small print on the back of your ticket. They will probably just send you back to your car and tell you to put the gear away and come back in when you've dumped it. In most juristictions, staff should not be able to keep your gear (at least not once the show is over) if they find it, although they may have the right to confiscate any media found on you indefinately.
[7-9] Should I tape in Mono or Stereo?
A good question. The truth of the matter is that your microphones are not likely to be far enough apart to get a good stereo effect.
According to the professionals, to get a good stereo recording, you have to have your microphones three times as far apart as they are back from the sound source. So for example, if you are standing 50 feet back from the stage, your microphones should be 150 foot apart from each other! As you are unlikely to be able to do this, it doesn't really matter if you record in Mono or Stereo — but remember, often your media will allow you to record for longer if you use Mono!
The way to get a truly good stereo recording it to find a taping partner — one of you can stand at the left of the venue and one can stand at the right. Use similar rigs and after the show, mix your tapes together. This is also a useful arrangement if your recorder dies half-way through the gig — at least your partner will probably be getting a recording.
[7-10] What else should I know?
This section has been written by a non-taper! OK, so I've taped one or two shows, but my experience of taping is very limited. I have tried to gather information from a range of experts, but take all this information with a pinch of salt.
