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Post by anti on Jan 18, 2004 15:44:04 GMT 7
i know a few people around here have had experiance with taping concerts
ive been thinking of starting and i was wondering if anyone has any tips about how to get that good tape
specificially ive been worried that the batteries on my minidisc will run out halfway through the show - ive got a pretty old minidisc so i dont think it may be as energy efficient as newer models. does anyone have any ideas about how to overcome this problem?
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Post by foxy on Jan 18, 2004 16:20:24 GMT 7
ok well ive only taped one show (Placebo, it turned out decently except that my friends were louder than i would have liked)
anyhow i taped mine with my md and my sony mic (not the best mic around.) But yeah i stuffed my md in my underpants wear two pairs and then all is swell. I then ran my mic under my shirt and onto the top of my head and held it into place with some bobby pins. I then put a big hooded jumper and a beanie so that you couldnt see the mic on my head. Now this method works decently for me because im kinda tall and so it helped to block out some noise. So then basically during the show i kept my actual md in my hoodies pockets, i taped the show in LP 2 after seeking some advice i was told that LP2 does not suffer a great deal of quality loss so that saved me a tape flip. Now your battery problem, ive found that a bramd new AA battery does the trick, i find they last a bit longer than the rechargable one that came with my md. Id just take a spare and treat it like a tape change, if theres an encore break change it then, just stay switched on... The art is to keep pretty still and not to say a damn word...
hope that makes sense and helps you...
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Post by anti on Jan 19, 2004 9:51:38 GMT 7
does lp2 mean its only recorded in mono not sterio?
i think i can use aa batteries together with the rechargable battery - that might work i think
ive also worked out that if i bring my old wallet, i can fit my md into to (although i cant fit much more that licence and a few notes), i have to work out where to put spare batteries. i thought that the wallet is the one spot they would expect metallic objects so wont check it (as long as they are not searching for drugs - which is unlikly at a rock concert).
the mike i bought off ebay is not that great so i dont know how it will turn out.
hhhmmm im going to see muse tonight in sydney......
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Post by foxy on Jan 19, 2004 13:42:11 GMT 7
yeah LP2 is still in sterio....
you should give taping them a go, its at a nice small venue so it should sound pretty decent with your eqiupment. See im not going to bother taping radiohead because its going to sound a million miles away in the entertainment centre..
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Post by boelsen on Jan 19, 2004 15:56:57 GMT 7
isnt it a pain in the arse to tape the show tho? i dont reckon you'd be able to enjoy it fully if you have to stay still, without saying anything! But thats just me  |
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Post by foxy on Jan 19, 2004 17:01:08 GMT 7
well i had a great time at placebo, it was a shame that i couldnt talk to my friends, but on that its great because you concerntrate more on the music and whats going on, i can remember alot more than my friends because i didnt say anything i took everything about the show in...
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Post by Josh on Feb 19, 2004 15:39:19 GMT 7
hopefully i will have some gear by the time radiohead get here..i'm gonna give it a go to tape them.
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Post by boelsen on Feb 19, 2004 15:44:13 GMT 7
yeah, i suppose if your sitting, taping wouldnt be a pain at all, but if your standing, i dont think you could move at all!
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Post by foxy on Feb 19, 2004 15:55:43 GMT 7
sitting probably isnt a good idea at all for taping, you'll get all the crowd noise and especially in a big arena it will sound like its a million miles away... You want your mic as high as you can (thats why people use mic stands) because the sound is great and you get little crowd talking/cheering...
When i taped placebo i had my mic on my head with some bobby pins, and then put a beanie over the top of that so that the guards couldnt see it. The head is the most common stealth mode of taping. Because it alloes you to move around a little... I was kinda swaying throughout the whole placebo show, and i was always putting my hands in the air, as long as you didnt move so that the beanie or mic would move on your head it should be ok... Depends on how good/sensitive your mic is...
Im not going to bother taping radiohead becuase my mic is not all that good and it will sound very distant in the huge venue, plus id rather be sharing the experience with my girlfriend and ive got seatins in the seating area, but i'll be damned if im sitting down during the show...
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Post by boelsen on Feb 20, 2004 12:40:32 GMT 7
plus id rather be sharing the experience with my girlfriend Bah! they'll come and go! But music lasts for ever! ;D |
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trev
blissed + gone
Posts: 602
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Post by trev on Mar 11, 2004 12:51:42 GMT 7
I've taped about 10-15 shows over a year when i had my old MD and Mic, before it got stolen from me at the BDO.  So here's a few tips: Battery life - If you go to an electronics place, ie. Jaycar, Tandy, Dick smith etc. they should be able to help you buy rechargable AA batteries that last longer. I went and spent $14 on a single AA battery that was 1400ma i think, the key number here is "1400", most AA batteries are "700" or so.... and that nearly doubled the life of the MD on 1 battery, i could get about 5 hours out of one AA. LP mode - i don't know much about, mine didn't have it, so i used to time the disc changes. I'd be careful tho, cause ANY compression loses quality, so if you can, use SP mode. Mics - Test the mics in HIGH volumes first. Lots of mics, even really good mics can't handle high volumes, and distorts. NOTE this has NOTHING to do with the recording volume, that can also distort the sound. Think of a mic's responsiveness like a speaker in reverse.... If a speaker is too loud the cone wobbles to far back and forward and sounds "pop"y. The same when loud noise is around a microhone, the cone in the microphone recieves too much vibration and goes "pop"y. Basically if your mic does this, you need to upgrade. Crowd noise - Like foxy said, higher the better. Try and get directional mics if you can, that way even loud crowd noise comming at you from behind won't be picked up, even though you can hear it live. Also try to let the microphone have a clear line of sight to the speaker stacks, NOT the stage... the sound comes from the speakers. If people are in the way, or pillars, or anything, your eq mix will be effected. Treble frequencies get cut easily by solid materials, but Bass doesn't. So your sound will be boomy and muddy. Try to do a "soundcheck" on the support band, then go to the toilets and listen to it with headphones. Legality - If you get caught at a "gig" (with no rules of entry explained on a ticket), inform whoever your in trouble with that only the PERFORMERS have the right to allow / disallow taping, and you want to hear from them DIRECTLY. say that the last you heard was that the band DID allow taping, and legally you should be fine. - if you get caught at a "concert" (with rules of entry on back of ticket), try to run away, and hide the equiptment in your undies. If they find you, deny it was you, and they legally can't search you around your genitals. If they do, you can sue them for sexual harrasment. You might be asked to leave (in both cases) but you won't lose your equiptment. Never trust security, that's what i did, and he lost my equiptment. And pactise makes perfect, so try and tape as many shows as you can till you get good at it, especially shows at the same venue of where you hope to get a good recording. |
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trev
blissed + gone
Posts: 602
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Post by trev on Mar 11, 2004 13:14:45 GMT 7
P.S. - anyone in Melbourne who wants some taping experience, i'll gladly bring you along to some local gigs where the band and venue will definately ALLOW taping, as long as i can get a copy of the show too Even if you want help stealth booting a show in melbourne, i'd be happy to help out. |
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Post by anti on Mar 11, 2004 18:49:29 GMT 7
hiding stuff in your undies makes it hard if u wear boxers
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Post by anti on Mar 12, 2004 6:34:38 GMT 7
how much should you spend on a microphone?
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trev
blissed + gone
Posts: 602
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Post by trev on Mar 14, 2004 9:44:50 GMT 7
how much should you spend on a microphone? Basically as much as you can afford.... you get what you pay for with reputable brands, and every dollar you spend will equal better quality sound.... The only real features i would call nesessary for a mic to boot with would be - Directional, b/w 180 - 90 degrees, and Stereo. The rest equals whatever you can afford, or are willing to spend. |
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