TubeNet

What has been the experiences here of making live recordings of your concerts? What are the best set ups for typical venues such as gymaniums, school stages, churches, etc.? Some posts here are 5 years old, and technologies have advanced- so what is new for a good amatuer recording? Best type of microphones, CD recorders, etc.? I would think that my Sony reel to reel is a little outdated! Not to mention I donated most of my old recording gear to Goodwill.-D'oh!..

Guess I should proofread better- GYMNASIUMS.....

It depends on the quality you're seeking. I have a Zoom H4 and for amateur recording it works really well; I use it not only for live recording (in stereo) but also the four-track function for home recording. The built-in mikes are perhaps better than you would expect for something that costs this little. The Edirol also has a great reputation.

The H4 does tend to "emphasize the bass" a little too much, meaning that when I record a brass quintet, the tuba is louder on the recording than it was in person. But I can fix that on my computer if need be. I'm in the process of trying to find out what gear I should get for higher quality home recording, and most of what is out there seems to be oriented towards "guitar bands" with all kinds of built-in effects etc. I suspect that a very good set of mikes is going to be the most important componet.

MA

Amen, Bloke.

No matter how "good" or "bad" the recording equipment you use is, there is one fact you cannot escape...

"HALL" or "REVERB" is easy to add, but impossible to remove from the source recording. Move your microphones so that the source recording is as dry as possible.

Good hall or reverb is not easy to add. The art of good recording involves ( among other things) good microphone placement and selection. The idea that all you need to know to get great recordings is to stick up any old microphone in any old spot and you will get great recordings is not the case. Whenever you add reverb or any other kind of signal processing in post-production you also add distortion and quite possibly noise. The best solution is proper microphone placement and selection to get the final sound you want when you capture it. Recording people seek out great halls for their sound (the hall's) to create great recordings. Depending on the Sony reel to reel that you own it might not be a bad way to capture the sound (in analog) and then convert it into digital. Analog recording is loss less whereas many digital recording formats are compressed which compromises the quality of the recording. You want to run the tape at the highest speed possible for the best results.
Good Luck, Phil

There are a number of fine digital portable recorders available now. they simply record onto an SD card or similar media and you can put them right into your computer to play and edit.

The Zoom H4 was mentioned. I have a Zoom H2 that i used to make our quintet's wedding demo CD. We had to experiment with placement of our personnel to get the best balance but it turned out very well.

Tascam, Edirol (by Roland), Yamaha, Sony all make recorders that range in price from $149 - 1149. If you are looking for a good archive quality recording of a recital for your personal use and enjoyment, any of these will suffice. Again you will want to experiment with some set ups before you record your performance. If you can record some rehearsals you can get some ideas.

We recently had a double quintet recital and three of the guys brought their recorder along and set them up about 10 - 15 feet from the stage and the sound is fantastic. they all simply used the mics that are included in the recorders themselves, no one bothered to bring external mics. Most of these units have jacks for external mics.

Perhaps they do not provide an audiophile level of recording, but for most applications these portable recorders can fill the bill.

You can find these at Musicians Friend or any other similar place online, perhaps even Woodwind/Brasswind?

ken k