Recording live performance
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Posted on Jan 20, 2006 01:56 pm
Rav33n
Member Since: Jan 20, 2006
extreme Noob needing advice. I need to record video and audio of a live rock/metal band performance.
We have two camcorders and a laptop.
What I want to know is, do you'll recommend taking an out from the mixer to the camcorder... or recording via the laptop.
If you recommend camcorder, would like to know what equipment is needed to avoid busting the cam, since we already have ruined a camcorders sound by plugging in sound from a mixer direct.
If laptop, any equipment and software that you'll recommend. The laptop has a line in
try using explanations a noob will understand :P Thanks in advance!
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Jan 20, 2006 02:10 pm Welcome to HRC.
Your answer will contain a lot of "it depends".
it depends on the venue. In many local-band or small to meduim sized venues the house mixer will contain a lot of vocals and/or acoustic instruments, as the drums and electric instruments produce a lot of the room sound themselves.
Therefore taking the sound out of the board might not be the best answer, however, it could be part of the answer...many times in those same venues vocal, even though being most of the mix, are drown out a lot due to the nature of the sound, vocals are the biggest hassle when mixing and recording.
So, what I would do is take both...have one track being taken from the in house board and one or two tracks being taken from a house microphone and perhaps even using the audio that the camcorders pick up (which may suck, but hey, the more options the better, you are only getting one chance)...using all those sources you might be able to mix and process a decent sound...
Rav33nMember
Since: Jan 20, 2006
Jan 20, 2006 02:21 pm Ok, let's see whether i got it right..
One out from the mixer, which will be a total of everything that goes into the mixer. This might not include drums and some other instruments..
One recording from a mic that will pickup everything heard in the venue. This would go into the laptop mic port.
Camcorder mic recording.
Any equipment needed inbetween mixer and laptop? and recommend software... is Audacity any good for this situation? audacity.sourceforge.net/
thanks
Jan 20, 2006 02:25 pm Yeah, that is pretty much the jist of it. You shouldn't need anything from the main mixer out to your laptop, but a compressor might be a nice precaution...
I'd sooner use kristal audio engine rather than audacity personally.
Rav33nMember
Since: Jan 20, 2006
Jan 20, 2006 02:35 pm alright, replies much appreciated.
Downloaded kristal right now, will be figuring it out and practicing.
Thanks :)
Jan 20, 2006 02:36 pm Glad to help, and again, Welcome to the wonderful world of HRC :-)
Rav33nMember
Since: Jan 20, 2006
Jan 20, 2006 02:46 pm once more Q...
Could you describe what a compressor does and some brands maybe? and maybe a price range from cheapest to most exp
Jan 20, 2006 02:54 pm not to sound like a smart *** or anything, but a compressor compresses...
it'll help keep any signals coming from the board (or the room mic) from clipping and making a crappy recording.
Rav33nMember
Since: Jan 20, 2006
Jan 20, 2006 02:59 pm lol ok,
thanks for the time
Jan 20, 2006 02:59 pm actually, what you'd really need is a limiter, but, if you turn the ratio of the compressor up, it acts kind of like a limiter, so either way you'll get what you need.
Rav33nMember
Since: Jan 20, 2006
Jan 20, 2006 03:07 pm hmm, could you recommend some brands? Googling 'Audio Compressor' isn't getting me anywhere.
