Need adivce for getting location recording off the ground

[Spartan Man]

Hey everybody, Long time reader, first time posting.

For the past year I have wanted to start a location recording company. Well I took the leap earlier this year and now comes the time to get the gear situation under control, and getting the gigs. I'm looking to get into the field of classical, jazz and folk/acoustic.

So my questions are:

What is the best use of my time to track down gigs as a newbie?


Right now my rig consists of a 15in MBP, 003, TL Audio 5001, and Sontronics STC-2.
So Should I go the Fireface 800 route with DAV mkII, Ensemble with API or DAV mkII? Then there is the question of mics? My budget is ($4,500).

Any suggestions and advise is greatly appreciated


Thank you ahead of time



Sincerely,
Dave

[thenewyear]

Get the details of your rig right. What are you doing for talkback, cue light, mic flying apparatus? All of these things are as important as your signal chain but you don't get many off-the-shelf solutions. Location engineers are often just that, engineers who can devise and build their own systems.

How will you transport your rig? Multiple trips to and from the car lugging heavy cases is no fun when you've been stuck in traffic and are running an hour late.

Remember that with location recording you can end up spending as much on cables, stands and various in-the-field-problem-solving accessories as you can on an interface.

My advice is to get some gigs before you spend big bucks on your signal chain. The needs of your clients and the nature of the halls where you get regular work will dictate your gear choice almost as much as your own personal preference. All of the equipment you mentioned above will pass audio, but is it what you need to meet your clients needs, how heavy is each piece?

Blah blah blah blah blah. I'm up too late editing and wired on caffeine so sorry if the above sounds off-putting.

[Remoteness]

Neil,

Nice going -- great suggestions for sure!

[John Willett]

Spend wisely - you don't want to go to cheap and end up having to spend all over again.

Alo - you don't want to spend too expensive on something that will date quickly and have to be replaced.

Mics last ages - so get the right ones - a 30+ year life is not unusual if you get the rights ones.

Almost the same with good monitors and headphones.

The PC (or Mac) needs to be replaced every 2 or 3 years as does the software and most effects units.

So invest well and wisely in mics and monitors - amps normally have a reasonable life - but *very* carefully in computers and effects as they have to be bought over and over again very often.

I hope this helps.

[thenewyear]

Neil,

Nice going -- great suggestions for sure!

Thanks Steve!

Dave, what about your back-up recorder and mic splits (if you are doing live shows). None of this is very slutty but it's the very essence of what we do as remotsters.

Spend wisely - you don't want to go to cheap and end up having to spend all over again.

+1. Spend twice as much time on research as you would normally and then mull things over for twice as long as you spent researching and the chances are you won't buy the wrong stuff.

Mics last ages - so get the right ones - a 30+ year life is not unusual if you get the rights ones.

+1 again. Don't go cheap on mics either, good halls and acoustic instruments tend to show up crappy mics. This doesn't mean you have to splurge on DPA or Schoeps but consider AKG and Neumann as good starting points. Your first pair can later become your spot mics as your business grows and your kit improves.

And remember mics are more important than pres and when it comes to pres utility is more important than bling or colour. HPFs, phase flips and variable Zs per channel can be super useful when you are under pressure.

Also how's your score reading? Most of us can follow to some degree but what about the day you have to make single note edits on a Mendelssohn fugue recorded in a muddy acoustic.

I've now moved off the caffeine and onto the Hoegaarden Grand Cru (consequently my own score reading is going down the toilet, but I'm still ploughing through the edits!).

Again none of this is supposed to sound off-putting, on the contrary location recording is FUN but if anything doing it really well is harder than regular studio work. Still at least we don't have to pay the rent every month...

[Spartan Man]

First off I would like to say THANK YOU, and keep the suggestions coming.

(Also how's your score reading? Most of us can follow to some degree but what about the day you have to make single note edits on a Mendelssohn fugue recorded in a muddy acoustic. )


I'm gonna supply a little background, I received my B.A. in music with my principle being Tuba. While in college I worked for the recital halls doing archiving, and this where my love for audio and the Earthworks company started.

(What are you doing for talkback?)

I was thinking about investing in the Hear technologies 4 pack. or the maybe on the low-end the furman HR-6.

(Location engineers are often just that, engineers who can devise and build their own systems.)


I have been researching like crazy on the best way to construct a decca tree, and the best way to fly mics. When we were recording a concert we had a sort of pulley system connected to a T-bar with the mic connected in a ORTF fashion.



Sorry to be long winded, and again thanks for all the advise

[hughesmr]

Originally Posted by John Willett

Spend wisely - you don't want to go to cheap and end up having to spend all over again.

Also - you don't want to spend too expensive on something that will date quickly and have to be replaced.

Mics last ages - so get the right ones - a 30+ year life is not unusual if you get the rights ones.

Truer words were never spoken. Took the words right outta my mouth!

I'd love to have all the money back from the "less than stellar" gear purchases I've made. On the other hand, regarding my Schoeps mics ... what was it Charlton Heston said? "Outta my cold, dead hands!!!"

[Westmalle]

I've now moved off the caffeine and onto the Hoegaarden Grand Cru (consequently my own score reading is going down the toilet, but I'm still ploughing through the edits!).

Thanks for supporting our economy thenewyear!


Good luck with the edits.