Need advice for first live gig

[bjs]

So I'm not very experienced with recording in live settings, but I have been invited to do just that at a concert this weekend. The invite comes through my friend who has experience as a photographer, digital designer, and filmmaker. He helps a band with their music videos, photos, and online presence.

I am invited to come and try my hand at recording these guys. If they like what they hear, I will have an opportunity to work for them again in the future. One problem... I have no clue what I'm doing.

So my friend has a Zoom H4 field recorder. I'm going to try and bring that, but not sure how useful it will be. The venue also has a console for stage mics, but I don't know how I can use that either.

How can an amateur audio person (such as myself) make a successful venture out of this opportunity?

[hbphotoav]

Immediately, I'd say get there early for soundcheck and see if you can find the sweet spot (if it exists in the room) and get some rough levels set. Use your ears in the room to get an idea where the stage level and the PA blend the best. Set the H4 to record 24-bit, and leave yourself at least 10-12dB of headroom. If you have some decent earbuds (Shure SE215 or the like... I actually wear shooting muffs - good for 25-30dB additional suppression - over mine at rock shows) you might get a good enough seal against the ambient SPL to actually hear something of the sounds you're recording. If not, record from a couple of positions during soundcheck, and step outside to listen back. Stake out your space and good luck.

You might want to ask your photog buddy for a photo light stand or a monopod (like a a Manfrotto with a 1/4x20 stud on the top... IIRC, the Zoom has a "tripod socket" on the bottom) to get the machine above the crowd a couple of feet... and to keep your arms from getting really tired. Leave the tripod legs folded up and wrap some foam around the bottom. Run it up and hold on tight. Generally, taking a console "live mix" feed at a small-ish club leaves lead guitar, bass and most of the kit way under the vocals and keys. You're better off finding a decent sweet spot and recording the house.

Change to fresh batteries immediately before the show begins, and again at intermission (if there is one).

Good luck. 'Tis not an excessively easy thing. But it is a free ticket to the concert...

HB

[mattjew24]

Can't really do much with the stage mics without a few pieces of your own gear...unless the house engineer running the sound has a recorder or something

[Don S]

Originally Posted by mattjew24

Can't really do much with the stage mics without a few pieces of your own gear...unless the house engineer running the sound has a recorder or something

That's what I was thinking. I would get a splitter and do a 2 track mix to the zoom.

[hbphotoav]

If the OP is a "not very experienced" audio person... wiring in a split (he most likely does not have access to, or experience in setting up), then setting up a xx-channel mixer in a place where he can actually hear the 2-mix he's trying to create, and pipe to the ZOOM he is able to use... might be a bit of a stretch...

[vinvanda]

the zoom h4 is a 4 channel recorder, so what I would recommend (this is often what people do when recording at my venue) would be to get a feed from the desk (ideally stereo but mono could be ok if there isnt much panning happening anyway). You could either get the main mix output so you get the same mix he is sending to FOH or if he has a spare aux send or 2 then you and him could do a whole seperate mix going to you.

next you use the other 2 channels for either the mics built into the recorder or a couple of nice condensers or whatever you can get your hands on 2 record in the room. Id recommend somewhere near the back of the room but obviously all kind of factors can come into play here. cable length, making sure it wont be disturbed and of course it has to be somewhere the mix sounds good!

hope this helps!