Need Help Quick! Super Basic Live Sound Question

DarkEcho · 16th August 2008, 01:27 AM

I am going to video tape a show tomorrow night and there is no one doing live sound,

I am thinking about bringing my laptop/duet setup and just setting up two mics above where I am going to sit (very small room with band on the floor, ill be on the opposite wall behind a merch' table) Just to get a better sound instead of using the camera's built in 16 bit sound.

Question is: Should I do a stereo pair or just one mic, and should I use my 2 SM57s or my 2 ATM450s?

Dynamic or Condensor better for this situation?

Can I use my stereo bar or should I have the mics further apart?

Annex2 · 16th August 2008, 01:44 AM

Generally 2 condensor mics on a stereo bar is the norm. Best of luck.

larrykane · 16th August 2008, 01:56 AM

agree that 2 condensors on stero bar is adequate.
make DOUBLE SURE that levels do not clip (assume NOTHING), using whatever settings are available in the camera or recording device. When I do a remote video shoot I ask the band during sound check to play something louder than they think they will be during the show, and set my gear for that threshold minus 3 db.. If you use automatic gain control in the camera it may "pump" but you can correct it later with an expander during mixdown. I supose you can use limiting plugins in the laptop but if you can go through a limiter or compresor prior to the apogee you will be safer. Also plan on some time re syncing the audio to video later. IF you use pinnacle or some such software forget re syncing. Avid, Vegas Video, etc no problem. Finally don't forget to catch audio in the camera as well as the laptop both for sync reference but as both backup and alternate source of room ambience.

DarkEcho · 16th August 2008, 06:09 AM

XY or other configuration better for this? Probably want to remain mono compatible as this will end up on YouTube...

Mayor999 · 16th August 2008, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkEcho

XY or other configuration better for this? Probably want to remain mono compatible as this will end up on YouTube...

XY will work very well... although you might try ORTF.

dougb415 · 16th August 2008, 01:22 PM

Just out of curiosity, you weren't going to use a feed from a board if there was someone doing live sound, were you? The mix would more than likely be pretty unbalanced.

DarkEcho · 16th August 2008, 05:12 PM

The idea is to record video of the show so that they can put it on youtube or whatever, so originally it was just going to be the camcorders built in mics, but I thought I could record the audio with my macbook and then we could at least have decent sound.. I was thinking about running some feeds out of the mixing board if they had one..

Unbalanced? like, a bad mix?

Mayor999 · 17th August 2008, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkEcho

The idea is to record video of the show so that they can put it on youtube or whatever, so originally it was just going to be the camcorders built in mics, but I thought I could record the audio with my macbook and then we could at least have decent sound.. I was thinking about running some feeds out of the mixing board if they had one..

Unbalanced? like, a bad mix?

Say the lead guitarists amp is 176 dB at 3 ft.... and the other guitarist is playing out of a 1x12 tube amp..... Clearly guitarist #2's amp is going to be a lot louder in the feed from the board... but will be "balanced" (as best the sound guy can) in the room....

XJR · 17th August 2008, 10:04 PM

A feed direct from the board will be very vocal heavy, basically light on drums and guitars \ bass lower than they were live. That's basically because the audience gets the mix of acoustic noise \ backline and the PA. A feed from the board will be missing the forner, so not a usable mix unless it's a HUGE gig!

I've recorded quite a few shows using 2 mics on a bar, it's ok but there's nothing you can do to fix the mix if it's out of whack except overall EQ.

Four stems if possible would be better, drums, guitars, bass and vox for example.

DarkEcho · 18th August 2008, 01:37 AM

4stems Is how I was thinking of doing it, so I can adjust the levels properly after for a non-backline augmented mix

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16th August 2008, 01:27 AM	#1
DarkEcho Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: California Posts: 1,666	Need Help Quick! Super Basic Live Sound Question I am going to video tape a show tomorrow night and there is no one doing live sound, I am thinking about bringing my laptop/duet setup and just setting up two mics above where I am going to sit (very small room with band on the floor, ill be on the opposite wall behind a merch' table) Just to get a better sound instead of using the camera's built in 16 bit sound. Question is: Should I do a stereo pair or just one mic, and should I use my 2 SM57s or my 2 ATM450s? Dynamic or Condensor better for this situation? Can I use my stereo bar or should I have the mics further apart? __________________ //Hawk Duncan..."Will Mix for Food"... [2.4Ghz MacBook Pro: 4GB RAM, 160GB 7200RPM Hard Drive] [Logic Pro 8, Apogee Ensemble, SCA Preamplifiers]

16th August 2008, 01:56 AM	#3
larrykane Gear addict Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 388	agree that 2 condensors on stero bar is adequate. make DOUBLE SURE that levels do not clip (assume NOTHING), using whatever settings are available in the camera or recording device. When I do a remote video shoot I ask the band during sound check to play something louder than they think they will be during the show, and set my gear for that threshold minus 3 db.. If you use automatic gain control in the camera it may "pump" but you can correct it later with an expander during mixdown. I supose you can use limiting plugins in the laptop but if you can go through a limiter or compresor prior to the apogee you will be safer. Also plan on some time re syncing the audio to video later. IF you use pinnacle or some such software forget re syncing. Avid, Vegas Video, etc no problem. Finally don't forget to catch audio in the camera as well as the laptop both for sync reference but as both backup and alternate source of room ambience. __________________ The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side. Hunter S. Thompson

16th August 2008, 06:09 AM	#4
DarkEcho Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: California Posts: 1,666	XY or other configuration better for this? Probably want to remain mono compatible as this will end up on YouTube... __________________ //Hawk Duncan..."Will Mix for Food"... [2.4Ghz MacBook Pro: 4GB RAM, 160GB 7200RPM Hard Drive] [Logic Pro 8, Apogee Ensemble, SCA Preamplifiers]

16th August 2008, 05:12 PM	#7
DarkEcho Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: California Posts: 1,666	The idea is to record video of the show so that they can put it on youtube or whatever, so originally it was just going to be the camcorders built in mics, but I thought I could record the audio with my macbook and then we could at least have decent sound.. I was thinking about running some feeds out of the mixing board if they had one.. Unbalanced? like, a bad mix? __________________ //Hawk Duncan..."Will Mix for Food"... [2.4Ghz MacBook Pro: 4GB RAM, 160GB 7200RPM Hard Drive] [Logic Pro 8, Apogee Ensemble, SCA Preamplifiers]

16th August 2008, 01:44 AM	#2
Annex2 Gear nut Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 83	Generally 2 condensor mics on a stereo bar is the norm. Best of luck.

16th August 2008, 01:22 PM	#6
dougb415 Gear addict Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Huntsville AL Posts: 322	Just out of curiosity, you weren't going to use a feed from a board if there was someone doing live sound, were you? The mix would more than likely be pretty unbalanced.

17th August 2008, 10:04 PM	#9
XJR Gear nut Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 128	A feed direct from the board will be very vocal heavy, basically light on drums and guitars \ bass lower than they were live. That's basically because the audience gets the mix of acoustic noise \ backline and the PA. A feed from the board will be missing the forner, so not a usable mix unless it's a HUGE gig! I've recorded quite a few shows using 2 mics on a bar, it's ok but there's nothing you can do to fix the mix if it's out of whack except overall EQ. Four stems if possible would be better, drums, guitars, bass and vox for example.

18th August 2008, 01:37 AM	#10
DarkEcho Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: California Posts: 1,666	4stems Is how I was thinking of doing it, so I can adjust the levels properly after for a non-backline augmented mix __________________ //Hawk Duncan..."Will Mix for Food"... [2.4Ghz MacBook Pro: 4GB RAM, 160GB 7200RPM Hard Drive] [Logic Pro 8, Apogee Ensemble, SCA Preamplifiers]

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