Taping equipment advice

[Matt]

I've got a friend who is looking at getting into taping, but has no real idea of what type of equipment he'll need beyond the obvious 2x Mics, cables and recorders.  I told him I'd ask around for advice on where to look/what to buy etc and figured this would be as good a place as any to ask.

So... what can the tapers on the forum tell me?

Thanks in advance! 

[Hippie]

I would highly recommend your friend get in touch with one of the forums devoted to taping. Tapers.org has a good one, there are many more out there. attand a few shws and hang ut wth the tapers, find some friendly ones and ask the stoopid questions before making any purchases. Decide what you want to tape first. What size venue? Indoor? Outdoor? Can they get a board feed? What size venue. All of these will determine where they should start.

Always remember that the actual taping is the most fun and least amount of work. The real effort comes with the post production efforts of tracking and editing. It usually takes me two to five times longer to get a decent CD than the actual concert lasted.

Good luck 

[Matt]

I know he mostly wants to do local shows, as there are a lot of good bands that come through our area, but it's very rare that one of the shows actually gets taped and posted somewhere.  Given that we are in northern Montana, it'll be mostly indoor with the occasional outdoor show. 

Anyway, I told him to go register at tapers.org and I know he frequents cotapers as well, so I'll just make sure to reinforce that advice.

 

[BREWHEAD]

Brewhead here I've been taping shows for over 10 years and what I'm running now is two Audio Technica 3035 mounted on a Manfrotto Mic Stand those mics are powered by a M-Audio Firewire Box which is linked to Apple Laptop which is powered by my grandmothers wheelchair battery. (I would recommend getting the new M-Audio Portable Digital Recorder)

Check this out
Get on board the Outlaw Halloween Tour with Davisson Brothers Band with special opening act Jesco White "The Dancing Out" with Jay Hill plus Chris Janson. Get those costumes ready for this hillbilly smackdown shindig!



www.davissonbrothersband.com
www.myspace.com/davissonbrothersband1


 Listening to: Davisson Brothers Band, Reverend Payton's Big Damn Band, Beastie Boys, Chris Knight

[Eric St Vrain]

Tell him (it's you isn't it? No need to be ashamed) to go to www.taperssection.com. There is a getting started thread, recorder comparisons, mic comparisons, gear for sale cheaper than ebay, everything you could possibly ever want to know and then some about recording live music. There is an "Ask The Tapers" section and if your friend gives a brief rundown of requirements, desires, and budget then several people will give your friend a shopping list. Plus there are team boards from the various regions of the country where your friend can hook up with other local tapers to get tips and go to shows with.

You might want a rig that doesn't require you to bring your grandmother with you for power.

[Matt]

Thanks for the link.  I'll pass it along.

[TheBanjomatic]

You might want a rig that doesn't require you to bring your grandmother with you for power.

Grandmothers tend to not make nearly enough power when running in the giant hampster wheel. I recommend someone in their early 20's.

[Hippiefreak]

Grandmothers tend to not make nearly enough power when running in the giant hampster wheel. I recommend someone in their early 20's.
[/quote]

Plus, who's gonna clean out the seeds while Granny's runnin in the wheel? > "Granny woncha smoke some?" 

Course, I guess that just shows my age...stuff had seeds in it when I was a kid

[Bevin]

sign up here for access to more information than you could ever possibly digest related to concert taping, gear recommendations, etc...

http://www.taperssection.com/

[Hippie]

Plus, who's gonna clean out the seeds while Granny's runnin in the wheel? > "Granny woncha smoke some?" 

Course, I guess that just shows my age...stuff had seeds in it when I was a kid

Granny's little cart battery has a lot of juice for my taping rig, I think I'll continue to reserve the good stuff for her at festivals...

Check out Chuck Wagon and the Wheels for a great Seeds and stems song, or request it for the Hippie show... I know it's around here somewhere.