Recording a live performance

[alex1fly]

Hey all. I'm wanting to record an acoustic performance this Friday. There will be two acoustic guitars, two vocal mics, and a PA. Just a rough demo, estimate of what we sound like will suffice.

I have a laptop mic, which would be fine. I've been wanting to pick up an SM-57 for amp micing and recording; would this be a good mic to record the performance? Are there other mics around the same price range I should consider?

 

[jeremy]

Re: Recording a live performance

a 57 is a great mic for alot of things but not really for capturing a live performance. you really want some sort of condenser if you are trying to pick up the whole room.

 

[razorblade]

Re: Recording a live performance

Are your acoustics going through the PA with the vocals? if you have both guitars and both vocals going through the PA, why don't you take a sub mix directly off the board?

 

[alex1fly]

Re: Recording a live performance

The acoustics will be going through the PA along with the vocals. Razor, do you mean using the mixer's line out? I have a USB interface with a single input, if that helps me any.

Too bad about the SM 57 not working well. A friend of mine is buying me an SM 57 for a recording project we're doing... maybe I'll get him to buy a second mic

 

[razorblade]

Re: Recording a live performance

What type of PA? If it's powered, the line out may bypass the amp. If it has either a monitor out or a tape out, I'd use that, and take it into the line in on your laptop.
You could even use an effect send as a sub mix to your recorder.

 

[ksmith63]

Re: Recording a live performance

My mixer has a recording out in the form of RCA cables. I use this to go into the 1/8" input of my computer. If you set the pa up right then you should get a pretty good sound out of it.

I would also recommend a Shure PG-81 as a good/cheap condenser mic for such things

 

[alex1fly]

Re: Recording a live performance

I don't know anything about the PA; it's a house PA in a pub. I've also never really messed with PA gear, so I don't have much idea of what I'm doing.

I have the SM 57 now.

 

[razorblade]

Re: Recording a live performance

Just ask the sound guy to hook you up. I'm sure he'll be able to take care of you. Pretty standard request.

 

[alex1fly]

Re: Recording a live performance

Well, the sound guy ended up not being a sound guy, but I got it set up well enough. Running from the mixer's Line Out into my Toneport, and got a good mix. Thanks for the tips!

 

[razorblade]

Re: Recording a live performance

Well, the sound guy ended up not being a sound guy

I hate it when that happens.

Glad you made it work anyway...You gonna post a sample?