recording live music

[mattpegher]

Anyone have any experience with recording live music digitally. Looking to record my band with a single track with a usb mic. Most of the programs I see are for recording individual tracts and mixing the music. I really just want to record a live performance. A stereo recording would be preferred, and I guess I would need two mics but more than that would be a waste.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[ImpulsE69]

Depending on why you are doing it, my band used to just leave a video camera running during practice. This would catch everything pretty well. If you aren't interested in tracking, you could just use a video camera with an external stereo mic then just strip the sound to it's own audio track.

Otherwise, you are talking money on gear you probably don't already have. Keep in mind that as soon as you say "stereo" that is 2 tracks by recording standards.

 

[mattpegher]

Yes, I would prefer two track stereo. and was wondering if there is a good program for digital stereo audio recording that was better than the microsoft sound recorder.

 

[lxskllr]

VLC?

 

[stargazr]

Audacity?

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/about/

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

Reaper

 

[mattpegher]

thanks guys, those suggestions should work well

 

[DigDog]

I really just want to record a live performance.

there is no such thing.


every concert that you hear, the tracks are taken from the on-stage console. if you hear the crowd cheering, that's actually added as a track - none of that bleeds through into any mic or anything else.

sorry but recording music is an expensive affair; i suggest getting Reaper, a decent PC, a i/o board (they go for about $500 for a m-power 8 track i/o), and as many microphones. if you stick to shure clones you can (google: ES-57, at $30 each) make it with a grand.

 

[Humpy]

there is no such thing.


every concert that you hear, the tracks are taken from the on-stage console. if you hear the crowd cheering, that's actually added as a track - none of that bleeds through into any mic or anything else.

sorry but recording music is an expensive affair; i suggest getting Reaper, a decent PC, a i/o board (they go for about $500 for a m-power 8 track i/o), and as many microphones. if you stick to shure clones you can (google: ES-57, at $30 each) make it with a grand.

There are hundreds of Grateful Dead concerts that were recorded live to two track. A lot of them are good recordings too. I imagine there are thousands of other examples of good stereo recordings of live music.

The worst recordings I've heard were done by inexperienced people who overcomplicated things with a bunch of cheap multi-track equipment. A little handheld digital recorder (Zoom, Yamaha, Tascam, etc.) is perfect for helping a band determine where they're at musically as a group. A computer, some free/cheap software, and a stereo mic will do just as well but may add some complexity that could easily take away from the focus of becoming a better band.

 

[Markbnj]

Yes, I would prefer two track stereo. and was wondering if there is a good program for digital stereo audio recording that was better than the microsoft sound recorder.

Audacity works well for me. Live performances can be recorded in stereo because you've got a nice mix of sources across the sound stage, but that is not the typical professional approach. Instruments and vocals are recorded on separate tracks and then mixed down to stereo at the board later. There are a few different ways to do this, and there are some pretty good tutorial vids on YT.

In terms of equipment you'll need an input (i.e. line-in or mic on a sound card or usb sound dongle), a couple of mics (mics are a whole 'nother subject with a lot of different options) and stands, possibly a preamp if the input does not have one built in (I use a DMP-3).

 

[mattpegher]

thanks for your input.
I will be recording our band in our studio. But we aren't looking for professional recording just yet. Just a way to record some memories.