Recording A Live Show

F

FRKD

New member
Could really use some help

SCENARIO: Using a laptop [Satellite M45-S355] and Sound Forge to record a live performance

PROBLEM: The laptop doesn't have a line-in that I can use (well that I know of anyway) to connect to the mixer (tried using the mic in but that was probably the worst idea ever)

SOLUTION: ???



Any ideas on what I need to make it work? Thanks for any help you can give
 
Are you going to get a soundboard feed or will you be using 2 room mics?

If you will be recording a sound board feed keep in mind the drums may week (and guitars) or not in the hous mix ir it in in a smaller club.
 
CRANKZ1: Man thanks a lot for the info (and even providing a link) - That's definitely an option that'll work but are there any other options for under $400?

TIMBOZ: I'll be recording two stage mics and a set of turntables, all connected to a mixer (I forget the model of the mixer) - was planning on hooking the laptop straight to the mixer and recording directly from there


Again, thanks for the help! (Friggin love this message board)
 
Anything cheaper would be a USB Interface but USB is generally the least preferred. Hence the lower prices.
You get what you pay for.
If you are only ever going to record or playback two tracks at a time, you may be able to suffice with a USB Interface.

Which one would be the best?

I've no idea. I've not used any of the USB units.
 
Affordable Solution:

Found a way to make it work without the use of an interface:

Went into the laptop's recording volume properties and turned the mic volume level all the way down (and turned off some hidden mic boost option) - also, adjusted the incoming volume level so that it would not distort - So I'm planning on hooking the laptop into the mixer's heaphone out and then adjust the levels on the headphone volume - So far it's working well and the recording quality is just what I need

Eventually I'll upgrade to a firewire interface but for now tweeking the mic line-in properties and volume levels seem to work - thanks for all the help
 
Always avoid using a mixer's headphone out if possible!

You'll have more to worry about. I would make sure the house sound guy has the mix going to the mixers RCA tape outputs and use an stereo RCA to 1/8" cable to your laptop.

Also, check with the sound guy if the mix he's doing is stereo and be sure your laptop's onboard input can even record in stereo (some can't). This will avoid more hassles later on!
 
Thanks for the heads up - I just bought that very adaptor yesterday - from the tests I've done so far, it's recording in true stereo - I'll definitely test everything out during the sound check - the show is tuesday so I'll make sure to post back on here and let you all know how it turns out

If you have any more advice or suggestion for me before tuesday send me a reply - Thanks!
 
It worked!

Tuesday's show was Incredible and the recording worked like a champ - I connected the laptop straight to the mixer's RCA outs using a Y-Adapter Audio Cable - I also used a Volume Control Cable to control the volume level coming out from the mixer so that the levels didn't peak too high (had to make sure that the laptop's mic level in the recording options was turned down low as well)

So if you're planning on using your notebook to record a live show and are on a budget, this is a simple solution that works

MATERIALS
  • Laptop with an available mic line-in (my mic port and line-in port are one and the same)
  • Sound Forge
  • Y-Adapter Audio Cable
  • Volume Control Cable
  • Mixer

STEPS
1. Turn your notebook's mic level down low (just adjust it so that the levels won't come in too high)
2. Connect the Y-Adapter to the volume control cable (once again, use the volume control to adjust the levels coming into the notebook)
3. Plug straight into the mixer's RCA/Tape outs and your notebook's mic/line-in
4. Open Sound Forge and hit record/arm


Thanks again for all the help!
 
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