Please help me figure out how to get some casual live recordings done for Christmas

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krawn

New member
Hey guys,

I'm completely uneducated when it comes to recording and I could really use some help with how to use what we've got and what we're going to need to pick up.
We're trying to make a couple live video recordings.
We just have guitar, drums and two vocals.

This isn't supposed to be too fancy, it's just for some family and friends, but we did want to get a better audio recording than just an iphone.

Please correct me if I'm on the wrong path or missing something or... anything.
I was thinking we could run the mixer straight to the laptop with a couple of RCA cables. That would take care of the vocals. Is this a good bet so far?

For the drums, it doesn't need to be fancy. Maybe just an overhead.
What should I do with that feed though? Is this why getting an interface is so important? We do have an interface lying around somewhere but it's been a pain in the ass in the past for quite a few reasons so we'd like to try and get around it. Is it possible to run this into the computer as well another way?

We'd like to mic the guitar amp too, instead of running direct.
So there's another feed I have no idea what to do with. If I run it out of the back of the amp into the mixer, we'll be hearing it through the PA as we play which will probably prove to be too much. Do we keep it at a low level and hope it works out? Can it by "bypassed" live? So that the feed goes mixer>computer without us hearing it through the PA while we play?

Does any of that make sense?! I'm so lost.
Basically, we need an interface. right?

We've also thought about just grabbing an external mic for an iphone like the Zoom iQ5. Quality wise, should we go through all the hassle above or just try this out?
 
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That's a tough call... If you think you'll have enough time to figure out a DAW then an interface like the Tascam US1800 would give you plenty of I/O options on a budget...then it would be a matter of getting the microphones if you don't already have them. Going direct out of the mixer via RCA will give you a stereo "mix" so you may not have much control within the software. In that regard, it would make more sense to use the interface. However, if it doesn't have to be "perfect" then you could try using the mic for the iPhone and see what it sounds like before you go throwing money at equipment. Another option might be something like this. It's a portable 4-track with built it stereo mics and an XLR input to use an external mic as well. I've got the older version of this (without the XLR ins) and it's a solid unit. Pretty easy to learn how to navigate and the built in mics aren't really all that bad for what they are.
 
Do any of you have any expereience with DAWs - recording software? Mixing, etc? Guessing the answer is 'no', so really the best bet for you all is to use an iPhone video recording, unless you've got a friend with a beter digital camera or recording set up - the learning curve to learn a DAW would mean you'd still be trying to figure things out long after the holidays are over.
 
Thanks for taking the time pikingrin. I have a major update. I got home and got all the things we have together - the interface IS a Tascam US1800. I got it all set up with my Mac and Garageband. So that's all good.

So now - I've figured out how I'm going to rig up everything except for the vocals. How do I send the vocal feed from the mixer to both the PA and the interface for recording? Is that possible? I assume it is, just a like how a sound guy can record your show?

We don't want to formally do the headphone thing. We'd like to just play as close to normal as possible and just have a little bit of a leg up in recording quality. Is this doable?
 
I actually do - just garageband - but I do. Like I said above though, I have a major update.

"I got home and got all the things we have together - the interface IS a Tascam US1800. I got it all set up with my Mac and Garageband. So that's all good.

So now - I've figured out how I'm going to rig up everything except for the vocals. How do I send the vocal feed from the mixer to both the PA and the interface for recording? Is that possible? I assume it is, just a like how a sound guy can record your show?

We don't want to formally do the headphone thing. We'd like to just play as close to normal as possible and just have a little bit of a leg up in recording quality. Is this doable?"
 
Here is what I have been doing for such an occasion, Vocal to XLR splitter then to PA and TASCAM. This works as long as you have a dynamic mics. If you need phantom, then to the TASCAM, then monitor out to the PA. Mix the output with Computer/Input knob.
 
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