recording rock band with portastudio

[LI_Slim]

I recently picked up a Tascam DP-02CF for simple recordings. It can only handle two inputs at once (XLR or 1/4").

As a favor to my son, I will try to record his band (two vocals, two electric guitars, bass and drums) during a party in our basement (approx. 15' x 30') on Friday. In the first instance, the guitars will each be going through an amp as will the bass. The vocal mics will be going through a Mackie powered mixer (406M) connected to two passive speakers. The drum set is quite powerful and everything else will be loud too.

At first I thought, "fuck it, just record through one or two room mics." But perhaps I could do a better job if I plugged the Mackie's monitor output into quarter inch input A. Also, I have a (unpowered) mixer into which I could put several mics -- one or two for the drums, one for the guitar cabs and one for the bass cab -- and I figure the output from that mixer could go into input B.

Does this make sense? Will I blow something up if I plug the powered mixer into the portastudio? Any other solutions???????????

 

[moresound]

You should be fine.
The one thing to do is have the band there early so as you can set all the levels and such for the recording and live show.
Just keep an eye on your gain structure through out your whole chain....To bad you don't have direct outs on the live rig.

 

[mjbphotos]

The mixer/multi-mic idea is the best - like already said, have the band get there early, and try out a few songs and see what the recording does, make adjustments, then you'll be ready for the party.
Note that the sound in the room will not be the same when its filled with people.

 

[moresound]

The mixer/multi-mic idea is the best - like already said, have the band get there early, and try out a few songs and see what the recording does, make adjustments, then you'll be ready for the party.
Note that the sound in the room will not be the same when its filled with people.

Nor will the sound in the room reflect how the recording will come out.

 

[LI_Slim]

Nor will the sound in the room reflect how the recording will come out.

Well, maybe a little. Perhaps all the bodies will reduce unwanted sound bouncing around and into the mics.

Thanks guys.

If I have just one mic for the drums, and it's a small condensor mic, should I hang it from above? Point it from the floor?

 

[moresound]

Well, maybe a little. Perhaps all the bodies will reduce unwanted sound bouncing around and into the mics.

Thanks guys.

If I have just one mic for the drums, and it's a small condensor mic, should I hang it from above? Point it from the floor?

Try it out in front of the drums (a few feet) slightly higher than the toms so as to point it at the whole drum set at about a 45 degree angle that way you'll also get the kick in the mix apposed to micing from above.

 

[LI_Slim]

need space

My recording session went pretty well but I am having a problem with lack of memory. The portastudio came with a 1 GB cf card.

I recorded a continuous 22 minutes or so of the first band and ran out of space. I transferred the tracks (2 of them) to the partition but my friend with his laptop couldn't find them when we connected the laptop. We were pressed for time so I went back and erased everything else on the card except for those two tracks and then added the second band at the end of the first band, creating a 40+ minute continuous song.

However, I am now unable to transfer the tracks to the partition for lack of card space. I had my friend try again to find the original 22 minute tracks, which he did, and copied them onto his computer. Then I cut that part out of the song, leaving only the second band. However, I am still unable to transfer the second band's material to the partition. It's telling me that the second band's 20 minute song is about 200 mb and there is only about 100 mb available. I am guessing that the rest is still taken up by the material I previously transferred to the partition plus the part that I cut (I believe the cut is non-destructive). But I can't figure out how to clear the partition stuff out and I can't figure out how to permanently delete the first band stuff that I cut without permanently deleting the whole song.

Help!!!!!!!!!

Second question: I'm going to get an 8 gb card; does it matter which type I get?