Recording a band's rehearsal.

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thraciandrummer

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Trying to figure the best, most painless way to do this with the equipment I already have.

So let's start with what I'm trying to do...

I want to record my band's rehearsals, preferably having each instrument on a separate track, (L guitar, R guitar, bass, vocals, bass drum, snare, tom, tom, floor tom, over head mic). I want to be able to also plug in head phones and be able to listen to what I'm recording as it's being recorded (sort of like make shift in ear monitors).

Equipment...
1) Behringer Xenyx 2442FX
2) Macbook Pro with Apple Logic
3) Tascam US 1800
4) Mics for all instruments mentioned above.
* I also have a small M-Audio interface with 2 inputs and 1 or 2 outputs i believe, and for the sake of travelling light, if I could use this instead of the tascam, I'd prefer it.

If I can't record everything on separate tracks, or if ends up being more trouble than its worth, I can just mix it as best I can on the mixer and make sure I can hear everything clearly and record on one big track. This isn't for the purpose of making a cd for others to listen to, it is merely to have something listenable for the members of the band. Just to get out ideas down on something that sounds better than an iPhone, and since I have some decent gear, I just need to know how to connect everything and make it work as beneficial to me as possible. Again, I'd like separate tracks for everything so I could do a little post recording mixing, but if I don't have the equipment for it one big track with every instrument works fine too.

Any input is welcomed.

Thanks!
-Joe
 
Get ten XLR splitters and send the inputs independently to the mixer and the US1800. You might be able to get away with adapters to get the last two XLRs into the 1/4" inputs or you might have to pick up a small preamp (e.g. M-Audio's Audio Buddy). Alternatively you could tap signal from inserts to feed the 1/4" inputs with line level signal using the mixer's preamps.
 
I was trying to not buy any more equipment honestly. Is it not possible to do what I want to with the equipment I have? What I was thinking of doing was plugging all mics into the mixer, the taking the outputs of the mixers to the inputs of the M-audio interface and then using a USB to get it into my computer. In my head this works, and I believe I was told briefly in the past that this will work. If There is no way I can do what I need without buying further equipment, then it's not worth it to me to even do.
 
I'd drop the toms out and just run
  1. kick
  2. snare
  3. OHl
  4. OHr
  5. bass
  6. gtr1
  7. gtr2
  8. vox

straight into the 1800.


Headphone monitoring is covered. Just plug into the interface.
I don't expect it'll be much use in real time though. I'd record, check, move stuff, record, check, move stuff.

No need for the mixer or splitters, unless I've misunderstood.


thraciandrummer said:
What I was thinking of doing was plugging all mics into the mixer, the taking the outputs of the mixers to the inputs of the M-audio interface and then using a USB to get it into my computer.
Click to expand...

You'll end up with a stereo mix if you do that.
If you're going to the lengths of having all those mics/stands and cables, why mix down to stereo under pressure?
Just go into the tascam and take your multitrack home with you.

Hell, if you position the mics well and get a good performance, it might even be useable as more than a 'feedback demo'.
 
Last edited:
Thanks man. I think I'm going to go your route. I will probably use the mixer because I do want the toms in there. I'll put toms and overhead in the mixer, and bring those to the interface and plug the rest into the interface. I use the headphones for a different purpose that has nothing to do with the recording I want to do. I play drums so I kind of rigged up my own personal in ear monitoring system so I can clearly hear everything. I want the headphones while I'm doing this recording just so I still have those monitors for myself. thanks for the info, I will be trying your technique this weekend, hopefully with dazzling success.
 
I edited out my advice about the Toms. Sorry. :p

A better idea might be to just use two dynamic mics for the toms, XLR to jack into inputs 9+10, like BSG said.
That gives you two dynamic mics for the three toms which really should be fine, plus you don't have to cart that mixer around.

Does the tascam have a direct monitoring option? That's the only real problem I can forsee with the headphone mix.

If it has a direct monitoring mixer like MOTU stuff has, enable it and mute the stuff you don't want to hear.
Now mute all the tracks in your daw. They should be recording away, but you don't want to hear them back whilst recording 'cos there'll be some degree of latency.

If you can get away with a very low buffer setting there may not be a problem, but I wouldn't risk it myself.
 
That's a good point, I do want the multi track. Since I am new to this, I am unsure how to make each mic go to its own separate track in Logic using the tascam. I can further research that unless you have a quick answer for that as well?
 
Let me update a little. I was mistaken I have the Tascam US - 1641. The tascam US1800 is a remake of that. A quick google search seemed to indicate that the 1641 does have direct monitoring...to answer your question.

So to clarify for my noob-self...

I am going to run toms and overheads into the mixer and then rest into the Tascam (not M-audio) interface, then run the outs of the mixer to the interface then USB the interface into my macbook.

From there I have to then figure out how to get everything onto separate tracks in Logic.
 
That's why I'm suggesting dropping the mixer.

Each input on the tascam can be recorded onto it's own track in logic.
You create mono tracks in logic and set their inputs to 1,2,3,4,5,6.....etc which keeps each input/mic/instrument separate.


If you were to use the mixer for the whole job, you'd be mixing (funny enough) the signals all together into a stereo mix.
That means you're committed and can't adjust individual levels afterwards which is really risky.

Before I get jumped on, you could use direct outputs from the mixer to keep each channel separate, but there's no point.
That's just adding a device into the chain for the sake of it.


US 1641 has 8 mic inputs and two jack inputs that Jimmy reliably informs me are perfectly usable as mic inputs.

So that's ten discreet (read:separately recorded) inputs.

If you went
kick
snare
OH l
OH r
bass
gtr1
gtr2
vox
small toms (one mic between)
floor tom

That's 10. ;)


thraciandrummer said:
I can further research that unless you have a quick answer for that as well?
Click to expand...
If this is all pretty new to you, I would DEFINITELY set up a trial recording at home first.
You don't need the real instruments in the room.
Just get all the mics, cables, and routing sorted out.
Get your session set up and working perfectly the save it.
Name the tracks, set the proper inputs, remember which mic was plugged where. It could save a lot of hassle later on.

Familiarise yourself with direct monitoring and make sure you know how that works before you need to.
With direct monitoring on you should be able to mute everything in your DAW but still hear direct live feedback through the headphones.
 
Perfect!
I will definitely be doing that. I appreciate the help man. Just for argument sake though...If I put all the drums (kick, snare, 2 toms and floor tom) into the mixer and then put the output from the mixer into an input of the tascam, that would make only one drum track that I could mix on the mixer instead of post-recording, correct?

I say this because as I use this mix for monitors too, I like making my drums sound badass in my headphones. I know that's not the best reason to put the drums into the mixer or even lug that heavy ass thing around, but my logic above is correct if I so choose to do that correct?
 
Well, you can if you want to.

The mixer has direct outputs so you could route your drums into the first 6 channels, then route the direct outputs on into 6 channels of the tascam.
That way you'd be able to eq, level, and pan a nice headphone mix for yourself, whilst maintaing the discreet recordings.

If you're gona end up using the mixer anyway then BSGs advice is just as handy.

IDK, BSG you're a live guy, right?
Are direct outputs pre-fader/pre-eq? etc? I'm not 100% on that.
 
Thanks Gecko.
OP, that'll work fine.
Means you can eq and pan your nice headphone mix, but the direct outs to your interface will be clean.
 
Direct outs these days tend to be post gain and maybe post HPF but pre everything else. Back in the tape days they were often post fader so you could ride the fader during tracking. The ones on my Soundcraft GB2R are switchable.

The Behringer site doesn't seem to be working so I can't get the manual (though it seems I've downloaded it before to answer questions).
 
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