How to record a live band

[nWoEddie]

I am trying to record a live band. I just bought the digi002 rack and a 30 channel mackie mixer. I also have an 8 channel compressor, which I have no idea how to hook up, a whole lot of processors and two patch bays.

We have a drumset with two toms including floor tom and excluding bass kick, of course and 7 mics, how many mics should I have on the drumset?

Do I need a guitar amp or can I run it through the mackie and into some plugins or something?

How about bass?

I'm trying to learn a lot relatively quickly and I appreciate everyones suggestions regarding this topic.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[Dags]

I am trying to record a live band. I just bought the digi002 rack and a 30 channel mackie mixer. I also have an 8 channel compressor, which I have no idea how to hook up, a whole lot of processors and two patch bays.

I have no actual experience with a real live band recording, but in the absence of any other replies from experienced live sound engineers maybe I can give you some things to consider?
(I have done heaps of reading and do quite a bit of home recording and can probably offer some general thoughts/advice):

You're having to mix everything down to 8 channels in the Digi002, unless you can also get your hands on a firewire or ADAT-based A/D converter, so compromises will need to be made in terms of maintaining instrument separation during recording.
So use subgroups as much as possible out of the Mackie mixer, especially for drums.
You'll have to make a decision as to what percussive elements you combine into each subgroup....you may be stuck with having to use only four separate recording channels for drums if you have to consider bass, two guitars and a vocalist for simultaneous recording.

You can get away with just using a pair of mics to record the drums in stereo if you really want to, but having dedicated kick and snare mics will make these 'punch' elements easier to isolate and enhance in the mix.

If you have 7 mics to work with, does that include the singer??
If so, and you have 6 mics for drums, then optimise for kick, snare, hi hat, then use the others to capture the other percussive elements as best as you can, keeping in mind how you are going to group them in the subgroup(buss) outs for recording.
That's also assuming you can take a line out of the guitar and bass amps so you don't need to mic them either.

Your compressor is best placed in the insert points on the desk for the eight instruments (including voice) which really need it for controlling the dynamics on the way *into* the computer. You can apply plugin compression post-recording if you need to smooth things out a bit more.

Do a google search on 'how do audio compressors work' if you don't know what to do with them.
There's a wealth of information out there to help people understand how these things work, and you'll be better armed before you have to set them up for the recording session.
Read, read, read!

Good luck!
Dags

 

[WzRd]

Hi,

I do a lot of live recording - my setup is not very much like yours (so no sense in describing) - but there are a lot of things that follow sort of naturally when you record live.

I have quite successfully recorded on 8 tracks (even on 2).

You have not told us what kind of music or band you are working with- but a lot of this is the same for all.

Start with the drums - probably best (as above) to use separate mics on kick and snare. If you have room (tracks) - you can add a pair of overheads. Several thread here have been posted on placement and which mics to use - do a bit of research as I am sure you are. Lots of good stuff here.

I like to run the Bass as a direct - many amps have direct outs, or you can purchase a very inexpensive direct box. It helps IMHO in keeping things a bit separate - I can have him turn down a bit on stage and I can balance him in the FOH mix - keeping stage volume down is probably the best thing you can do to get good recording and separation.

I hate getting Bass Guitar in my Kick mic- they don't EQ the same when you mix down.

You may also choose to mic the bass - but your mic choices may be limited (don't know what you have).

I always use a compressor on the kick, the bass and on a strong vocalist. If you have a "screamer" it is a MUST.

Guitar cabs can be mic'd nicely with something like a SM57, the vocalist can be done by a SM58. Nothing fancy, you are going to have your hands full for the first couple "outings".

Keys - direct.

I usually add a large diaphragm condenser as a "room" mic. This also picks up audience reaction - great for the end of the tune to hear whoops or claps or whatever.

I try to record everything "dry" (except for the compressors), but depending on the drum sound I add some reverb to the snare. That would normally get added in mixdown - but since I am running sound and recording I have to compromise. If I were just recording - I would go dry.

I take this home and mix on a PC running SONAR 4 - but I am sure you can use just about any software.

This was a very simple approach - I am sure others here can suggest many more ways of doing it. It sounds like you are new - so follow the KISS rule.

You will find it is relatively easy to get some really good stuff.

Good luck - let us know how it turns out

 

[nWoEddie]

Thank you.

I am working with a contemporary rock band and by "live" I forgot to mention my understanding of recording live means "my band playing *live* in a recording studio" lol.

Regardless, I've been told that its best to record it parts or sections. Like the drums and the keys, then another take for the guitar and bass followed by another take with the vocalist.

We have 7 shure mics for the drums and 3 condenser mics ranging from $400-$1000. (I'm not sure because I took over an established studio).

For mixing we have a pair of Mackie HR24s and some other M-AUDIO & KRKs. I was reading that the monitoring is more important because of the mixing but I'm not sure how "limited" my equipment is.