Need Advice on Live Recording Set-up

[redblipmedia]

Next month I get my student loan and I'm going to invest about $3,000 for a mobile recording set-up. I want to do live concert recording and mobile demo production. I already have most of what I need, I'm wondering if I'm missing anything essential for whatever situation I'm in...specifically microphones.

WHAT IM BUYING:

Presonus Firestudio firewire interface w/Cubase LE 4
Sennheiser HD201 headphones (4)
Smartphone with Google Android
Large van such as Chevy Astro or Ford Econoline

WHAT I HAVE:

Dell Studio 1547 w/ 4 gigs of RAM
Adobe Audition
Edirol monitors
Shure Drum Mic kit: 3 SM57 with rim clips, Beta 52
2 Audix condenser mics (for drum OH)
MXL 770 condenser
Alesis power conditioner
Presonus FP10 Firewire Interface (8 channels)
Behringer DI box (8 channels)
Behringer Compressor (4 channels)
Presonus Bluemax Compressor
Presonus HP 4 headphone mixer
Sennheiser HD201 headphones (1)

 

[dastrick]

If I would've spent my student loans on recording equipment instead of beer and weed I might would be able to have paid them back by now. Who am I kidding...I'll never pay them back.



Now back to the question........................



I would get at least 3-4 more dynamic mics...sm57, audix i5, sm58, GLS-ES57, etc. You can use them for pretty much anything...drums, guitar amps, horns, vocals, percussion, etc.

Boomstands and cables.............

Recording snakes..............if your recording concerts you'll probably find that most venues (or bands) have a FOH mixer. You'll need to either get your signal from the FOH mixer's direct outs/inserts or use a microphone splitter.

Also, you won't be able to use the Firepod and the Firestudio at the same time. They use different drivers.

I'm sure that I'm forgetting something....................................
And definitley go with FORD!!!!!!

 

[redblipmedia]

Thanks for the quick answer!

I plan on using the Firepod(s) as the splitter...all mics go in and directly out the back into the PA or whatever..would it work like this?

It sucks they use different drivers...all I really need is a copy of cubase that works with windows vista..I have sessions i didnt get to mix before my old desktop crashed.

I was also hoping to be able to daisy-chain the Firepods to get 16 channels at once..any other way to do that using what I already have? Or should I try to sell the Firepod to be able to buy a new 16 channel interface?

 

[dastrick]

You either have to use Firepods (FP10's) or Firestudios. You can't use a Firepod connected to a Firestudio together.

The firepods will be able to send a direct out of each channel to the FOH mixer. Just plug the mics in the front and 1/4" cables from the direct out to the FOH mixer.

One of the advantages of the Firestudio is it's ADAT connectivity. You can pretty much use any preamps that have ADAT out. I plan on getting either a Presonus Digimax or Focusrite Octopre to use with my Firestudio.

 

[dastrick]

Let me clarify....you can daisychain any of the Firestudio family together...Firestudio, Firestudio Project, Firestudio Mobile, StudioLives.

 

[moresound]

You may not have to purchase a lot of stage mics if a sound company is already in place, for they will already have every thing miced up and DIed and may not want or have room for more - especially on the drums!

What you'll need to purchase is a 100 foot 24 channel splitter snake with iso balanced channels and ground lifts per channel to be used/tied in at their stage box to your recording area which would be in the back of your ford - if you take dastricks advice-and that's if it's an outside show.

Then maybe two X/Y mics out by the FOH mixing console to get a good stereo full mix to mix with the close mics on stage, back during your mix down session.

Then maybe two more facing the crowd from the lip of the stage to get the applause and such from the crowd.

 

[redblipmedia]

I'm hoping to not need a snake..I know I will need one eventually, but the venues I record at will be pretty small..practice spaces, small bars, and I'll be headquartered at a community center w/stage and snake already in place that I can use at almost any time. I want my gear to be as versatile as possible, since most of the money will be eaten up by the van, phone, and room rent. I'm guessing I should get the Firestudio, 2 SM57's and a 58. I'll do some research on the compatibility of the Firepods.

I just thought of something..

Instead of the Firestudio, I can get the Firebox (2 channels). With just that and a couple decent condensers, I can have a stripped-down, ultra-portable rig to record solo acts, and I can always keep it with me to catch the impromptu gig ("I can record your demo right freaking now!"). Not only that, but daisy-chaining the Box with the Pod will give me 10 channels to work with on the full band stuff. I will buy a Firestudio eventually, but this solution could be more versatile and cost effective.

So.. any ideas on condensers between $100 - $200 for field recording and other applications? And should I consider an omni?

Thanks again guys, and I'll save all of this thread and maybe email you a link to my new portfolio!

-Martin Larsen, Red Blip Media

 

[moresound]

Before doing that take a look at the H4n recorder very versatile with two mic pres or 1/4 input,two on board mics in XY and stereo input. this is a powerful unit.