Recording live for money

  • Thread starter Thread starter rockandroller
  • Start date Start date
R

rockandroller

New member
I was wondering if anyone out there does in live recording for money. I have a digital portastudio and some decent mics and was pondering doing some live recordings for local bands in the area. I am in a band myself and have good contacts with many local bands and local clubs. I enjoy recording as a hobby, and also like catching local bands and thought there might be an opportunity to make a little cash on the side. Does anyone currently do this? If so, what is the demand, and what is a realistic price for a live room recording w/o additional editing? Any input would be helpful.


Thanks in advance
 
Last edited:
I've been doing live recordings of orchestras, choirs, etc. for $55 an hour plus a $80 setup fee. I definitely don't make my living off it but I find it fun for one and it also provides some extra spending money. I use my comp, 002, and a stereo pair of neumann km-184's.
 
Matt123 Thanks for the reply. How did you get the gigs. Any advertising, or just contacts and word of mouth? Also, did you do any post production? My production capabilities are a bit limited, but I can do some eq-ing. I was thinking of a flat rate for recording and a copy on the spot, with the option for one additional 1 hour session for any post production. Again thanks for the reply.
 
I do live and location recording of anything from live bands to location school recitals to recording for video. It's $45 to show up on location and $45/hr on top of that. But I've also been known to just package a three-set live gig including digital mix to CD-R for an even $200.

It may vary depending on geographical location, but around here there frankly isn't a lot of call for live band recording. There's a catch-22 involved: the more seasoned the band - and therefore the ones most likey to be able to afford the recording - the less likely they are to have a need or desire for such a recording. The flip side of that is the ones most interested in being recorded live are usually the ones with black eyeliner and driver's permits who couldn't afford me even if they cut their waist-long hair and sold it to a wig shop.

It's easier to make money doing the live thing by just playing FOH Man and road tech than it is to record the event. First there's repeat business; get hooked up with a band and you got a gig every time they do. Second, everybody wants to sound good/right live (though not all are willing to pay someone else to do it), but few of them could give a rat's ass as to whether their recorded. Contrary to the population of boards like this, most local circuit bands around here are interested in playing, not recording. And if they are ready to actually make an album, they'll take it into a studio.

This may not be true everywhere, but that's how it is in my orbit.

G.
 
I just recorded a band last Saturday. They were making a video, so I actually dusted off my multi-tracks and actually tracked the band live. (20 tracks)
I also brought a pair of SM81's for overheads and 414's for room mics.
And I ran sound for the show.

$1000 flat Including the mix.

If the board at the venue didn't have direct outputs, I would have been screwed.
 
And take note RnR

the bucks these guys are charging aren't for a portastudio. Take that into consideration. But, do a good job, make a name for yourself, contacts, etc., who knows where it might lead? Right now, you've got to be in it more for the experience, really.
 
I'm not in the industry but I've heard that the
vast majority of bar gigging bands don't
have the cash to pay for this.
I was recently at a local bar where the
band played for the evening. (Nirvana,
Creed, Bush, STP.)
Anyways, I seen the bar manager
hand out about $500 to the
band leader (end of night) who split it between
5 guys -- they had a sound guy
in addition to drums, singer, bass,
guitar.
Anyway, I just got the feeling that
they are not setting money aside
for a music video.
 
Yeah guys I hear ya. Most bands don't make good money for gigs, especially those doing original music, trust me I know. Most of these types aren't doing it for the cash, but the grand hopes of being signed, so maybe their $100 door money might be worth a good live recording. Especially in the myspace era. I figure it would be a learning venture, but at the same time I wouldn't mind getting paid a little for my time. The gear I have is limited, but I think I could still get a decent product with a good matched pair running 24 bit (my machines max). I was just thinking about getting in with some bands I know and getting the word out to those who want to hear what their band sounds like live. I have a show this Fri and we're playing with a band we know well. I'm going to drag the studio out and see what I can get, and see if there is any interest. We'll see. Just looking for something else to do with free time, and maybe a little supplemental $$
 
I dont do advertising, I just get calls from the local symphonies and other groups that know about my services. Again like Glen said, bands aren't really the ones looking to pay someone to do a live recording...
 
I worked for guy doing mobile recording for symphonies and occasional rock groups.

I don't know what the symphony bills were (I'm sure it was big bucks), but recording a set in a club was a flat $200. Stereo mics, dial in an EQ, straight to CD. No compression or anything.

It didn't sound pretty, but like I said, it wasn't my company :)

The guy had a website, but other than that I don't know how me attracted business. I'm guessing that it was mostly word of mouth.
 
I make a few dollars at it here and there, damn sure not a living, but I really love doing live recordings. A lot of my favorite albums are live albums. Not necessarily for the audio quality, but for the raw energy of the live performance.

I have a neat moblie "kit" I have put together. I keep the HD-24 mounted in an anvil case so I can pop it in and out of the studio easily. I usually take my little mackie 1202 and my latest acquisition, a yamaha mg10/2. I can get 8 tracks that way which is usually plenty for recording a band in a bar.

I have assembled a kit of low-cost mics I carry around, I don't feel good about taking my best condensors into a place where a fight may break out and beer bottles start flying etc.

I have a band I recorded an album in the studio with a couple of years ago that I am "following around" on the weekend and catching live shows. If we get enough good stuff, we are planning on putting out a live disc.
 
I did get a call from someone wanting me to
record a piano concert. The first question they
asked was "what mic's do you use?"
I turned down the gig at the time because
I wasn't doing that type or recording.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top