Recording live - help needed

[DC_]

OK, my background in music - ZERO
If, after reading that, you are still following along, thank you.
I am not in the band, I have been asked to produce the music and recorded it on disc

My Objective: Record live sound, put it on disc
Studio: Garage (turned amature studio)
Band equipment:
Lead Guitar
Rthym Guitar
Bass Guitar
Drums
Keyboard (seldom used, lost a band member, so it may not be used at all)
One main vocals mic
3 (?) back up mics
Amps - not sure if this is important info, not sure exactly but if need, I ca find out.

Mixer/sound board - Yamaha EMX 5000-12


Recording equipment:
Fostex MR-8

Hope that is enough information.

I *think* they have it set up now recording into the Fostex with two 'room' mics. I am given the CF card and told to produce good sounding live music.


My actual question(s):

What is the best way to hook up the equipment that is already available?

What other equipment can be purchased to help achieve what they want?

Recomended software for post-production?

There is not much of a budget for unneccisary things, but essential equipment can be picked up.

What about computer recording? Since the sound is going to be put on a computer anyway. What equipment is needed to record to a PC? I have a plethora of computers and could spare one to act as their studio recorder if that is a viable option.

I have browsed this forum, and other web sites, read the manuals for hte Yamaha and Fostex equipment, but with zero knowledge of musical equipment makes it hard to apply what I read when I don't understand all the terminology.

Any help will be appreciated. Hopefully those more knowlegable can pass on some of their wisdom.

 

[DC_]

One bump. There must be someone here that can offer some suggestions.

 

[Dani Pace]

Recording an entire band (all at once) provides some difficulties, such as balancing the sound (volumes of different instruments,) assorted EQ adjustments, mic placements, person placement and a ton of other factors. It can be done, in the old days they did it and often with one mic. One big problem with recording (even playing for that matter,) in a garage is bare concrete floors, they reflect a lot of sound and increase the likelyhood of electrical shock. Bare walls also echo a lot. Outside sounds manage to find their way in through garage doors, no matter how well you pad them. Overall I'm saying that a garage is not the best place to record for a lot of reasons. A better choice of location might be a club, on a day when they are closed. That way you can get a more realistic sound (especialy if this project is for a demo to present to club owners/managers.) The all at once thing can be done but it does require a delicate ballancing of volumes and mic placement as well as some really good musicians to pull it off.

 

[DJL]

I agree with the above... however, if that's not an option for you yet... close mic everything... and setup the mixer, monitors, etc in another room (hallway, bathroom, or whatever) then just mix live to stereo... use your ears and hope for the best.

 

[DC_]

Thank you for your replies.

It is a small garage that they are in, the floor is covered, the walls are insulated, not an ideal situation, but it is all they have. And I agree that the mic placment and volumes are hard to get right.

I know that without being there and hear it you can't say where the best places to put mic and the volume at which to have the sound BUT, can you recomend good places to start with the mics? Right now one is near the drums (the last recording it was TOO close) and the other is somewhere in front of the band.

It was really fun listening to the first recording and being asked to turn up the lead guitar and turn down the vocals. They couldn't quite grasp the fact that it wasn't possible to do that. At least not in the way that wanted it done and the way they were recording.

The aren't expecting studio sound, but want something to present as a demo and exentually and CD (amature/local band CD of course).

 

[DNGRSCRVS]

Let me just say it's nice to know there's someone out there in the same spot as me. As for the computer you just have to get an interface (sound card) to get the music in the machine, and you have to have a huge amount of hard drive because the tracks take up a lot of space. But I'm sure you figured that out by now. Did you ever find any sources for terminology? That's really been a problem for me.

 

[Dani Pace]

I've done some all at once recording useing 3 mics and the line out from the pa. It's not ideal but it can work. Here's my basic set up; line out from the pa for vocals, one mic on each side of the room about waist high and slightly to the front, one mic hung from the celing slightly in front of the drums. Like I said this isn't an ideal situation but for a general capture all the sound thing it will work fairly well. I am assumeing you are set up much the same as you would if you were playing a gig. A few sound baffels will help too if you have enough room and they don't get in the way, even a heavy blanket draped over a couple of chairs can help seperate the sounds and make it a little easier. Anyway I hope this helps and good luck.

 

[Farview]

How many mics do you have not including the mics that will be used for vocals? If you can scrape up 3, put one in front of the drums. About snare height 1 foot in front of the kick. Put the bass cabinet closest to the drums, if you have 2 bass cabs, put one on each side of the drums. Put one guitar cab on the left and the other on the right (like they probably already do) put a mic about 1 foot in front of each amp. (maybe close mic it, I would have to be there) Pan the guitar mics hard left and right. If you can get a compressor, compress the drum mic. Bring everything into the mixer and mix to taste.