Recording Live Show

[Greykitkat36]

So I have a Boss1600CD 8 Channel Recorder. I'm trying to do live sound for my band as well as record the show. We need a total of 13 channels. Here's what I'm trying to do, can I do it without blowing my recorder?

I'm using a behringer 8-channel mixer for Bass and 4 Vocals which will record onto channel 1 on the recorder. Next on the recorder Channel 2 is guitar, channel 3 is keys, Channel 4 is acoustic guitar, channel 5 is guitar, channel 6 is Lead vocals, Channel 7 is kick, channel 8 is two overhead drum mics plugged into a 3-channel mini mixer. SO basically I have a powered mixer and a mini mixer running into my recorder. Then I'm taking my LINE OUT from the recorder and putting it into different Behirnger Mixer then out to the speakers. Will that work?

 

[Waffleness]

So I have a Boss1600CD 8 Channel Recorder. I'm trying to do live sound for my band as well as record the show. We need a total of 13 channels. Here's what I'm trying to do, can I do it without blowing my recorder?

I'm using a behringer 8-channel mixer for Bass and 4 Vocals which will record onto channel 1 on the recorder. Next on the recorder Channel 2 is guitar, channel 3 is keys, Channel 4 is acoustic guitar, channel 5 is guitar, channel 6 is Lead vocals, Channel 7 is kick, channel 8 is two overhead drum mics plugged into a 3-channel mini mixer. SO basically I have a powered mixer and a mini mixer running into my recorder. Then I'm taking my LINE OUT from the recorder and putting it into different Behirnger Mixer then out to the speakers. Will that work?

I would do the following:

Ch1: Kick
Ch2: OH's (LR channel sub mix)
Ch3: Bass
Ch4: Guitars (2 channel sub mix)
Ch5: Acoustic
Ch6: Keys
Ch7: Lead Vox
Ch8: Backup Vox (4 Channel sub mix)

I would move the channels around depending on the song. For example if you had 1 song with no acoustic guitar, split the vocals or guitar sub mix's up.

I would not use the recording gear as the output for the FOH PA. Use the largest desk you own as a dedicated FOH PA mixer, then take outputs off of that (direct out, or aux's) into your recording gear. If you don't have enough channels on 1 desk, then chaining them together through stereo channels is an option.

Have I understood correctly...? A diagram would be useful.

 

[Greykitkat36]

Yea, you have the basic idea of what I'm trying to do. The problem with taking output from the FOH to my recorder is that I get a lot of clipping..and I can't control each individual track in post-production cause I can only take a Line out of EVERYTHING that's in the FOH. Therefore using the recorder as my FOH seems plausible, that way I have control of it during and after the show.

I'm mainly worried about whether my recorder can handle that much power.

Any advice as to why I keep getting clipped recordings from my FOH to the recorder? I guess since it's taking everything and recording it to two channels must be what's doing it.

But thanks for the help and any more would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Waffleness]

Yea, you have the basic idea of what I'm trying to do. The problem with taking output from the FOH to my recorder is that I get a lot of clipping..and I can't control each individual track in post-production cause I can only take a Line out of EVERYTHING that's in the FOH. Therefore using the recorder as my FOH seems plausible, that way I have control of it during and after the show.

I'm mainly worried about whether my recorder can handle that much power.

Any advice as to why I keep getting clipped recordings from my FOH to the recorder? I guess since it's taking everything and recording it to two channels must be what's doing it.

But thanks for the help and any more would be greatly appreciated.

Ok lets have a look at the kit you are using first - can you tell me which Behringer mixer you are using?

You state that you have a powered mixer and a mini mixer running INTO the recorder. I assume the Behringer is one of those 2, what desk is the other one?

As for the clipping, that is just a gain problem. You either have the output of 1 desk set way too high or you have the gain of the recorder set too high. I would aim for the gain jumping around -18dB, peaking to -6dB at the most, start by reducing the input gain of the recorder, then reduce the output gain of what you are recording.