What is the best way to go about recording in this unique situation?

[recordinger]

How do I record in this situation? (Live Jazz)

I am recording my jazz group (drums, bass, guitar, vox ) live for a simple good quality demo.

I have to record this live because it is Jazz music. Other wise, this wouldn't be hard. I have a Tascam 1800 usb interface that has 8 XLR inputs and 2 line ins. PT10.... A drum mic pack, a ST51 sterling condenser and a sm58 is my gear available.

Drums: 2 Over Heads, 1 snare mic, and 1 bass mic
Bass: DI to XLR input
Guitar: direct line in
Room mic: ST51 (close to the singer)


The only thing that I don't know what to do with is the vocals. (She would most likely have to use the SM58 mic because its the only mic I have left, unless I don't use a room mic... I have a PA system that the singer can sing out of, but that wouldn't be the best recording quality. At the same time, it would be best if we could hear her sing while we are playing with her... I was thinking that the only solution would be to compromise and have the singer wear monitored headphones so she could hear herself, while we play along, but we can't hear her. BTW, this is a live recording without click track.

Thanks so much in advance.. I hope I described this correctly! Please let me know if you'd like more details

 

[Chili]

Maybe you can buy a headphone amp and each person can buy a set of headphones. Monitor from the US-1800.

 

[rob aylestone]

For jazz like this, then the room mic is the one that really can be swapped with the singer. If you get the musicians sorted out, then making the close miked sources sound more live is pretty simple with careful eq and reverb treatment. I suspect the room mic is for the audience, rather than the room? Your biggest problem will be spill into the drum overheads if everything is DI'd. So it's making sure the guitar amp, and I assume it's an electric bass not upright, so also having an amp that will spill. You mention a PA could be available which makes me think there might not be real audience? If so forget monitors, put them into a circle facing each other and there's no need for any amplification of her voice if it's at typical jazz levels. Why not just try it out, listen back and then adjust to cure any problems you discover. On the kit remember that nothing says the overheads need to face down, if spill is an issue then bring the overheads forward and then aim them backwards so the amps are in the sides or rear. Sounds like a pretty simple-ish recording with the problems coming from the amplified instruments.

 

[gecko zzed]

I would go with four mikes on kit, DI on the bass, mike the guitar and a mike for vocals.

Spread out as far as you can into the room and just record it live.

 

[Bop Stop Studio]

Agree with above post. Mic each source. You will be getting enough room when you mix it all and the vocal will be in front, not optimally, but will be picking up all instruments like a room mic.

Obviously mic bleed is unavoidable with jazz, but embrace the BLEAD!!

Monitoring is an issue. Usually hearing each other with Jazz is not a problem, as the volume levels are usually matched to the vocalist, but if the music is dynamic hearing the vocal, will require monitoring. I record Jazz primarily, tracked all together, the acoustics of the room critical obviously. I use headphones, but jazzers even dislike that, but required as I have a drum screen up and some other isolation Gobos etc... If you have very good floor monitors and this is just a sample, then you might get away with those, but not ideal.
Outside of that you should be able to get decent quality samples for sure.