Hello again friends! I didn’t have internet for a bit, but I have one last issue to decide regarding the US-1800 before recording a live band, and you guys were so helpful last time I thought I’d try bothering you one more time if that's alright haha. If its annoying, just ignore me!
My setup is:
Drums: 2 overheads, 57 on snare, TBD on kick drum
Guitar1: Ribbon(rented R10 or?) paired with a dynamic(trial and error 7B, 57, e609)
Guitar2: Dynamic mic(same 3)
Bass: Dynamic mic (TBD)
This adds up to using all 8 of the XLR inputs.
On top of this there are two vocals. I’m putting these last because they are the least important in terms of the live tracking, might just be scratch vocals anyway, but sometimes it works out well singing in the moment and I’d like to keep options open if so. Also, just psychologically, we’re so used to singing and playing at once that oddly, it might effect the performance a bit to know the vocals don’t count, if that makes any sense. In the future this would all be good to know regardless.
1) I have this XENYX1002 Behringer unit, it has the two XLR inputs I need. Just to clarify, to connect it with the Tascam US-1800, is it more advisable to run it TRS to 11-14 line inputs or (any specific cable?) to the Digital inputs? It seems like both have been suggested here and elsewhere, though I might well just be getting confused over nothing, my ADD and OCD can make me generate confusion out of thin air at times haha, so please forgive me if that’s what I’m doing right now. It may be that neither is as ideal as straight to the Tascam XLR inputs, but is there a least damaging/most effective method?
Would I run the cables to the Tascam from the Behringer Mic Line-Ins or the Main Outs?
I’ve done something similar to this once before and it worked out well, but I only connected one additional XLR in a fashion that I now realize was rather naive. I have an ART preamp I used last time but there’s only one XLR input, I believe I sent it to the instrument input, whups. There’s no EQ/FX on the ART, its just a straight preamp, which makes me wonder if its better suited somehow for a clean recording. I was thinking I’d just leave the EQ knobs all on 0 on the Behringer. The Behringer board is not the most high end, so if anyone has enough knowledge to object to it specifically, I could always rent something else to attach perhaps(like the ART but with two XLR inputs). I’m not as particular as some people that way, but I still wanna do my best, and you all have a lot more experience/knowledge than me!
2) If I have a pair of condensers for drum overheads, I’ll presumably need phantom power. I would like to use a ribbon mic for electric guitar. If I use the 1-4 button for the phantom, and leave it off for the rest, there should be no risk of damaging the ribbon mic right? I’m a little paranoid with such expensive mics, so this is just a reassurance question that I’m likely answering myself, I’ve never used a ribbon before but I want to try capturing more of the guitar than I’ve gotten with a dynamic shoved against the amp(distorted guitar especially seems to lose something in this method).
I have some recording PTSD from all the times I tried to figure things out myself and messed things up, so this might all seem kinda helpless, every little thing I’m thinking of (whelp, sorry), but its my last inquiry before I get to work. I’ll be quite thankful for any little part answered. Also, suggestions regarding my setup/mics are quite welcome too if anyone has thoughts that way, though as far as I know its mostly fine, so I’m not currently worried about that. Thank you guys so much for any of your time! I appreciate you sharing any knowledge, I hope to have the opportunity to pay it forward someday.