Recording a Concert

[Zach95]

I'm not sure if this has been brought up lately, but I was wondering what some of you concert-going veterans would recommend for recording one of the anniversary concerts in somewhat decent audio quality.  I'll be attending the concert in Saratoga Springs, NY, and I would really love to be able to go back and listen to the concert and even upload it to the web for all of you who won't be attending one of the concerts to hear.  I'm quite unfamiliar with what I would need, or anything regarding the process.

Thanks!

[Iron Horse-Apples]

Go and buy a decent digital field recorder and a decent stereo mike. Do this now.

[Shady]

And if that's too expensive a nice ipad should get the job done.

Security won't notice that

[Justin]

Well audience recording isn't really something many artists invite their fans to do at their shows.  So let's be clear that it's most likely that the BB are not ones to officially support this (as far as I know).  You can go about recording a show any way you want based on what you have.  You can use an Iphone--but be prepared to get exactly what you pay for with that....low quality.  Most audience recordings are now done with DAT recorders whereby you can take the recording home and fiddle with the EQ to bring crowd noise down and fix levels.  Do a search on Amazon or whatever for the latest digital recorders and you can see for yourself what they run.  Obviously, the more expensive the product the better the quality will be.  

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

I'm not sure if this has been brought up lately, but I was wondering what some of you concert-going veterans would recommend for recording one of the anniversary concerts in somewhat decent audio quality.  I'll be attending the concert in Saratoga Springs, NY, and I would really love to be able to go back and listen to the concert and even upload it to the web for all of you who won't be attending one of the concerts to hear.  I'm quite unfamiliar with what I would need, or anything regarding the process.

Thanks!

Hey man! I'll be at that show!
My dad was actually supervisor in that area!
How long have you lived here?

[The Shift]

Jeff Foskett's always very obliging in this regard. If you wave your mic at him during the performance he'll maybe even sing you a private chorus of "Security...!"

I always used a MiniDisc recorder but the batteries these days are a bastard to keep charged. All mine have gone tits-up, no exception.

Not that I ever did, or would condone...

[Iron Horse-Apples]

Well audience recording isn't really something many artists invite their fans to do at their shows.  So let's be clear that it's most likely that the BB are not ones to officially support this (as far as I know).  You can go about recording a show any way you want based on what you have.  You can use an Iphone--but be prepared to get exactly what you pay for with that....low quality.  Most audience recordings are now done with DAT recorders whereby you can take the recording home and fiddle with the EQ to bring crowd noise down and fix levels.  Do a search on Amazon or whatever for the latest digital recorders and you can see for yourself what they run.  Obviously, the more expensive the product the better the quality will be.  

DAT recorders? What do you do your back ups on, Betamax?

 

Seriously though, I use mini-disk (just as antiqued), and you get a great sound. If you're using a dedicated recorder though, make sure you set the recording level low.

[Justin]

HA!  I meant to just say digital recorders...not specifically DAT!

Or maybe the OP could just use this:

[Austin]

Important thing to note: check the levels beforehand (and since it's a concert, keep them low) or you'll wind up with distortion. A non-distorted recording from an iPhone is preferable to a blown recording from a $300 field recorder.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

HA!  I meant to just say digital recorders...not specifically DAT!

Or maybe the OP could just use this:

My bet is that would be better quality than an i-phone!

[Justin]

No doubt about it!

[Iron Horse-Apples]

Here's what you want



Just make sure you turn that handle at a steady speed, and take plenty of spare cylinders!

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[Justin]

Ha nice.  And they're easy to stuff in your pants to get past security.

[send me a picture and i'll tell you]

I have the Zoom H1.  Haven't tried it for a rock concert yet, but should be great.  And it's less than $100. And it's small.

[anazgnos]

Zoom, Edirol, & Tascam all make decent quality hand-held self-contained digital recorders for around $100-$200.

[filledeplage]

Jeff Foskett's always very obliging in this regard. If you wave your mic at him during the performance he'll maybe even sing you a private chorus of "Security...!"

I always used a MiniDisc recorder but the batteries these days are a bastard to keep charged. All mine have gone tits-up, no exception.

Not that I ever did, or would condone...

Yes, on the Security alert...

It would be great for the guys to have the shows taped, if it is not already in place, and make a "highlights" DVD of the 50th.  Ultimately buying a concert DVD (like Knebworth) would be more cost effective than defending a Copyright Action.   

[SG7]

Booting a show is like fight club. The first rule is to never tell anyone you are booting a show 

Not sure about Mike and Bruce, but for Brian they are very big on people not booting the shows. I remember going to a few shows where they took recording devices off of people.

[Steve Mayo]

recorders are small enough now and sensitive enough that one can place them in a shirt pocket during the show. keeping quiet and fairly still one can record any show and never get caught.

[adamghost]

This is probably obvious, but make sure that your recorder has an adjustable input level (or at the VERY least, some kind of built in compressor), or you're going to hear a wall of distortion when you play it back.

[guitarfool2002]

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/portable-field-recorders
That is a good selection of field recorders from a place I deal with often, Musician's Friend. Free shipping, express shipping if requested, and a good return/guarantee policy. These are better than iPhones or Pads or whatever, anything with the stereo x-y mic capsules should deliver a good quality recording from the audience. Just don't have the mic in contact with a shirt pocket or any other fabric, you'll get a lot of that horrible noise if you do.

And don't forget the lesson which Rerun had to learn the hard way when those mean-looking dudes recruited him to bootleg a Doobie Brothers show on the classic episode of "What's Happening!". Anyone considering bootlegging a show should watch this and seriously consider whether you want to be a Rerun, or be cool with the Doobie Brothers and just enjoy the show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3Lb7Y4_zYk

[Justin]

And don't forget the lesson which Rerun had to learn the hard way when those mean-looking dudes recruited him to bootleg a Doobie Brothers show on the classic episode of "What's Happening!". Anyone considering bootlegging a show should watch this and seriously consider whether you want to be a Rerun, or be cool with the Doobie Brothers and just enjoy the show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3Lb7Y4_zYk

Hilarious!

[meltedwhiskeyinmyhand]

Zoom H2

[Steve Mayo]

olympus ds 40
lowest mic setting....

(real trick was using tape recorders and cassette tape back before things went digital)

[Zach95]

Thanks for all the advice, you've all scared me quite a bit   I'll definitely look into some of these devices, though I don't want to spend too much.

@FatherOfTheMan, I actually live in Syracuse NY, have lived there for sixteen years and am almost 17 now, and we're driving to Saratoga Springs because it's the closest show.  We should meet up!

[37!ws]

The last several concerts to which I've been -- including two of Brian's -- are testaments that these days security, despite all kinds of pre-show threats and warnings, does NOT exist. I know someone with a Sony H3 digital camera -- not big but definitely bigger than your average small deals that most people have -- who may have snapped several really good pictures of Brian and the band during a concert due to the lax security.