Tapers.

[s1rrah]

Are there any "tapers" around here? I played in bands for years, also have been in to recording/production of other bands over the years. 

 

But still, I find nothing to be nearly as fun as stealthing in to some bar/club otherwise "venue" ... with permission or not (Noah and the Whale's tour manager recently kicked me out of a show) and taping/recording the performance with the only requirement to make it sound like it sounded when I heard it/saw/listened to it. And then publishing it.

 

I write as a trade; I also have made original music as a trade and so intellectual property shit is not an issue; I buy.

 

A hacker tag from my early 80's BBS days comes to mind here, "Information wants to be free" ... and that's, generally the spirit with which I and my like minded cohorts here in Houston adhere to. It's generally, and at a technical level, illegal (unless we get express approval): most of the acts we capture are signed, many are not. But again, other than Noah and the Whale's prissy-ass manager (who actually demanded that I give him my SIM card from the Zoom recorder I was using) most artists have not minded; some even, like The Low Anthem, have even invited us.

 

Anyway ... 

 

Was curious if any one else out there makes a habit of recording live acts; I do (and several here in Houston, do) and I find it endlessly challenging in regards to being able to quickly (occasionally quietly) set up some sort of device to capture a room sound in a way that ends up sounding like the room.

 

I've got lots of such shenanigans documented online at youtube ... and here is one such example. 

 

The following was captured via a Zoom H4N (internal mics) as well as an Audio Technica AT822 patched in to the Zoom's mic input. I was shooting with a Canon HV40 video camera, FWIW. I was about five feet from the lead singer guy. The rest of the band were easily within 10/15 feet of me. Very intimate setting. The band (Dr. Dog) were playing a free, in-store performance at the only real record store left in Houston, Cactus. There were about 150 people behind me. It sounds pretty much like we heard it with our human ears ... the band had very little amplification, mostly un amped, other than the vocals. Small room, flourescent lights, and in a record store. 

...

 

(I hope this link displays in-line, still suss'ing the forums protocol)

 

...

 

 

Edited November 18, 2013 by s1rrah

[deepak]

IIRC grawk was a taper (also Phil Lesh's ball washer)

[grawk]

I was a taper, and never once washed Phil's balls...I enjoyed it for a while, tho it's been quite a few years.

[s1rrah]

I guess everyone has to wash some balls every now and again. LOL ... (I know I sure have) ...   .. I am not ashamed.

[Dusty Chalk]

Well that was awkward.

[acidbasement]

I appreciate audio recordings of concerts, and I'd like to start accumulating gear toward making my own (mostly for my own performances).  Video is another story.  Those viewfinders can be very distracting to other audience members - maybe I'm just being overly anal, but it bugs me when I have to look around someone else's camera for an entire performance that I've paid to see.

 

I'm a bit conflicted on this though, because as a musician I do recognize the promotional advantages of having concert footage on youtube, even while my performance likely changes somewhat from my awareness (flattery mixed with irritation) that there are people in the audience making video recordings.

Edited November 18, 2013 by acidbasement

[grawk]

My recording was split 70/30 authorized/unobtrusive.  I mostly tried to record stuff no one else was.  I had a small enough setup that if I didn't want to be distracting with my recording setup, no one was bothered...

[skullguise]

I'm with you Iain....I've been the a-hole with the camera held up high recording, as well as trying to look at the stage with one or more of those in my vision.  It's for that specific reason that I don't do that anymore, or if I do I make sure it's short or as unobtrusive as possible.....

[ironbut]

I've been a taper for a while. Mostly jazz in large venues with various cards and hypers but some smaller rooms with omni's.

Here's some of my recordings on SoundCloud.

 

http://soundcloud.com/ironbut28/1-p-metheny-c-potter

[grawk]

I used a schoeps midside rig for most of my recordings, either mk21h or mk4 as center, and mk8 as side.  I used the VMS02iB preamp, and an apogee AD500E AD converter generally, and a sony PCM-M1 or Tascam DA-P1 dat recorder.

I started with sony D6 and marantz PMD-430 cassette decks, and used a variety of mics early on, mostly borrowed.

[ironbut]

Wow,.. nice rig grawk!

All my recordings are done with headworn mini-mic's in stealth mode. Battery box or Church Audio pre > Sony M10.

Usually pretty far back (probably 150 feet back).

[Dusty Chalk]

I have acquired a decent "field recordings" rig, but haven't used it yet, so I follow the technical aspects of this discussion with interest.  In my head, I want to go even smaller, as I don't have the smuggling skills that others have, and I've seen some downright tiny all-in-one boxes, that would pass anything short of a TSA inspection.  (And actually would pass that, too, since it's not a weapon, but would be detected.)

[ironbut]

How "stealthy" you need to be is almost entirely venue dependent.

If you're just starting out, it might be best to scope out the security (since most places use the same security company) beforehand. Personally, if they're using metal detectors and doing pat downs, I don't bother taping and just enjoy the show. I only see that at big rock shows. Most of the shows I go to, they're just looking for booze and weapons.

Otherwise, I sneak all my stuff in neatly packaged and mixed in with other stuff, shuffle off to a bathroom stall and "wire up".

[s1rrah]

I love taping. It's so fun. Red Fang is playing a dive show here in Houston on Dec 5. I'm torn between the labor of actually organizing a proper recording, or just simply enjoying the show. LOL ... decisions. I'll probably just listen: 

 

 

http://youtu.be/p6wMsI5a3F4

Edited November 18, 2013 by s1rrah

[grawk]

 

Otherwise, I sneak all my stuff in neatly packaged and mixed in with other stuff, shuffle off to a bathroom stall and "wire up".

That's how I got caught the one time I did (ever).  I was at the 930 club in DC, setting up in the bathroom, when in comes security demanding I come out.  I'm not sure if they had cameras in the stalls, or if they just randomly did that hoping people would turn themselves in or what.

 

I used all kinds of methods to get gear in.  My favorites were the diaper bag and the fedex box.  But it's mostly about giving them something else to find.  If you have a bottle of water or a beer or something in your bag "kinda" hidden, they'll stop once they find it and take it.

[s1rrah]

Seriously good rock. Dec 5. A new record and everything. 

[ironbut]

That's like a paranoia nightmare come true!

If it was a camera, you gotta wonder what weird stuff those guys have to watch.

 

That's a great idea about the beer though! Fortunately, most of the places I record at aren't very enthusiastic when it comes to searches.

At this point, I'm probably a little too relaxed when comes to hiding my gear.

[s1rrah]

That's how I got caught the one time I did (ever).  I was at the 930 club in DC, setting up in the bathroom, when in comes security demanding I come out.  I'm not sure if they had cameras in the stalls, or if they just randomly did that hoping people would turn themselves in or what.

 

I used all kinds of methods to get gear in.  My favorites were the diaper bag and the fedex box.  But it's mostly about giving them something else to find.  If you have a bottle of water or a beer or something in your bag "kinda" hidden, they'll stop once they find it and take it.

classic.

[AstroTurf]

That's how I got caught the one time I did (ever).  I was at the 930 club in DC, setting up in the bathroom, when in comes security demanding I come out.  I'm not sure if they had cameras in the stalls, or if they just randomly did that hoping people would turn themselves in or what.

 

And so what happened? Did you get the shovel? Nosey Muthers want to know...

[grawk]

I took my gear to my car, and went and watched the show

[s1rrah]

I was just this night thinking about this thread ... and I realized, ..

 

I never even once offered links to .FLACS or otherwise unaltered, true to the event, NON VIDEO type recordings in my posts. Which I guess, just speaking of "Taping" ... is sort of a sin worth metaphoric torture. (I've had it before and so I'll take it).

 

Because among my taper friends ... un altered, digital copies of the event are really the only reason any of us/them record ... (and, sadly, my aforementioned video tracks fall short) ... (even though we/I do have pure audio versions of the same).

 

Anyway, I'm going to post more now, cause I'm bored ...

 

And because me and my friends have recorded so much really good shit around Houston, TX. And because I haven't taken the time to separate the video from the audio and then post proper, lossless .FLACS? Fuck man .. I guess I'll just post more finery ...

 

But still ... this was fun ... it's totally lossy as a video .. really "spikey" in the highs ... ugly in a "digital" way but still listenable (especially if you have really lame ass listening gear).

 

Even at the 720p settings at Youtube, if you have a decent headphone rig, the artifact/strident/clipping nature is bad with this. But the TRUTH should also be equally apparent ... jeezus fuck! Why does YouTube suck so bad?

 

It's a local Houston band that I'm posting ... The Ancient Cat Society .. they invited us to record (as openers for Scout Niblett) ... it's a sensitive bit .. it's not a rock performance! ... and it's insanely good. Me and my friend set up mics and cameras and shit and since there were only about 40 humans in the audience? ... we just took our time with the recording.

 

And here is how it went: 

 

 

...

 

(I think the technical details should be evident in the shot ... at the end or the beginning) ..

Edited November 23, 2013 by s1rrah