Tips On Recording a Live Concert
Beastiemania.com
realizes that there obvious ethical arguments with regard to the
clandestine recording of concert performances. Due to this fact
we hereby do not endorse nor do we encourage people to record
concerts without the consent of the performing artist. However
we feel that the recording of concerts is an interesting topic
and one that fans would be interested in reading about.
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Few people are willing to
sacrifice the freedom of being able to move around, dance, and
pogo at a Beastie Boys concert in order to stand still and record.
However, there are those who do want to record and yet they often
do not know exactly how to go about getting started. The following
should provide the would-be concert recorder with information
on recording devices as well as recording techniques. In the last
ten years the move has been away from analog recording, and towards
digital recording. The average recording set-up now is valued
at around $200-$800. While the actual digital recorder accounts
for a great deal of this investment, many people are surprised
to find out that they still need to purchase a pair of microphones
designed to record in extremely loud situations.
Although the technology of
the digital recording MiniDisc never really caught on with a broader
market, several companies are still actively producing new MiniDisc
recorders and players. New as well as refurbished recording models
frequently sell for less than $50 on eBay.com, which makes the
auction site a must see if you are thinking about purchasing a
portable recorder. MiniDisc blanks traditionally cost around $4.00
apiece and will hold approximately the same amount of music as
a cd will. There are exceptions though; some MD recorders enable
the user to get more recording time out of the MD blank if they
set the machine to record in a different mode. This is similar
to getting 6 hours out of a video cassette as compared to the
standard 2 hours, the user sacrifices elements of quality in exchange
for more time.
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The only other digital audio alternative
to MD recording is the use of a DAT (Digital Audio Tape) recorder.
Portable DAT recorders are much more expensive and although they
provide more taping time and slightly better quality recordings,
for many the benefits are not worth the added expense. DAT blanks
are usually between $8-10 each and often prove to be more difficult
to purchase. When it comes to size, DAT recorders are larger and
thus slightly more difficult to sneak past venue security goons
with. There are those people though that swear by DAT machines
and would never compromise quality nor trade their DATs in for
MDs.
When shopping for recorders, either online
or at retail outlets, it is important to find out whether or not
the machine will allow you to manually set the recording level.
The number one reason for poor quality concert recordings is that
people with recorders are lazy and use the automatic setting instead
of taking the time to manually set the device. A good time to
adjust the manual setting is while an opening act is on stage.
Set the recorder in stand-by mode and watch as the meter bars
light up. If the bars are nearing anywhere close to the top end,
the recording will likely have distortion crackles or pops ever
time the sound level peaks. To prevent this from happening, adjust
the manual level so that the fluctuating meter bars stay in the
middle to lower half of the gauge. It should be noted at this
point that some digital recorders have fantastic automatic recording
adjustments that produce nearly flawless recordings with little
effort. The work though is that one has to do his/her research
to find out which models are known for that.
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Size is another important
issue, many of the newer MD recorders are so small that they can
be slid inside of persons back pocket and walked past security
check points with no detection. These newer MiniDisc recorders
also are more energy efficient requiring only one AA battery,
usually rechargeable, instead of two or three like older models.
Those earlier models can be bought very cheap in second hand electronics
stores or pawn shops, yet one may have to line their sneakers
with extra batteries in order to provide enough power to record
a multi-act concert such as the Beastie Boys had in 1998. Having
batteries inside of a persons shoes can be uncomfortable,
but having to explain to the man with huge biceps why you need
so many batteries is more so.
Once you decide on a recorder,
the next big decision is which microphone to purchase. Within
the concert recording community there are two brands which dominate
in popularity. The first is the Core-Sound,
and the second is Sonic
Studios. Both of these microphone dealers specialize in microphones
used in concert recording. When recording a Beastie Boys concert,
a person needs to have a bass roll off filter as part of his/her
microphone set-up. This addition will cost a few dollars more,
but will eliminate the ultra deep bass that the battery box style
microphones soak up when a song like Pass the Mic
is done live.
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The advice most recorders
hear when it comes to selecting a microphone set-up is, buy
the best that you can afford. Having the recording level
set properly is only 25% of making a great sounding recording,
the balance is all in what type of microphones you used and where
they were placed. Most people like to clip the small microphones
onto the bill of their baseball cap and run the cords down the
back of their t-shirt. Others clip the microphones to sunglasses
and pretend as though the wires are merely part of their North
Face jacket. Either way, it comes down to proper placement. The
sound at an outdoor venue will always be better than indoors,
because the microphones tend to pick up hall boom
or reverb. To avoid this phenomenon, point the microphones towards
the stage and away from stadium walls or concrete floors.
Assuming that one has already
purchased the MD recorder and the microphones to accompany it,
the person still has to pick out a package of MD blanks prior
to the concert. Unlike with video tape blanks, there is not much
difference between the various MD blank manufacturers. Many people
select Sonys MD blanks over the competition, because they
supposedly have a shock absorbing mechanism within.
The sad truth is that if the MD is bumped during the recording
process, more than likely the end product will contain a sound
similar to a cd skip. If one plans to record near the stage, be
conscious of the fact that people pushing and bumping into you
will affect the quality of the recording. The best position to
be in while recording at a concert is behind the soundboard, either
on the floor or in the balcony.
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So now that all the recording
equipment has been purchased, one still has to get it inside of
the venue. Most bands are fairly indifferent when it comes to
concert recording, whereas others support the practice. The problem
with security usually does not stem from the performing artist,
but instead from the venues management. Even if a band,
such as Pearl Jam, has stated that open recording is permitted;
the venue may still have an anti-taping policy set in stone. It
is nearly impossible to reason with venue management or argue
ones way past security, so that leaves deception as the
only alternative.
A person planning to record
should always arrive an hour before the first band takes the stage.
This provides time to position the devices in pockets and body
cavities, so as to avoid detection. Ideally a friend should aid
your efforts and work as an accomplice. Females seem to have an
advantage when it comes to getting past security checkpoints.
They never seem suspicious and are able to distract the security
goons with a purse full of cosmetics while the tiny MD recorder
is tucked neatly into their jackets inner pocket. Females
also have the ability to get larger recording devices inside by
simply hiding them inside of tampon boxes and then putting the
box inside of a backpack. For some reason event staff will avoid
tampon boxes like the plague and this is especially true if they
have already encountered a loose maxi-pad in their search of the
purse.
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As stated above, backpacks
are a recorders best friend. They serve dual purpose and
can also act as a decoy. Assume that the muscle bound event staff
attend some sort of training course where they are shown different
things that they must search, more than likely backpacks
are part of the demonstration. This can work to our advantage
when we use the backpack to distract security from our bulging
crotch. The backpack should always contain a sweatshirt, with
a disposable camera wrapped up inside. Flash photography is a
huge no-no, and the camera will be immediately confiscated leaving
the security worker feeling very fulfilled. To avoid having to
buy a disposable camera, simply stop by a photo shop and ask an
employee to pull one out of their garbage for you.
Coolers can also serve the
same deceptive purpose at outdoor venues. Most festivals allow
coolers, but discourage patrons from bringing in their own alcohol.
Simply give the security some element of contraband to discover
and it will distract them from your real infraction. Coolers with
false bottoms have been popular over the years with video recorders,
yet one needs to be particularly careful not mix electronics with
melting ice.
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Following the tragedy of September 11th,
2001, many venues added metal detectors to their entrances. This
was initially thought to be the kiss of death to concert recording,
since all recorders contain metal components. Instead though,
concert goers rose to meet the challenge and defied all odds by
recording both of the Beastie Boys October 2001 performances at
the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York. When all else fails, people
who are intent on getting a performance recorded may turn to bribery.
Spending $20 on hush money is a small investment when it means
that the day after the show, while others are talking about the
set you are listening to it.
Having successfully passed by the venues
gate security, the next priority for a concert recorder is finding
a restroom. Restrooms provide the privacy required to remove the
previously hidden recording devices and reposition them. When
one finally reaches their appropriate seat within the venue it
is time to survey the landscape and develop a mental plan for
positioning the microphones. It is always a good idea to attend
live performances in groups of three. This way the person with
the recorder can sit in the middle and not have to worry about
a neighbor alerting security. For instances where it is a solo
taping job, the sweatshirt located inside the decoy backpack should
now be removed and used to shield the MD or DAT recording from
prying eyes.
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The number one problem that
most people encounter while recording can be prevented for only
$2.00. The problem is that they can not see what they are doing
once the house lights are turned off within a venue. Outdoors
there may be natural lighting, but night shows still can be dark
if there isnt a full moon out. An inexpensive pen shaped
flash light is the best investment a potential recorder can make.
The flashlight can easily pass by security inspection, and provide
light in critical time like when one needs to change MD blanks
midway through a performance.
There are two other pitfalls
that are likely to occur when one MD is exchanged for another.
The first mistake many people make happens when the recorder is
actively saving the recording onto the MiniDisc. While saving
the machines display may say something in regard to saving
Table of Contents or TOC. If the recorder had been bumped or opened
during this critical period, the data would be lost. Once the
TOC has been written, one should immediately slide the plastic
tab across so that the MiniDisc can no longer be recorded upon
by mistake.
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Often people are concerned
about what the consequences will be if they are caught in the
middle of recording a concert. The outcome will of course vary
from venue to venue, but generally two things usually happen.
Number one is that the security goon will likely request that
you hand over your MiniDiscs or DATs immediately to him or her
and encourage you to cease further recording. Realizing the limited
intelligence of your adversary, you may choose to hand over your
blank MDs while retaining the one that you had actually used in
the recording process. The second thing is that security may ask
you to come with them. At this point you have a couple
of options: comply or take off running. If you choose to comply
with their request it will likely lead to a short lecture by venue
management followed by your ejection from the concert area. Most
venue employees know better than to confiscate your recording
device and microphones for fear of legal action. Truly the worst
they can do is scare you, by threatening to call the police. Their
upper hand in the matter is complete illusion. No band wants word
to get out that a die hard fan was accosted during a concert performance,
so the matter will likely be dropped as soon as the venue management
finishes with their live concert recording is wrong
lecture.
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