Cable length = pro gig

[Carey Carlan]

Is it just me, or does it seem to you like the more important the gig, the
more professional the results need to be, the more mic cable you need?

A battery powered DAT recorder sitting under a tall stand with a stereo
pair on top just won't do it when the customer wants it "just right".

[Rob Reedijk]

Carey Carlan > wrote:
> Is it just me, or does it seem to you like the more important the gig, the
> more professional the results need to be, the more mic cable you need?

> A battery powered DAT recorder sitting under a tall stand with a stereo
> pair on top just won't do it when the customer wants it "just right".

Sure. I almost always set up my recorder in a separate room or backstage.
I am rarely in sight of the audience. Sometimes this means I have 100 to
200 feet of cable between my mics and the preamps.

And once you get into bringing speakers and a poweramp for proper monitoring
it starts to be a hassle. But this is still nothing compared to a remote
16 track recording of jazz or pop. Then it's a pile of gear!

I would actually like to do some of the cheapie recitals directly to one
of the Marantz portable CD recorders. Imagine---show up at 7:30. Set
up mic/stand and recorder. Recital starts at 8:00pm. Recital ends at
9:30 pm. 9:45pm give finalised CDRs to client. Client hands over a
cheque. 9:45pm to 10:15pm have some of the eats laid out for the
audience and performers after the concert. 10:15pm head on home.

Don't even have to see the client again. If there's any editing, it's
extra.

And all I had to bring is the recorder, mic stand, mics, cables headphones,
and CDRs. I can travel on the subway with that.

Rob R.

[Rob Reedijk]

Carey Carlan > wrote:
> Is it just me, or does it seem to you like the more important the gig, the
> more professional the results need to be, the more mic cable you need?

> A battery powered DAT recorder sitting under a tall stand with a stereo
> pair on top just won't do it when the customer wants it "just right".

Sure. I almost always set up my recorder in a separate room or backstage.
I am rarely in sight of the audience. Sometimes this means I have 100 to
200 feet of cable between my mics and the preamps.

And once you get into bringing speakers and a poweramp for proper monitoring
it starts to be a hassle. But this is still nothing compared to a remote
16 track recording of jazz or pop. Then it's a pile of gear!

I would actually like to do some of the cheapie recitals directly to one
of the Marantz portable CD recorders. Imagine---show up at 7:30. Set
up mic/stand and recorder. Recital starts at 8:00pm. Recital ends at
9:30 pm. 9:45pm give finalised CDRs to client. Client hands over a
cheque. 9:45pm to 10:15pm have some of the eats laid out for the
audience and performers after the concert. 10:15pm head on home.

Don't even have to see the client again. If there's any editing, it's
extra.

And all I had to bring is the recorder, mic stand, mics, cables headphones,
and CDRs. I can travel on the subway with that.

Rob R.

[T Maki]

Well, I think that's a perception problem on the part of the
customer. The general public has this impression of
"recording session" as being some complex pile of equipment
with a gaggle of sweaty guys running around. Unfortuneately,
the impression continues as young people are shown images on
TV, etc. of "recording" that includes images of giga-buck
studio environments.

I believe the end results speak for themselves. When the
customer trusts you enough to hire you, he has to trust you
enough to use the appropriate equipment for the job. Of
course, having a good relationship with the customer goes a
long way to dispelling the myth of requiring an Ed Greene
truck to do a high school band competition.

But to be fair, I have on many occasions set up "eye wash"
equipment for just such a situation as you describe. In
fact, I still do it for some new customers. I'll take a rack
with converters, mic pres, a DAT machine or two and my Crest
XR-20. I'll turn on all the lights, set some knobs, push up
a few un-used faders, and only use two. It's just what you
have to do sometimes. It makes a little more work, but can
help establish a sense of complication that gives the
impression of "professional".

I've found that this business is gettintg less and less
about equipment, and more and more about psychology. It is
my belief that for the most part, we have conquered the
barriers to good sound and recording. We have a long way to
go to conquer the human mind and behavior.


TM




Carey Carlan wrote:
>
> Is it just me, or does it seem to you like the more important the gig, the
> more professional the results need to be, the more mic cable you need?
>
> A battery powered DAT recorder sitting under a tall stand with a stereo
> pair on top just won't do it when the customer wants it "just right".

[T Maki]

Well, I think that's a perception problem on the part of the
customer. The general public has this impression of
"recording session" as being some complex pile of equipment
with a gaggle of sweaty guys running around. Unfortuneately,
the impression continues as young people are shown images on
TV, etc. of "recording" that includes images of giga-buck
studio environments.

I believe the end results speak for themselves. When the
customer trusts you enough to hire you, he has to trust you
enough to use the appropriate equipment for the job. Of
course, having a good relationship with the customer goes a
long way to dispelling the myth of requiring an Ed Greene
truck to do a high school band competition.

But to be fair, I have on many occasions set up "eye wash"
equipment for just such a situation as you describe. In
fact, I still do it for some new customers. I'll take a rack
with converters, mic pres, a DAT machine or two and my Crest
XR-20. I'll turn on all the lights, set some knobs, push up
a few un-used faders, and only use two. It's just what you
have to do sometimes. It makes a little more work, but can
help establish a sense of complication that gives the
impression of "professional".

I've found that this business is gettintg less and less
about equipment, and more and more about psychology. It is
my belief that for the most part, we have conquered the
barriers to good sound and recording. We have a long way to
go to conquer the human mind and behavior.


TM




Carey Carlan wrote:
>
> Is it just me, or does it seem to you like the more important the gig, the
> more professional the results need to be, the more mic cable you need?
>
> A battery powered DAT recorder sitting under a tall stand with a stereo
> pair on top just won't do it when the customer wants it "just right".

[james of tucson]

On 2004-11-19, Carey Carlan > wrote:

> A battery powered DAT recorder sitting under a tall stand with a stereo
> pair on top just won't do it when the customer wants it "just right".

Sounds like a good idea to have that there as well, when the way the
customer insisted you do it goes wrong...

[james of tucson]

On 2004-11-19, Carey Carlan > wrote:

> A battery powered DAT recorder sitting under a tall stand with a stereo
> pair on top just won't do it when the customer wants it "just right".

Sounds like a good idea to have that there as well, when the way the
customer insisted you do it goes wrong...

[james of tucson]

On 2004-11-19, T Maki > wrote:

> It makes a little more work, but can
> help establish a sense of complication that gives the
> impression of "professional".

A photographer friend is complaining about the perception of her
digital camera. It's a pro camera. It's far superior for certain
kinds of work than a 35mm. So she takes her Mamiya to gigs, makes
a big show of setting up umbrellas and slave lights, and ends up
using the digital shots. Pretty nuts, eh?

[james of tucson]

On 2004-11-19, T Maki > wrote:

> It makes a little more work, but can
> help establish a sense of complication that gives the
> impression of "professional".

A photographer friend is complaining about the perception of her
digital camera. It's a pro camera. It's far superior for certain
kinds of work than a 35mm. So she takes her Mamiya to gigs, makes
a big show of setting up umbrellas and slave lights, and ends up
using the digital shots. Pretty nuts, eh?

[TonyP]

"james of tucson" > wrote in message
atory.com...
> A photographer friend is complaining about the perception of her
> digital camera. It's a pro camera. It's far superior for certain
> kinds of work than a 35mm. So she takes her Mamiya to gigs, makes
> a big show of setting up umbrellas and slave lights, and ends up
> using the digital shots. Pretty nuts, eh?

Not at all. The camera used is irrelevant to the lighting required, assuming
similar apertures and equivalent film speeds.
Those umbrellas and slaves will be required (or not as the case may be) for
either film or digital.

TonyP.