recording live mixes !

[jenNW278]

bonjour fellow audiophiles!


jen nw here, wondering what your suggestions are for recording blended live mixes.

i am hoping to get a new computer (mac book or mac book pro) soon, as well as some type of interface.

i am considering going vintage (tascam mk 414)
or "modern", ie some type of usb 4 track input interface.

my plan is to take a stereo L-R image from RCA outs from our console (allen & heath GL2400) and blend them with a stereo pair of condensers, or a single condenser for a "room" tone.

i would love some suggestions or general input (have you done this before?) on

a) the type of mix i might be able to acquire from this setup
b) if you have a "better" setup that you have used successfully (which is not expensive...$ is a concern for me) that you might suggest
c) any specific condensers you would reccommend for purchase for this purpose (i would love an AKG c414, but don't really have the 600-1000 to drop...maybe something similar in response but not as pricey?)

i know you pay for what you get in the world of audio...
i hope to have more $$$ in the future to up my gear/rigs

all of this will be used to create a sonic portfolio to hopefully expand my professional opportunities. thanks so much for reading and i hope to hear from you soon.

[Andy Peters]

Record the console mix outputs and the room mics to separate tracks, and during mixdown experiment with delaying the console mix.

-a

[jhharvest]

Imo the biggest issue with using the live console mixdown in a recording is that it's been balanced and EQ'd to suit the PA speakers. Even making a separate mix in a sub channel is problematic because monitoring in the room is next to impossible. I've had to do this in a pinch and it rarely works very well, unless you have years of experience and can tell what it'll sound like with just looking at the console.

So I guess my recommendation is to either: hire a multitracker or get long XLR leads and monitor your mix in the next room. Closed-back headphones might help you if you are very familiar with their sound. Also pack a crowbar so you can knock out the live sound engineer and mess up his PA mix.