The Nomad's rig

megajoe · Post by **megajoe** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:46 pm

Let's say you wanted to live out of a backpack, or maybe a backpack and suitcase. Not more than you could take on a flight without checking luggage. You want to be able to work anywhere you decide to sit down. So, what are you packin' gear-wise? Obviously a laptop, but what else would go along with you?

Snarl 12/8 · Post by **Snarl 12/8** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:54 pm

What are you trying to get done?

trodden · Post by **trodden** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 10:20 pm

Snarl 12/8 wrote:What are you trying to get done?

a koi pond and some stone work ... Duh...

trodden · Post by **trodden** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 10:29 pm

The op probably wants to record some music. This could be a single individual or a band. When you're living out of a backpack, thumbing it, using the rails, being flexible to survive... Obviously, I'm sure being flexible in the recording dept helps as well. With the Cornucopia of laptop and interfaces avail, this is a good discussion. It can be as simple as using a mobile device like a smart phone or some other handheld like one of the zoom units, or a bit more with a laptop and breakout interface like an m-Box. I'm interested.

Snarl 12/8 · Post by **Snarl 12/8** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 1:23 am

I know he's trying to record, duh?

But what sorts of recordings and what are the op's standards of quality? And budget for chrissakes. Since when does that not matter? You're making a shit ton of assumptions. I'm interested depending on how well what the op cares about jives with what I do.

Duh?!

Gregg Juke · Post by **Gregg Juke** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 5:47 am

Yeah, I'm with Carl (not nough to go on in the original post). My first thought was a Zoom H4N, or even an iPod Touch and a Blue Mikey (which I'm using next weekend as a back-up audio-for-video recorder).

But if he wants to record drums with more than one mike, or have a high-end pre-amp and mike combo for big-time vocals, etc., etc.?

Airports were mentioned; I haven't had major trouble in the past few years, but I've heard of folks having issues with getting audio and video gear through check-points, so obviously compactness and obviousness of intent could be important too (the "it's not a bomb" factor).

GJ

ott0bot · Post by **ott0bot** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 8:24 am

I could make this fit in a meduim rolling suitcase that would fit in the overhead compartment, and maybe a larger padded backpack:

For the DAW:
Macbook Pro (with durable foam sleeve) & an RME BabyFace

Hardware:
pair of Sennheiser hd280's with a 1 1/4" - 3.5mm adapter, a pair of octava mc012's (with pads, omni and cardiod capsules), an AT4050, an Electrovoice 635a, 4 xlr cables, 4 trs cables, 2 xlr-trs adapters, 2 adat cables, 2 small telescoping boom stands and mic clips and windscreens for each mic.

Although the babyface only has 2 mic pre's, with the combinations of the mics I selected you can capture nearly any souce. And since the RME can expand with an adat interface, if you happen to be somewhere with some other recoding interface you can hook up the two adat cables, expand your i/o and utilize their equipment.

casey campbell · Post by **casey campbell** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 9:22 am

motu ultra lite or motu traveler would be better for the extra xlr's

api 3124, or for cheaper and smaller: a 4 channel compact console for the pre's and routing options

a laptop

a daw with plugins on the laptop including a drum replacement software

a 57 or equivalent

beta 91 kick drum mic (vary small and slender)

4 beta 98's (extremely compact tom mics)

2 pro37r's (very small and versatile microphone)

at4050 multi-pattern mic

8 microphone cables

stands will be an issue

ultra lite and traveler already has a d.i.

you could pack a couple of the korg nano controllers if you wanted to get fancy
for synths and something tactile in mixing...

in ear monitors (for tracking and smaller than headphones)

studio monitors will be an issue since they are usually larger in size for any kind of accuracy.

trodden · Post by **trodden** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 9:24 am

Snarl 12/8 wrote:I know he's trying to record, duh?

But what sorts of recordings and what are the op's standards of quality? And budget for chrissakes. Since when does that not matter? You're making a shit ton of assumptions. I'm interested depending on how well what the op cares about jives with what I do.

Duh?!

Snarl 12/8 wrote:
Jeez. Lighten up.

ott0bot · Post by **ott0bot** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 9:52 am

casey campbell wrote:motu ultra lite or motu traveler would be better for the extra xlr's

api 3124, or for cheaper and smaller: a 4 channel compact console for the pre's and routing options

a laptop

a daw with plugins on the laptop including a drum replacement software

a 57 or equivalent

beta 91 kick drum mic (vary small and slender)

4 beta 98's (extremely compact tom mics)

2 pro37r's (very small and versatile microphone)

at4050 multi-pattern mic

8 microphone cables

stands will be an issue

ultra lite and traveler already has a d.i.

you could pack a couple of the korg nano controllers if you wanted to get fancy
for synths and something tactile in mixing...

in ear monitors (for tracking and smaller than headphones)

studio monitors will be an issue since they are usually larger in size for any kind of accuracy.

That's really not going to fit in a back pack or carry on for sure. But...you could check that in, and risk damage...which is what i think is trying to be avoided. If you are going to go with rack mount great like the API or the motu traveler...you may as well save space and get a Presonus firepod or Focusrite saphire pro or something else with 8 mic pre's, them bring a few more mics. Having API rack gear on the road just seems like bad idea, budget wise. You can leave those in the studio for overdubs, and take your cheaper, more easily replacable gear on the road.

I was thinking that having a higher quality interface with decent mic pre's (the rme) and sticking to stereo recordings would be more efficient. I think you can get a decent drum sound with two mics, and you can even overdub cymabals. You can record a singer playing guitar with 2 mics...and everything can be done in overdubs.

Heck if you want to go super compact get a Korg Sound on Sound, a break out cable and a few extra mics and you'll be able to do quite a bit.

the finger genius · Post by **the finger genius** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 10:09 am

Just curious, what's the plan for mic stands, cables, etc...? I can't imagine trying to get any # of mic stands onto a flight without checking baggage.

Anyway, I currently have two mobile rigs (depending on how compact I want to be.)

One has a digi002, an Alesis converter, a 4 channel sytek, 4 Yamaha PM1000 pres, and a 2 channel vintagedesign / TK Audio pre. It all fits in a 6 space rack, and I can record 16 pretty sweet channels.

For times when I can't bring all that, I have an Mbox Pro, and a Summit 2BE pre. (I got the Mbox Pro so I can record more channels if I want to bring along extra pres.)

ott0bot · Post by **ott0bot** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 10:37 am

the finger genius wrote:Just curious, what's the plan for mic stands, cables, etc...? I can't imagine trying to get any # of mic stands onto a flight without checking baggage.

I have two of these:Samson mini booms. I used them for recording a live show recently. When I screwed off the base they fit in my carry-on size rolling bag quite well. They did even fit with the base on...but better with it removed. Really sturdy and they actually go tall enough for everything except a vocalist. When set on a table or counter top it would work just fine.

the finger genius · Post by **the finger genius** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 11:04 am

ott0bot wrote: Really sturdy and they actually go tall enough for everything except a vocalist. When set on a table or counter top it would work just fine.

Drum OHs? I think the earlier question around what the source of these recording might be would really help drive a lot of this conversation in the right direction.

casey campbell · Post by **casey campbell** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 11:09 am

ott0bot wrote:
casey campbell wrote:motu ultra lite or motu traveler would be better for the extra xlr's

api 3124, or for cheaper and smaller: a 4 channel compact console for the pre's and routing options

a laptop

a daw with plugins on the laptop including a drum replacement software

a 57 or equivalent

beta 91 kick drum mic (vary small and slender)

4 beta 98's (extremely compact tom mics)

2 pro37r's (very small and versatile microphone)

at4050 multi-pattern mic

8 microphone cables

stands will be an issue

ultra lite and traveler already has a d.i.

you could pack a couple of the korg nano controllers if you wanted to get fancy
for synths and something tactile in mixing...

in ear monitors (for tracking and smaller than headphones)

studio monitors will be an issue since they are usually larger in size for any kind of accuracy.
That's really not going to fit in a back pack or carry on for sure. But...you could check that in, and risk damage...which is what i think is trying to be avoided. If you are going to go with rack mount great like the API or the motu traveler...you may as well save space and get a Presonus firepod or Focusrite saphire pro or something else with 8 mic pre's, them bring a few more mics. Having API rack gear on the road just seems like bad idea, budget wise. You can leave those in the studio for overdubs, and take your cheaper, more easily replacable gear on the road.

I was thinking that having a higher quality interface with decent mic pre's (the rme) and sticking to stereo recordings would be more efficient. I think you can get a decent drum sound with two mics, and you can even overdub cymabals. You can record a singer playing guitar with 2 mics...and everything can be done in overdubs.

Heck if you want to go super compact get a Korg Sound on Sound, a break out cable and a few extra mics and you'll be able to do quite a bit.

1. i addressed the size of the api and said that perhaps he'd be better off to use a small quality mixer.

2. everything else is very compact (all of the mics), and the traveler is small as well (hence the name "traveler").

3. the o.p. never mentioned what type of projects he was doing. if it's full band, im sure not many of them would be cool to just use 2 mics on drums...but then again, he may just need it for personal idea type use....so who knows.

hey you know what? that new roland octacapture has 8 pres and all kinds of other goodies as well for tracking and it has a small footprint!

trodden · Post by **trodden** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 11:13 am

casey campbell wrote: 3. the o.p. never mentioned what type of projects he was doing.

KOI POND!!!

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