Live Recording Made Easy with Modern Technology!
by
, 08-06-2007 at 06:00 PM (5739 Views)
Technology has come a long way for those of us who like to do live recording. At one time I would lug a reel-to-reel tape recorder, 2 microphones, 2 mic stands, and enough extension cords to reach the nearest outlet. My setup was a bit conspicuous and time consuming.
In a couple recent performances I used my super-small digital recorder and a one-piece stereo microphone. For one of those, I neglected to bring along a proper mic clip to fit a standard mic stand, so I simply used a music stand and the little tripod that came with my stereo mic. The recording was a clean digital WAV file, which I quickly transferred to my laptop computer.
My recorder of choice is the Roland Edirol R-09. It has mic and line inputs, an input sensitivity switch, selectable automatic or manual level control, and the ability to record in full digital WAV format or in various compression levels as an MP3 file (to save storage space). Its very easy to set up and use. If you don't have an external microphone, there are built-in stereo mics on each side of the case. Those mics are not at all bad, but I prefer the placement flexibility of an external mic. Battery life is many hours of recording time on standard AA rechargeable NIMH batteries, and it stores the recording on a standard SD card (such as many digital cameras use). It can also server as a fine MP3 player between recording gigs. You can find the recorder on this page:
Amazon Tuba-Euphonium Store Recording Gear
Also on that page is a cover/stand combination. Normally the recorder comes without a case. It is not hard to place it, but the case has a small tripod on the bottom that might help you place it more easily if you are not using an external microphone. You will see the case on the page linked above.
The microphone I used is made by Sony. It is a stereo microphone with adjustable capsules - you can have them point either straight off the end of the mic or perpendicular to the mic, and the stereo angle is adjustable for 90-degree or 120-degree spread. It runs for a very long time an a standard AA bettery. The mic comes with a small tripod and a clip, plus a cord with a stereo plug on the end. The mic can be found in this section of the aStore:
Amazon Tuba-Euphonium Store Recording Gear
Here is a photo showing the recorder and mic, placed next to a standard CD case to give you an idea of the size.