Recording on the Go: The Definitive Guide to Live Recording

319 Pages·2008·8.689 MB·English

by  Gary Gottlieb, Paul A. Hennerich IV

Recording on the
Go: The Definitive
Guide to Live
Recording
Gary Gottlieb and Paul Hennerich
Course Technology PTR
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This book is dedicated:
To all my teachers, who made me the best student
I could be, and all my students, who forced me to be
the best teacher I could be. GG
To my father, who looked out for everyone. PH
Acknowledgments
No book writes itself, and this book took more than just the two of us. While we slaved
away at our end, a talented team assisted us and brought a greater level of quality to this
book than we ever could have hoped for. That team included Orren Merton, acquisitions
editor at Cengage Learning, who had the foresight to recognize the need in the market that
thisbookfills;MarkHughes,marketingmanageratCengageLearning,forhiscontributions
to the look, feel, and cover of the book; Cathleen Small, our editor extraordinaire, who
didn’t let a little thing like the birth of her first child stand between her and the task at
hand; our technical editor, Per Boysen, in Sweden, who kept us in line; and Ruchika Vij
andthegroupinIndia,ourlayoutcoordinatorandteam,whoroundedoutourinternational
and multi-coastal crew while giving the book that crisp, professional look that audio guys
like us can only dream of.
We would also like to thank our clients, students, colleagues, coworkers, and anyone else
whose toes we stepped on in the making of this book. Thanks for taking pictures for us,
letting us take pictures of you, and being tolerant when we seemed distant or distracted.
Andmostofall,wewouldliketoacknowledgetheloveandsupportofourfamiliesandour
friends. We couldn’t have done it without that most critical support.
iv
About the Authors
Longtime music business professional Gary Gottlieb refers to himself as a music generalist.
Aprofessionalmusiciansinceage13,heworkedinradioonandofffor25yearsandwasa
music critic for 9 years. As arecording engineer,live recordist, and music producer in New
York, Gottlieb’s long and distinguished career includes work with numerous Grammy
AwardwinnersandRockandRollHallofFameinducteesinavarietyofvenues.Hiscredits
asasounddesignerincludeoff-off-Broadwayproductions,alongwithcommunityandcollege
theatre productions throughout New England.
AlongwithhishistoryasamusiccriticandentertainmentwriterfortheDeerfieldValleyNews
in West Dover, Vermont, and a disc jockey for WEQX, a major modern rock station in
Manchester, Vermont, Gottlieb owned and operated a mobile DJ service and was a venue
director for numerous X Games and Winter X Games for ESPN. In 2002, he accepted a
position as Professor of Audio Production at Webster University in St. Louis, where he
now runs the audio program. In 2007, Course Technology PTR released Gottlieb’s Shaping
Sound in the Studio and Beyond, the definitive introductory textbook in audio.
Paul Hennerich is the owner and chief engineer of PanGalactic Recordings, whose clients
includetheSaintLouisSymphonyOrchestra.Hennerichhasbeentherecordingengineerfor
the symphony for more than 10 years. For five years, he was recording engineer and audio
producerforasyndicatedNationalPublicRadioshowofthesymphony’sliveperformances.
In addition, his work as recording engineer and editor for the symphony CD Messiaen:
Turangalila-symphoniehelpedearntheCDamentionasa“RecordtoDieFor”byStereophile
and a Netherlands’ Edison Classical Music award in the Special Historical Editions cate-
gory in 2008.
Hennerichisacontributinglocationproducerandrecordingengineerforanothersyndicated
NPR show, JazzSet, producing recordings of concerts by the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and
others. In addition to his experience working with live recordings for national programs,
Hennerich also has been technical director and audio producer for live broadcasts for
KMOX and KFUO.
Hennerich, a full adjunct professor of audio for Webster University, is also a partner in
AAM Recordings, a small independent record label specializing in location recording.
Hisexperiencealsoincludeslocationrecordingandworkasamasteringengineerformusic
fromindieheavymetaltobluesandlocationrecordingforwebstreamingofaconcertseries
produced by the symphony and the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. He started his career as a
front-of-house engineer for venues, including the 12,000-seat Muny (St. Louis Municipal
Opera) and the more than 10,000-person crowd at the St. Louis Blues Festival.
v
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Contents
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
PART I
THE BASICS OF LIVE RECORDING 1
Chapter 1
Why Record Live? 3
Why Didn’t We Listen to Our Mothers?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
You Know How This Stuff Works, Right? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Which One of These Is Different Than the Other?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Is It Live or Is It…? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Chapter 2
Sound in Space 17
Found Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Identifying Acoustic Issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Reflections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Absorption. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Other Acoustic Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Thinking in 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Control Booth? We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Control Booth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Power of the Acoustic Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Finding the Sweet Spot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Chapter 3
The Key to Success: Planning 33
Gathering Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Creating a Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
vii
viii Recording on the Go: The Definitive Guide to Live Recording
Preliminary Paperwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Site Surveys Rule!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
More Power! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Where Do You Want This Stuff? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
These Are Your New Friends. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Planning Gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Chapter 4
Gig Psychology: Playing with Others 49
Don’t Be a Putz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
The Front-of-House Engineer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
The Monitor Mixer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Seeing Double . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
The Audience Is Listening...and Watching. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Dress Codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Focus on the Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Creating the Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Chapter 5
Understanding and Respecting Power and Ground 59
The Basics of Audio as Electricity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Dynamic Microphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Ribbon Microphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Condenser Microphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Wireless Microphone Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Polar Patterns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Consoles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Impedance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Alternating Current. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Understanding Ground . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Power on Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
Testing the Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
Other Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
Contents ix
PART II
GEAR 89
Chapter 6
Basic Gear 91
Microphones: Collectors of Audio Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Cables: The Interconnects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Console Preamps or Outboard Preamps?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
Give Us a Leg to Stand On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97
Storage: Recording Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
Two-Track Safety or Reference Mix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
Other Things You Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Chapter 7
Where We Keep Stuff: Data Storage 111
Digital versus Analog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
File Formats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Standalone Gear versus the Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115
The Two-Track CD Safety Mix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
No Such Thing as Overkill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Mix Live, Mix Well, Live Well . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
What if Nothing Explodes? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Leery of the Laptop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Keeping Track of All This Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
Chapter 8
Decisions, Decisions—To Wheel In or Not to Wheel In:
That Is the Question 123
Safe Cartage: Basic Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124
The Wheels on the Studio Go Round and Round. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
Sharing Is Good (Maybe) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129