My band will be doing some proper* recording later in the year, much as we did a couple of years ago (hopefully with fewer mistakes but...)
In the meantime we'd like to capture some of the stuff we've been working on in a much simpler way.
We've tried the smartphone-in-a-sweater routine and, whilst it's enough to capture structure and core elements it's not really something we can use to finesse things.
Between us we have a couple of digital stereo recorders kicking around but nothing as fancy (or new) as a Zoom H4n or 'owt like that. 2 inputs only.
Here's a quick diagram of our general practice layout:
And some explanatory notes, clockwise from the top:
- the upright isn't used (well, very rarely) but is in the room and isn't removable.
- singing drummer (with monitor top right. He's vox 3 and likes a bit of main vox and acoustic guitar in there to pitch to. The kick is there because he plays quieter if he can hear his kick).
- singing bass player (she's vox 2)
- guitarist (bottom amp) gets enough out of the two central monitors and doesn't need his own feed.
- Me over on the left sings, plays acoustic, electric, and has an electro-harmonix B9 organ pedal. Acoustic and organ go to the monitors, electric goes to the amp, sometimes all three outputs are in use.
- occasionally other things creep into the mix like a rogue synth or bit of percussion.
My starting thought was to take a feed from the mixer to one channel of the recorder and then put a ribbon mic above the central monitors with the null pointing at the monitors. This should then pick up the drums and amps with the least amount of monitor noise, which can then be added in with the first channel.
Thoughts and suggestions gratefully received.
* For a given definition of 'proper' (see previous posts and signature!)
