Live Recording, How to record from soundboard to ... Options

[aloko]

Hi all,

I did a search but couldnt find any appropriate answer to my question.

I'm going on tour and I'd like to record from soundboard directly to my PB G4, what do I need as connectors and as software.

I use PEAK 3.2 and input from RCA jack to my Powerbook input until now but sometimes the sound enginners dont have any RCA/ CINCH output from the soundboard.
thats why I'm looking for another example here.

thanks for your answers,
Dimitri.

www.stevecolemanarchives.ht.st

[boilerblues]

Something like the MOTU 828 might be worth checking out.

[sethjacquay]

aloko,

I believe that you could take any audio signal traveling through
any type of cable and connect it up to your Powerbook. You
would just want to use a series of high quality interconnect cables.

Does this make sense?

[aloko]

Hi Mates,

Thanks for your replies.

I'll check the MOTU and I think this is exactly what I need, but a little expensive for me at the moment. Is there any "light" model ?

And of course I use high quality cables and connectors to work with my PB.

Thanks very much for theses infos,
very appreciated,
Dimitri.

www.stevecolemanarchives.ht.st

[Dasa Soul]

how much do you want to spend ?

[aloko]

Hi,

It is a bit late to do any investment at the moment cause I'm going on tour tomorrow.

But anyway my budget is atound 100€ wich is not enough I suppose from what I read here and there.

Thanks for your help,
see you on tour,

www.stevecolemanarchives.ht.st


Dimitri.

[kolo]

Any sound board can provide a stereo out to a pair of 1/4 inch plugs. If the engineers can't give you that they should be sweeping up after the show instead. Go to an electronics shop and get a pair of 1/4 inch to rca converters and some cables to go into what you have now.
The MOTU is way high end for such a basic use. You don't need to spend that much unless you plan to use multiple ins and outs later.

For sotware I have Cubase VST but I use SPARK ME (the free version!) for recording stereo directly to my ibook g3 and it works great with my MAudio Audiophile usb which goes for $150 now. The interface even has digital ins and out as well as analog ins and outs (left and right only). They do have a firewire version now. But there are lots of audio interfaces in the $100-$200 range.

[kolo]

Any sound board can provide a stereo out to a pair of 1/4 inch plugs. If the engineers can't give you that they should be sweeping up after the show instead. Go to an electronics shop and get a pair of 1/4 inch to rca converters and some cables to go into what you have now.
The MOTU is way high end for such a basic use. You don't need to spend that much unless you plan to use multiple ins and outs later.

For sotware I have Cubase VST but I use SPARK ME (the free version!) for recording stereo directly to my ibook g3 and it works great with my MAudio Audiophile usb which goes for $150 now. The interface even has digital ins and out as well as analog ins and outs (left and right only). They do have a firewire version now. But there are lots of audio interfaces in the $100-$200 range.

[boilerblues]

Are you wanting to record mutlitrack or just record the main channel out? For mutlitrack you'll have to use something like the MOTU piece. If you just want to get the main channel then you can get something like the M-Audio Firewire 410 or an Audiophile. The thing about recording the main mix out of the board is that sometimes it really doesn't sound that good. If it's a small venue they won't run some of the instruments through the board (drums, guitar, bass) so you'll be missing that in your recording. In that case you'll want to just set up 2 ambient microphones. If it's a large venue then you might get a good mix out of the board.

[lushbudget]

I'm a fan of the MBOX! Portable, no need for a powercord, LOTS of ins and outs INCLUDING DIGITAL S/PDIF! TWO Focusrite pre-amps, too! And the bundled software is great. (PTLE, Live 2 for Digidesign, Reason Adapted, Sampletank LE, T-Racks LE, Amplitube LE) You can use MBox with ProTools LE to create stereo recordings from the board. Digidesign even has a classy carry all bag for the MBox. It is USB, but I haven't had any real problems with latency.

Check it out here:

http://www.digidesign.com/mbox/

I use it myself on the road, and have caught a buch of shows in stereo from the board. Then I went home and cleaned up the audio, ran some compression and EQ and reverb over the tracks and came out with an awesome live show on CD.

MBox runs about $450 vs the $1000 plus of the MOTU 828

Of course, Digital Performer is a pretty cool DAW. But ProTools is an industry standard and pretty easy to learn. When you're ready to move on, then maybe a FireWire interface ad something like DP or Logic is next. But I'd start with MBox.

Good luck!
lushbudget