Any tips on recording shows live?

[rqstudio]

I'm wanting to record live. I'm thinking the best way to limit media too slow messages would be to record the continuous show (lets say 1 hr or so) in tape mode. But does anyone know if you can create new song files while on the fly without stopping and restarting the machine? I'm afraid once I stop recording it may not start recording again until it's done working on it's current project.

 

[witzendoz]

I have recorded a few live shows, I used a friends MX that had the digital card connected to a DM-24 console. We would split the multicore from the stage and record all the stage mics via the DM-24 to the MX.

The best way to limit media too slow, is to freshly low level format and initialise the drive(s) you are using.

Ensure that there is plenty of cooling around the drives extra fans pointed at the drives or MX if internal.

Record in tape mode.

Turn off the "Menu 570-Waveform Record" (this came in with OS 3-11) as if this is on it taxes the ram memory when recording lots of tracks, I leave it off all the time, it is only the wave graphic file being drawn not the actual recorded wave file, the waveform is drawn when stop is hit at the end of the recording.

When recording live and you hit stop, depending on the length of recording it can take a few mins (maybe even 10 or 15) before you can record again, I usually record a whole band set before hitting stop, make sure they are not going to rush back on for an encore, if this is going to happen leave it recording.

Have the MX plugged into a UPS it won't be the first time a band member has pulled all the power plugs at the end of the set so they can pack up, if the power goes off before the mx has finished writing data, goodbye show.

Cheers

Alan.

Just to add a bit here, if you are using mx view, which I would recommend, when the recording has finished, as soon as the recorded files turn from solid red to solid black you can create a new project (don't forget it will set the start position of the new project from the playhead position), the rest of the time the mx takes is only for writing the graphic files of the waves. Be aware, next time you mount the project that if the wave graphics have not been written before it will do it when mounting, only the first time.

 

[rqstudio]

Thanks witzendstudios, So you're saying there is no way to index new projects on the fly? (for instance, I know you can do this on an Alesis Masterlink) You just press record and pray til the end?

 

[witzendoz]

Not quite sure of the question, but you cannot create a new project wile one is recording. When pressing stop you can create a new project as soon as the red wave bars turn black when looking at mx view. If you want to put a break in the wave files to split up songs, you can hit the play button while recording then hit record again and a small break will appear in the wave files.

Alan.

 

[rqstudio]

Quote: "If you want to put a break in the wave files to split up songs, you can hit the play button while recording then hit record again and a small break will appear in the wave files."
Yes this is what I want to do, I think. Do you mean to say it I hit "play and record" the MX doesn't have to stop and finish thinking before it can start recording again? And you would feel safe doing this while recording a live performance?

 

[witzendoz]

Yes this is what I want to do, I think. Do you mean to say it I hit "play and record" the MX doesn't have to stop and finish thinking before it can start recording again? And you would feel safe doing this while recording a live performance?

It should work, if you are in record and hit the play button, it should drop out of record and keep scrolling (playing), if you then hit record again it should go back into record and there will be a gap in the wave to show where you dropped out. If you hit stop the MX will have to write the project before you can hit record again, and if you have return to last start selected in the options it will also go to the start of the recording, so don't hit stop.

If you are doing this so that you have separate wave files on the drive, I don't think if this will be the case when in tape mode as I think it will show 1 wave file for each track and the position will be handled by the track files positioning where they go.

If you were to do this in non-distruct mode you could end up with separate wave files, you may need to experiment.

Alan.

 

[TedL]

Hey Alan, I've been having a heck of a time with this tascam mx2424 that I recently purchased for live recording and this post was very helpful. Thx