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Poster:
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adks12020 |
Date:
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May 9, 2011 7:18am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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new to taping...help! |
Hey everyone:
This past weekend I had the opportunity to help a friend out recording a show at a local bar and it was damn fun. It's something I've always wanted to do on my own as I'm nearly obsessed with live shows and live recrdings. Here's the problem...I've got no clue what I'm doing....haha
I was wondering if anyone could give me some input on a few things:
1.) ediquette: I'd probably stick with smaller shows to start (bars, clubs, etc.) do most people just ask the band ahead of time if taping is ok? Is this an email or mail or phone call thing?
2.) Is there a resource out there that I can use to figure out what kind of equipment to use? I'm not loaded with cash but I want whatever I buy to be of good quality to start so I don't feel the need to upgrade in a year or less.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I would love to start recording most of the shows I go to and putting them up here on archive for everyone's listing pleasure. I don't want to be just a consumer anymore.
Thanks in advance.
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Poster:
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dead-head_Monte |
Date:
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May 10, 2011 10:07am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: new to taping...help! |
I hear you, brother Taper. Take your time getting going. You can become a good Taper.
38 years ago I became involved with the same taping issues you've mentioned. My first times taping were GD. Taping GD was unlike all the other taping I did. Because my first shows I taped were GD, I gained plenty of additional experience, imo. This gave me extra confidence to be Taping other bands in the audience. There are plenty of times when this takes a lot of courage. As you've observed: thinking it through ahead of time, and being imaginative about it are highly recommended.
Besides me taping GD (1973 only), I was never a big fan of collecting too much of any one thing. That is, I never overdid it when taping any artists, musicians, or bands too many times (being greedy felt wrong to me). Once I started hanging out with local bands and musicians, I got up to speed quickly on who played the best stuff out there in multiple and hip genres. Then I started taping all this stuff. So I was chasing the spectrum of jamming and improvisational music to be taped. My goal was never to be taping someone great over and over and over. Once I had their stuff on tape, I was looking for other stuff to tape.
I was so inspired by GD in 1973, I started hanging out with the best local musicians in my area. I helped them lug equipment, set up equipment, checking sound quality in the audience, collecting cover charge for them (that's when local bands nicknamed me Monte-Barry-at-the-door), taping them, and breaking down equipment. Then I started getting into electronics. From 1974 to 1976 I did several soundman gigs, and I toured with several bands. I also worked at my first TV station as a video tape operator in 1976.
If I were you, I would consider doing this:
1. Talk to Charlie Miller and Bill Koucky. Why? I've exchanged messages with both gentlemen. They are friendly people. Other people also recognize that these 2 guys are highly respected sound equipment experts who are remastering plenty of shows from many tapers. So they've seen and heard a lot of stuff. You should ask them, or their peers, "What are the good things, and what are the bad things, that Tapers do?" Tell them your budget, and maybe they can recommend some gear to you. Tell Bill and Charlie I said, "Hello!"
2. Talk to a Taper - talk to several tapers, if possible. Personally, I recommend you talk to Brian Porter. "bporter" - is his handle when seeding shows at bt-etree. Brian is a great kid and a fantastic young Taper! He tracked me down in 2008 about an important upcoming venue in Louisville that I was going to be involved with. It was a unique and historic event, bringing musians together from decades earlier. Brian was telling me in advance that he was going to be there taping this, and he was asking me up front for the SBD feed to tape from. He immediately reminded me of myself at his age! So me, Brian, and his friend met there. We partied a little bit after the show. Brian had taped the entire show there in the audience, in stealth mode. I was LMAO! This was a high profile gig, had lots of press, and an aging super-star lineup. It was being filmed. Producers captured the event with multi-camera video taping. Tell Brian your budget, and maybe he can recommend some gear to you. Tell Brian I said, "Hello!"
Here's another guy I've noticed who seems to be an energetic taper. So, I would also recommend talking to this Taper - "John R" - here's two TBF sets he taped last year:
• 18 South
• Mumford & Sons
3. Browse through
Monte's Taper Handbook. There's a lot in there. Without LiA's phenomenal amount of contributions, I doubt there'd be much interest on my part for putting these links, essays, and resources together. Thanks LiA! Thanks Brewster and everyone! Thanks Salah! (The_Bus)
read my Taper's web page for the June 1973 GD shows at RFK Stadium
This post was modified by dead-head_Monte on 2011-05-10 17:07:04
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