recording band rehearsal?

whats the cheapest and easiest way to record a band rehearsal.   I know the about zoom/tascam recorders but Id Ideally like video as well, and Ideally NOT propping a mobile phone up to do so.

If theres nothing cheap (ie under £100 realistically) I may just go for audio with the zoom/tascam offerings.

So any reasonably priced solutions out there?  doesnt need to be great quality - enough to get a feel for the mix/levels/overall sound and some idea on how we look.

Thanks 
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Comments

  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    Zoom do budget GoPro type devices. Inevitably, the sound quality through the built-in condenser mic will leave much to be desired - particularly bass frequency information.

    My preference would be for audio only. The recordings provide an objective representation of your progress. They also help to swiftly settle arguments about "who cocked up this time?"
    Be seeing you.
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  • we know who cocked up usually lol.   A lot of this is for me personally.  for the first time Im playing keys - with lots of sounds and layers (its an 80s band) - and with no way to "go wireless" with keys I dont really know where my patches and sounds sit in each song/over the set.

    Its primarily about recording our sets, without me adjusting levels on the fly so I can balance each sound throughout the set to be close to correct.  Small "venue" relevant adjustments can be then  done on a sub mixer in real; time.

    Ive looked at the Tascam DR-05x for audio only,  and have seen the Zoom Q2n for similar price - around £90 (though I expect the audio to be worse and the video no great) or the Q4n which looks decent - but it is twice the price at £190.   I might get more use out of it once we go live though and want to capture stuff for youtube and the like though, which may make it worth paying that price.   Im hesitant though - as its quite a lot if I just end up getting a "live level" check from it.      
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  • Danny1969Danny1969 Frets: 10357
    Getting keys to sit right in the mix from the stage, without the benefit of hearing then out front is gonna be tricky. We have the same problem ... some songs the keys are playing horn lines and need to be pretty prominent,  other songs the keys are providing atmosphere and need to go a lower  .... It's a mare to get right without an engineer out front which is why we generally always have an engineer at any gig that's more than guitar bass and drums. 

    I did come with a way of monitoring what the sound was roughly like though for the gig's we we didn't have someone mixing. Basically I had a Behringer C1 mic out front on a long cable and I sent that to my IEM's from the desk and nothing else. It's a bit strange cos there's latency caused by the distance but it's better than nothing. 

    For good video and pretty good second hand iPhone 6S or SE is pretty good and probably cheaper than a dedicated device 
    www.2020studios.co.uk 
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  • I do have a plan.  Each song has its own set of sounds (saved on each sound source) so I can adjust each individually for each song - so pads can be low, pianos higher on one song, and pianos low with an organ high on others for instance.   I have a sub mixer on my stand, and feed a stage monitor (with its own vol levels).

    The idea being, once all the various sounds, in all the different songs have their relative levels set - one song at sound check (with someone out front) should set all the levels for all songs roughly.  If I then set my monitor level so its right for me, I can then adjust overall levels if need be (if others turn up for instance and I start to loose mu monitors levels I know I need to turn up etc).

     We will have an engineer for some gigs anyway - but for others not.   Its get those initial  balance levels right, or at lest close, to start that I want a recorder.

    If thats all I wanted, an audio recorder would be fine - Im thinking video for the longer term.  Once were gigging (after Christmas by the looks of it) if we want live recordings for us or for youtube.  Its if If the extra outlay is worth it for the longer game or not.
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  • paulmapp8306paulmapp8306 Frets: 829
    edited December 2019
    Oh - Id add, my daughter has just replaced her 6S with an XR - and the 6S is our spare phone so I do have one of those - but Id rather not use a phone really.  Maybe its just me.  
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  • horsehorse Frets: 1563
    For the live levels my tip is to soundcheck with something where the keys are loud, then say to the sound guy "don't turn me up if my level goes down" - otherwise they can start turning you up when you've deliberately lowered your level, and then deafen everyone when you turn back up.

    Some understand this easier than others, but there's no other way if you need to vary your levels across the set, and I have to try to judge my level based in what I'm hearing through my monitor.

    I use a zoom 2qn sometimes, but for judging the volume of keys patches it is tricky as the mic will not necessarily capture the frequencies the same way ears hear them in the room, so it can be misleading.
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  • Places like pirate studios offer a recording facility free of charge.
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  • We use a zoom mic plugged in to an iPhone, because it’s easier to upload after. We have a zoom recorder but the extra step of taking the recordings off the memory card onto a laptop then uploading meant it was not being done quick enough most of the time
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  • paulmapp8306paulmapp8306 Frets: 829
    edited December 2019
    Ended up grabbing a Sure MV88+ kit.   Gives the option of audio or video (using dedicated apps, but on my S9).  Really impressed with the audio and the setting options.  Far better than the Zoom I checked out even if it was more ££ - and it came with a little tripod and phone holder set up, which is really nice.  Good quality as well.
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