Recording a live show questions

[Diesel10]

Hello all-
My set-up is:
MacBook Pro running 10.5.5, 2.4GHZ, 4 GB RAM
Mbox 2 Pro runnig LE 8.0
My question is:
I am planning to record a live show for the first time: a rock band, 2 singers who play guitar, bass, drums - for about a one hour set.
1. Can I just start pro tools running and let is run for the whole length of the one hour set; can one session be that long? I am not going to be able to stop/start new sessions once the show starts.
2. If so, how big will the file be? How many GB of hard drive space do I need on my external drive to make sure I don't run out of room.
3. Finally, any suggestions on how best to record this? It's a coffee house type gig without a mixing board, so I am thinking about just sticking 2 57s up on either side of the room and hoping for the best. Thoughts?
Thanks in advance.

[Larold]

I've spent years recording live shows. although before Protools...

If all you want is a stereo representation, the Shures will get you that. It probably won't be a very good recording for a release, because you are at the mercy of the sound person and the band's levels onstage.

You can make it better: I'd probably record a little bit and listen back...move the mics, make adjustments, try again, like that. Without the audience. Tweak as long as you can. The vocals are key.

As far as drive space, stereo tracks are 20 mb per minute. you can do the math.

I heard that PT8 will let you record till the drive is full, but I haven't check for myself. I think the old limit was a 2GB file.

Good luck.

[flommer]

1. Yes you can and yes it can, BUT this is something you should test a couple times before hand.

2. On this page towards the bottom

http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm?...4&itemid=23142

is a section that tells you how much disk space per minute based on different sample rates and bit depths. PTLE 8 has increased the single audio file size to something like 3.4 GB. For a one hour set, you should be fine at just about any settings..

3. I would recommend finding the spot where the sound is best and most consistent, and put both mics there in an x-y configuration (both capsules as close as possible, pointed 90 deg apart). If you can, definitely try to beg buy or borrow a couple (identical) large or small condenser mics instead of the 57's. A final possibility would be to do the thing in M-S recording if you can get access to a figure 8 mic. Do a search to find out about M-S recording.

Your Mbox 2 pro has 2 mic pres and 2 line inputs. If you have access to 4 mics and a couple of additional mic pres (these can be on a small mackie type mixer) then record 4 tracks. Use the other 2 as spot mics for whatever instruments you think might be under represented in the stereo mix. (vox, bass drum, drum kit in general, bass guitar... Chances are you will hear the guitars with no problems...)

The idea is to give yourself as many options at mixdown as possible..

Do a sound check recording if you can.

Good luck