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I was just asked to go on tour & do live recording for a live record. I'm planning on using Pro Tools to capture the performances. I'm going to take feeds from the FOH board which is actually less than 22 feeds (with 4 audience mics). While is sounds simple enough, I've never done it. It is a world tour, so adapters/conveters are an issue too. I'm just conserned about my lack of knowledge- anyone got any tips?

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Ang1970 Sun, 04/29/2001 - 04:19

From the tone of your post (and knowing a little something about the scale and caliber of your work) I'm assuming this tour is gonna be a pretty big thing, to the point where they are bringing everything with them as opposed to renting locally. Something of that scale is likely to have its own power supply and/or conversion, and use the same mixers on each show. If so, the easiest (and potentially the most reliable) thing would be to get your power from them. If that is the case, conversion won't be much of an issue. But power draw and consistency will.

I would start by making a list of everything you will need, and a few spares. Don't leave anything out! It may be difficult to get a 10,000rpm 36GB hd at 6pm Friday in Bahrain.
List the amperage for each and every piece in the theoretical rig and total it up. Then sit down with the SR company and FOH guy, and go over the logistics with them, letting them know what your power and audio requirements are.

It is very likely that the company who is hiring you doesn't realize it would be an important thing to let the SR guys know you will be there, and might not have bothered to tell them yet. I've seen stranger things.

I hope I'm not too far off the mark with my assumptions. Any more info about the tour would improve the relevance of suggestions here.

Hope that helps. Best of luck, e. :)

Guest Mon, 04/30/2001 - 04:50

In addition to Angelo's most excellent advice, let me add that you need to get your entire rig into one or two shock mounted roadcases. This should all be entirely "prewired" so all you have to hook up is one 'multipin connector' coming from the "sound reinforcement split box" and then run your 4 "audience" mics (you may also have those wired to the 'split box'...or try a wireless setup for them (sometimes risky).

You should also get all your backup supplies (like Angelo outlined), office supplies (sharpies/label tape/labels for date of performace for the data dump, etc.), additional connectors, turnarounds, adapters, full tool set (screwdrivers!!, wrenches, and a Big Fucking Hammer) into a 4 or 5 drawer workbox with a fold up table (that has a power strip and "little lights" mounted on/near the table).

You can even throw a 220v to 110v "step down" transformer into one of the drawers of the work box...that way when you leave North America, you're covered [until you hit Japan which for some unknown reason is 100v standard, 60Hz in the north, 50Hz just south of Tokyo...your 110 equipment will work fine at 100volts].

The most important things to remember when you're on the road are: never shit on the bus!!!! Don't show up with more than one bag of 'personals', and most importantly to always 'wrap that rascal'...you can die from that shit these days!! Stay safe, best of luck.

Check in from time to time and let us know how the run is going.