I suggest close miking each instrument.

If you are recording them, typical live mics will do, IMO.

With only 8 mic ins, it will be hard to do,though. Unless they have just one vocalist

Drums: kick, snare, tom, fl.tom (I dont use over heads cuz there is enough bleed from the drum mics and vocals mics on stage.) 4

guitars: 2 mics, one on each cab.
bass: 1 mic or DI
vocals: 1-4 mics
so 8-11 mics for a bare minimum.

BTW, I dont believe subjest line of this thread warranted the ambigious and panic driven "help" followed by 6 or 7 exclamation marks. Hardly a real emergency. Don't cry wolf. The next time you use help as a subject, your mixer better have eaten your cat. k, spanky.

BTW, I dont believe subjest line of this thread warranted the ambigious and panic driven "help" followed by 6 or 7 exclamation marks. Hardly a real emergency.

Agreed and fixed.

stickers wrote: I suggest close miking each instrument.

If you are recording them, typical live mics will do, IMO.

With only 8 mic ins, it will be hard to do,though. Unless they have just one vocalist

Drums: kick, snare, tom, fl.tom (I dont use over heads cuz there is enough bleed from the drum mics and vocals mics on stage.) 4

guitars: 2 mics, one on each cab.
bass: 1 mic or DI
vocals: 1-4 mics
so 8-11 mics for a bare minimum.

Sorry bout the wolf cry...Would setting up condensers to capture the room also work...say 2-4 mikes????? But if I close mike as you suggest, could I use dynamic mikes??????And thanks for your help by the way...I'm new to recording.....

it does depend on what the venue is. are you going to gigs, capturing practices or really trying for a recording session (this case requiring more isolated tracks).

in any case, whats the mic budget?

if it were me and i had my mics i'd show up with 2 not harsh condensers for the overall sound (kel hm-1s $100per) and then add dynamics closer to each component for solid sound and some flexability for mixing later. i'd use a large diaphragm dynamic near the bass amp and closer to the drums (heil pr40 $260). then stick some shure sm57s near the guitar amps and snare ($80 ea.)

then you have the vocals. if they're in a separate room or overdubbing most would use as good a condenser as they had available (or their favorite for that vocalist if they have many).
i've found audio technica stuff good for the money and not too "colored" sounding - but theres TONS of stuff out there at all price ranges.

if the vocals are in the same room and amplified maybe put a dynamic on the monitor? the trick is that a mic sensitive enough to pick up the vocal well will also pick up the louder sounds (everything else) too much.

so for starting out try the two inexpensive condensers (but not harsh - a lot of the inexpensive condensers are hyped to make vocals "sparkle" but for room micing are very trebly) supplanted with dynamics for controlling the mix later.

get some isolating headphones and balance the mix in the room well before recording (both with volume of instruments and placement/gain adjustment of mics).

good luck. you can get great sounding stuff down like this.

For recording bands live (i.e. everyone at once) and given the limit of mic inputs you have, I would recommend using a 3 mic technique on drums (1 kick and 2 overhead condensers), with a couple SM57's for elec guitar amps, running the bass direct out from the bass amp or directly in from the bass iteself, and a couple of vocal mics.

That's a good starting point at least. Let me know if you want to look into the pricing of these mics any further (via email or phone, not private message). :)