It depends what you're recording to. If you have a massive interface, use any spare aux channels, subgroups, outputs of any sort...if you have a laptop/computer with 1 input, you could run a line from the L/R output of the board to the computer.

I always used to do this with the Church band...but what I found is that anything quiet on stage takes on a whole new role in this. EG the piano self-mutes when plugged in, you boost it to make it audible, your recording has too much piano.

On the flip side, having 2 mics somewhere would involve a fair bit of placement testing, and then you'd have a fairly stupid amount of cable lying around. If I tried that at our Church I'd probably end up with 1 solo mic wherever my desk was, pointing at the centre of the stage.

But as I said, it depends on what outputs you have available. Our next concert, I'm recording using 2 spare auxes, and splitting the 2 used ones to get me vocals, lead guitar, and whatever else.

avayan wrote: Sorry for the newbie question, but...

If I want to record my live session, what seems to work best?

1. To record the audio solely from some audience microphones?
2. To record the audio coming from the FOH mix?
3. A combination of both?

Which technique is used the most? Thanks for your input!

The answer is most likely to be "none of the above", but you need to tell us more.

What do you you play/sing? Is it solo or are there more of you? What microphones have you got? What sort of mixer is used for the FOH? What is the venue - stage/club/hall etc? What do you propose to record on to?

Whenever I record live acts I use a splitter and, as much as possible, route the split channels that I'm recording to pre-amps which I bring from my studio. I don't like to use direct outs because with most of the FOH boards I've encountered, they're post EQ and fader. I use a True Systems Precision 8 for the most critical tracks (drums vocal etc) and then use an Alesis 32 Studio mixer for the "less critical" tracks (direct boxes etc). The Alesis is small, cheap and pretty quiet. Plus if you're recording 16 tracks or less, you have some means of soloing what you're recording or you can listen to what you have recorded between sets (assuming you don't have a remote vehicle or location that's quiet; I'm usually behind the monitor board or next to the FOH board). One thing to keep in mind .... if you're using condensers, you will need to supply the phantom power from the main trunk not the split trunk (assuming it's isolated).

So in answer to your question and without the answers to the other valid questions that were sent back to you, I'd say a combination of both. I always have two "room mics" facing the stage, preferably evenly spaced and equidistant from the stage (but that's not always possible, and keeping the 3 to 1 rule in mind). I use Crown PZM30D's or cheap condensers (because I'll cry less if somebody walks off with them) for the room mics. Depending on the room, you can use these tracks for ambiance.

Anywhoo, my twos cents.