[Harp-L] Chaptering while recording

[Ken Deifik <kenneth.d@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I discarded my first response to the original question because it was too 
similar to the excellent responses already showing up in the 
posts.  Probably not as excellent.

In any case we haven't really discussed chaptering, and why one would do 
it.  Here's my feeble response.

CHAPTERING FOR COMPOSING
The only time I wish I had some kind of chaptering in my hand recorder (I 
currently use an Olympus D-10, which is a lo-fi note taker) is while I'm 
composing.  I just blaze full speed ahead for a long stretch in full faith 
that something interesting will happen at some point.  I'd love to mark 
places just after something that actually sounded interesting.  I'd also 
love to have a foot pedal to do that with, as I mainly compose on guitar.

So instead I just dump the recording into the computer and actually listen 
back to everything.  That's a really good thing because all kinds of 
surprises - worthwhile stuff - crops up that I never would have heard if 
I'd had chapter marks to go to.  I'm just lazy enough that I wouldn't do it 
if I didn't have to.

CHAPTERING FOR RECORDING IN THE STUDIO
Samplitude, my choice for recording software, has perfectly terrific 
chaptering capabilities during playback.  A single, assignable, hot key 
lets you mark, by incremented number, every take or every acceptible take 
during playback.  I'll often do dozens of harp takes over a four-bar guitar 
loop.  It's vital, though time consuming, to listen to the entire group all 
the way through.  Then it's a snap to delete the regions that do not 
contain useable candidates for the keeper.  That usually leaves me with a 
few really nice takes.  I can a/b them until I decide which one is the 
keeper.  This is standard recording technique.  It's just that now that we 
can work at home without paying close attention to the clock, we can really 
put the hours in on this.  And digital representations of wave forms makes 
it infinitely easier, faster and more fun than cutting tape.

CHAPTERING REHEARSAL RECORDINGS
Never done it.  Might be a good idea.  Mark the passages that need work, 
for instance.

But if you're recording your rehearsals you should be listening to them all 
the way through anyway, to hear what's working and what is not, and THEN 
focusing on what is not.

Until very recently I was never able to listen to rehearsals and jams 
recorded with a single mic because they sounded so much worse than the live 
music did.  I couldn't really tell what was working.  The best example of 
all is to be heard in the Beatles movie Let It Be.  In the first half of 
the movie they filmed the Beatles working their ideas up while the music 
was recorded with a single mic, and the music just seems awful.

Then they finally start recording with mics in place, and it suddenly 
sounds like the Beatles, even though it's still just workup takes.

I wish that I could suddenly sound like the Beatles.

Now we have these H2's and their cousins, and rehearsals and gigs are 
suddenly very listenable.  And I STILL wouldn't chapter rehearsals, because 
if you record 'em you should really listen to them later.  By you I mean me 
- you should do what you want.

And the idea of having to break concentration during a gig just to hit the 
chapter button makes me shudder.

I shudder easily, though.

K




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