Re: [Harp-L] how to record a jam session

[Seth Galitzer <sethgali@xxxxxxxxx>]

The most important thing in the recording chain is going to be the 
microphone.  If you have a good mic, then you need a way to hook it up 
to your computer.  M-Audio has a a variety of decent devices that let 
you plug in a mic or instrument or two, and then plugs into the USB port 
on your laptop.  I believe you can get into one of these starting around 
$100.

Of course by that time, if you're already plunking down cash, you can 
spend just a little more and get a decent field recorder. Most of these 
have onboard storage, or you can also use them as a microphone and hook 
them up directly to your laptop to let Audacity handle the recording.

I know you were hoping for a no-cost solution, but in my experience, 
built-in computer mics, or even the desktop stick mics, just don't make 
decent recordings.  They aren't good enough sound quality, and they 
don't have enough gain.

Seth

On 09/16/2010 10:06 AM, Tom Halchak wrote:
> Although I have been playing harp for about 35 years, I am an amateur.  I
> love to jam whenever I get a chance, but those opportunities are few and far
> between.  I have a business, a wife and five kids and the notion of going
> out to an open jam session at a lounge and hanging around all night
> (drinking) just so I can get up stage and play one or two songs just isn't
> in the cards for me.  So recently I set out to organize a jam session at the
> country club I belong to.  I figured there had to be some other wanna be
> rock stars like me who would welcome the opportunity to just hang out and
> play.  The club has made space available to us at no charge so everything is
> looking good.  So far we have a guitar player, a drummer, a couple of
> vocalists, a sax player and me.  Should be fun.  I would like to record our
> session just for kicks (incase I come up with something brilliant and I want
> to save it for posterity).  I don't have any sophisticated recording
> equipment.  I was just planning to use my laptop and Audacity.  Can anybody
> give me any suggestions given the limited equipment I have available?
>
>
>
> Thanks.
>
> Tom in Clearwater, FL


--
Seth Galitzer
The beatings will continue until morale has improved.