Overlapping recordings

[gpseymour]

NOTE: I'll make this as concise as possible, but I'll need to provide sufficient detail for folks to answer.

During conferences, while I'm running the mixer, I also need to record (real-time) each session. I export these to MP3 and burn them to CD's at the end of the conference, for folks to take home with them. I create a separate MP3 file for each session/presenter, and have to accurately capture the entire session, including the intro. There's generally no real break between the end of one session and the beginning of the next.

I've successfully managed this by recording a single project beginning to end, then (at the end of the day, using the time signatures I noted during the sessionns) adding labels and using "export multiple" to create the MP3 files. However, this creates a pretty long delay before I can begin burning these files to CD for folks. I'd like to be able to have overlapping recording sessions, to allow me to start my exports earlier. Basically, I'd like to record a couple of presenters (still noting the appropriate time signatures) and start a second recording session just before a presenter ends. Once the next presenter is up, I could quickly save the project, then copy it over to another computer, where I could trim the edges, add labels, and export. This way, at the end of the conference, I would have only a couple of topics left to export, so the burning could start within about 5 minutes.

I know I could do this by recording on two computers, but I'm already running a backup recording (no breaks - just running constantly) on a second computer, and don't want to add a third. Is it a) possible to do this, perhaps running both stable and unstable versions; b) possible to do this without the Save and copy to USB (for transfer to another computer) causing drop-outs in the current recording?

Of course, if anyone has a better suggestion than what I'm thinking of, please share. I'd love to keep this relatively simple (I'll be handling mixing, recording, lights, and intro music with the help of one or two assistants, so it's busy back there!).

-Gerry Seymour

[kozikowski]

Audacity is a pretty simple audio program. It has problems if more than one of itself is running and it certainly doesn't like it when 1.2.x and 1.3.x try to launch at the same time.

Two computers it is.

The backup doesn't have to be a computer. I think you can buy a simple stand-alone DVD recorder and plug only the sound channels in. You can do that for 6 hours and still get Dolby Stereo out of the bargain. Consult your product literature.

Koz

[gpseymour]

Thanks for the info.

The DVD recorder almost sounds like a good idea, though Dolby and stereo are both way out of range of this project, since we're just dealing with spoken word over a single mic (so input is mono). Of course, it might be worth using a smaller device (even if the price is about the same), so I'm considering running recording into something like an iPod, as my backup. That'd at least remove one piece of largish equipment from my table. It's getting crowded back there:

- Laptop to record on
- Laptop to play music between presenters
- Laptop to run countdown timer for presenter on stage (controlled from FOH)
- Laptop for projection (Powerpoint, photo slide shows, etc.)
- Something for backup recording (runs on one of the other computers)
- Software for Graphi-Q processor (runs on one of the other computers)
- Laptop for DMX control (linked to light board)

I'm desperately trying to get this down to a set of three computers, so anything I can shunt off to smaller (or rackable) equipment is a plus, so long as cost isn't too high (already having to upgrade audio and lighting systems).

I did look into the Beta version of Audacity, and found that it will improve my situation a bit, since I can place the labels on the fly while recording. This makes export a bit quicker (it takes me about 10-15 minutes to get labels placed on a long recording, before using Export Multiple). I'll probably just keep recording a single, long session (with backup recording on some other device or one of the other computers). Keeps it simple, and keeps me from getting confused.

[steve]

I use a Zoom H2 portable recorder, then use Audacity to edit the recordings. It is a very portable device, about the size and shape of an electric razor. The recording quality is very good, it is very convenient to use, and very reasonably priced. Perhaps this would fit into your set-up.

[gpseymour]

Great recommendation. Looks like exactly what I need for my second recording source (I always run two recordings). I'd been looking at some other recorders, but they were all $400 and up, and I could buy another computer for that cost. This should fit in nicely. Thanks!