JamCorder version : 0.3
Release date : 05/03/2005
Previously known as : ccLive
For Your Information :
The operator must either perfectly know the track-listing or ask the musicians to let him know when each next track starts.
The audio source is the sound-table and the output is optimized for the acoustics of the place and not for recording, you must focus all your attention on the sound-check prior to playing the concert (at least 30 minutes of comprehensive tests?).
Listening to the recording with a headset while the musicians are playing is impossible due to the sound level ! So, you MUST NOT alter the settings afterwards !
30 USB key drives have been processed within 20 minutes with a 7-ports USB hub (of which only 4 were working due to some drives size !).
1 mn of music= WAV (10 Mb),
FLAC (5,42 Mb),
OGG (1,04 Mb),
MP3 (1,60 Mb),
That is 1,2 Gb (including all formats before exiting JamCorder and thus deleting temporary WAV files) for a mere 60 minutes? concert !
Prerequisite :
Appropriate hardware :
- PC (preferably a laptop) equipped with at least a USB2.0 compliant port and a Line In,
- USB hub (with space to simultaneously plug in enough USB2.0 compliant devices),
- USB2.0 compliant key or MP3 (or OGG) player with enough space to optimize transfer time,
- Connectors : (rather long depending on the size of the place and the location of the sound table) cable with dual mono jack end (to connect to the sound table output) to stereo mini-jack end (PC Line In), or a stereo mini-jack adapter towards 2 mono jacks+2 mono jack cables,
- Stereo headset with an appropriate plug to check up the settings (hearing comfort and quality way superior to those of laptop speakers), absolutely useless DURING the concert !
- Available electric out-plug (much MUCH needed to avoid any battery power failure in case of unexpected encores !),
· Enough free disk space on the laptop (see above),
- Lamp (if the laptop screen does not display enough light),
- Up-to-date, understandable and within reach set-list,
- Devices to protect the hardware from adverse weather (or whatever may happen) if needed,
- Operate the software many times prior to running it in real time. Test it, including test the CPU behavior, latency, slowing down (thanks to the Windows Task Manager), « stress » the software to test it and see whether that creates bugs or Blue Screens Of Death,
- Put down every problem that you encountered, the solutions given (for a future use) and the settings,
- Update the sound card driver for safety,
- Have some CD-R to burn the temporary WAV files,
- A check-list (see below) to avoid forgetting anything ?
Sound check :
Get on well with the sound engineer and tell him what you expect from him and listen to his advice (indispensable !).
Plug the sound table output to the laptop Line In thanks to the appropriate cable and adapters.
Run «Volume control » in the SysTray (left to the clock), see to it that the selected source is note ?Mute?.
Launch test recordings and set the volume with (under Windows ® XP) : Start>Control panel>Sound and audio devices>Audio>Audio recording>Volume>Select « Line In » or « Microphone », properly select the source.
Record an artist?s <u>representative</u> track and listen ?with the headset? just after) <u>after the sound check is over</u>. Check that the sound undergoes no alteration (clipping), with a third editor software, i.e. [http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ Audacity].
Set the level (going out of the sound table and/or coming in the laptop).
Write everything on a check list : levels, settings...
Before the gig :
- Check that the settings have not changed
- Run JamCorder
- « Settings » tab,
- Set the output directory,
- Prepare the titles and how they will be written,
- Check that the « Audio input » field is properly chosen (depending on your OS),
- Check that the « Output encodings » field is ticked on the right format(s).
- « Live ! » tab, fill in the fields :
- Check that the « Track Number » field is set to « 1 » (it automatically increments at the push of the « Next track » button).
Musicians storming the stage :
- Launch « Start recording ».
- Write down the IN PROGRESS song title where « --enter the name of the next track !-- » is (refer to the set list) in the « Track name » field.
- Skip from one song to another with the « Next track » command in between songs.
- Do steps 2 & 3 as many times as necessary (refer to the set list).
- Launch the « Stop recording » command at the end of the concert (after all the encores !).
Musicians leaving the stage :
- If requested, burn a CD with the WAV files for the musicians (with a software that can erase "blank").
- <span style="color:#FF0000;">Do NOT quit JamCorder prior to burning a WAV CD !</span>
- Quit JamCorder.
Remarks :
The software goes a bad "click" at the beginning of each track (if you want, delete it with Audacity prior to burning a CD !).
« DOS prompt » while converting files (from WAV to whatever chosen in the « Settings » tab).
Credits
Yann CANUT : yanncanut@yahoo.fr (http://www.triumvira.net/)
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