Mobile Recording Rig
Rehearsal is a crucial part of being in a band and most groups spend the majority of their time together practicing songs. If your band isn’t recording rehearsals, however, you’re missing out on a tremendous opportunity to improve your ability to perform as a group, evaluate song arrangements, and even dial in levels and EQ for live shows. In this article, I’ll show you how to build a self-contained system for recording your practice time that you can even take with you for live performances.
Overview
This system is an example that includes the primary components needed to record your band live in practice or on stage.
Mixer with enough channels for your band
Computer connected to the mixer (laptop for shows) with digital audio workstation software (DAW)
Power conditioner to protect your gear
Splitter with the same number of channels
Rack case big enough to house all the gear
Drum mics with stands
Cables for all microphones and amps to connect to the rig
Mixer
The mixer is what connects your computer and DAW to the signal chain for each channel so you can properly record a session. Mixers can also provide other valuable functions, like effects and wireless self-mixing for each member’s monitors.
It’s critical that your mixer has enough channels to support every element of your band. Each microphone, amplifier, and keyboard requires its own channel and the drum kit usually needs five to eight channels to cover it. We’ll go over the drum channels later when we talk about micing the kit.
Get a mixer that’s designed for a rack or has rack ears available so you can mount it in the box. Some mixers can be mounted facing backward so the connections are inside the rig. This is ideal because the splitter trunks will be facing that way and you don’t want to have to route them to the front if you can avoid it.
I use the Behringer X Air AR18. It has 18 channels with sixteen XLR inputs and two TRS inputs. I mount it backward using the rack ears that come with it. It has six auxiliary outputs in addition to the two main outputs, which easily covers everyone in the band for monitoring. It even has a built-in wireless router so each band member can connect with their tablet and mix their own monitor. Unfortunately, the app does not support phones but third-party apps are available.
Behringer X Air XR18 at Sweetwater
Computer
This is the workhorse of the system, so you’ll need something with enough power and memory to record all channels simultaneously without skipping a beat. Storage is critical as well, so think about whether you can fit all the audio files on your main drive or if you’ll need to connect something external. Either Mac or PC is fine so go with what your software requires, what you’re used to, and what you can afford.
Your choice of DAW is entirely up to you. You’ll want something that aligns with your workflow and that you’re familiar with so it doesn’t become a distraction. The entire experience of recording your band playing together should be as seamless as possible to avoid interrupting the creative process.
Connect your computer to the mixer with a USB cable and configure it as an audio device in the system settings. Then configure it as an audio input in your DAW and create a session for recording.
There’s nothing wrong with using a stationary mac or PC in a permanent rehearsal space, but a laptop is a must for recording live shows. I advise using the laptop for at least one or two rehearsals before a live show so you can work out any issues that arise when changing machines.
Power conditioner
Protecting your expensive gear from power surges is a must, and a good power conditioner mounted in your rack will do the job while also providing outlets in the rig. It’s extremely convenient to have all your electronics already plugged in so you only need to connect one power cable to an external outlet and turn the whole thing on.
Some power conditioners offer extra features like digital displays, but this is hardly necessary. If you want to keep costs down, a unit that goes for under $100 is sufficient. You could even go with a simple power strip with surge protection, but I think conditioning is the smarter play.
Consider where to mount the power unit carefully, making sure you can reach it easily and you have a little room under it for taller wall-warts that you might have. Plug your mixer and laptop into the power conditioner once it’s mounted.
Splitter
An XLR splitter is not necessary for rehearsal but is essential for live shows. It allows the front of the house (FOH) to get each signal before they’re mixed so the house sound engineer can mix it for the audience. It will have a panel with XLR inputs on the front and two trunks in the back that each contain XLR cables for all channels.
A splitter that includes combination ports that allow either an XLR or 1/4” cable can be very convenient if any of your equipment uses TS or TRS cables. Seismic Audio makes rack-mountable XLR/TRS combo splitters with 16, 24, or 32 channels that have one short and one long trunk on the back.
Mount the splitter at the bottom of the rig because there will be a lot of cables connected to it that will make access to anything below difficult. Connect each cable in the short trunk to the mixer channel by matching the number on the cable to the number on the mixer input. If your mixer’s XLR inputs face forward in the rig, you will need to route the cables. I find that a 1U brush panel works well for this purpose. Short right-angle XLR adapter cables allow the case cover to be closed without having to unplug the cables from the mixer. Again, having a mixer that can be mounted with the inputs on the back is really helpful here.
Seismic Audio Rack Mount 16 Channel Splitter on Amazon
Drum mics
Using a simple room mic to capture the drum performance results in a muddy sound that prohibits proper mixing of separate drum channels. Invest in a decent set of drum mics that are designed for the various drum components. A kick mic is very different from a snare mic, which is also different from a tom mic.
I found a seven-piece kit from Shure that includes a kick mic, a snare mic, three tom mics, and two overheads. I use Shure almost exclusively for my microphone and wireless systems so I would get this and then purchase any other mics needed for additional kicks and toms. Two overheads should cover all your cymbals.
The kit comes with clips for the three toms, but you’ll need to spring for a small kick mic stand, a medium boom stand for the snare, and two tall booms for the overheads. I actually found a bundle on Sweetwater with the Shure kit and the additional stands so you could see if that’s still available and save a little cash.
Drum mic placement is an art form and requires years of experience to do it for a professional studio recording. But to capture a rehearsal or live performance, you can just do the best you can and learn as you go. If you listen to the results carefully, you can improve this skill over time and make yourself an even more valuable musician.
Pro tip: connect the cable to the mic before placing it to avoid having to reach into tight spaces and accidentally bump something you already placed.
Once the mics are in place, take a little care to loom the cables under the kit before running them across the floor or stage to the rig. This will keep things neat, preventing tripping and easing the effort to pick things up when you’re done. Connect the other end of each cable to the spitter input of your choice. I advise keeping the cables bundled together to minimize getting stepped on and you can tie them together with straps.
A lot of people in the industry typically connect drums into the first channels, starting with channel 1 for the kick and channel 2 for the snare. Since the signal chain retains this number all the way into the DAW, an experienced mix engineer would expect to see this pattern with the session tracks as well.
As an added convenience, I like to use a stage box snake from the drum kit to the rig. An eight-channel snake might do the trick, but consider getting one that has more inputs than you need to allow for future expansion. Get one that includes at least one 1/4” return so you can run a mixer output through it to the drummer for a monitor.
Shure PGA Drum Kit 7 with Stands Bundle at Sweetwater
Monoprice 12-Channel Snake & 8 XLR x 4 TRS Stage Box on Amazon
Rack case
The XR18 I use takes up three rack units and my 16-channel splitter uses two more. Add in the power conditioner and the rack will need to be at least 6U in size. Never underestimate the convenience that a 2U drawer offers so consider going up to 8 to accommodate.
As I’ve previously stated, it’s usually a good idea to leave room for future expansion. If you ever decide to use wireless IEMs for non-drummers, each transmitter will need half a rack unit. For a five-piece band, reserve 2U for this purpose. If this seems like something that would be difficult to transport, you can put castors on the bottom or break it out into multiple cases that can be wired up. I’ve found that castors make it pretty easy to move a big rig around and it’s really nice to have everything already wired up in the box.
Finally, a shock-mount case will protect the contents better when it moves around, especially if the band goes on the road. These cases are built with a case-within-a-case design so bumps to the outside don’t transfer much energy to the rack inside. They are more expensive, but not as much as replacing your gear if something goes terribly wrong.
Putting it all together
Once the drum mic cables are all connected to the first splitter channels, run XLR cables from each guitar and bass amplifier to one of the remaining inputs. 1/4” cables might be an option if you prefer, but make sure they’re balanced TRS cables if you’re going more than 20’ to avoid signal degradation. Run any other instruments, such as a keyboard, and then connect the vocal mics last.
Pro tip: use masking tape or printed labels to clearly label each input (“kick”, “gtr1”, “lvox”, etc.) Label the ends of each cable too. This avoids connection mistakes that result in frustration and lost time when you’re trying to figure out why a signal isn’t coming through when you expect it.
If you’ve connected the short splitter trunk to the mixer as I described earlier, you should now be able to check each channel individually in your DAW. Take some time to properly set levels the first time you set up your system. Other than drums, signals should be holding steady between -6 and -12 db when playing at full volume. Steady signals that are over this threshold risk clipping, which significantly compromises the sound of the recording. Drums will be a little louder on the hits and that’s OK.
Run a couple brief recording tests to make sure everything is working correctly and listen back to it. When you’re certain that you’re recording everything with decent quality, set the band loose for rehearsal. Things are bound to go wrong the first time or two, so never wait for the live show to get this going.
Last but not least, take a little time to clearly label each connector on the far end of the long splitter trunk. This is what you’ll hand off to the sound engineer at a live show, so make their job as easy as possible. They will return the favor by making your band sound incredible in the venue. Of course, they will do that anyway, but this will relieve them of frustration and lost time, translating to a better night for everyone.
Next level: Wireless IEMs
If you pride yourself on a professional setup, wireless IEMs take it up a notch. Transmitters sit in the rig and connect to the mixer outputs. Each performer wears a bodypack that wirelessly receives the full mix from the transmitter and pushes it directly into the ear canal at a volume that is both comfortable and clear.
Nothing will make you feel more like a professional band than a quality wireless IEM setup. Protect your hearing and never ask the sound engineer to turn up your monitors again! Use them during practice so you get used to it and set the levels when you have time to play around. The right mixer will allow each member of the band to set their own mix exactly the way they like it from their own mobile device without impacting the recording.
