LV

Live Vibes Recording, owned and operated by Ken Schumacher, is located in the beautiful Sierra Nevada foothills between Sacramento and Reno.

Live music can be magical. With the right performers in the right environment, something special can happen that just cannot be conjured up in a studio. The live interaction of inspired artists, often fueled by the encouragement of an appreciative audience, can bring music up to a level that takes one's breath away. I am passionately committed to capturing those moments, so that folks other than those lucky enough to be present can also experience the magic. It takes skill, perseverance, and a bit of luck to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right equipment. Starting with a pair of mics and a tape recorder, I have sought out creative musical performances to record, always receiving the performer's permission before laying a note down on tape. Over the years my tools have improved significantly, along with my abilities, and I have gained considerable experience in the art and science of recording music on location. I now offer up my services professionally.

If you have a music recording project in mind, please contact me as far in advance as possible for an estimate. This allows time to plan the best way to meet your needs and acquire any necessary materials or rental equipment

Every location recording situation is unique. Below are descriptions of some of the recording techniques I use.

Stereo Pair

A single pair of microphones placed at the sweet spot to capture the sound of the music in the space where it is performed.

Best for: acoustic jazz instrumental, small and large ensemble classical, choral, rehearsals, and archival. This least expensive method delivers a nearly finished product immediately, requiring little post production. Generally not suitable for rock, amplified blues, pop music with vocals, or environments with loud background noise.

Multi-Track Recording (4, 8, 16, or 24 tracks)

Separate audio tracks are recorded for each sound source allowing for careful post production mixing to optimize the musical balance and sound quality. For live performances a second recording mixing board is used to allow recording level adjustments independent of the house sound controls. A rough mix may be recorded during a performance, but it is intended for logging and backup purposes only. Extensive post production is required to complete the project. Note that location multi-track recording is not like studio recording. Because the tracks are laid down simultaneously in an open location, instruments and vocals can leak onto different tracks, making post production overdubs difficult.

Best for: Loud amplified music, larger groups, one time only performances, and recordings intended for commercial release. Not suitable for projects with severely limited funding or insufficient preparation time.

• Recorded and produced the "Buck Love and the Humperheads LIVE - Volumes 2 and 3 - Covers " CDs.
• Recorded the "Dakota Sid and the Badland Serenaders LIVE" CD.
• Recorded and produced the "Buck Love and the Humperheads LIVE - Volume 1" CD.
• Recorded and produced the "MotherLode Reunion 2002" CD.
• Recorded tracks for Alasdair Fraser's "History of the Scottish Fiddle - Volume 2" CD.
• Mixed house sound and two-track recorded "Awakening", a live 12 hour KVMR-FM event dedicated to peace.
• Recorded the annual Nevada County Composers Cooperative Festival of New Music concerts for the last five years. Several world premiers have been performed.
• Two years mixing live sound at Steamer's Cafe, a jazz club in Southern California. There I first began doing board mix recordings. Recorded many of David Sills' and Cecilia Coleman's jazz club shows, giving copies to each artist so they could evaluate their performances and create new arrangements of their compositions.
• Recorded a John Fahey solo concert back in 1976 using two mics on stage feeding a reel-to-reel deck. That recording is now in circulation by music traders and I still have the original tapes.