"Recording in Progress" Light

[lucidspoon]

I was wondering if anybody who does recordings (especially in a room of your house) uses any kind of "Recording in Progress" light like you'd see in a real studio?

Sometimes when my wife is busy doing something and I use that time to mess around in the basement, whenever she's done with whatever it is she was doing, she'll "alert" me by opening the door to the basement so that the dogs run down to greet me. It doesn't really matter that much, since I'm not really doing anything serious, but I could see at some point wanting to have a "Recording in Progress" light of some sort.

The real thing right now is we don't have a good way for her to get my attention if she actually needs something. Like the other night, I was recording some stuff and had headphones on. I looked over and saw the dog running around, so I knew she was done studying, and then I saw the lights in the stairway flashing. I just figured she was messing around, so I finished what I was doing and then went upstairs. Then, she was all upset because she had been trying to get my attention, because she needed something, but she didn't want to come downstairs because she has stress fractures in both legs right now. I guess she had been yelling for a bit to try to get my attention, but I couldn't hear her because of the headphones.

Anyway... We've been trying to think of a good system that I can do my thing, but that she can get my attention if she actually needs something, but not bother me if I'm busy and she doesn't really need something. Some kind of two-way light would be nice where we each had a switch, and I could turn mine on to turn on a light upstairs that said I was busy, and she could turn on a switch that would turn on a light downstairs that said she needed something.

[Scooter2112]

Some sort of light would definitely help.

Going back to my younger days when I played drums, my parents would flick the basement lights on and off several times when they wanted me to stop. Most of the time, I had either headphones on, or was playing to an F'ing loud boombox, so any sort of audible signal was useless. Flashing the lights worked very well.

You may have to do some wiring if you want it controlled from another room/space throughout the house.

Or look into something that can be controlled by remote control.

[Leendrix]

This would be very helpful...

The other day, I'm cutting this acoustic track. I've got my headphones on, and I'm sitting right up to the mic. My dad comes in and says "Lee, it's time to eat - Oh, are you recording?".

I know I can just talk to them about this, and I will. I also kinda screwed myself over when we switched rooms through out the house. My room is what was the second living area for my sister and me. I needed extra space. But to get to the laundry room/half bath, you need to go through my room. And when the washer and dryer are running, my dad will leave the door open in the middle of a take. It sucks, but I knew what I was getting into. So even if it's a piece of paper on my door way or something, that will work.

What sucks more? I don't have a door. We got two bike hooks, a long piece of PVC, and my mom made some bed sheets into curtains. It works really well. But not a lot of privacy.

I can't wait for us to move.

[Elrathia]

I take my cell phone with me.

[ext1jdh]

Remote control tazer to the balls.




That would get my attention

[lucidspoon]

Originally Posted by Elrathia

I take my cell phone with me.

I don't like having my phone around when I'm recording, since it picks up the sounds of data from the phone.

Originally Posted by ext1jdh

Remote control tazer to the balls.




That would get my attention

I think I'll pass on that... The wires on our TENS unit won't reach down to the basement anyway.

[River]

Matched set of disco balls, with remote controls?

Srsly, I feel your needs. Rapid working of light switches and respect for closed doors pretty much have to work in a family situation.

Hell, I come close to losing it for being interrupted while in the zone. Whether I'm recording, remember to pull the door to, close my eyes or not; I'm like, can't you see what I'm doing here?!

[5F6-A]

yes

[Thumpalumpacus]

Replace the light-switch at the top of the stairs with a Variac. That way she can change the light-level without noise, and without risking the injury of navigating stairs in the dark.

If need be, put the control on the outside of the door.

[Freddy G]

Yesterday I was recording my hiwatt and I had it cranked. I told my wife she can make all the noise she wants in the house, won't make a damn bit of difference. Can you imagine the decibel difference between footsteps or a door closing being picked up by a mic that's 1 inch away from a cranked amp?