Re: [Harp-L] Best Zoom H2 settings with loud music please?

["James Sterett" <jsterett@xxxxxxxxx>]

I'll have to look into it a little more, but I don't believe the Zoom's auto gain adjusts during recording, it just sets the initial levels.  I get a level with auto gain by having the band play a little before I put the Zoom in record mode.  Then, I start to record and let it roll for the whole set.  In my Zoom experience, I've found that having set my levels with auto gain, songs that are played softly come out at an appropriately lower level compared with the more raucous numbers.  And clipping is rarely a problem when keeping the inputs on Low.  The last thing I want to do is mess with anything or pay attention to anything but the music while we're playing. I figure if you're focusing on anything but the music at hand, you're probably not going to want a recording of it anyway.  Although we did make a CD out of live Zoom recordings, that wasn't our original intention, we're just trying to improve and there's no better way than listening to yourself (like it or not) and the Zoom provides good quality, manageable material for us to use to that end.  

Jim.    
www.mcmule.com 

>>> Garry Hodgson <harp@xxxxxxxxxxx> 5/12/2008 9:25 PM >>>
James Sterett <jsterett@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> For my live recordings, I set the mics to L, use auto gain, no   
> compression or limiter (any effects such as that can be added in   
> post-production) and let it rip

i agree about not using any effects when recording.  you want to capture
the sound as accurately as possible, and mess around with it later.  but
for the same reason, i never use any kind of auto gain control.  changing
the gain during recording distorts the recording in a way you can't correct.
you lose the dynamics, where some parts are loud, and others quiet.  better
to capture it straight up, and correct the levels later if needed.

there have been times when my initial levels were too high, or too low.
i try and only modify them between songs, to make it easier to correct.
but sometimes i have no choice but to correct midsong, if the levels are
dangerously high.  once you get clipping, you're screwed.  when i do change
levesl midsong, i write down what i did in a small notebook i keep, for
later reference.  audacity makes it pretty easy to locate the exact
spot the levels changed, so you can fix it.

-- 
Optimism and pessimism don't exist for me.
I'm a blues man.  I am a prisoner of hope.
I'm going to die full of hope.
- Cornel West



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