[Harp-L] Re: Recording yourself

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Before you buy a recording device, ask yourself what you're going to do with the recordings, and what you're going to record.  If you only want something to record your practice sessions, Radio Shack sells a handheld cassette recorder that will serve this purpose well for about $30.  You don't need great audio quality to tell you what went right or wrong in a practice session.

If you want something that you can use to record more-serious performances, a Zoom H1 gives you digital recording quality at about $100.  All the Zooms run on AA batteries or wall power.  Standard AA batteries are available everywhere, and I think this makes the Zoom a better buy than competing devices that use proprietary battery designs. 

If you want lots more functions and features, a Zoom H4N costs about $300, and is a wonderful portable recording device. However, if the H1 or the cassette recorder will do everything you need, it's a waste of money to buy an H4N--and it will be a waste of time to learn the H4N's advanced features.

I own a Zoom H4, the predecessor to the H4N, and I think it's a great device. But I have never used its multitracking capabilities or the phantom power it provides for condenser mics.  If I were buying today, I would probably buy the H1 or the H2, which offer stereo recording without the bells and whistles I've never used on the H4.  

Regards, Richard Hunter

author, "Jazz Harp" 
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