Re: [Harp-L] recording practice sessions

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I record all my practice sessions and band rehearsals with the Zoom H4 that I bought over a decade ago for $300 new.  It's still the best $300 I ever spent on recording gear.  I have recorded hundreds of performances, rehearsals, and jams on it, and if I make sure the batteries are fresh, it works without a hitch every time.  The quality of the live recordings it produces is terrific, and it'll record something like 19 hours of audio on a 4 GB SD card at 192 kHz MP3 resolution, which is plenty good quality for a live recording that's not intended for commercial release.  It'll also record at higher resolution, of course (up to 192 kHz 24-bit WAV), which is nice when you need it.

The Zoom H1 also records live audio beautifully and sells new for about $99. It lacks a number of the advanced features of the H4 (and its successor, the H4N, a great device that sells for a little bit more than the H4), but for no-fuss live recording on a budget it's plenty good enough.

I think Vern posted to the effect that a Behringer mixer plus a computer running Audacity makes for a nice recording setup.  I agree, but I feel obliged to point out that setting up a computer + mixer and getting Audacity into record mode takes a lot more time and attention than turning on the power to a handheld device like the H1 or H4 and putting it in record mode.  For some situations, like a public jam session, it's damn near impossible to run a computer-based setup, but it's easy to put the Zoom on a table and start recording.  You also need one or more mics to go with the mixer, and the Zooms have built-in mics that work just fine.

The Zoom devices also make file transfer from the recorder to a computer as easy as popping the SD card out of the Zoom and putting it into the card slot on your computer.

I obviously like the Zoom devices plenty; let me just note that there's plenty of worthy competition in the $100-300 price range, and it's worth looking around to see which functions and features are available at what price point.  (Some devices, like the Zoom H4 and H4N, offer multi-track recording, but if you really want to make multitrack recordings then I strongly recommend something like Vern's computer + mixer setup--dealing with 4 tracks on a screen that's not much bigger than a postage stamp isn't a lot of fun.)  For me, the clincher is that the Zooms run on AA batteries when wall power's not available.  It's pretty easy to find AA batteries when you need them, and a Zoom will run for at least 4 hours on a pair of AA alkalines.  I bought two sets of rechargeables, and I charge one set while the other is in the Zoom.  It works.

Regards, Richard Hunter