What do you guys use for rehearsal recording?

vision · #1 10-03-2008, 08:34 AM

This may be in the wrong forum, I'm not sure. I need a good solution for recording band rehearsals (and some live shows, but only for personal use.) Years ago I used a mini-disc recorder for this, but those are hard to find now. Are there any products out there that are harddrive bassed with built in mics that would work well for recording rehearsals? I'm looking for something under $200, so I would need something more simple than the Zoom H4 ($300). One option could be the Belkin stereo mic that is made for ipods, but I haven't really seen guys using those...

locolobo85 · #2 10-03-2008, 08:39 AM

Prepare for the legions of Zoom users. What's the other Zoom? Isn't it around 200?

The Edirol R-09 works great also but is a little more pricey.

RustyAxe · #3 10-03-2008, 08:41 AM

I've been using a Zoom H2 lately and it works fine. We're a four member acoustic group (2 guitars, 1 dobro/mando, 1 acoustic bass). We just sit in circle around the H2 mounted on a mic stand. The H2 has four speaker capsules and can record as an omni-directional condenser mic. At CD quality it produces great WAVs. Street price is right at your budget ... $199 ... but they come up used for a lot less.

vision · #4 10-03-2008, 08:58 AM

Wow, the Zoom H2 looks GREAT...I know the H4 has been out for years but i've never heard about the H2.

pointbass · #5 10-03-2008, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by locolobo85

Prepare for the legions of Zoom users.

I'm usually not a big fan-boy, but the Zoom H2 is very tough to beat for the price. The quality of the thing is amazing .... it's a simple "press-record" operation and super easy download off the card. As I've said in other threads, I just pop the unit into the middle of the band and start to record with almost no thought as to where it is being placed and the balance is always, at a minimum, very good ....

You can listen to a bunch of live recordings here .... everything was done with the H2 (be forewarned, all VERY commercial cover tunes

) downloaded into Audacity, no tweaking other than the Normalize filter to balance out the tracks. With a little bit of thought about where you're placing the unit the quality can likely be excellent ....

JKT · #6 10-03-2008, 02:26 PM

Edirol

MatticusMania · #7 10-03-2008, 02:39 PM

Cool, im in the same boat, looking for a good recording device to capture live improv and put it on a disc. Does the Zoom H2 have any line-in ports? Like say, for plugging in the line out of my PA?

vision · #8 10-03-2008, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

Cool, im in the same boat, looking for a good recording device to capture live improv and put it on a disc. Does the Zoom H2 have any line-in ports? Like say, for plugging in the line out of my PA?

Good question...I'd like to know the answer to this as well!

Bass Boy · #9 10-03-2008, 02:58 PM

I read that it (H2) can also be used as a usb mic. Would I be able to record a voice over with it into Sonar? (Basically as you would use any regular mic)

MatticusMania · #10 10-03-2008, 03:11 PM

As a usb mic, heh?

So would it be possible to multitrack on a laptop? Or would it only record, as what seems likely, to just one track?

anyone know?

pointbass · #11 10-03-2008, 03:23 PM

I'm not at all well versed with the various options available on the H2 .... for me, it's nothing more than a "point & click camera" mentality. It does what I want it to do, which is simply record live music. That said, the H2 does have a line-in but I have no idea of how effective it would be coming off of a board. The Zoom H2 manual can be found here, but it doesn't appear to be a highly technical document ....

Hopefully somebody with better technical skills than me can respond to these questions ....

adammazza · #12 10-03-2008, 03:26 PM

I had the Tascam DR-1 and liked it, but I just replaced it with the Tascam GT-R1. It's great, has all the features of the DR1, plus the fucntionality of Tascam's MP-BT1 bass trainer.

MatticusMania · #13 10-03-2008, 03:27 PM

From what I've read about it just now it doesnt seem to a) have any input ports, or b)record as multiple tracks, though Im assuming since it's stereo there probably is a way to record a left & right channel? It did mention that you can use it to record in 5.1, anyone have experience with this?

Oh, and i found one, and open box special, online for only $129.99 @ www.audiolines.com

MatticusMania · #14 10-03-2008, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pointbass

I'm not at all well versed with the various options available on the H2 .... for me, it's nothing more than a "point & click camera" mentality. It does what I want it to do, which is simply record live music. That said, the H2 does have a line-in but I have no idea of how effective it would be coming off of a board. The Zoom H2 manual can be found here, but it doesn't appear to be a highly technical document ....

Hopefully somebody with better technical skills than me can respond to these questions ....

It seems to me, that the quality of the onboard mics is such that a line-in might not be necessary, but if it DOES have one, that just makes it all the better a good choice!

I'm strapped for cash right now, thanks to traffic cameras and that whole right turn thing, but once it's paid off I think an H2 will be my ext investmet.

tmw · #15 10-03-2008, 03:32 PM

Excellent value for the money.
Sounds very good as well.
Easy enough to use that you don't have tio fumble around between songs.

locolobo85 · #16 10-03-2008, 04:30 PM

The line-in comes in handy for several applications.

-recording LPs
-recording Cassettes
-capturing sound off any source imaginable
-want a mix of one of your Dishnetwork CD or Sirrius stations? Plug it in.

I've found all kinds of uses for the Edirol....band practice, field recordings, concerts, etc....

fullrangebass · #17 10-03-2008, 04:41 PM

I am using the Olympus LS-10 and the results are amazing

lbanks · #18 10-03-2008, 04:53 PM

I use a Mini-disk recorder, but it ain't cheap...
unless you find one on Evilbay...