Best Way To Record

Jake · #1 01-04-2008, 11:31 PM

I've heard the most honest teacher one will ever find is a recording device. When I was in school, minidiscs where pretty prevalent. I piano player friend of mine has a digital stereo recorder. Is this the best way to go? What are you guys using?

fingers · #2 01-05-2008, 12:16 AM

I agree 100%.

I use the The Zoom H2.

Sounds great. Can't be beat for $200. There is a whole thread about recorders somewhere.

bassace5 · #3 01-05-2008, 12:28 AM

If you are just wanting to record your bass the Zoom stuff is cool, very painless.....I record a lot straight to my laptop. I have a mac which came with garageband, and I just bought an interface to plug into. Especially great if you want to record a bunch of tracks.

If you dont have a mac it would cost more to get software, interface, etc. for a computer set up than it would to go the zoom (or similar recording device) route.

KuMBye YamALaWd · #4 01-05-2008, 12:35 AM

If you have a Mac, Garageband is great (even if you DON'T have an interface; I used to just plug it straight into the Line-in of the Mac, that worked fine)..

Zoom H2, as mentioned; I have the H4, which is great (more features than the H2, but not everyone wants/needs those features)

... or even record with your i-pod or mobile phone, using built-in mic; sound ain't great, but even low-quality recording can be better than NO recording

Jason Sypher · #5 01-05-2008, 04:58 AM

Digital recorders are great, the Edirol 09 is a nice unit but twice as much as the Zoom. You don't have to go the expensive route and can buy yourself a simple cassette recorder at radio shack which will do the job.
If your a tech head like I am, you'll want the new toys but you can listen to your mistakes on just about anything, they have a way of standing out in a mix!

fingers · #6 01-05-2008, 08:09 AM

I'm sure you can find a minidisc for peanuts on ebay too.

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #7 01-05-2008, 08:47 AM

I'm using the R-09 and have seen a lot of people around using the Zoom H2. Choosing between those devices means you can't go wrong either way - they both do a great job. While I agree that any device (minidisk, cassette, etc) will do the job, keep in mind the convenience factor. The great thing about the R-09, H2, and devices like these is the ease of use and the quality. When i used to use a minidisk, it wasn't nearly as helpful because I couldn't upload the files to the computer nearly as easily as these devices do with USB, which meant that I couldn't burn CD's of the stuff i was supposed to be listening to, which meant that I couldn't really listen in my car or anywhere else without headphones. The second nice thing is that I like to hear my mistakes in Hi-Def.

Last, these devices can be used to make high quality recordings of gigs, recitals, and other performances that you might want to keep. If that's not important, I like what I'm hearing from the latest round of iPod mics as well, although I believe they record in mono.

**Damon Rondeau** · #8 01-05-2008, 10:39 AM

There is also the M-Audio MicroTrack II recorder. I think the Zoom is the only one with built-in mics, isn't it?

These kind of devices have come a long way in the last couple of years.

A laptop can be tremendously useful for field recording. I don't buy the idea that a Mac is any more convenient or better for this purpose than any other type of modern notebook computer. Sure, it ships with Garageband, but recording software is easy to come by, at all kinds of price-points ranging from free to really damned expensive. Demo software got me through the first year just fine. The idea that only Apple computers are useful for media is a seriously out-of-date concept.

Besides, the only software you'd really need for dealing with a stereo field recording is a wave editor. Get GoldWave for fifty bucks or whatever and you'll never need anything else. You'll be recording while the Mac people are still dealing with the customer support line, or shelling out for updates.

fingers · #9 01-05-2008, 10:55 AM

A laptop is fine. I work for a studio that does some onsite recording work and you can get some great recordings that way. It just takes the 'easy button' thing out of the equation. Bigger and much more labor intensive. With the Zoom, Edirol, or whatever you can just throw it in the backpack with the other cables and stuff you need to bring to a gig. When you get there you just turn it on, hit record, and concentrate on playing the bass.

**Damon Rondeau** · #10 01-05-2008, 12:52 PM

I agree whole-heartedly. That's why I'm thinking a unit that's got built-in mics is your unit with the biggest red easy button...

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #11 01-05-2008, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damon Rondeau

There is also the M-Audio MicroTrack II recorder. I think the Zoom is the only one with built-in mics, isn't it?

The Edirol also has built in mics, which are what I've been using to make all of the recordings I've used it for, including everything on the Johnson disc I sent you. But the Zoom is the cheapest of these units AFAIK.

EDIT: Here's a link to the recorder thread, and Here's a link to an unprocessed live recording made with the R-09. Later in the thread, there are other links to H2 recordings, and an R-09 recording that has had some mastering work done on it.

bassace5 · #12 01-05-2008, 01:22 PM

Most of my personal recording experience has been on a mac. The garageband software is super user friendly. I have been recording with the same laptop and software for 3 years, and I have never spent a second dealing with customer service. If you dont have a mac, and other recording software is that easy to come by, then by all means....that route seems like a good one. However, if you have to pay more to get yourself setup to record on a computer than you would pay to just get a zoom, (or something similar) and all you want to do is record your bass for practice purposes, you may be just defeating the purpose.

I cant say enough about how user friendly a mac is to record on, however for your purpose an R-09 or a Zoom H2 would be great.