Digital Recorder

Stoli · Thu Sep 09, 2021 10:24 am

I am looking to buy an inexpensive digital recorder for mostly practice purposes. I am new to playing "out" with other people but have found some folks to play with as part of a church band from time to time and I played with them for the first time this past Sunday. We got together several times to work on the song in preparation and I thought it sounded good when we delivered. I was just playing rhythm guitar. I had played a few times with another band that plays little bars and restaurants but they are not people that I can routinely practice with and I am not experienced or skilled enough to just wing it very well. I think I much prefer playing with the folks that I can practice with. Two are former touring musicians and know their stuff and my role is pretty small. I am looking for something that can do the following.

1. Record a keyboard generated drum track set to BPM with possibly piano. When we work on the next song if I could get that basic track after the first time that we practice then I have a track at the BPM that we are playing at and do not get off in the weeds so much when practicing by myself. Seems like it does not matter how much I practice by myself, if I do not have that beat laid down, I get faster or slower and then I mess up the tempo the first take the next time we practice. I used a metronome some when I practiced but it would have been much better having the drums and piano as the piano came in on a different beat.

2. Easily convert the files to an MP3 format or preferably record in that format.

3. Be able to plug the recorder into my Fender Mustang amp and play the recorded tracks back through it in order to practice with. I do not care for bluetooth. My amp has that capability but it seems to crash way too frequently.

4. Stable to operate and easy to use. Do not need a lot of whistles and bells.

5. A nice to have would be to be able to record the live performance at the venue. Getting decent quality for that may be too much to ask. At present we are playing outside but that will change when the weather cools.

6. I do not have any Apple devices so that probably takes some things out. I know some are thinking just record it on your phone but that will not work for me.

7. I have a very old cell phone and it is not designed to do these things.

I guess it could be battery operated or have a plugin charging capability for rechargeable battery. I presently record audio from time to time using a Windows laptop and it works OK but it is not really feasible to drag that around and it is a hassle getting a recording converted to an MP3 player to plug in my amp.

glasshand · Thu Sep 09, 2021 11:55 am

Tascam and Zoom make a bunch of things like that. I have the Tascam DR-05 (which has been replaced by the DR-05X) which does everything you describe. It can record via its microphones or line in, it can record in WAV or MP3 format, it has a headphone jack, it's pretty simple to use (it has a bunch of features, but honestly 99% of the time you never need them or have to think about them), it runs off batteries or USB power, and the sound quality is surprisingly good for an inexpensive little unit with built-in mics.

Stoli · Thu Sep 09, 2021 3:36 pm

glasshand wrote: ↑Thu Sep 09, 2021 11:55 am Tascam and Zoom make a bunch of things like that. I have the Tascam DR-05 (which has been replaced by the DR-05X) which does everything you describe. It can record via its microphones or line in, it can record in WAV or MP3 format, it has a headphone jack, it's pretty simple to use (it has a bunch of features, but honestly 99% of the time you never need them or have to think about them), it runs off batteries or USB power, and the sound quality is surprisingly good for an inexpensive little unit with built-in mics.

Thanks, something along those lines is what I am looking for.

Mossman · Sat Sep 11, 2021 4:41 pm

I used a Zoom H2 for years, and loved it. I upgraded to a Zoom H4n Pro and love it even more.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... rder-black

The H2 was a great field recorder. I used it to record band rehearsals and gigs, and as a general scratch-pad for song ideas. The microphones in Zoom recorders are great. I even temporarily used it as a broadcast mic when I was doing my radio show and my expensive Rode mic crapped out on me. I used it for about half a dozen shows until I got a "proper" replacement, and you could barely tell the difference.

The H4n Pro is a lot more robust in build quality and features. It's much more than just a field recorder. It could easily replace your audio interface, and it actually has better mic pre-amps than my PreSonus Studio 24c.

Stoli · Sun Sep 12, 2021 10:21 am

Follow up question--Have you all tried plugging the headphone out device into you aux input on your amp to playback your track that you recorded? Ideally, if it works I would probably just record my backing track including drum track, piano, and possibly vocals and just play that back through my amp to practice with if it works OK. I tried to research that but could not find anyone using it that way. It seems the headphone jack on MP3 players work fine for playback on my amp and if this works similarly to that I think either of these devices would do everything that I need to do. If you can do that without having to get the track to a PC and then an MP3 player then that takes much of the hassle out of things.

Probably a dumb question but I do not know what I do not know.

Mossman · Sun Sep 12, 2021 12:07 pm

Stoli wrote: ↑Sun Sep 12, 2021 10:21 am Follow up question--Have you all tried plugging the headphone out device into you aux input on your amp to playback your track that you recorded? Ideally, if it works I would probably just record my backing track including drum track, piano, and possibly vocals and just play that back through my amp to practice with if it works OK. I tried to research that but could not find anyone using it that way. It seems the headphone jack on MP3 players work fine for playback on my amp and if this works similarly to that I think either of these devices would do everything that I need to do. If you can do that without having to get the track to a PC and then an MP3 player then that takes much of the hassle out of things.

Probably a dumb question but I do not know what I do not know.

I don't see why that wouldn't work. The line-level output form the Zoom's headphone jack is no different than a phone or any other device.

BatUtilityBelt · Sun Sep 12, 2021 1:33 pm

Stoli wrote: ↑Sun Sep 12, 2021 10:21 am Follow up question--Have you all tried plugging the headphone out device into you aux input on your amp to playback your track that you recorded? Ideally, if it works I would probably just record my backing track including drum track, piano, and possibly vocals and just play that back through my amp to practice with if it works OK. I tried to research that but could not find anyone using it that way. It seems the headphone jack on MP3 players work fine for playback on my amp and if this works similarly to that I think either of these devices would do everything that I need to do. If you can do that without having to get the track to a PC and then an MP3 player then that takes much of the hassle out of things.

Probably a dumb question but I do not know what I do not know.

Not a dumb question. Line level and headphone out level are not the same, but are close enough for comfortable practice. Just don't expect to hear audiophile quality.

tlarson58 · Sun Sep 12, 2021 9:33 pm

This is a solid idea. I've finagled so many ways to get sounds from A-to-B and this was one of them. Watch that headphone out level, though.

Go-Pros have pretty good mics these days. Along with a Tascam DR-05 I use an Osmo Action camera (highly recommended) and mix in its MP3 with the multi-track recording to get some ambient sound.

RockYoWorld · Mon Sep 13, 2021 4:09 pm

tlarson58 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 12, 2021 9:33 pm Go-Pros have pretty good mics these days.

I don't mean to pick a fight here, but I don't recommend getting a GoPro or any other action cam for the audio quality. Yes, they're a lot better now than they used to be, but using GoPro Hero, Session, and Insta360 One R cameras for footage personally comes with subpar audio. I've been able to sync it with board recordings, so it works out, but I'd even say that iPhone video is approximately 13.234 times better than any action camera under $500.

Mossman · Mon Sep 13, 2021 8:51 pm

I've considered getting one of these... too many times (Zoom Q8). There's a variety of mic types to choose from.

tlarson58 · Tue Sep 14, 2021 5:02 am

RockYoWorld wrote: ↑Mon Sep 13, 2021 4:09 pm
tlarson58 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 12, 2021 9:33 pm Go-Pros have pretty good mics these days.
I don't mean to pick a fight here, but I don't recommend getting a GoPro or any other action cam for the audio quality. Yes, they're a lot better now than they used to be, but using GoPro Hero, Session, and Insta360 One R cameras for footage personally comes with subpar audio. I've been able to sync it with board recordings, so it works out, but I'd even say that iPhone video is approximately 13.234 times better than any action camera under $500.

Agreed.

Stoli · Wed Sep 15, 2021 12:10 am

Thanks for the input. I don't really need video. Just enough audio to get a practice track to play with primarily. Sounds like the Tascam or Zoom are probably the best fit for what I am looking for. Good to know that the headphone jack should work to get sound going through the amp.

deeaa · Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:49 pm

I have a couple of Zoom R16 units.
8 tracks with XLR/plug combo preamps each, can be synced for 16. Good built in stereo mics, metronome, lots of FX, easy to create mixes. Two Phantom XLR sockets. Very lightweight runs on 6 AA batteries if need be. They've been great for a lot of different uses.

Right now, I hook one up with USB to my Android Phone and can use it as 8 channel mixer preamp/soundcard to record to Audio Evolution Mobile or direct to video with Manual Camera Pro.

I've had those units for something like 12 years soon....have been superb.

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