Zoom R4. Anyone else?

[Blueser100]

I just got one a few days ago. Not a newbie to recording by any means but it’s just super easy to get going when musical inspiration strikes and I just want to grab my guitar, a little device,and hit record. The menu system is basic and you can quickly find and change settings. I was recording in no time. Haven’t put full tracks down yet or exported to my DAW but so far I’m impressed. It’s not super sturdy but I’ll get a case for it.

Glad I found this thread.

[nickv6]

Another fan here. So easy to use. I'd done a couple of recordings before I looked at the manual.
I like to record acoustic guitar using the mic and a magnetic pup into a second channel.
Very easy transfer to my android tablet where I use the excellent Audio Evolution .
I like to record absolutely clean and add any effects on the computer. It's also excellent as a box to plug in and record straight to the computer.
The only reservation for me is because I use two tracks to record, four isn't very many.... Bouncing is ok but this machine would be amazing with 8 or 12 tracks on display.
Another plus, it can be powered through the USBC.
Brilliant overall.

[bscherokman]

Hi - sorry to ask this question about the R4 but I could not find the answer on the Zoom website. I recorded 2 minutes of my acoustic guitar on mic Track 1. Then I switched to mic Track 2 and recorded a one minute recording. When I played the two tracks the audio on Track 1 started at the beginning of the track but when I played Track 2 there was 2 minutes of silence before the Track 2 recording started playing. What I am trying to do is lay down 4 takes of the same song so that I can pick the best recording to import into GarageBand. Any suggestions on why Track 2 has 2 minutes of silence before the Track 2 recording plays?

Thank you very much for your help - Barb

[Blueser100]

Originally Posted by bscherokman

Hi - sorry to ask this question about the R4 but I could not find the answer on the Zoom website. I recorded 2 minutes of my acoustic guitar on mic Track 1. Then I switched to mic Track 2 and recorded a one minute recording. When I played the two tracks the audio on Track 1 started at the beginning of the track but when I played Track 2 there was 2 minutes of silence before the Track 2 recording started playing. What I am trying to do is lay down 4 takes of the same song so that I can pick the best recording to import into GarageBand. Any suggestions on why Track 2 has 2 minutes of silence before the Track 2 recording plays?

Thank you very much for your help - Barb

Hi, I have not had that happen (though I haven't done extensive recording yet) but I found the full user manual on the website. Read page 54 where it talks about "Playing Recordings." I'm wondering if after stopping playing track 1, the counter did not return to 00:00:00 and instead, track 2 started some time later?

https://zoomcorp.com/media/documents/E_R4_MultiTrak.pdf

[bscherokman]

Originally Posted by Blueser100

Hi, I have not had that happen (though I haven't done extensive recording yet) but I found the full user manual on the website. Read page 54 where it talks about "Playing Recordings." I'm wondering if after stopping playing track 1, the counter did not return to 00:00:00 and instead, track 2 started some time later?

https://zoomcorp.com/media/documents/E_R4_MultiTrak.pdf

Thank you but I am not playing Track 1 or Track 2 on the R4 device itself. This happens when I transfer Track 1 and Track 2 to the files app on my iPad. Track 2 has a long silence before the recording starts to play.

Any thoughts? Thank you again

[Blueser100]

Does Track 2 play correctly when you play it back on the Zoom R4? or only when you transfer to the iPad Files app?

[bscherokman]

Originally Posted by Blueser100

Hi, I have not had that happen (though I haven't done extensive recording yet) but I found the full user manual on the website. Read page 54 where it talks about "Playing Recordings." I'm wondering if after stopping playing track 1, the counter did not return to 00:00:00 and instead, track 2 started some time later?

https://zoomcorp.com/media/documents/E_R4_MultiTrak.pdf

I think you are correct about the counter not returning to 00:00:00. When I record one minute on Track 1 and then go to Track 2 to record the counter is at one minute and it starts to record at the one minute mark. I don’t know how to reset the counter to 0 when starting to record on Track 2. Do you know how to reset the counter to 0 on Track 2?

Thank you again for your help

[Blueser100]

You might read the page I mentioned, p. 54 and look at the diagram in the full user manual. Apparently there is a difference in the counter location if you hit the "stop" button vs. the "play" button for playing back. If you hit "play" it pauses the track right where you left it. If you hit the "stop" button, it returns to 00:00:00, at least this is how I'm reading it. This may be your issue but just a hunch.

[Blueser100]

Originally Posted by bscherokman

I think you are correct about the counter not returning to 00:00:00. When I record one minute on Track 1 and then go to Track 2 to record the counter is at one minute and it starts to record at the one minute mark. I don’t know how to reset the counter to 0 when starting to record on Track 2. Do you know how to reset the counter to 0 on Track 2?

Thank you again for your help

Read p. 54. If you hit the "stop" button it returns to the head of the track, at least that is my understanding. I don't think there is a counter reset.

[bscherokman]

Originally Posted by Blueser100

Does Track 2 play correctly when you play it back on the Zoom R4? or only when you transfer to the iPad Files app?

Your comment about the counter helped me figure out what to do when trying to record Track 2. After I recorded Track 1 for 2 minutes I held down the rewind button and went to 0 on Track 1. Then I switched to Track 2 and it started at 0 and began recording without any silence. You were correct about the counter - thank you so much for your help.

Barb

[Blueser100]

Originally Posted by bscherokman

Your comment about the counter helped me figure out what to do when trying to record Track 2. After I recorded Track 1 for 2 minutes I held down the rewind button and went to 0 on Track 1. Then I switched to Track 2 and it started at 0 and began recording without any silence. You were correct about the counter - thank you so much for your help.

Barb

Glad I could help. I record using GB and my iPad too. I'll be curious to see how the process goes exporting from the R4, etc. Maybe I'll be looking your way for tips on that part! Diana

[bscherokman]

Originally Posted by Blueser100

Glad I could help. I record using GB and my iPad too. I'll be curious to see how the process goes exporting from the R4, etc. Maybe I'll be looking your way for tips on that part! Diana

One more question - when I have the gain slider all the way to the top and record my acoustic guitar very close to the internal R4 mic the waveforms are flat like a straight line when imported into GarageBand. I guess this has something to do with the 32 bit float and you have to raise the gain of the track in GarageBand?

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by bscherokman

One more question - when I have the gain slider all the way to the top and record my acoustic guitar very close to the internal R4 mic the waveforms are flat like a straight line when imported into GarageBand. I guess this has something to do with the 32 bit float and you have to raise the gain of the track in GarageBand?

The slider controls the output level that you hear in your monitoring device, such as headphones. When you export to GB the waveform will look the same regardless of the slider position when you record.

You would never use a standard microphone "very close" to your guitar and the Zoom R4 microphone is no different. Use the same standard practices you would use for any other type of recording. The "gain" is determined by the R4's internal logic that sends the audio signal to one of two converters to do the 32 bit conversion. Again, the slider does not have any effect on the recorded track's level.

When you look at the WAV files in your DAW you want to lower the level, not raise it. Your track needs to be below the 0db level, usually well below that.

Also, you mentioned that you held the rewind button down to return to the "0" position. You can simply do a short press of the stop button and you will be returned to the "0" position of your recording.

[bscherokman]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

The slider controls the output level that you hear in your monitoring device, such as headphones. When you export to GB the waveform will look the same regardless of the slider position when you record.

You would never use a standard microphone "very close" to your guitar and the Zoom R4 microphone is no different. Use the same standard practices you would use for any other type of recording. The "gain" is determined by the R4's internal logic that sends the audio signal to one of two converters to do the 32 bit conversion. Again, the slider does not have any effect on the recorded track's level.

When you look at the WAV files in your DAW you want to lower the level, not raise it. Your track needs to be below the 0db level, usually well below that.

Also, you mentioned that you held the rewind button down to return to the "0" position. You can simply do a short press of the stop button and you will be returned to the "0" position of your recording.

Thank you so much - that makes sense and I will use your suggestions.

[nickv6]

Yes, press stop button twice to return to zero