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Old 11-30-2015, 03:54 PM
Jim-W Jim-W is offline
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Default Zoom H2n vs H4n

I have never recorded before and I am considering one of these two portable recorders.

I am thinking the H4n can do multitrack or you can "dub"? in over a previously recorded track. Like add in voice or drums or dogs barking or wife screaming or whatever. Or might this recorder be too complicated or frustrating for a first time user.

Can someone give a recommendation on one of these two? Or reasons why the H4n would not be the best choice. The cost difference does not seem that significant.

I mostly just want to catch moments of inspiration that could be developed later. I know that sounds dumb.
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Old 11-30-2015, 03:59 PM
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I've used an H4N for several years for practice and for recording most of my live gigs so I can listen later and see what needs to be improved upon. I've found it to be a solid little unit and the sound quality is pretty solid. I've not gone beyond simple recording, but it does offer dubbing and quite a few other features. It advertises as doing duty as an audio interface so you can record to computer from it, but I've not been able to get it to do this with my computer and I gave up trying. The learning curve is not overly steep, and they provide an excellent and detailed operator's manual.

STEve
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Old 12-01-2015, 08:26 PM
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I have an H4N and use it mostly for simple recording although I have run mics through it and monitored vocal and guitar through the headphone jack.

The basics are easy but it has a lot of effects and all that is menu intensive so a bit of a pain in that regard.

Menus for the basic functions are also a bit fiddle to work with as well.

All in all though it's a good unit and you can just take it out of the box and do basic recording w/out reading the instructions.
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Old 12-01-2015, 08:31 PM
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If you can afford it, get a new H6. I like it much better than the H4N i owned.

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Old 12-04-2015, 10:31 AM
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I have a Zoom H2N and like it a lot. I record using .WAV format. I record the melody, then a separate recording the harmony, then yet another, the chords.

These (3) files are imported into Audacity and synchronized/normalized. If I played well and kept time (I listen to a KORG metronome thru some cheapy, low impedance headphones while playing), then the song sounds okay.

With Audacity, I can add any special effects by just importing (which automatically sets up a separate track in Audacity). So I end up with (4) separate tracks that can be edited anyway I choose, if I have the time and patience.

Then I export the project to an MP3 file (320 KPS), which makes it easy to email. This export process does not alter the Audacity file at all.

I bought a 40 watt stereo system to plug into the desktop for playback. Sounds good.

I live in a rural area and the sounds of God's creation are all around. I go out and record various birds, rain, crickets, tree frogs, feral cats, etc with the H2N. I use some of these sounds as a back-drop in some songs.

I also take MP3's by (in)famous artists and make fun of their recordings by adding these various effects, for humour.
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Old 12-04-2015, 11:01 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim-W View Post
…Can someone give a recommendation on one of these two? Or reasons why the H4n would not be the best choice. The cost difference does not seem that significant.
Hi Jim…

I own both and the reason for the H4N (for me) is full 48volt phantom, XLR inputs and the ability to use my external studio condenser mics for more serious field recordings.

If you don't plan to use external mics (or to use the H4n as an interface to a computer), then the H2N has multiple mic patterns, including mid-side, X/Y, 2ch 4ch. I must admit, I usually just stick it on X/Y, mount it on a camera tripod or sit it on a table top near the edge near people who I'm recording.

I use mine for an idea capture, and for semi-serious field recordings, and it works great.

The H4n was an impulse purchase since someone here in the forum had received one as a gift and sold it about ½ price (the whole kit with the hard shell carrying case), and I love it. I only pull it out when I need serious steps up in quality and portability at the same time.

My son who is a good solid musician will get a Zoom H1 one of these days. It does everything he needs for his song writing and sharing. He has an 8 channel console studio recorder, but not a decent mobile recorder.






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Old 12-26-2015, 11:47 AM
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Well - H4n it is.
There are a lot of videos on how to use it. I have already tried overdubbing. Really weird doing things separately. Even weirder to listen to the individual tracts. However, it does not seem over complicated at all. In fact it is pretty easy to do a simple stereo recording. I have noticed a couple things:

1. The guitar actually sounds better on the recording than I thought it would - perhaps even better than when I hear it when I am playing. (using my daughters Breedlove Pursuit Concert while my Taylor is in the shop)

2. The recorder picks up every single mistake. What is with that?

3. Wow, do I have a bad singing voice.
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Old 12-26-2015, 01:25 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim-W View Post
…2. The recorder picks up every single mistake. What is with that?
Hi J-W…
I realize it's a rhetorical question…but it's something I discuss with students.

When we play live, people hear with their brains, and we are pretty good at excluding mistakes, extraneous noise (refrigerator running in the kitchen etc). We actually can get away with a lot when we play live.

When we listen to recorded music, we tend to use our ears, and when we spot a mistake, we know it's coming every time we fire up that recording, and even begin to anticipate it.

Recording is a TRUTH test of how we well we are playing…how well I played rather than how well I THOUGHT I played.


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Old 12-26-2015, 07:27 PM
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Larry.....you speak the truth!!!
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Old 12-26-2015, 07:59 PM
martingitdave martingitdave is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ljguitar View Post
Hi J-W…
I realize it's a rhetorical question…but it's something I discuss with students.

When we play live, people hear with their brains, and we are pretty good at excluding mistakes, extraneous noise (refrigerator running in the kitchen etc). We actually can get away with a lot when we play live.

When we listen to recorded music, we tend to use our ears, and when we spot a mistake, we know it's coming every time we fire up that recording, and even begin to anticipate it.

Recording is a TRUTH test of how we well we are playing…how well I played rather than how well I THOUGHT I played.


This is exactly why I'm nervous about using the H1 I just got for Christmas. I will have to take of the rose colored ear muffs! [emoji41]

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Old 01-02-2016, 12:46 AM
tonyo tonyo is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim-W View Post
2. The recorder picks up every single mistake. What is with that?

3. Wow, do I have a bad singing voice.
Yeah, I'm thrilled the recorder highlights to me the mistakes I'm making. I'm often concentrating so much on the song I don't notice them. What it's also done for me is helped immensely with my vocals.

I was emphasizing words without thinking and they sounded quite harsh in the recording so I've been able to smooth out the vocals.

It's taken me a while to get used to listening to my singing voice. I don't mind the sound of my voice (compared to some friends who hate the sound of their own voice) but I initially didn't like listening to my voice.

Now I've gotten over that mostly and just listen to hear what it is I really sound like.

Don't despair over the sound of your singing voice. I suspect it's not as bad as you think and it will improve as you develop your ear more by such things as listening to recordings of your songs.
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Old 01-02-2016, 08:35 AM
8TrackJoe 8TrackJoe is offline
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I noticed some comments about the mics picking up everything. Not attempting to high jack the thread, but it reminded me of a funny story that happened at my work. In the 1990's I worked as a Video Producer/Director shooting/editing/writing television commercials. Well the company I worked for didn't see the value in investing in proper gear that they didn't see a quick, obvious return on. So we never actually had a vocal booth for voice overs. We had a closet with an extremely high ceiling. I always hated that room cause every recording had a hallow sound. No one else heard the sound except for me cause I was the only one that worked on the audio with headphones on since the editing suite had so much other gear that generating noise. Skip ahead a number of years and we setup a new edit suite with sound isolation/diffusion. We go in and record the first couple of voice overs and then play them back. Suddenly we hear this strange popping type of sound. We had pop filters, wind screens, checked the talent for strange metal objects. This went on and on until I asked the talent to read the script directly at my ear from the side. Then it dawned on me we were actually hearing the smacking of the lips that occurs between words and syllables. It had always been there, but due to the room noises of the past we had never heard it before. So yes the mics pick up stuff that we are not consciously aware of hearing. By the way I do have the H4n also and had to adjust some of my own methods of playing and singing when I went back and started listening to myself.
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Old 01-02-2016, 11:58 AM
Fran Guidry Fran Guidry is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BoneDigger View Post
If you can afford it, get a new H6. I like it much better than the H4N i owned.

Todd
The H6 definitely offers lots of improvements over the H4n but it doesn't support very useful overdubbing since each new track must come through a different input. The H5 however has the better preamps and other features of the H6 plus the ability to manage overdubs in a more flexible manner.

Fran
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Old 03-03-2016, 07:19 AM
Benny61 Benny61 is offline
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I'm new to recording and I have a few questions.

Can you plug two mics into a zoom and then go into garage bands ( if so how many mics max)?

Can you use the zoom's attached mics for the guitar and plug a condenser mic into it for vocals?

Can you plug a guitar pickup into it? If so can you also plug in condenser mic for vocals at the same time?

I guess my question is does it do everything a 200$ interface does?

I'm trying to record guitar and vocals but I'm not sure if I want to go with pickups or mics for the guitar and would like the flexibility to explore both. Plus the added benefit of being able to take the zoom wherever I go is very appealing.
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Old 03-03-2016, 10:47 AM
Fran Guidry Fran Guidry is offline
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The Zoom H4n can handle the configurations you mention, but the quality will not be as good as a $200 interface in my experience. The Zoom will display greater self-noise, specifically. Also, the interface includes a software mixer application that can be pretty handy for adjusting and routing the interface connections.

If you really want the functions you describe plus audio quality equal to a $200 interface, I would recommend that you save a bit more for the Zoom H5 (two external mics/pickups) or H6 (four external mics/pickups). These newer recorders improved the signal to noise ratio noticeably.

Fran
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