Help! I’m Lost!
 

Please help out a struggling old timer. I know nothing, zero, nada, not ANYTHING about how to record music at home. I don’t even know where to start. So, here is the situation:

My daughter, for whom I would do anything, has requested a few recordings of me playing my guitar. O.K., that’s the challenge.

I have a 4 track Tascam DR40 recorder that I have no idea of how it works, but complete instructions are available on line.

Wat I need is a simple guide or instructional video that tells what all of these “things” are. I do not speak “digital” I am completely ignorant of things “internet”. I need some really basic information here. Please help!

you can get yerself a ZOOM MP3 recorder, for about $180 and record with that.

Bascally, mics are built in, records on an SDcard that you can put into the slot on your laptop and download to PC.

to record, ya just press the "RED" Button.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...46c0ac5c0e3fa3

You already have a device, similar to the one that the person upthread recommends. You've found the manual for it. There is no easy to provide substitute for reading that manual to figuring out how to use the device to get a decent recording. We're not in the room with you, so we'd have to deal with all kinds of situations (as the manual probably does) to get to the place where your daughter gets the recordings. If you go on and read and then try to use your Tascam, and you get to a step that really stumps you on that path, using a link to the manual we might be able to help with a suggestion on that step.

Three other options:

Do you have a recent smart phone, perhaps one of the popular iPhone models? My iPhoone is simple (possible even more simple than a standalone device?) to use to record a simple mono recording that would sound like you and your guitar to the listener, and the same phone/device can be used to share the recording with your daughter. The Tascam can probably make better recordings than just using a phone's built-in mics, but for "better" see below.

Do you have a local friend or acquaintance who knows at least a bit about recording or technology in general? They could record you, using your Tascam or their own stuff. The Tascam takes external mics, so they might have a couple to help in this. As someone who has to engineer my own stuff, I'd say there's a lot to be said for having someone else worry about the technology -- even if one is comfortable with technology, which you say you're not. They could give you the results as computer files that could be emailed or otherwise shared, or even old school media like a CD disk.

If you have the time and funds, and want the recordings to be the best you could make, then "seek professional help" is an option. Not everyone lives where recording studios are present, but if so, I mention it as an option for best quality.

File transfer skills are needed for these devices to get the sound files from the device to your PC for editing (if wanted) and uploading to Soundcloud, Facebook, etc. You should be able to make folders, copy files, rename files and delete files.

A few thoughts:

1. Have the device set in stereo recording mode.
2. Know how to find the files the recordings make on the device.
3. Know how to connect the device to the PC for file transfer
4. Know how to set recording levels
5. Transfer files to your PC and then delete the files from the device's memory card so it doesn't fill up.
6. Know how to disconnect the device from the PC correctly (eject).

I'm a semi old timer too (66) but I started messing around with PC computers back with DOS 2.0 in the 80's.

On my PC I have folders set up like H:\Recording2021\DADGAD\MyTune as an example.

If all you want is to send some recordings to your daughter for posterity, and you have a smart phone, that would definitely be the easiest place to start. Find the voice recorder app (or install one), hit "Record", and then find the "Share" button in the app and send it. All on the phone, no manuals, setup or file transferring needed.

Otherwise, yeah, you'll have to RTFM (read the fine manual) on the Tascam, record something there, then figure out how to transfer that file to a computer to send on.

An alternative is to set up the recording device as the input (microphone) for your PC software (assuming you have something). You will have to connect the device to your PC's USB for this. You would then save the sound files directly to your PC using your recording software and avoid the transfer/delete tasks. There are a few free recording apps for the PC.

Here are a couple videos

real basic




And this on is talking about recording a wedding and using external mics and some other things you can ignore but goes into some importanting settings Which the main things is set it for the internal mics,,,,,, set it for WAV file format 24 bit 48k samples
And the formatting he is talking about I assume is for an SD card which is how you can get it to computer

I too am an old, not tech savvy, guy- I record straight to my iPhone, transfer the recording to my lap top and upload to you tube- easy to do, even for an old guy who too records for posterity- every recording on my you tube channel, (in my signature) is done the way I said above, with the exception of 2 videos which I don't remember which 2 were done to an iPad mini and one was directly to my lap top- the iPhone has the best and easiest and if you already have one, the least expensive- no need for extras unless you want to be a pro- no need for added expense unless you have money to burn, and in a case like yours (and mine), somebody to figure out how to do it for you- :D

..........

Were I in your shoes I would save myself some stress and get someone to record you, burn it to a CD or mp3 and send it to your daughter.

Unless you plan on doing more home recording, you're better off having a friend or local studio do it for you.