Porch Sitter - Posted - 05/14/2016:  16:23:43

Hello,

I will be attending my first Banjo Camp.  I have heard others indicate that it is important to bring a recording device. 

Can you give me a recommendation on what I should purchase for this purpose (Brand name/ Model)?  I would like to purchase a quality device.

How many hours can a person typically contain in the memory of such a device (typical)?  Can the audio files then be uploaded to a computer and played there for future reference? 

Thank You,

Dave

Paulf - Posted - 05/14/2016:  17:04:10

There are many quality portable recorders on the market and I have had the Zoom H1 and now have the Zoom H2n which is more than I need and a great recorder.  Hours of recording would vary due to the quality of the sound set, wav or mp3 format and the byte size of the card you insert.  I like the H2n due to the fact that I can use a remote control with it. 

zoom.co.jp/products/handy-reco...-recorder

zoom.co.jp/products/handy-reco...-recorder

Paulf - Posted - 05/14/2016:  17:56:14

If you scroll down both of the links provided for the Zoom H1 and H2n recorders there is a list of all the recording times available.

Dave1climber - Posted - 05/14/2016:  17:58:52

quote:

---

Originally posted by Paulf

 

There are many quality portable recorders on the market and I have had the Zoom H1 and now have the Zoom H2n which is more than I need and a great recorder.  Hours of recording would vary due to the quality of the sound set, wav or mp3 format and the byte size of the card you insert.  I like the H2n due to the fact that I can use a remote control with it. 

zoom.co.jp/products/handy-reco...-recorder

zoom.co.jp/products/handy-reco...-recorder

---

I endorse this recommendation.  I have a Zoom and it will do everything that I want and more.

Porch Sitter - Posted - 05/14/2016:  18:00:24

Paul,

Thank you! I believe the H1 will fulfill my needs perfectly. I like that it appears to be simple to use. I will add a 32 GB SDHC chip and the accessory pack and I will be set.

Thank You Again,

Dave

mirwin - Posted - 05/14/2016:  20:01:31

I have used a Sony PCM-M10 recorder with very good luck.  It will record mp3 files at a variety of sampling rates.  I have also seen others use a smartphone app to record.  If you have a smartphone, try it before buying a recorder.  You may already have everything you need.  Good luck,

Mike

mdthib - Posted - 05/14/2016:  23:36:28

I'm with everyone else but would add: make sure to learn to use it! 

You want to be able to place it accurately (mic placement is very important and the wrong placement is a disaster. for me it's more about avoiding common problems like sitting on a floor with a foot-tapper or being so close to a bad instrument). 

You want to record what you'll want to hear later. At jams, I just put it by the fiddles. Less banjo, as I want to play along later, more fiddle so I can hear the tune. 

You want to be able to set and check levels. You don't need to get it "just right" but if the signal is too hot your audio will be distorted. 

You want to be able to import, edit, label, and otherwise enjoy your recordings. Set aside time to do this right and you'll be glad you did. 

Owning a good one is a great start, and having useful memories of a camp is great. And don't forget to ask permission to record teachers/artists/friends. They rarely say no, and it's the right thing to do. I was bashful the first few times, but they know you're doing it and your best off when you check. 

jonc - Posted - 05/14/2016:  23:39:22

record in mp3 mode and your 32 gig card will probably record for a week or so

one thing about the H1, it eats batteries more than the later models. It is the best for coolness but you may want to load up on batteries.

Dieselten - Posted - 05/15/2016:  05:10:55

Tascam DR70D with a 32Gb SDHC card. Easy on batteries, has 2 inbuilt mics or can take up to four mic or line-level devices. I have one I use for recording audio when I shoot video on my DSLR. It's superseded now so should be available for less than $US200. Highly recommend this unit from personal experience.

The Tascam 701D is the newer version but a bit more than you really need, and far more expensive.

revellfa - Posted - 05/15/2016:  06:54:28

The Zoom is great (and durable.) It rained on my Zoom H2 for about a half an hour when I moved one time. Plugged it in and it worked fine--still going after 7 years of use!

kmwaters - Posted - 05/15/2016:  08:41:24

Check online for a good deal on the Tascam DR-05. Great little recorder for this. I used it at my camp and it worked great.

Craig_B - Posted - 05/15/2016:  09:02:14

I took my Zoom H1 to the Murphy camp this past March, and found its usefulness to be limited, due entirely to my own failings. First, I didn't take even a small tripod, so I had to set it on the carpeted floor, where its tiny little bottom bumps that pass for "feet" couldn't possibly keep it upright. So not only was it down where the sound would be muffled, one of its mics ended up consistently pointing at the floor. A small tripod would have at least allowed it to get off the carpet - a bigger one would have put it up where the music was being made.

The second issue I had was storage capacity. The 2GB card I had in it only got me between 2 and 3 hours, and I had no laptop with me to dump it to, so after disappointing results the first day, it stayed in my room for the rest of the camp.

For the record, the sound quality of this little $100 device is normally pretty good. I use it on my desktop when I practice and it sounds a lot better than when it's lying on a carpeted floor. Soi whatever you take, do a little prep and help it do its job.

kmwaters - Posted - 05/15/2016:  09:46:40

Tascam dr-05 playback requires a nice little set of earbuds. The internal speaker is extremely weak. Otherwise it is a fine recorder for the money.

Cornflake - Posted - 05/15/2016:  13:45:28

I've used my IPad with a recording ap for at least 3 years. Works for me. Any smartphone would probably do fine too.

gospelman97 - Posted - 05/15/2016:  17:30:09

For those with an iPhone or iPad, the zoom iq7 is a great choice. It also fits in your pocket. Here is a review I made a while back: 

youtube.com/watch?v=fb_tbk-84yA

jonc - Posted - 05/15/2016:  21:38:58

I'm sorry, it was the H2 I was referring to, not the H1. Still the coolest looking, and it has its own little stand. Unfortunately I saw them on Ebay for $299, which is about 3x the original price.

it looks like you can still get the H2n which I remember was much much better on batteries

Edited by - jonc on 05/15/2016 21:41:47

Paulf - Posted - 05/15/2016:  21:46:38

Glad you mentioned that Jon because I remembered my H1 was pretty good on batteries and according to the link it gets 10 hrs recording from a single battery.

Cheers,  Paul