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    • Weekly Roundup: 12/14-20 December 20, 2009
      Finally! My vacation has begun and I’m back in the Green Mountain State. It truly is a wonderful thing. I love school and my friends and all of that fun stuff, but there’s something that is enjoyable about Vermont. It’s so sincere and lively. I have to say though, I could use a good snow [...]
    • How You Listen to Music December 15, 2009
      (As published in the Racquette Newspaper) I listen to music as often as possible. Listening sources range from an iTunes library through studio monitors, to an iPod with headphones, to Pandora online radio, to standard FM radios. I am a fan of high fidelity, but I can by no means consider myself an “audiophile.” I enjoy [...]
    • Weekly Roundup: 12/7-13 December 13, 2009
      The last week of classes has come and gone and I am lucky to count myself as one o the survivors. This coming week will be easier for some than others. I am looking forward to checking exams off of my list as I go. Here’s what I’ve got for this week; Ithaca College of Music [...]
    • Weekly Roundup: 11/30-12/6 December 6, 2009
      My friend and I were filling up her gas tank the other day before we left for Thanksgiving vacation and I noticed this SUV at the next pump over. Of course, it was none other than a New York State Environmental Conservation Police SUV…(WHAT?!?) Oh the irony… I took a few photos while on the Plattsburgh/Grand [...]
    • Weekly Roundup: 11/23-29 November 30, 2009
      The past week did not go as originally expected. Yes, I made it home to Vermont for a wonderful Thanksgiving with the family, though I have been without my Mac since Tuesday. Apparently the logic board that was installed several weeks ago during a repair was faulty. I get the full details of it when [...]
    • Weekly Roundup: 11/16-22 November 22, 2009
      And we’re on to round two of the Weekly Roundup Series. The points are bulleted for separation and comprehension. This week includes some live music, music technology and a short ditty about a concert I went to this weekend. Enjoy! Behold! A sneak preview of Marco Benevento’s upcoming DVD, “Live in NYC: The Sullivan Hall Residency.” A […]
    • Weekly Roundup | 11/9-15 November 15, 2009
    • Busy, Busy, Busy! November 12, 2009
      That’s been the best way to describe the past two and a half months. I’ve been working on 1,001 things that require my focused attention and simultaneously trying to stay sane. The result has been a lack of blog posts. This makes me sad. I love writing and I love posting my findings from the [...]
    • Wild Things make our hearts sing: The Movie October 30, 2009
      (as published in the Racquette newspaper) Turning a classic story like Where the Wild Things Areinto a movie has become a much more popular and appealing reality despite the knee-jerk reaction that the concept inevitably provoked. It’s easy to see the opportunity to capitalize on bringing a piece of art to the big screen, but it’s a [...]
    • Porcupine Tree releases new two-disc album September 25, 2009
      (as published in the Racquette newspaper) Porcupine Tree’s latest album, The Incident, is sure to quench the thirst of even the most diehard fan. The band decided to release the album as a two-disc set instead of a single-disc LP, followed shortly by an EP. The decision has resulted in more new music to digest all [...]

Zoom H4: Awesome Handheld Recorder

Posted on April 17, 2008 by benobriensmith

Last summer I purchased a Zoom H4 Handheld Recorder in order to record live music and spur-of-the-moment ideas without my Pro Tools rig. This was quite possibly the best recording investment I’ve made so far.

The Zoom H4 records to SD cards, just many digital cameras do. It takes standard AA batteries or can use the included power supply. It has a built-in XY stereo condenser mic setup that is perfect for recording live performances, acoustic ideas and the like. In addition, the H4 has two XLR/1/4″ inputs allowing you two use two external microphones or direct 1/4″ connections.

I’ve used all three setups and have been quite happy. I’ve recorded many concerts now with the built in mics. In several instances, I’ve recorded a solo instrument with one close mic and one room mic through the XLR inputs. The pre’s are decent considering the device and the inputs provide phantom power that can be turned on in the event that you’re using external condenser mics. I’ve recorded a direct stereo line from a soundboard with the 1/4″ inputs as well and the results were quite good. One of my favorite uses is to utilize the multi-tracking feature and layer ideas with the built in mics. I can record guitar, bass, some percussion and then a lead line or vocal line if I feel like it; all with just the H4 itself.

I tend to dump the files (recorded as .wav or .mp3) into my Pro Tools software for editing though the H4 comes with Cubase LE which is another piece of digital audio recording/editing software.

For $299, this is an investment worth making. I would suggest it for anyone who needs a nice quality handheld recorder for any purpose. It suits the musician well because of the ease of use for recording ideas and even has some simple onboard effects and mic-modeling. For those who don’t need the multi-tracking or the extra inputs, the H4 has a little brother; the Zoom H2.

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3 Responses

  1. Big update! « Ben O’Brien Smith, on June 30th, 2008 at 11:58 pm Said:

    [...] with many pictures, videos and recordings from my time there. I’ll be armed with my trusty Zoom H4 handheld recorder and my simple (but reliable) Canon digital [...]

  2. Technology changes too fast! :: Zoom H4n « Ben O’Brien Smith, on February 11th, 2009 at 3:59 pm Said:

    [...] it’s my Zoom H4 handheld recorder (reviewed here). It seems that Samson Technologies (the parent company for Zoom as well as the amplifier company, [...]

  3. The July Album Challenge: Day 1 « Ben O’Brien Smith, on July 1st, 2009 at 10:19 pm Said:

    [...] set up my trusty Zoom H4 Handheld Recorder and sat down at the piano to start working on ideas. I soon had some material that was quickly [...]

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