VERY new Newb seeking input on Zoom R16

[bub64882]

Just got here, and have been reading the newb threads. Stickies have been incredibly helpful.

I have a part time band that needs to do some multitrack recording live (IE, all in the garage at the same time). We practice via a mackie mixer and headphone hub...electric drums and amp modelers allow for silent rehearsals except for the vocals and maybe a mic'd acoustic guitar or harmonica.

We've tried some recording on an old E-MU external soundcard, but the results have been pretty bad. We are looking at a Zoom R16 (sweetwater.com/store/detail/R16/). With drums, 3 guitars, bass and 3 vocals, the 8 simultaneous tracks should be enough. We would be mixing in Audacity, Soundforge, or the LE software that came with the Zoom if that's the route we go.

Does anyone have any experience or words of wisdom on this particular piece of hardware, or perhaps another suggestion to get us pointed in the right direction? We are extremely new to recording, and don't have much budget to learn the hard way.

Thanks for any advice or wisdom you can impart!

 

[kip4]

A very warm Welcome to the forum first off.

I'd change your daw for something like reaper (free and low cost after the trial period)(not affiliated).
I don't think you'll have much joy with audacity or LE.
I guess your recording into just a few track? Out of the mixer output?
Or are you doing full track per instrument ?
Did you consider tracking the instruments separately instead of doing them all together as a band?
I'm not sure of you recording process so it's difficult to determine what's going wrong. Perhaps you should post a sample in the mp3 clinic so we can hear for ourselves
Rich

 

[bub64882]

A very warm Welcome to the forum first off.

Thanks!

I guess your recording into just a few track? Out of the mixer output?

When we used the E-MU, yes, it was just 1 track. With the Zoom R16 I'm seeking input on, I would do 1 track per instrument, all played at the same time.

Or are you doing full track per instrument ?

That's the goal!

Did you consider tracking the instruments separately instead of doing them all together as a band?

Well, I'd like to capture as close to a live sound as possible. We tend to be pretty improvisational, so getting everyone together would work well for us.

I'm not sure of you recording process so it's difficult to determine what's going wrong.

I'm pretty sure that we're using bad equipment, and have no experience. That's the problem. The experience part can't be solved with money (well, short of hiring an engineer), but if we were to purchase the Zoom R16, would that enable us to get a decent representation of what we are hearing in our headphones during a session? Just by having everyone go quarter inch or XLR into the R16, and plugging our headphone hub into the headphone out of the device?

Thanks for the reply!

 

[quesne]

This thread is old and inactive, but I am curious how your work with the Zoom R16 has been going. I have been using one for several years. I do whole-band live and studio recording. In spite of its limitations and shortfalls, I actually like it very much.

 

[sparky123]

had a zoom 24 years ago and it worked pretty good. 8 mic inputs at one time with 48 v phantom power ,headphone inputs,monitors and an sd card slot to record.