Recording to a recorder or a computer?

[jasonlam1995]

Hi! So I record some music videos of my own (with all classical instruments such as piano, strings) and currently using a H4n handy recorder (as an input device with additional microphones) to record, but there is the option of recording to a daw so I wonder if recording directly to the computer instead of to the recorder first then to computer would give better audio quality?

In addition, I have to record video and audio at the same time so I can't record and mix the audio before and record the video later

Also I don't have a home studio, I have to go to a practise room (in a music college) to record.
Thanks very much!

 

[Armistice]

What does audio quality even mean?

Will you get a better recording with better microphones, better preamps, better knowledge of what to do with them recording to a PC than you will with a field recorder? Absolutely... but that's not because you're recording to a PC, it's because you have a better signal chain and more chance to work out mic positioning etc... You can't always get a field recorder in the right spot.

PCs have a wealth of advantages over field recorders and standalone recorders - but they're not automatically going to get you "better audio quality" - that takes knowledge and practice - things which are probably more easily gained via a PC / audio interface / microphone set up than a field recorder.

Processing is easier. Mixing is easier. Mastering is easier. None of these means jack if you don't understand how to track well in the first place.

Unless you have immediate cash to splash, there's nothing wrong with learning some basics via your H4N - when you feel you've reached an impassable limitation, then go to DAW (or bigger standalone if that's what floats your boat), and welcome to the madhouse and the rest of your life - but just be aware that it's not the PC, or the DAW you record to, that is the prime determinant of the audio quality of your recordings.

 

[mjbphotos]

How are you recording the video - to a stand-alone camera or a web cam hooked up to your computer?

The advantage of recording direct to a computer can be offset by tracking to a stand-alone recorder and transferring the tracks to a computer for mixing. A computer DAW allows automation and many more routing and FX options than can be achieved using a stand-alone recorder for everything.

 

[jasonlam1995]

Thanks for replying! Let me elaborate my question, what I really mean is that with the same microphones, same mic positioning etc. would recording to computer have better audio than recording to the H4n, because at the moment I just cant seem to get the right sound I want and I wonder if it is because of the microphones themselves or the fact that I'm recording to a recorder than to a computer (since I've never seen people recording music to a recorder for music videos)

 

[jasonlam1995]

Thanks for replying, I have a DSLR to record the video so the visual department is no problem.

That's what I thought, because either way I am able to use the audio in DAW anyway but was wondering if recording to a recorder first then to the computer would lose quality instead of recording directly to the computer

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Thanks for replying! Let me elaborate my question, what I really mean is that with the same microphones, same mic positioning etc. would recording to computer have better audio than recording to the H4n, because at the moment I just cant seem to get the right sound I want and I wonder if it is because of the microphones themselves or the fact that I'm recording to a recorder than to a computer (since I've never seen people recording music to a recorder for music videos)

Where you choose to store the digital data is not going to affect the sound. That leaves the placement, acoustic environment, mics and analog-to-digital converters as the contributors the the sound quality. You can't change the mics or converters so it's all down the the acoustics and the mic placement. If you're stuck with the acoustics then mic placement is all you can control.

 

[Bobbsy]

If the H4N is providing the mic pre amps and the A to D conversions, it won't make any difference at all whether your record on the portable or a computer. The bits of the chain that make a difference to the audio will be the same. Basically you're asking if an SD card or a Hard Disk Drive sound better. As Bouldersoundguy says, if you're unhappy with your sound, it's things like acoustics, mics and mic placement, etc. etc. that you need to be looking at.