what does '4-track' means?

  • Thread starter Thread starter IronWine
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IronWine

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So it sounds like the perfect newbies question. But im havin real hard times to understand the meaning of having a 4 track device or a 2.

Long story short, i'm looking for a handheld device to record my music. I came across 2/4/6 track devices.

Does 4-track necceserly means that my music will be restricted to 4 channels recorded in seperate? Like, one for guitar, one for violin, one for cello and one for singing?
Wouldn't i be able to send the tracks to my PC, and then record more tracks and combine them on the computer?

Or am i completly wrong and 4-track means that i'm able to record 4 channels simultaneously live, but with no actual restriction on the channels number in the final result?

Thanks
Real newbie
 
4 track generally means, on a recording device, the number of discrete tracks available. So if you have a 4 track device, then you can record 4 mono tracks and mix them together however you like down to a stereo (2 track) mix.

Do they even make 4 tracks?

Bigger question is whey are you looking for a hand held device to record your music?

Assuming your device can output to a PC, you can record as many lots of 4 tracks as you like and mix them together on your PC.

Or, you could just record them to your PC in the first instance and stop dicking around with a little handheld device....

Are you sure you're not talking about an audio interface, which isn't actually a recording device...?
 
Thanks for the quick answer. I'm talking about handheld devices, like zoom h4n.

Anyway, i'm looking for a cheap solution to record my music for the next year. I dont have enough money for a decent recording equipment. Guess it will cost around 900 dollars.

Handheld device for 250 dollars seems to me a decent solution. Why not?
 
Assuming you have a decent computer, you can get recording software for as little as 100 bucks that will smoke a 4 track -from one newbie to another
 
Track count usually refers to the limitations of recording medium.
IE, a casette recorder with a 4 track head can record 4 mono tracks then you're done.
(You can record 3 then bounce over to 4 and have 1-3 available again, but that's besides the point).

Channel count usually refers to the number of analog to digital converters in an interface. This is a simultaneous limitation.
A four channel audio interface could record four mono tracks at once, but then you can go back to the start and record a fresh four through the same channels.

The latter is usually relevant to computer based recording.

Hope that's useful.
 
IronWine said:
I'm talking about handheld devices, like zoom h4n.
I'm looking for a cheap solution to record my music for the next year. I dont have enough money for a decent recording equipment. Guess it will cost around 900 dollars.

Handheld device for 250 dollars seems to me a decent solution. Why not?
Click to expand...
Or you could try something like this. This kind of thing can yield you decent results, especially if you're going to transfer to PC.
To answer your questions, there's nothing wrong with going the H4N route.
And 4 track means you can play back 4 tracks at a time. So whatever is recorded on those 4 tracks can play back simultaneously. But some 4 tracks can only record 2 tracks simultaneously. You can increase what is on a 4 track by a technique called bouncing {ask if you wish to know more} which enables you to combine what is on the tracks onto one track which leaves you the other three for more recording. Or you can track share. But if you're transfering to PC, you won't really need either.
 
i have one of those and record onto all the tracks export the files to pc then put a duff mono mix back on the tascam to play along to with the other 7 empty tracks then export them and make a fresh mix on pc with all the tracks, great for starting out and having fun.
 
IronWine said:
Thanks for the quick answer. I'm talking about handheld devices, like zoom h4n.

Anyway, i'm looking for a cheap solution to record my music for the next year. I dont have enough money for a decent recording equipment. Guess it will cost around 900 dollars.

Handheld device for 250 dollars seems to me a decent solution. Why not?
Click to expand...
Well, you already have half of what you need for decent recording -- you have a computer. All you need is a reasonable audio interface, which can be had for the same price as the H4N. You also need a DAW (software for a Digital Audio Workstation) -- there are free and very inexpensive ones around. With that combination, you can mix as many tracks as you like (the number of tracks that you can record at once will be limited by the number of channels supported by the audio interface).

I have an H2, which is a wonderful device for what it was intended -- I use it to record wild sound when I shoot video -- but neither it nor the H4N were intended to be a substitute for a proper recording setup.
 
The OP will of course need to buy microphones, cables and stands to go with the AI.

Mention is made of several instruments but I am not clear if they are to be recorded all together as a group of players or the OP will build them up as discrete tracks? If the former, and as they are "classical" acoustic instruments, I would go for a pair of small capacitor mics in the CO-I stereo configuration . Behringer do a stupidly cheap pair that are nonetheless well thought of. Rode also have a pair just come out. Substantially more dosh than the Berries but Rode have a top rep'.

If the music IS classical then I would find the idea of multitracking a string quartet (say) highly repellent!
Dave.
 
Essentially, I disagree with most of the above, except the *facts*-(see Steenamaroo above). The H4n *is* a computer interface, and a fairly good one, as inexpensive ones go. You can record direct to a computer using the H4n, and add tracks up to the limits of the (included) software, or in whatever other software you want to use. It provides phantom power for 2 channels, has adjustable resolution, up to 48bit/96khz, and can run on USB power. It has inputs for XLR mics, 1/8" stereo mics, and camera mics requiring plug-in power, as well as a headphone output. And- unlike the standard computer interface, it is ultra-portable, has a built in stereo mic array, can record to replaceable media, can run on standard AA batteries or wall power. It has rudimentary FX/compression, or you can make use of software plugins either while recording direct to the computer, or after dumping the tracks from the H4n to the computer. I'd like to know- in what way does a standard interface "smoke" the H4n? The H4n's mic preamps are about the same as any other cheap interface. All of that said, I think the H4n is a perfectly good choice for learning the basics of both computer based recording and field recording. And- when you upgrade to that badass 32 track rig, the H4n will still be useful as a scratch pad for a recording artist, a field recorder, and a headphone amp. Using external mics, I've made a fair amount of money on remote choral recordings I made with the H4n. When I travel, it's the first thing that gets dropped into my guitar case. Between me and Moresound, we've probably got about $20,000 in mics alone, and we both use and love the H4n. I'm wondering if most of the posters above even know what the thing does.
 
RM- we're both making assumptions about how the OP would work... because he didn't tell us, we don't know... you're just using a different set of assumptions. I grant you the device is useful, but would I recommend it from what the OP said - ie. transferring groups of tracks to a PC... and where he doesn't seem to understand even the basics of track and channel count? No...
 
Armistice said:
RM- we're both making assumptions about how the OP would work... because he didn't tell us, we don't know... you're just using a different set of assumptions. I grant you the device is useful, but would I recommend it from what the OP said - ie. transferring groups of tracks to a PC... and where he doesn't seem to understand even the basics of track and channel count? No...
Click to expand...

Agreed.

OP should be back soon to elaborate as to his needs after answered questions.
 
Armistice said:
RM- we're both making assumptions about how the OP would work... because he didn't tell us, we don't know... you're just using a different set of assumptions. I grant you the device is useful, but would I recommend it from what the OP said - ie. transferring groups of tracks to a PC... and where he doesn't seem to understand even the basics of track and channel count? No...
Click to expand...

The point is- the thing is just fine for transferring tracks to a PC, or for recording direct to a PC. It's simply a great tool for a beginner. It gets you started recording immediately without any other gear, opens the gateway to PC recording, functioning as a PC interface, works well as a remote recorder with or without external mics, and then has multiple uses even after a massive upgrade. It can utilize upgraded mics or even outboard gear, and it's cheap. It does everything an interface does, *and* everything a handheld recorder does. I agree that a beginner needs a computer interface to begin learning computer recording. So- why not start with a computer interface that is also a standalone recorder? I admit the machine has some downsides- they all do. Its biggest drawback is that you can only record 4 simultaneous tracks if 2 of them are the onboard mics, or a stereo mic, which disables the onboard mics. Furthermore, the use of 4 simultaneous tracks limits you to 16bits/44.1kHz. So- it's really a 2 channel interface/stereo recorder with benefits. I've done a drum kit with it, which came out pretty well. I used the mic stand adaptor to mount it overhead, using the onboard stereo mics as the overheads, and then plugged kick and snare into the XLR inputs, and used the remote control card, which is a $30 accessory, to control the recorder. It produces WAV. files or MP3's in a wide variety of resolutions, and you can either dump the WAV. files directly to the computer, using the included Cubase, or the DAW of your choice, or you can just feed the card to a card reader, and download the WAV. files directly. When I'm travelling, I just dump the card to a laptop or netbook. If I need to, I can then burn the WAV. files to a CD for backup and clear the card. or I can switch out the card, and keep it as a backup. Or- you can just use it as a USB powered interface, and record directly to your DAW.

Everybody has to start with some piece of gear they don't understand, and sure, the H4n has a learning curve, like every other recording system. IMHO, there is nothing even close to the H4n's versatility in its price range, but I'll admit I'm considering upgrading to an H6. The whole line is the best stuff Samson ever built. (Zoom is a Samson subsidiary) I also admit that Samson has built some awful gear, including the H4, which was the H4n's flawed predecessor.
 
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