zoom h4n how to use it ?

  • Thread starter Thread starter young alistai
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dumbass said:
The built-in mics are condenser mics, would a standalone condenser mic make a big difference, would it be enough for a professional sounding recording with the h4n?
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You already got an answer to this question. Do you read the replies you get?

Again, a standalone condenser mic will make a huge difference. I use the H4n from time to time and I always bring a standalone condenser or two.
 
About the built in mics on the H4n, I have the R16, the H4n's big brother, and the built in condenser mics are surprisingly good. When I bought it I was planning to never use them, but I find myself using them regularly, because they don't sound half bad.
 
ConorC said:
About the built in mics on the H4n, I have the R16, the H4n's big brother, and the built in condenser mics are surprisingly good. When I bought it I was planning to never use them, but I find myself using them regularly, because they don't sound half bad.
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Assuming they are similar to the ones on the H4n, I agree they are pretty good, but not even close to a standalone condenser. That should not stop anyone from recording with them though. Record with what you have, and upgrade when you see fit :)
 
Well, here's a split of the tracks. They're labeled, but just in case, the track where you can hear the guitars is from the built in mics. The drum heavy track is the MK-012. FYI, we're in a very tight spot. I'll take a pic at our next rehearsal but it's safe to say that it took a lot of trial and error to get a reasonably good recording in this room. So what I'm saying is, the built ins can work great but you'll need some patience and motivation to get them to sound really nice. And if you can, always record 4 track. I try to get a sub mix from the board or another set of mics just to make sure I get a good sound.

https://soundcloud.com/bill-l-1/int...?in=bill-l-1/sets/h4n-internal-mics-used-with


Not to thread jack, but I just bought a Zoom R24 specifically because (it was cheap) I can take the direct outs from my board and multi track a gig (as well as using the H4n to possibly blend in later or just to hear the gig and see if it's worth editing the multi track of the gig). Haven't gotten to use it yet, though. But since I love the H4n (had mine since Aug 09 and have recorded thousands of hours on it) I thought I'd check it out.

Bill L
 
And for the record, all of the other tracks on that page were recorded with just the built ins. The Pusher and I Can Get Off On You are from an open jam and The Tuna Fish Discrepancy is from a jam I recorded in the bakery of the cafe I run using a combo of the MK's and the built ins. Again, it's trial and error.

Bill L
 
Right on. Think I'll try the built-in mics with Reaper and see what I can come up with. I think it could be good now, feels good to get feedback, makes all the difference sometimes. Maybe I will upgrade to an SM57 before long, I hear it is quite versatile and well-priced.
 
The thing is, I'm recording an acoustic and vocals with the built-in condensers and find that they pick up a lot of hiss and what not. Even my breathing and slight background noise are heard during playback, which I wouldn't even have noticed during recording. I play some mellow songs that sound good when played naturally at a low volume, this of course accentuates the hiss and noise, what should I do? Put the mic closer or something? Would the SM57(being a dynamic mic) be better for this purpose, so it wouldn't pick up so much noise?
 
Where are you recording this? Near any fans, refrigerators, well pumps, ac, heat, fluorescent lights, computers, cable tv boxes, etc? I've not experienced the built ins to be noisy but then I don't normally record quiet stuff. It's usually open jams, jam sessions, gigs, band practices and other bands shows. If I get a chance, I'll try the built in's with just my acoustic and see what happens. If you have an electric acoustic, try plugging directly into the H4n as well as using the built in's and see what that sounds like. I recorded my electric acoustic (using my Tascam US-1800) using the 2 Octava's (one on the body of the acoustic and one up by the neck pointed and the fretting hand) mixed with the 2 outputs on my guitar and blended those with very pleasing results (to my ears). I'll upload a few seconds of that if you want to hear that. Experiment, it's not like it's costing you thousands of dollars an hour like Hendrix used to waste. Enjoy and have fun. That's what it's all about (unless you're a pro, of course).

Bill L
 
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