Hi Everyone,
Not to long ago i picked up a Zoom H4. This thing is great. If you are looking for a simple way to record acoustic guitar and vocals this is a very good option. I wish something like this had been around when i first started playing guitar. Once i reached the point where i could play a few easy guitar songs, i was wanting to record them, if for no other reason than to just listen myself.
Lets take a look at the Zoom H4. It is a unit about the size of a TV remote control, though a bit thicker. On one end there are two microphone capsules permanently affixed to the unit, mounted in an X-Y stereo pattern. On the other end are combo XLR/1/4″ inputs. This means you can either plug in an external microphone, or something like an electric guitar with a 1/4″ cable. The H4 only takes two inputs at once, so you can’t use the onboard mics and inputs at the same time. It records to a SD memory card that inserts in a slot under the mics. This is convenient because it is very easy to transfer your recorded files to a computer for editing or additional processing
The controls on the H4 are on the top of the unit. They consist of a small LCD screen and a multi function button. I have heard folks complain about the size of the screen, that it is to small, but personally i have not had a problem. If you like a big easy to read display definitely try to check out a unit in the store before you buy.
The greatest advantage of something like the Zoom H4 is its simplicity. Turn it on, point the mics at the guitar, hit record, and play. If you get a take you like plug it into your computer via USB, grab the file, and send it to friends. It works with both PC and Mac. You can also edit tracks directly on the H4, do multitracking, and add effects. Thats pretty amazing for something that fits into the palm of your hand.
The H4 basically records in two modes, stereo and multi track. In stereo it records with either the built mics or external ones to mp3 or wave format. In multi track mode you can record in stereo or mono, and overdub up to four separate tracks in mono mode I tried this out, recording two guitar parts and then a flute. It worked out pretty well, and only took a few minutes of consulting the instruction manual. In this way it would be easy to record a guitar part, then listen to it through the headphones while overdubbing a vocal part.
As far as quality the H4 sounds pretty good. The mics are sensitive, and have a low, medium, and high gain setting. No its not going to sound like you are in a professional studio, but that’s not what this is aimed at. Its great for making simple recordings at home, capturing some audio out in the field, or making a simple cd of songs for family and bandmates.
At about $250 i think the Zoom H4 is a great deal. Its amazing how far technology has come in the past few years, and that you can now basically have a mulitrack recorder that fits in your pocket. If you are thinking about an effective recording device that does not break the bank definitely check this one out.
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