portable recorders.. any advice / suggestions please?

S · Post by S » Fri May 08, 2009 7:26 pm

prussell wrote:if you're looking to do field recordings you'd be better off getting a real microphone w/ wind screen, rather than depending on the built-in mic(s).

portability aswell

coldfuture · Post by **coldfuture** » Fri May 08, 2009 7:47 pm

I just ordered a Tascam dr-1... I'll let ya know what I think in a few days.

prussell · Post by **prussell** » Fri May 08, 2009 11:06 pm

Nordin wrote:
prussell wrote:if you're looking to do field recordings you'd be better off getting a real microphone w/ wind screen, rather than depending on the built-in mic(s).
do u have any suggestions of real microphones to get? i'm looking to get one for field recordings and real instruments.

honestly, mic-ing instruments is an art all its own, and one that i don't feel qualified to comment on. all engineers/producers have differing opinions and techniques for which mics to use in which situation, and how to position them. if you have time, a simple search of forums like TapeOp will keep you busy for days.

that said, if you want an all-purpose inexpensive mic that's practically indestructable, you can't go wrong with the Shure SM58.
while it may be one of the workhorses of the industry, it's worth noting that the frequency range is only 50-15,000hz.....so if you're super serious about recording earthquakes, hummingbirds, bees, cymbals, bass drums, etc, you may want to investigate more expensive options.

hydrogen · Post by **hydrogen** » Sat May 09, 2009 4:19 am

I have a zoom H2 which I like very much... the mics on it are of decent quality... There is a 120 degree and a 90 degree mic on it... you can record both at the same time into two indivisual wav files or just one mic at a time.

i walk around and record little snippets and I also use it to record my livesets...

The only thing I recommend is getting a card reader because loading directly off the device can be painfully slow.