I'm looking for a digital recorder for recording tunes at workshops or sessions. I don't need great sound quality, but I do wnat to be able to easily download the tunes to my computer.
I'm aware of the Sony Minidisc Recorder (MZNHF800) but the price + microphone is a bit out of my range.
Has anyone used any of the better quality digital voice recorders for this purpose? If so, what are your recommendations?
Any other advice on solutions would be appreciated. Thanks!
I have an Olympus digi voice recorder. It's just barely adequate for recording live music to learn tunes from. Certainly not pleasant to listen to the play back--lots of noise.
For $100 you can get an iRiver MP3 player with a line in jack that will accept a mic. Fast USB downloads to your computer, and near mini-disk sound quality (with a good mic).
I have an iRiver and would definately recomend it.
As Will said it has a built in mic and can take an external mic. Mine is 256 megs and was $120. It is pretty good sound quality just with the built in mic.
It is compact and only takes one AA batery which is nice. As well as listening to and recording your own music, you can also listen to and record the radio.
The software is so easy. There are basically two windows, one with the music on your computer and one with the music on your mP3 player. All you have to do is click and drag!
I actuall got one last december and managed to get it smashed on St. Paddy's day... bummer... but I just bought another one and will keep it in the case it came in from now on. But if you check around, I bought my second one at Sears and for $20 I got a warranty where if ANYTHING happens to it, they will replace it for up to two years.
I'm sure there's lots of great (and cheaper) alternatives, but after a long and painful learning curve with a HiMD minidisc recorder I've started to appreciate its qualities. You can get masses on to a 1Gb minidisk, and with the latest software (Sonic Stage 2.1 upwards plus the WAV conversion tool) you can export microphone recordings easily to WAV files and then compress them to MP3 format etc (you can't do this with the older ones). I still like the idea of having the media separate from the device.
Hiroyuki, you posted the link right--I somehow caught a specific comment from the thread, rather than the thread itself. (Maybe I type like Bob types... *wink*).
Well, Will, great minds think alike...or at least they both shop at Radio Shack.
I have an Olympus too, and I like it much. It holds up to 6 hours, but not very well for music. I find that the middle setting that holds 2.25 hours is excellent quality. The only trouble is that you have to literally record it from the Olympus to your computer using something like Audacity, and then save it down to an mp3. This is also an advantage because it forces you to edit out any extraneous bits as you record so you don't have gigs upon gigs of bad jokes, arguments, hornpipes, and punter's shenanigans clogging up your computer.
Help with technology
Help with technology
I'm looking for a digital recorder for recording tunes at workshops or sessions. I don't need great sound quality, but I do wnat to be able to easily download the tunes to my computer.
I'm aware of the Sony Minidisc Recorder (MZNHF800) but the price + microphone is a bit out of my range.
Has anyone used any of the better quality digital voice recorders for this purpose? If so, what are your recommendations?
Any other advice on solutions would be appreciated. Thanks!
# Posted on April 20th 2005 by woodenflute
Re: Help with technology
I have an Olympus digi voice recorder. It's just barely adequate for recording live music to learn tunes from. Certainly not pleasant to listen to the play back--lots of noise.
For $100 you can get an iRiver MP3 player with a line in jack that will accept a mic. Fast USB downloads to your computer, and near mini-disk sound quality (with a good mic).
# Posted on April 20th 2005 by Will Harmon
Re: Help with technology
Here's a recent informative thread on all this, with both good and bad views on the iRiver: http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/5958/comments#comment127934
# Posted on April 20th 2005 by Will Harmon
Re: Help with technology
Have a look at this: http://thesession.org/discussions/display.php/5958
To repeat, mini disc recorders are very handy but not so compatible with other devices as mp3 recorders.
# Posted on April 20th 2005 by slainte
Re: Help with technology
Sorry, Will.
# Posted on April 20th 2005 by slainte
IRiver
I have an iRiver and would definately recomend it.
As Will said it has a built in mic and can take an external mic. Mine is 256 megs and was $120. It is pretty good sound quality just with the built in mic.
It is compact and only takes one AA batery which is nice. As well as listening to and recording your own music, you can also listen to and record the radio.
The software is so easy. There are basically two windows, one with the music on your computer and one with the music on your mP3 player. All you have to do is click and drag!
I actuall got one last december and managed to get it smashed on St. Paddy's day... bummer... but I just bought another one and will keep it in the case it came in from now on. But if you check around, I bought my second one at Sears and for $20 I got a warranty where if ANYTHING happens to it, they will replace it for up to two years.
# Posted on April 20th 2005 by DTE
Re: Help with technology
I'm sure there's lots of great (and cheaper) alternatives, but after a long and painful learning curve with a HiMD minidisc recorder I've started to appreciate its qualities. You can get masses on to a 1Gb minidisk, and with the latest software (Sonic Stage 2.1 upwards plus the WAV conversion tool) you can export microphone recordings easily to WAV files and then compress them to MP3 format etc (you can't do this with the older ones). I still like the idea of having the media separate from the device.
# Posted on April 20th 2005 by RichardB
Re: Help with technology
A friend recently told me he got one of these
http://gear.ign.com/articles/545/545766p1.html
for about $40 and found it adeq
# Posted on April 20th 2005 by Bob himself
Re: Help with technology
uate for recording sessions.
[Stoopid fingers!]
# Posted on April 20th 2005 by Bob himself
Re: Help with technology
Thanks for the help. Sounds like the iRiver device is what I'll get.
It's great to be part of such a knowledgeable community!
# Posted on April 21st 2005 by woodenflute
Re: Help with technology
LOL, Bob you type like I fiddle.
Hiroyuki, you posted the link right--I somehow caught a specific comment from the thread, rather than the thread itself. (Maybe I type like Bob types... *wink*).
# Posted on April 21st 2005 by Will Harmon
Re: Help with technology
Well, Will, great minds think alike...or at least they both shop at Radio Shack.
I have an Olympus too, and I like it much. It holds up to 6 hours, but not very well for music. I find that the middle setting that holds 2.25 hours is excellent quality. The only trouble is that you have to literally record it from the Olympus to your computer using something like Audacity, and then save it down to an mp3. This is also an advantage because it forces you to edit out any extraneous bits as you record so you don't have gigs upon gigs of bad jokes, arguments, hornpipes, and punter's shenanigans clogging up your computer.
# Posted on April 21st 2005 by grymater