fhalaw
Oud Junkie
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recording my playing
Hey guys, this a question is for the music equipment tech savy crowd.
I got this for my birthday:
http://www.video-direct.com/olympus/voicerecorders/olympus-dm-420.h...
What are your opinions on this in terms of is it worth it, or should I exchange it for something else (considering the price is around $200) .
I am not doing anything fancy? Just recording perhaps to load stuff on youtube. I tried recording on it a bit and it seems pretty nice. But then
again, the only time I recorded on my own was on my friend's Macbook. So it sounds better.
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Aymara
Oud Junkie
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Hi,
though I heard these Olympus recorders would be nice, I think, there maybe might be better alternatives in this price range, for example the Zoom H2, which we discussed at the end of last year HERE.
I would expect better build quality from Olympus, but maybe the Zoom's sound is better (44 KHz versus 96 KHz)?
Greetings from Germany
Chris
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fernandraynaud
Oud Junkie
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J was going to tell you that I have two dedicated digital dictaphones and that I never use them since getting an iPhone, because there is $1-5
software for the iPhone that turns it into anything from a multitrack recorder with a metronome to a tuner! But I can also vouch for Olympus design.
My tiny Olympus microrecorder, using microcassettes, that was purchased as state of the art covert equipment in 1980, just died in December. As I
looked over the specs of your gift I would venture that this is really a nice design and hard to beat, especially since you already have it!
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fhalaw
Oud Junkie
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Thanks guys!
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oudtab
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Bonjour fhalaw,
There is also this : http://www.tascam.com/products/dr-07.html
For your next birthday...
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fhalaw
Oud Junkie
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I actually decided to return this and get the Zoom H4n. I know a couple of people who have it and they are really happy with it. Plus, the reviews (on
youtube) are good.
Its a bit more expensive (350 vs 200) but hey.. when you are enthusiastic about something you need to clean your pockets 
I'll let you know what comes of it.
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Aymara
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Interesting ... I would expect, that you won't regret it, but we will see/hear 
Greetings from Germany
Chris
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Marcus
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Hi all
to test the "natural reverb" of my bathroom, I do a little recording with the Zoom H4n last weekend. It was a wav-file,so I converted it to mp3 via
x-media-recode,to shrink it to a loadable size.
I only leveled the input-gain and use the stereomics.
Not a serious recording, only noodling around to find the right position.
P.S. File is a little to big and youtube is slow!!! I try it again later
Playing the oud is like feeding my soul with peace
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Marcus
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Here it is (hopefully)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLO6oY6TY-Q
Playing the oud is like feeding my soul with peace
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fhalaw
Oud Junkie
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Hi,
Cool man, but just a couple of comments. Some questions, I am using the ipod headphones so maybe it doesn't do justice to the recording but.. its
sounds a little muffled first and I can hear your breathing and the fingering.
Are there way to eliminate those and sharpen the sound? (or maybe for the latter you did that on purpose?)
Fadi
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Marcus
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Hi Fadi
hmmm, the muffled ( muffling,muffle?-never heard this word before ;-)) sound may come from the acoustic of the room.I did several recordings,leave the
Zoom untouched and move to different places/corners.The bathroom is tiled up to the ceiling, so the sound changes a lot if I only turn a bit.I can
hear the muffling in some positions. I dont think its a problem of the Zoom,just blame it on the room (hey,it rhymes).
The fingering sound?Maybe the record-level was to high.
The breathingsound-is a thing that follows me since ages-as soon as I start playing whatever,my mouth shut and I breathe trough the nose,slow and
deep-so it is also more a problem of the player than the Zoom.
But anyhow, the mics of the H4n are very sensitive.Maybe the windshield helps?
To sharpen the sound I use my pc, so I never tried it on the H4n.
Cheers,
Marcus
Playing the oud is like feeding my soul with peace
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Aymara
Oud Junkie
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Yes, it does, but don't expect wonders.
Microphone recording is very difficult and to eliminate unwanted "noise" like breathing or "scratching" noise from your clothes, you will need to
record with your PC and use a DAW software (Cubae, Reaper, etc.), that allows you to use a noise gate plugin.
Such a noise gate can be configured, so that only "loud" sounds pass through.
Greetings from Germany
Chris
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fhalaw
Oud Junkie
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Marcus,
I should have added that the playing is phenominal, bravo!
For the breathing, scratching of clothes, and the fingering slides etc.. I get the same stuff if I record with anything really. Thats why asked and
wanted to see if this can be eliminated once I get the H4n.
By muffled I meant that the OUD sounds to be a bit suppressed, filtered ... There is no sharp edges to the music (if you can imagine what I mean).
Also thanks Aymara, very insightful. I probably will be posting some more questions once I get in the thick of things!
Regards,
Fadi
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Aymara
Oud Junkie
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No problem ... I have a further tip, I forgot:
You can use the H4n as a USB microphone too. So it might be worth to give Reaper a try, which makes a virtual audio studio out of your PC for just 60$ (for private use). With this software you can produce songs in CD
quality. I tested this with freeware virtual instruments (VSTi) like bass guitar, piano and tablas ... sounds absolutely great ... I burned a test
song I composed on CD.
A manual is available as PDF download and the program is shareware with no limitations ... even after the 30 day test period. And it's nearly as
powerful as the very expensive Cubase. Oh, and not to forget, they have a great forum.
But with your PC's onboard soundcard you might encounter latency problems, which means that playback and record sounds are not in sync. If you're
lucky, you can eliminate this problem with special sound drivers called ASIO4ALL, which are freeware.
In my case this didn't work, so I decided to get me an USB audio interface soon, the Tascam US-122 Mk II ... I think the 140€ are well invested.
Greetings from Germany
Chris
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fhalaw
Oud Junkie
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Location: Montreal, Qc
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I just got the H4n (finally came) and I highly recommend the ebay seller.
ITS AWESOME!!
Ok will provide details later, need to go play with it some more.
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ExtreamTarab
Oud Junkie
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alf mabrook Fadi
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rojaros
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Zoom H2 is a very decent recorder too, and it has 4 mics, so you can use it in ensemble with other players as well.
Have very good experience with that, as I wrote on several occasions.
best wishes
Robert
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Aymara
Oud Junkie
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No matter if you talk to H2 or to H4n users ... they all are happy with their Zooms as it seems.
Greetings from Germany
Chris
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Ararat66
Oud Junkie
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Hi there
I got a Sony PCM M10 the other week and it is absolutely superb and only the size of a pack of cards. I'll upload some stuff as I get the time but am
seriously struggling with practice etc as we're trying to move house so am spending many extra hours decorating, tiliing, plastering and so on to get
our place on the market - very frustrating but there is always a pay off.
I recommend them but hey are not cheap, cost me 300 euros but lots cheaper in US. I want to put together some stuff this year using aCanon 5Dmk2 for
video - it is my resloution for this year so summer beckons.
The sound is very clean and to my ears accurate with a very low, more or less silent noise floor (sound picked up from the actual machine which
results in a low hiss or buzz in quiet moments).
Leon
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Aymara
Oud Junkie
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High quality recording isn't cheap.
I decided for a different approach, also in the above 300 Euro price range. I bought a Tascam US-122 Mk II audio interface and ordered an AKG C 3000
studio microphone. In combination with Reaper I now have a small home recording studio, with unlimited posibilities. I posted detailed info HERE.
I thought, I should mention it here too, because the Zoom as some other handheld recorders too have the feature to be used as a USB microphone too, so
you might use it in Reaper, which you can test unlimited. Registration would be 60$, if you're satisfied. Check the other thread for detailed info of the
possibilities this software would give you ... it's stunning.
Greetings from Germany
Chris
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