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Dear Seasoned Musicians --
Please help.
We are seeking a good simple way to record practice sessions.
Here is the use case.
We have small Jazz combo (guitar, drums, piano, bass) and we practice in a basement or living-room.
We want to record our live practice sessions, for study, for review, for rough-cut demos, etc.
We do not need to do any post-recording editing, except maybe just set the overall volume of the recording-- for now, we just need to capture what one would hear with one's ears if one were in the center of the room while we are practicing.
(Note that this is just for a draft, live-to-tape, quick-and-dirty, recording. We will eventually be doing another type of recording whereby we send each instrument to a mixer and then record each track digitally to a computer hard-drive, mix it properly, etc-- but that is a wholly different recording project and we are not doing that right now. Right now, we just want to a simple way to capture what is "in the air" when we are practicing.)
What is a good, simple, relatively inexpensive way to do this?
Specifically what equipment is needed?
What should be avoided?
What do you think?
Please advise.
Thanks.
-- Mark Kamoski
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There are many nhand held stereo recorders that can dfo this job. I used to use a minidisc recorder, but now you can record to all sorts of media in 24 bit.
Try digital village for ideas
You will not get a saleable recording, for this you need multiple mikes, time, and possibly several takes (soemtimes the first one is the best) but...
It will give you something to share amongst yourselves and it will be pretty obvious what needs more work
Win 11 64, Asus Rog Strix z390 mobo, 64 gig RAM, 8700k
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Quote:
There are many nhand held stereo recorders that can dfo this job. I used to use a minidisc recorder, but now you can record to all sorts of media in 24 bit.
Try digital village for ideas
You will not get a saleable recording, for this you need multiple mikes, time, and possibly several takes (soemtimes the first one is the best) but...
It will give you something to share amongst yourselves and it will be pretty obvious what needs more work
Bingo - If you have an iPhone, check out any of the stereo mics that plug in, like the BLUE Mikey. Alternatively, there are a bunch of stereo hand held recorders as noted above. Zoom kind of opened up this market, but now there are recorders from at least 5 different manufacturers all competing for this kind of business. Tascam (might be exiting this market), Sony, Zoom, Olympus, well - here's Sweetwater Music's offerings: http://www.sweetwater.com/c1006--Portable_Recorders/pn1
Note that there are now several companies making products for the iPhone which will do a great job. Make sure you don't have to use iTunes to get the files into other format, however.
Tascam makes an audio I/O device that works off of USB and will work off of the iPhone/iPad port as well - very cool that you can use it for this purpose, and use it with DAW software on a Mac or PC as well as an audio input device. http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/iU2/ $150!
-Scott
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Thanks for the great replies so far. Here is a follow-up question. Is there a mic that I can get for this purpose which would also be good to use a vocals mic on for a singer that is singing through the PA? For example, would something like this work... " Blue Microphones Snowball USB Condenser Microphone, Brushed Aluminum http://www.walmart.com/ip/Blue-Microphon...uminum/15048440The Snowball finally provides you with a USB mic that's not only easy to use, but sounds as good on your desktop as it does in a professional recording studio. Whether you're recording a guitar at your kitchen table or a complete band in the studio, the Snowball can capture it with detail unheard of before in a USB mic. The Snowball can handle everything from soft vocals to the loudest garage band, and it's ideal for podcasting. Blue Microphones Snowball USB Condenser Microphone, Brushed Aluminum: Plug and play design - no software required Professional studio quality performance - record both vocals and instruments Mac and PC compatible Blue's renowned circuit and unique 2-capsule design Switchable mic patterns for a variety of recording applications Includes custom mic stand and USB cable " Please send your thoughts, suggestions, and so on. Thanks. -- Mark Kamoski
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My son has one of those and I was surprised at the quality of some recordings he made with it in less than ideal circumstances.
WalMart has a pretty liberal return policy so it might be worth checking out.
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Well, with a USB mic you need to be using a computer. I thought your question was to have a push a button and go kind of recording - though on re-read of your post, it doesn't say that.
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Quote:
Well, with a USB mic you need to be using a computer. I thought your question was to have a push a button and go kind of recording - though on re-read of your post, it doesn't say that.
Yes, I forgot to mention that my setup is always "computer friendly".
As such, I ultimately want to "keep it digital" if possible.
I suppose, now that I think about it, the "end result" should be an MP3 if at all possible-- easy to playback, easy to share, easy to tweak, easy to store, etc.
Thanks for highlighting this dimension of the topic at-hand.
-- Mark Kamoski
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Quote:
WalMart has a pretty liberal return policy so it might be worth checking out.
Quite right!!!
The return policy is a MAJOR factor for me.
You see, I am a newbie and, as such, I am making some mistakes with my purchases for equipment.
With WalMart I have some great features-- free ship-to-store AND no-hassle-returns.
Since I have a WalMart right up the street, it is a good source for gear for me; but, their inventory is not as good as Amazon's or others, and yet so far it has been good for me.
Thanks.
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+1 on the Tascam DR-05
It's very good for capturing your own live mix (but so is the USB snowball mic for about the same price)
But the portability of hand held recording devices (in my opinion) makes them more useful.
You can carry them around in your pocket and record all kinds of things. Conversations with elderly family members. Birds. Other bands. Ambient sounds for remixing.
I make animations, and my Dr-05 is great for capturing all the misc sounds like cars starting, doors closing, lawnmowers running, dogs barking, traffic etc that have to be inserted into stories to make them sound real.
Lots of people use such recorders to collect random sounds then edit them into environmental music. The USB mic is confined to your computer room.
Recordings from the portable recorder can be copied to your computer as wav or MP3 as easily as if they were on a USB thumb drive. Such recorders typically come with a USB cable for transferring files to your computer.
In the final analysis, it boils down to your choice. Both types of products will accomplish your stated purpose
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Another +1 for the Tascam DR-05. I have been recording our jam sessions for years using this. I also use it for when I'm just messing around on my guitar. I need something to remind me what I did the night before, that's music wise. I don't want to know what else I did 
Whenever I get something stuck in the back of my throat, I dislodge it by drinking a beer.
It's called the Heineken Maneuver.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Another +1 for the Tascam DR-05. I have been recording our jam sessions for years using this. I also use it for when I'm just messing around on my guitar. I need something to remind me what I did the night before, that's music wise. I don't want to know what else I did yeah, Mario brings up a good point: the portable recording devices can be an easy way to capture ideas before they get away. I don't know how many times I've had an idea, and by the time I moved to my computer room, fired up the PC, loaded a recording program, got my guitar plugged in, got the levels dialed in... I forgot the idea.
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Download free OBS it is quite a program Not only a great way to stream live but it makes great mp4's of your shows.
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For that.... check Ebay and pick up a reasonably priced all in one recording console, mixer board built in, and throw a few mics on the instruments and waaa laaa.
You can generally burn CD's directly from those things.
I had a Korg D-1600 once upon a time that would work nicely for that. It was $300 on Ebay. It was really good for audio recording but not so much for digital stuff so I sold it after only a few months to go totally digital. It had 16 channels of audio recording and phantom power for condenser mics.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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I think in today's world the easiest way to record practice sessions would be to use an Apple smartphone. Get a microphone or music stand, jury rig an adapter so you can mount the smartphone to the stand, place the smartphone stand in a position so it can reasonably receive the sound everyone creates. Life is good, especially if you have an Apple smartphone. If you don't want to use the built in microphone, several companies make audio interfaces that connect to an Apple smartphone either through the headphone jack, lightning port or through the optional camera interface. Those interfaces let you connect an external microphone, provide a stereo line in or direct input (DI) port. One manufacturer that comes to mind is +++ 1K Multimedia +++. 1K Multimedia has a wide selection of products for interfacing to an Apple smartphone. Android users are not as lucky since Android did not support audio until version 5.
Jim Fogle - 2025 BiaB (Build 1128) RB (Build 5) - Ultra+ PAK DAWs: Cakewalk Sonar - Standalone: Zoom MRS-8 Laptop: i3 Win 10, 8GB ram 500GB HDD Desktop: i7 Win 11, 12GB ram 256GB SSD, 4 TB HDD Music at: https://fogle622.wix.com/fogle622-audio-home
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Jim,
I'm not sure I understand your post.
Maybe some clarification is needed.
Audio has been a part of the basic install for Android long as I can remember.
Voice Recorder uses the built in mic, records audio for many minutes at a time easily (I've recorded unfamiliar birds/frogs at times) and was available on Android phones I had many many versions ago .. actually I do not remember it ever NOT having it. I had it even on some pre-'smart phone' phones (remember 3gp format?)!
At least one Samsung I had allowed for external connections (with a proprietary aux connection, much like Apple come to think of it) so it was kinda expensive.
Last edited by rharv; 09/05/18 01:19 PM.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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rharv,
I think I tried too hard to sell my idea. Yeah I've got a draw full of media players and old cell phones that can record. But Google didn't release any Android audio interface specifications released until Android 5.0.
Jim Fogle - 2025 BiaB (Build 1128) RB (Build 5) - Ultra+ PAK DAWs: Cakewalk Sonar - Standalone: Zoom MRS-8 Laptop: i3 Win 10, 8GB ram 500GB HDD Desktop: i7 Win 11, 12GB ram 256GB SSD, 4 TB HDD Music at: https://fogle622.wix.com/fogle622-audio-home
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rharv,
I think I tried too hard to sell my idea. Yeah I've got a draw full of media players and old cell phones that can record. But Google didn't release any Android audio interface specifications released until Android 5.0. Apple has had core audio API and core midi since maybe the very first iPhone. This puts access to building apps for music right at the developer's fingertips with a standardized API. Android audio was not standardized until very recently. I think that if a developer wanted to make a low-latency audio app on android, they had to develop it for each and every OS release and maybe even phone specific development.
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Back to the OP's question...
The overdub capability is what is at cross-purposes with the title of the post. Overdubbing is a recording session activity, in my opinion. When you get into overdubbing at a practice, lots of people sit around doing nothing while the dub is happening. If your band is cool with that, then skip what I write below.
Practice sessions are something entirely different. Any of the handheld digital stereo recorders work well for practice session recording. I have a Zoom H1 that does just fine for this with pretty danged decent recordings. I got it for $40 on Facebook marketplace used and bought a 64 GB card for it.
I am an iOS user since 2012. I have a BLUE Mikey for the old style apple connector. I never used it as much as I have used the H1. Why? Apple's darned insistence on keeping RAM at a high price point by not including expandable memory in their iOS devices. Also, the stereo separation on the Mikey leaves a little to be desired by comparison to the Zoom.
I would shop for any stereo digital handheld recorder that lets you use SD or MicroSD cards for expanding memory, has legit condenser mics built in with a real x-y pattern capability at minimum, and you will be all set. Used market can save you LOTS of money.
Edited to add this note:
One thing that H1 users seem to crow about and I have to add in my +1; the H1 has a BIG record button. You don't fart around navigating menu or a bunch of buttons. It's a RECORDER, and the biggest button on it is the RECORD button. This has come in handy when you just reach over and punch that sucker without really looking.
I can't speak about other digital handheld recorders. I got this one cheap, with 2 windscreens, but I do like that single record button for nearly instant on recording. you can tweak all of the recording parameters if you like, file size and type, set record levels, but if you just need to turn something on and record, this thing is about as easy as it gets.
Last edited by rockstar_not; 09/05/18 04:56 PM.
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iPhone stuck in a microphone clip. Use a rag or folded piece of foam or tape to make it stick in the mic clip. Adjust the mic stand so the phone is around ear level/height. You can catch several versions of each practice. One with the iphone closer to guitar amp. One closer to drum set, etc. Or have each musician record their general areas all at the same time.
A CamCorder or any half decent video recorder should work also.
Does the noise in your head bother me ?
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