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I bought the Zoom H-2 today. My local music store gave me close to the Amazon price so I decided to treat myself to one.
I haven't read the manual yet but just started working through the recording process. Can someone give me just the basics of setting it up to record my Everett upright piano.
1. where to place the H-2 (on top of my piano) (on the floor) (somewhere else)
2. recording mic setting: front, surround, rear.
3. Wav or mp3 settings
4. I'm getting some static sounds when I play it back
5.What other settings in the menu should I change from the default setting that it came with.
6.Can it play back without using headphones. I'd like to just play it from the H-2 itself.
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Quote:
1. where to place the H-2 (on top of my piano) (on the floor) (somewhere else)
I wouldn't place it on the piano as I'd be concerned that it would pick up contact noises. Hammers, keys, etc. You should experiment to find a place in the room where it picks up the piano well. Not too far from the piano itself.
Quote:
2. recording mic setting: front, surround, rear.
I'd start with something simple. Front. You might experiment to see what the surround sounds like later.
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3. Wav or mp3 settings
mp3 uses so much less space I'd go with that until I learned the device and placement and all better. Save the wav for the day you may want to make a recording to burn to CD for all posterity.
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4. I'm getting some static sounds when I play it back
This might be digital overruns due to the mic input being turned up to high. Listen to see if the static happens on peaks and if so, turn the record level down and try again.
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5.What other settings in the menu should I change from the default setting that it came with.
Don't know. You are going to have to sit down with that manual. That's part of the FUN of a new device, don't make it a chore.
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6.Can it play back without using headphones. I'd like to just play it from the H-2 itself.
I don't think the device has built in speakers and amp to do that. Again, if the manual says it does, then it can. But if it doesn't, you could attach that earphone output to the earphone jack on your computer speakers for playback. Don't you still have a set of Logitechs? They would work, I should think.
--Mac
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Mac,
I am able to connect directly to my Logitech speakers. That seems like a nice way to listen to what I have recorded. I'm going to experment with placing the H-2 farther away from the piano to check on that static noise I'm getting.
I need to figure out how to transfer files from it to my computer. I have plugged in the USB and with the H2 in the off mode it seems to connect to my computer. It seems to erase the files every time I turn it off and back on again.
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I bet you have to SAVE files with a name in that thing, read the manual...
--Mac
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Hi Mac,
I'm getting more comfortable with it now. I have saved some files to my computer and renamed them. I might just know enough now to understand parts of the manual!!!
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Joan,
With other PG forumites that have used their H2 devices for band practices and whatnot, they haven't had to put the device right up to the source.
Think of it as a room microphone. Do you have a coffee table or something in the center of the room your piano is in? If so, try putting it there and recording.
The whole premise of the H2's ability to record 'surround' is that it's designed to be a mic to pick up the room effects with it's multiple microphones (more than just 2; what is it - 4 mics?). The H4 and H4n is more of a design that can handle direct micing a source, as you can plug in external mics and play around with the placement of them nearby your source.
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Thanks, rockstar that will be helpful to understand the "surround" concept in trying different places to put my H2 while recording my piano.
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