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Natu 30 August 2016

Hello guys and girls.
This year I am travelling around and I want to record vocals from time to time. Thats why I need a portable handy microphone that I can carry around and of course is able to record Mono (I have a RODE at home but its too much luggage, as I would need a Recording device too).
It does not have to be an ultra professional Mic, but good quality and Handy.
I have a Zoom h1 with me and the quality is very good, but it doesnt record Mono. I was looking at the Zoom H2 and the Zoom h4n, they have the Mono Mix option, this option creates a stereo file with the same content on both sides and you can choose one or combine them... I dont understand why it just doesnt create a mono file directly, would be much easier. But its still possible.
I just wonder if maybe there are better alternatives that you know of and if there are any better ways to record Vocals with a portable device.
Or are the Zooms really the best option?
Cheers, Natu

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Comments

kmetal Tue, 08/30/2016 - 23:07

There are things like native instruments I-rig, and apogee makes a nice single channel interface that allows you to to record a single channel into your phone or tablet.

I've used the zoom h-4 and I belive you can record mono by pluggin in a mic to one of the mic inputs. I'd double check that the zoom can't record mono.

That said is there a particular reason the stereo recording is unacceptable?

Natu Wed, 08/31/2016 - 05:06

kmetal, post: 440882, member: 37533 wrote: There are things like native instruments I-rig, and apogee makes a nice single channel interface that allows you to to record a single channel into your phone or tablet.

I've used the zoom h-4 and I belive you can record mono by pluggin in a mic to one of the mic inputs. I'd double check that the zoom can't record mono.

That said is there a particular reason the stereo recording is unacceptable?

Hey, thank you for your answer!! The Apogee One looks pretty good. Might be what Im looking for! Do you know if it can record Mono? It only says the input is mono, but it doesnt say anything about the built in mic.
I need a mono recording because vocals should be mono, sounds better. And the person I am working with (the one that does the instruments), needs the vocals as a mono file as well.
The zoom h1 really cant. It doesnt even have a menu...

kmetal Wed, 08/31/2016 - 05:17

From what I know of the apogee it's a mono audio interface for phones and tablets, so all you have to do is create a mono track in whatever recoding app your using like garage band, cubasis, or the one from wave aching labs.

Since the one only has mono input it's only capable of mono, so it's all up to the recording program. I've recorded in cubasis and garage band using the built in mic which is mono using mono tracks only. Never done stereo with that setup. So I would imagine the apogee one would be the same case.

You may want to check that the apogee is compatible with your stuff since a lot of their gear is Apple only.

Natu Wed, 08/31/2016 - 05:28

kmetal, post: 440891, member: 37533 wrote: From what I know of the apogee it's a mono audio interface for phones and tablets, so all you have to do is create a mono track in whatever recoding app your using like garage band, cubasis, or the one from wave aching labs.

Since the one only has mono input it's only capable of mono, so it's all up to the recording program. I've recorded in cubasis and garage band using the built in mic which is mono using mono tracks only. Never done stereo with that setup. So I would imagine the apogee one would be the same case.

You may want to check that the apogee is compatible with your stuff since a lot of their gear is Apple only.

Oh ok! Nice. Thank you for the tip. I'm using a Macbook and Ableton Live. That should work. So what do you think about the built in mic? I read a lot of positive comments about it. If its at least as good as the zoom h1 thats enough for me :)

kmetal Wed, 08/31/2016 - 05:29

Sorry looks like it is actually a two channel device, one XLR input for mics and a hi z input for instruments. The overview video on Sweetwater shows a vocalist so I'm as sure as I can be without using it, it'll do mono, again assuming your app does it, which I know from experience garage band and cubasis do.

Look is like it'll work on an iPhone iPad and Mac computer.

kmetal Wed, 08/31/2016 - 05:32

Natu, post: 440892, member: 49969 wrote: Oh ok! Nice. Thank you for the tip. I'm using a Macbook and Ableton Live. That should work. So what do you think about the built in mic? I read a lot of positive comments about it. If its at least as good as the zoom h1 thats enough for me :)

No clue about the built in mic. I havent used it. My advice is get an sm 57, 58, or my new pet mic the beta 57a.

Apogee is a converter/interface company and sure mics have used used by top earning rock stars and rappers stage and studio for 4 decades.

Apogee one and a sure mic is a really nice little portable setup.

Ableton will do mono tracks your in the clear on that front.

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