Alright… I’m about to “time-stamp” myself real quick here…
Long before all the “kick-butt” equipment that is now at our fingertips, I can remember actually taking two cassette recorders and doing the following:
1) Record myself playing a backing track on the guitar.
2) Playing that backing track and recording myself (again) jamming or soloing over that backing track with cassette recorder number 2.
HILARIOUS TO THINK ABOUT THAT NOW!
Those were good times and I can honestly tell you that doing that helped my playing tremendously. Now I have to confess, as cool as the end result could turn out to be… That technique is dead in the water. We’d never dream of having to go through such primitive measures just to get to hear ourselves “do our thing”.
With today’s technology, we can do about anything we want in half the time – including learning to play the guitar ;–) …. Sorta kidding… Sorta not!
I mean, I can go buy an Apple computer and have everything I need to create a successful business, communicate with folks all over the world (literally), and last but not least… I can have a mini studio at my fingertips that allows me to do everything I described above, AND I CAN DO IT ANYWHERE I WANT TO DO IT. Can you say, “the local park, the coffee shop, the back-porch, my living room… your living room?”
I mean the possibilities are mind boggling! And on that note…
I recently came upon something that thing every single musician in the world should own…
The Zoom H2 Handy Portable Stereo Recorder Review
This thing is UNREAL!!! If I could’ve had access to something like this when I was a kid starting out on the guitar, I know (without doubt) it would have propelled my playing tremendously.
Why? For starters, it has a great tuner on it. From there, thing only get better. This little dude would have allowed me to record top quality practice sessions.
BIG SECRET…. To “THE TRIBE”… Record yourself just noodling around in your practice sessions. Often you’ll hit a lick that is pure gold and you’ll have it recorded so you can go back and reproduce it!
Check Out The Zoom H2 Handy Portable Stereo Recorder
By Clicking Here!
Product Description From the Manufacturer
It’s a simple idea: provide brilliant stereo recording in an easy-to-use, ultra-portable device. Now everyone can record pristine audio in an infinite variety of applications. From seminars and conferences, to electronic news gathering (ENG) and podcasting, to musical performances, songwriting sessions and rehearsals, the H2 provides amazing recording quality. And no matter what kind of music you perform or the instrument you play, the H2 can effortlessly record it in high-quality stereo.
Why Four Mics are Better Than Two
The H2 is the only portable recorder with 4 mic capsules on-board for 360° recording. With 4 mic capsules in a W-X/Y configuration, the audio is decoded instantly, bringing these four signals together for unparalleled stereo imaging.
But the H2 doesn’t stop there. For maximum flexibility, you can record from the front of the H2 in a 90° pickup pattern or the rear of the H2 in a 120° pickup pattern at up to 96 kHz/24-bit resolution as a WAV file, or as an MP3 file at bitrates up to 320 kbps. Additionally, you can record in a 360° pickup pattern at up to 48kHz/24-bit resolution which will allow you to convert your recordings to 5.1 Surround.
Push a Button…
That’s all it takes to start recording! The H2 is a remarkably robust device that is incredibly easy to use. One button recording, gain controls on the side and an intuitive user interface mean you can always capture the moment. Set your levels, push record and go. It’s that simple. Or use the Auto Start and Auto Gain Control functions to ensure complete capture at the right level. And if you need to fine-tune your levels on the fly, we made it easy with gain control buttons on the front panel.
Play it Back!
Play your recordings on your home audio system with its 1/8″ stereo output or listen to your masterpiece with headphones. Or, use the H2’s USB interface to move your recordings to your Mac or PC to listen, edit and share.
The H2 records on Secure Digital (SD) media and a 512MB SD card is included. The unit can accommodate up to a 16GB SD card, allowing up to 24 hours of total recording time using the 16-bit/44.1kHz WAV format. At 128kbps MP3, you get an amazing 280 hours of stereo recording. Store your recordings on a PC or Mac with its USB 2.0 interface. And you can use its time stamping function for reference during production. Or use the H2 as a USB Mic for recording directly to a computer.
Accessories Galore!
The H2 comes with earbuds, 1/8 inch stereo to RCA cable, mic clip adapter, tripod stand, USB cable, AC adapter and a 512MB SD card.
Convenient As Heck To Use!
The H2 weighs 4 ounces and fits in your pocket for the ultimate in portability and convenience. Two standard alkaline AA batteries will give you 4 hours of continuous operation and a backlit display means it’s always easy to use in any situation.
BOTTOM LINE TRIBE…
All this mumbo jumbo-techno-geako talk can best be summarized by saying this…
This little piece of gear is a MUST HAVE for every singele guitar player breathing today.
It’s very affordable to own and it’s just flat out cool!
You can get the pricing and more info on it by clicking the link below…
Check Out The Zoom H2 Handy Portable Stereo Recorder
By Clicking Here!
Shoot me a note and let me know how you are using yours after you pick one of these up! If you’ve made a recording of yourself playing, send me a copy and I’ll post it on the LGFAE facebook page or the blog.