Musicians, recommend a super cheap digital recorder?

[scottmandue]

Sunday afternoons we have been getting together in a friends living room for jams.

90% of it is BS'ing and musical crap...but we have the occasional brilliant moment.

Our minds fogged with beer and cigarettes we remember the moments but can't recreate them.

In the old days we had a reel to reel and we would "roll tape" when we rehearsed so we could relive the moment.

As I say a lot of beer gets spilled so I don't want anything expensive... just sort of a digital note pad.

A quick search shows a Tascam pocket studio, anyone use one of these? Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

[Cajundaddy]

Got a smartphone? Add this and get excellent stereo results that are easy to use with garageband or other software for full multitrack capability:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tascam-iM2-microfone-recorder-digital/dp/B006BLEZD0

No smartphone? I also use this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zoom-Portable-Digital-Recorder-Version/dp/B003QKBVYK/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1397163808&sr=1-1&keywords=h1+recorder

Handy tools for musicians and rather stunning audio quality for dirt cheap.

[nostatic]

I use Zoom H4n and H6 regularly with great results. Probably over what you want to spend. Given my good track record with Zoom, I'd say Zoom H1

Zoom H1 Handy Recorder | Sweetwater.com

SD cards are cheap, I run rechargeable AA batteries. If you need more than 2 channel stereo, then you'll have to consider other options.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Cajundaddy

Got a smartphone? Add this and get excellent stereo results that are easy to use with garageband or other software for full multitrack capability:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tascam-iM2-microfone-recorder-digital/dp/B006BLEZD0

I was all over that... until I saw it is for the iPhone only

I have a Samsung android

[VaSteve]

We often record ourselves on a cell phone and look at it on the web. I bought one of those pocket studios. I have done a little home recording so far but I haven't done the band with it.....first time I had the settings wrong and we've had some time off.

I want to try and get the vocals off the PA direct to the machine and the mic will pick up the instruments. That way I can bump up the vox...before I post it some where.

Even the cheap one is very powerful. What else can tell you about it.

[scottmandue]

This is what I saw for $99

Tascam DP-006 Pocketstudio Digital Multi-Track Recorder, 6-Track, New

$149 get a few more features... but probably overkill

Tascam DP-008EX Pocketstudio Digital Multi-Track Recorder 8-Track

If I could find a way do do it with my Android phone that would be cool.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by VaSteve

We often record ourselves on a cell phone and look at it on the web. I bought one of those pocket studios. What else can tell you about it.

Which pocket studio are you using? How much time can you put on a 2gig card?This isn't for recording to release... we know people with home studios who will help us lay down multi track if/when we are ready...

We are all over 50 and consume a moderate amount of beverages... we get together and "lets do that thing we did last week... yeah that was cool! What exactly did we do?"

[Cajundaddy]

I don't know Android apps very well, but smartphone recording is pretty cool:
amazing iphone garageband recording by Victor Mauger - YouTube

[stomachmonkey]

iRig Mic Cast.

On sale at sweetwater $29.99.

IK Multimedia iRig Mic Cast | Sweetwater.com

Supports Android

IK Multimedia | iRig MIC Cast - Ultra compact voice recording microphone for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Android devices

They have lots of cool interfaces. Have a couple of their guitar rigs.

http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/cat-view.php?C=mobile

[VaSteve]

I have the DP-008EX. I will look up the stats when I get home. I decided I wanted to do some home demos or something and bought it....I have done very little. GC had one of those straight up digital recorders around Christmas for like $70. I was thinking about it but spent too much dough already. I think the lesser cost ones would meet your needs better. No mixing and loading to PC. Just load to PC.

Will post more later.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

iRig Mic Cast.

On sale at sweetwater $29.99.

IK Multimedia iRig Mic Cast | Sweetwater.com

Supports Android

They have lots of cool interfaces. Have a couple of their guitar rigs.

http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/cat-view.php?C=mobile

Are you using the iRig Mic? The reviews are hot and cold.

[stomachmonkey]

No never tried it. Have their guitar interfaces.

For audio I run a Rode NT1 through a Tascam U22 to a dedicated MacBook Pro.

The Tascam is portable, runs off USB and provides phantom power to the Rode.

[stomachmonkey]

The iRig Mic is small and cheap.

It's not going to work like a real studio mic but it's cheap enough to not worry about it if something happens to it.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

The iRig Mic is small and cheap.

It's not going to work like a real studio mic but it's cheap enough to not worry about it if something happens to it.

Problem is it looks too fragile for a bunch of drunken middle age rock star wanna be's

Think a Zoom or a pocket studio @ $99 might hold up better to the inevitable abuse.

Not to mention the iRig Mic may look cool, but it puts my cell-phone in the line of fire.

I love my friends, but civilized they are not...

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by VaSteve

GC had one of those straight up digital recorders around Christmas for like $70. I was thinking about it but spent too much dough already.

Looks like they still have it?

TASCAM DR-05 Solid State Recorder | GuitarCenter

Still think I like the pocket studio for $30 more you get some extra features.

[VaSteve]

That's the one I saw. Looks super easy to use, but doesn't look like you can over dub or anything like you can with the pocket studio. Maybe that's not what your after. I got my used for $100 off CL....it was an impulse buy, but when recording "ideas" I end up using my phone or iPad.

When we record out practices, it's often with an iPhone or my droid phone. The cool part is, we can upload it to YouTube very easily. It looks like that recorder can easily move files to the web.

The manual for the pocket studio doesn't say how long it can record but you can get a bigger card.

Funny you mention not being careful.....we have dropped iPads, and phone many times. Thank goodness it's carpeted!

[Rick Lee]

Sign up for the Stupid Deal of the Day emails from Musician's Friend. They have the iRig for $19.99 sometimes and just yesterday had one of those nice Tascam recorders for $99.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by VaSteve

That's the one I saw. Looks super easy to use, but doesn't look like you can over dub or anything like you can with the pocket studio. Maybe that's not what your after. I got my used for $100 off CL....it was an impulse buy, but when recording "ideas" I end up using my phone or iPad.

When we record out practices, it's often with an iPhone or my droid phone. The cool part is, we can upload it to YouTube very easily. It looks like that recorder can easily move files to the web.

The manual for the pocket studio doesn't say how long it can record but you can get a bigger card.

Funny you mention not being careful.....we have dropped iPads, and phone many times. Thank goodness it's carpeted!

Yeah, we play in an old house with hardwood floors... and as the afternoon wears on and more beer is consumed things tend to get bumped around/knocked over.

As much as I want the coolness of the pocket studio I don't see me/us doing any fancy overdubs etc. just want to live capture the rehersal and save ideas that might get washed away in the sea of beer.

Hard to decide...

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Sign up for the Stupid Deal of the Day emails from Musician's Friend.

Whenever I buy anything musical I scan Musician's Friend, Sweetwater, Zzounds, Amazon and whoever has the best price gets the deal.

[VaSteve]

Do you all write new stuff or cool arrangements of covers? We just try and capture the three of us not forgetting our parts for 3-4 minutes. Only so much a 3 piece can do.

But much beer is consumed.