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Zoom H4/5/6 multitrack recording question

I want a multitrack recorder to attach to the tape output of my mixer. I want to use it to build up simple multi-track ideas.

The Zoom H-series recorders looks great, but each input seems hard-wired to one of the recorder tracks. That is, if you want to record onto tracks 3 and 4, you have to plug cables into inputs 3 and 4.

I want to plug the mixer into Zoom inputs 1 and 2, record a drum machine, for instance, to tracks 1+2. Then I might record a guitar (via my mixer) to track 3+4. Can I do this with the cables still plugged into inputs 1+2? Or would I have to unplug, and reattach to inputs 3+4

If not, is there any small device that can do this?

Comments

  • I know the Zoom R8 does this, but it’s too big. And those Tascam look cool, but don’t do 24-bit afaik.

  • edited November 2019

    That sounds pretty fringe. You might be better off looking into a mixer with recording capabilities, like the Livetrak L-12.

  • edited November 2019

    @mistercharlie Why do you want to record multiple tracks on a device with fiddly menus when you can record and edit tracks much more conveniently on the iPad or iPhone, using one of the many choices in audio interfaces?
    Like with Audio Evolution and Zoom H1n as an audio interface on iPhone for example?

  • Sorry in advanced for hi-jacking this thread but does some owner can answer me this:

    Is it possible to set up a standard name for savefiles?

    I want a quick and easy way to record my ambient guitar sketches. Name would be ambient sketch #n (n being an ever increasing number, without entering the name manually everytime).
    Thanks so much!

  • Not on the H4 at least, there's a default naming option and one that uses the date and time as the file name. That's it.

  • @Tarekith said:
    Not on the H4 at least, there's a default naming option and one that uses the date and time as the file name. That's it.

    Thanks man! Appreciate your reply!
    Bummer though (such an easy feature to implement)

  • @rs2000 said:
    @mistercharlie Why do you want to record multiple tracks on a device with fiddly menus when you can record and edit tracks much more conveniently on the iPad or iPhone, using one of the many choices in audio interfaces?
    Like with Audio Evolution and Zoom H1n as an audio interface on iPhone for example?

    Setup. I just want to switch it on and hit record, then maybe record another track or two.

    After that I’ll drop it into Garageband, but I find quick recording on iOS to have way too much mental overhead.

    And the H6 has a nice enough recording interface. A rec arm button for each channel, and play/rec.

  • @mistercharlie said:

    @rs2000 said:
    @mistercharlie Why do you want to record multiple tracks on a device with fiddly menus when you can record and edit tracks much more conveniently on the iPad or iPhone, using one of the many choices in audio interfaces?
    Like with Audio Evolution and Zoom H1n as an audio interface on iPhone for example?

    Setup. I just want to switch it on and hit record, then maybe record another track or two.

    After that I’ll drop it into Garageband, but I find quick recording on iOS to have way too much mental overhead.

    And the H6 has a nice enough recording interface. A rec arm button for each channel, and play/rec.

    Aah. May I suggest an even simpler and faster hardware sampler, something like the Roland SP-404? This thing is really an instant recorder.

  • @mistercharlie said:
    I want a multitrack recorder to attach to the tape output of my mixer. I want to use it to build up simple multi-track ideas.

    The Zoom H-series recorders looks great, but each input seems hard-wired to one of the recorder tracks. That is, if you want to record onto tracks 3 and 4, you have to plug cables into inputs 3 and 4.

    I want to plug the mixer into Zoom inputs 1 and 2, record a drum machine, for instance, to tracks 1+2. Then I might record a guitar (via my mixer) to track 3+4. Can I do this with the cables still plugged into inputs 1+2? Or would I have to unplug, and reattach to inputs 3+4

    If not, is there any small device that can do this?

    The Zoom H6 is a great audio tool that I use on a nearly daily basis.. everything from 4 mic drum kit recording (my main reason for purchasing it) to quick acoustic guitar idea captures - vocal, lyric + melody ideas that just pop into my head - an audio recorder for video - a sampler of found sounds - band practices etc... It's fantastic!

    I really love doing overdubs on it as well.. add a lead on top of a rhythm guitar/bass/ drum groove.. don't like that take, hit record, do it again + again (no menu diving once you're in overdub mode).. the way the H6 does "take" recordings is an absolute joy. Record as many different takes on that 1 track until you're happy. You could then easily listen to any take and choose the best version. It would keep all takes unless you actually deleted them.. it could also work as extra tracks in case you ran out. Just keep recording all your ideas on separate takes and sort them out later on a desktop DAW.. that's priceless + effortless..

    The hard-wired inputs can be a bit of a pain especially in the heat of creation - BUT - it is doable.. and with your mixer you may be able to use sends (or other outputs) and just leave 6 cables permanently hooked up to the H6 and then just send to a particular track inside the mixer instead of unplugging physical cables.. I never got around to that with my Mackie 1402 VLZ mixer.. I just ended up switching out cables from a Sansamp FlyRig 5 Plexi and a Bass Driver DI (both excellent for getting stuff recorded quickly) which I only needed to do on occasion. Usually it was Roland TD-8 V-Drum stereo out to H6 inputs 1+2 (using the hidden line-in on the included XYH-6 capsule), Bass Driver on #3, Flyrig Plexi on #4 .. I rarely had to plug into 5+6.. That's a great little 6 track setup!

    I totally get the - setup, switch it on and hit record - the H6 is perfect for that.. and that you can use it as an interface on the iPad is a bonus.. I still love recording straight to the H6 because I DON"T have any options to fix stuff.. get it right or do it again.. simple as that.. save the extra takes if you want to comp them down - OR NOT
    It's a thing of beauty and it's one of my best purchases in a long time.. for me, it's indispensable..
    We all know what the iPad is capable of.. I think the H6 works well in tandem with it (just like people use their desktop DAWs).. If I didn't already have the H6, I would still get one today for everything that it can do. Love it!

  • @rs2000 said:

    Aah. May I suggest an even simpler and faster hardware sampler, something like the Roland SP-404? This thing is really an instant recorder.

    That could work. I was also thinking about using my Digitakt, which is pretty quick, but a lot of the time I would want to record the Digitakt itself as one of the tracks. The thing is, I often find a groove on the Digitakt, and I want to improvise, say, some riffs to go with it. And/or capture loops from several devices to arrange later.

    Now I think about it again, maybe the SP-404 isn’t such a bad idea!

    @royer That’s what I like about the H6. It looks really, really useful. I don’t have much stuff, by what I do have is hooked up to a patchbay, which could make this work.

    Thanks, folks. This has given me a few ideas. I shall research them an report back.

  • @mistercharlie said:

    @rs2000 said:

    Aah. May I suggest an even simpler and faster hardware sampler, something like the Roland SP-404? This thing is really an instant recorder.

    That could work. I was also thinking about using my Digitakt, which is pretty quick, but a lot of the time I would want to record the Digitakt itself as one of the tracks. The thing is, I often find a groove on the Digitakt, and I want to improvise, say, some riffs to go with it. And/or capture loops from several devices to arrange later.

    Now I think about it again, maybe the SP-404 isn’t such a bad idea!

    Use them both! With an SP-404, you don't need to waste any of the 8 valuable audio tracks on the Digi and btw, the Digi can only record in mono while the SP records in stereo.
    What's nice about the SP too is that all samples can be triggered by MIDI notes which you could use some of the DT's 8 MIDI tracks for.
    What's also nice about the SP is that not only recording but also trimming samples is quite easy.

  • @rs2000 Damn. I was all set to use the Digitakt, until you reminded me that it’s mono.

    Shall check for a used sp-404 in my area. There’s also an Akai sampler, the MPX16, which looks up to the job.

  • @mistercharlie said:
    @rs2000 Damn. I was all set to use the Digitakt, until you reminded me that it’s mono.

    Shall check for a used sp-404 in my area. There’s also an Akai sampler, the MPX16, which looks up to the job.

    The AKAI MPX16 looks like the perfect and compact choice but I see people complain about the unnecessarily complicated user interface, buggy firmware and slow loading times. Yes, you cannot play samples directly from the card like the SP does.
    Never had an MPX myself though.

  • @rs2000 said:

    @mistercharlie said:
    @rs2000 Damn. I was all set to use the Digitakt, until you reminded me that it’s mono.

    Shall check for a used sp-404 in my area. There’s also an Akai sampler, the MPX16, which looks up to the job.

    The AKAI MPX16 looks like the perfect and compact choice but I see people complain about the unnecessarily complicated user interface, buggy firmware and slow loading times. Yes, you cannot play samples directly from the card like the SP does.
    Never had an MPX myself though.

    I should just get my old Fostex tape 4 track fixed.

  • @mistercharlie said:.
    I should just get my old Fostex tape 4 track fixed.

    Ha! I wish I still had my X-15.. that thing was dead simple to use but FUN as hell! Something about the limitations and continuous degradation of the tape that made it so much fun.. can I rewind it for the 200th time to get this overdub just right? Maybe.. maybe not.. loved that.. It was like a Mission Impossible tape.. it will self destruct in ?? minutes.. and plugging guitars straight in through a distortion pedal.. crazy sounds.. lo-fi all the way.. I miss my X-15.. ☹️

  • I haven’t used the multitrack feature on my h6, but you can use that as an interface to your iPad using the cck, then you can route any of the inputs, including the mics or if you have the xlr attachment, then those, to any track in an iOS daw (or computer daw).

    I have used this as an interface and it works well, sounds decent.

  • Update, for anyone interested.

    Pretty much every recorder I looked at had something wrong with it. They were either 16 bit-only, or too big, or had the inputs hard-wired to individual tracks. The best is the Zoom R8, which I used to own.

    Instead of buying something, regretting it, and returning it (my usual MO), I took a few days to consider what I actually wanted to do.

    Say I come up with a nice groove on the Digitakt. I might want to play that, and then record some guitar parts too. Or maybe a synth track, or some field recordings. It’s easy enough to get the iPad hooked up to an audio interface, launch AUM or GarageBand, and set it up, but just thinking about it is enough to make me give up.

    So I thought about a stand-alone recorder, but even the perfect recorder makes it hard to do anything but a straight multi-track recording. Which is fine, but then…

    I have a copy Ableton Live Lite on my old, old iMac, never used. And the Mac is on the desk. I use it for writing, and for arranging songs in Logic (digression; Logic is fantastic, but just as mentally taxing to start from scratch. I do know about templates, but still).

    So I played with Ableton, and it clicked. It launches to a new, blank, four-track project by default. Recording into it is a breeze. It works with the NanoKontrol I have collecting dust in a box. And most important of all, the Mac is almost 100% reliable when it comes to recognizing my audio interface. My iPad connection is far from reliable.

    So in the end, I’ve gone in the complete opposite direction. I’d still prefer a little recorder, and might still go down that route. It’s great to just switch on and press record. But Ableton seems, now at least, to have the least friction for creating a new song.

    And I think I might be able to export the in-progress results to Launchpad on the iPad, for on-the-go remixing.

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