Recording band practice with a Zoom H4n OR H6

[9lbShellhamer]

I currently lug my laptop with Blue Yeti mic to band practice occasionally and I really like the results I get.

I love the idea of a little field recorder like the Zoom H4n or H6.

Plugging in XLR inputs seems great when needed. I'm sure in real life I'll mostly not be multi-tracking with all the XLR inputs,since the whole point of a field recorder is that it's small and mobile... hmnnn. A cool feature regardless.

My question anyways is as follows, the mic on the H4n, I'm not familiar the XY thing... Can I position it vertically and we circle around it or does it need to be facing us horizontally? It's a condenser on the H4n? It seems it's really intended to be horizontal facing the source.

Thanks for your "input".

Any advice on the H4n VS the H6 is more than welcome too...trying to figure out if I should just keep lugging my laptop or if I can really get good use out of the Zoom. On days I don't bring the laptop I just get field recordings with my phone... The Blue Yeti is nice because we sit in a circle while practicing and it just sits in the middle of us while getting quality audio.

[Br1ck]

Why not just download the manual? Should lay out various scenarios. Depending on your rehearsal layout, you'll need to experiment. These kinds of recorders work really well recording from an audience point of view. Another possibility is if there are external mic inputs, put an omni mic in the middle of your circle. But you want to keep it simple, so just experiment.

[9lbShellhamer]

Why not just download the manual? Should lay out various scenarios. Depending on your rehearsal layout, you'll need to experiment. These kinds of recorders work really well recording from an audience point of view. Another possibility is if there are external mic inputs, put an omni mic in the middle of your circle. But you want to keep it simple, so just experiment.

I've looked at the manual. Was looking to get more feedback from users about how positional/directional it actually is and if the quality is totally different while vertical vs horizontal.

[guidoStow]

I really like the H6. I have used it a lot to record small jazz groups in club and living room settings with great results. It has a lot nicer UI than the H4n and much quieter pre-amps. But as Br1ck says they are very audience oriented. I love the included XY mics but they are quite directional! I'm not sure how well they would work in the round, in front of a semi-circle would be fine though... The other direct attach mics are even more directional. So external mikes would be the best bet for the H6 if a true circle is desired.

Another low cost-high quality solution would be the Zoom H2n. It works very nicely in a circle context with 4 mics/channels offering 360 degree coverage. I have recorded several concerts with an H2 that folks have confused for commercial recordings...

[9lbShellhamer]

I love the included XY mics but they are quite directional! I'm not sure how well they would work in the round

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks

[foldedpath]

I have the Zoom H5, with the included X/Y capsules. As mentioned above they're pretty directional. If you place it upright on the floor in a middle of band rehearsal, you'll get mainly quieter off-axis sound, along with some ceiling reflections you probably don't want. There is an accessory mid-side mic (figure 8 plus cardioid) that would work better if you can arrange the group in a semi-circle, but it's still not ideal.

The ideal recorder for this is the less expensive Zoom H2n. I have the earlier H2 model and it feels cheap, but it's a workhorse for "casual" recording. It lacks the XLR inputs, but if you activate all 4 mics it will record in "surround" with four channels. It does a pretty good job in that "everyone in a circle around a mic" scenario. Use the stand adapter and a tripod or mic stand to get it up off the floor, especially if it's a hard floor like wood or tile.

BTW, if you still want the XLR inputs and can work around the X/Y mic setup, then get the Zoom H5 instead of the H4n. It's a newer model with upgraded preamps, and some features that are good if you later get into video recording. It can also use the accessory mics from the H6 series.

[Spruce]

Any advice on the H4n VS the H6 is more than welcome too...

I love the H4 for capturing performances...
Put the machine in the sweet spot to get a good stereo image, then plug in the feeds from your PA to get the vocals/instruments, and mix the 4 tracks to taste later on...

I've gotten some great recordings with this machine...

[colorado_al]

I use the zoom h2n for exactly what your are looking to do. It has 5 directional condensers that are quite good. I use the 4 channel mode (dual stereo - 1 set forward & 1 set aft) and the recorder can then combine the 4 channels into 1 stereo track. I position it vertically on a tripod in the middle of the band. Works great!

[9lbShellhamer]

Thanks for the great feedback.

Sounds like the H2 is really a great deal since it does everything that my Blue Yeti does but it's also capable of operation independent of a laptop, etc.

I wish they made something with the mic capabilities of the H2 with the inputs of the H6 or H4.