Using H2 instead of SM57 for recording an amp in studio?

[Ludwig77]

I have a Zoom H2 portable recorder that has a built in mic.

Would I be foolish to try recording my tube amp with the H2, using it
as a microphone for studio tracks given that I could record it simply
with an industry standard SM-57 also in my possession?

The SM57 frankly isn't capturing the amp as I hear it.

But I recorded a gig with my H2 the amp sounded much better to me....

Greg

[Anahata]

On Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:43:31 -0700, Ludwig77 wrote:

> The SM57 frankly isn't capturing the amp as I hear it.
>
> But I recorded a gig with my H2 the amp sounded much better to me....

Your question contains the answer. Try and see (or rather hear...)

You might want to do an initial short test to make the sound level in
front of the amp doesn't overload the H2 mic, and adjust level or mic
position accordingly.

--
Anahata
==//== 01638 720444
http://www.treewind.co.uk ==//== http://www.myspace.com/maryanahata

[John Williamson]

Ludwig77 wrote:
> I have a Zoom H2 portable recorder that has a built in mic.
>
> Would I be foolish to try recording my tube amp with the H2, using it
> as a microphone for studio tracks given that I could record it simply
> with an industry standard SM-57 also in my possession?
>
> The SM57 frankly isn't capturing the amp as I hear it.
>
> But I recorded a gig with my H2 the amp sounded much better to me....
>
If you're using a mixer, your only problem might be that the H2 doesn't
have a proper line out, but you know that already. It does, however,
work very well for a computer DAW as a USB connected stereo microphone.

Make sure that the gain is set to low or medium using the switch if
you're fairly close to the amp, though, or the internal ADC will clip at
high volumes.

Good luck.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

[Don Pearce[_3_]]

On Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:43:31 -0700, Ludwig77 wrote:

> The SM57 frankly isn't capturing the amp as I hear it.
>

Of course not. The SM57 is a vocal mic with a frequency response that
is all lumps and bumps designed to enhance vocal audibility. It isn't
meant to capture things as you hear them. If your amp is giving you
the sound you want, and you just need to capture it, get yourself a
decent, flat omni and park it in front of the speaker (or wherever you
hear the sound you like).

d

[Laurence Payne[_2_]]

On Tue, 4 Aug 2009 03:43:31 -0700 (PDT), Ludwig77
> wrote:

>I have a Zoom H2 portable recorder that has a built in mic.
>
>Would I be foolish to try recording my tube amp with the H2, using it
>as a microphone for studio tracks given that I could record it simply
>with an industry standard SM-57 also in my possession?
>
>The SM57 frankly isn't capturing the amp as I hear it.
>
>But I recorded a gig with my H2 the amp sounded much better to me....


It isn't foolish to try anything (except folk-dancing and incest.)

I assume you're talking about a guitar-style combo amp?
A tube amp, and the speakers that are generally matched with it, are
designed to add interesting distortion, not to be clean and accurate.
So there's no need to get all audiophile about the rest of the
recording chain.

Maybe the H2 will come up with a killer sound! (Don't forget it has
four microphones, not just one - play with the "surround" setting.)

But also don't forget it will only connect as a USB microphone. You
won't be able to simultaneously use another ASIO device. Be sure its
sound is impressive enough to make the inconvenience worthwhile.

[Mike Rivers]

Ludwig77 wrote:
> I have a Zoom H2 portable recorder that has a built in mic.
>
> Would I be foolish to try recording my tube amp with the H2, using it
> as a microphone for studio tracks

Never feel that anything that isn't physically harmful to you or your gear
is foolish. If you're having some success with this technique, by all means
experiment with it until you develop something that works or decide that
it really doesn't work for you.

You may have some fiddling to do when importing the Zoom file into
your DAW, particularly into an existing project. But by all means, give
it a try. I wouldn't fuss with using the H2 in the USB Mic mode, just
use the memory card and import from that.


--
If you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring and reach
me here:
double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo -- I'm really Mike Rivers
)

[Arkansan Raider]

Laurence Payne wrote:

> It isn't foolish to try anything (except folk-dancing and incest.)

Captured and saved for future use in my sig. That was classic.

---Jeff

[Laurence Payne[_2_]]

On Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:58:22 -0500, Arkansan Raider
> wrote:

>> It isn't foolish to try anything (except folk-dancing and incest.)
>
>Captured and saved for future use in my sig. That was classic.

But, not (sadly) original. You might as well Google it so you can
quote it more accurately and include the derivation.

[Arkansan Raider]

Laurence Payne wrote:
> On Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:58:22 -0500, Arkansan Raider
> > wrote:
>
>>> It isn't foolish to try anything (except folk-dancing and incest.)
>> Captured and saved for future use in my sig. That was classic.
>
> But, not (sadly) original. You might as well Google it so you can
> quote it more accurately and include the derivation.

I seem to be getting varied results. <g>

So far, one result for:

Try everything once except incest and folk dancing.
-Sir Thomas Beecham-


But a whole slew of results for:

Arnold Bax:
“One should try everything once, except incest and folk dancing.”

I'm guessing it's by Sir Arnold Bax.

---Jeff

[Laurence Payne[_2_]]

On Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:25:47 -0500, Arkansan Raider
> wrote:

>Laurence Payne wrote:
>> On Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:58:22 -0500, Arkansan Raider
>> > wrote:
>>
>>>> It isn't foolish to try anything (except folk-dancing and incest.)
>>> Captured and saved for future use in my sig. That was classic.
>>
>> But, not (sadly) original. You might as well Google it so you can
>> quote it more accurately and include the derivation.
>
>I seem to be getting varied results. <g>
>
>So far, one result for:
>
>Try everything once except incest and folk dancing.
>-Sir Thomas Beecham-
>
>
>But a whole slew of results for:
>
>Arnold Bax:
>“One should try everything once, except incest and folk dancing.”
>
>I'm guessing it's by Sir Arnold Bax.

And some say HE was quoting the Scottish composer and conductor Guy
Warrack. Whoever he was. Perhaps he spoke from experience.

[Arkansan Raider]

Laurence Payne wrote:
> On Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:25:47 -0500, Arkansan Raider
> > wrote:
>
>> Laurence Payne wrote:
>>> On Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:58:22 -0500, Arkansan Raider
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>>> It isn't foolish to try anything (except folk-dancing and incest.)
>>>> Captured and saved for future use in my sig. That was classic.
>>> But, not (sadly) original. You might as well Google it so you can
>>> quote it more accurately and include the derivation.
>> I seem to be getting varied results. <g>
>>
>> So far, one result for:
>>
>> Try everything once except incest and folk dancing.
>> -Sir Thomas Beecham-
>>
>>
>> But a whole slew of results for:
>>
>> Arnold Bax:
>> “One should try everything once, except incest and folk dancing.”
>>
>> I'm guessing it's by Sir Arnold Bax.
>
> And some say HE was quoting the Scottish composer and conductor Guy
> Warrack. Whoever he was. Perhaps he spoke from experience.

Roger that. I've never heard of him either.

Dude. I live in Arkansas. Thankfully I don't, but it's all around the
area...

---Jeff

[Scott Dorsey]

Ludwig77 > wrote:
>I have a Zoom H2 portable recorder that has a built in mic.
>
>Would I be foolish to try recording my tube amp with the H2, using it
>as a microphone for studio tracks given that I could record it simply
>with an industry standard SM-57 also in my possession?
>
>The SM57 frankly isn't capturing the amp as I hear it.
>
>But I recorded a gig with my H2 the amp sounded much better to me....

Try it and see.

However, if your amp doesn't sound the way you hear it, the odds are that
it has more to do with the room and the placement than the mike.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."