Digital voice recorder part two

Continuing this topic that I wrote¹ about two weeks ago, I ordered a new recorder with 64GB memory for 70 NIS (about $14) that arrived after only eleven days. The controls are almost the same as on the old recorder, but the setup is slightly different. For example, there is no option to chose between internal microphone and line-in: I suspect that connecting something to the line-in socket disables the internal microphone. I took the device down to our rehearsal room and checked that it worked; the sound seemed somewhat muffled but was definitely coming from one of the microphones (actually I checked three) connected to the mixer.

On Saturday, I took the recorder with me to our rehearsal, connected it and turned it on before we even started playing (I turned it off after we finished). I had defined to myself three goals:

1. To check that a proper recording can be made from the mixer
2. To check the balance between the instruments and the vocals
3. To listen to our playing, especially to the mistakes, in order to improve

The next day, I connected the recorder to my computer via the supplied USB cable (the recorder arrived fully charged, by the way) and copied the one file. I then imported it into Audacity and started listening to various parts (not the whole thing as there were plenty of times when we were talking and not playing).

Goal #1 was definitely achieved, although looking at the wave forms, I should turn the recording volume down slightly as there appears to have been clipping. I'm not sure that there is an output volume control on the mixer.

Goal #2 was important: using the voice as a basis for comparison, the keyboard needed to be turned down slightly, the lead guitar needed to be turned up, I was approximately ok, the bass was nowhere (problems with the mixer) and the drums could be turned up a bit. It might be that the microphone on the bass drum needs to be changed or reduced in volume as it did not record cleanly. I've only just realised that the mixer has no LEDs or VU meters, so setting volumes is a matter of guesswork and listening.

Goal #3 was not worth bothering about as we were playing for the first time three new songs: one simple (but the key was changed from A to Bb without warning), one moderately complicated and one very complicated. Obviously this will improve; I'm going to write out chord charts to make that complicated song easier to follow.

I extracted from the recording the best version of two of the songs and sent them on.

Internal links
[1] 1925

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