Prominent Critic wrote:Bob –

With the kind of incredible expertise you have on this subject, am I correct in assuming that this is your profession. Or something related. That's pretty awesome stuff. Thank you for all the info.

I am now semi-retired, but I have an electrical engineering degree, taught college electrical engineering, physics, and math courses full-time for many years, headed an audio and video technology research and development department for a large corporation for several years, designed, sold and supervised the installation of complete television stations, international broadcast stations, and recording studios for several years, and a bunch of other related things, so your questions relate to things I know about.

Prominent Critic wrote:For me it's a hopeless case to go straight into my computer. There's no mike jack in front, and I've got so much stuff on my desk surrounding the processor that it's an ordeal to get to the back. But in any case, even if I could, it would involve doing things with software etc., and I know myself – I won't be able to do it.

I am certain that your lack of confidence in yourself is not justified. You are greatly overestimating the difficulty. Anyone who can learn to play an E-Chord on a guitar has more than enough ability to be able to record digital audio with a computer. Let me know if you someday gain access to the backside of your computer and I will send you a simple step-by-step procedure to make digital audio recordings from a microphone.

Prominent Critic wrote:If you get a moment, could you take a look at that machine I mentioned on Dak.com, and give us your expert opinion on whether an amateur like myself could use that to transfer my great old anthologies from LP to CD. Also, if you think it's a decent machine, Tomas might be interested in it also.

I have never used the DAK system and can't comment on its actual ease-of-use or quality, but based merely on the website descriptions it appears to be easy to use and its quality likely will be adequate for your intended purpose.

Manos Lentas wrote:To record yourself playing, I recommend the Zoom H2 for simplicity and quality of recording live guitar, etc. The beauty of it is you can take it to concerts and get good results with it. Easy to download on your computer. I have had mine for a few years and it works better than other devices costing four times the price. http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/h2/

I also have never used the Zoom H2 recommended by Sam for live recordings. However, the Zoom website describes nice features, Sam has good understandings audio technologies, and I wouldn't hesitate to accept his recommendation. Because it is a consumer-level product, it may not be as ruggedly constructed as professional-grade equipment tends to be, but with a purchase price that is only a fraction of the cost of professional equipment it seems like a good alternative for most flamenco guitarists.

-Bob

Bob –
I have a credit at Radio Shack that's been sitting around for a year, and I'm thinking of using it – I have no other use for it – to buy an Olympus VN-6200 Digital Recorder. Could I record myself on that, and then load it into my computer – it uses a USB connection, and I have a USB port in front. Here's the blurb:


The VN-6200 has 1GB of internal memory that lets you continuously record 444 hours in LP mode. Its PC link capabilities offer fast, efficient downloading of audio files for saving, emailing and file management. Since it records in WMA format, there's no extra software required.
· Transfer audio files quickly and easily to a computer with the convenient PC link
· Voice activation extends recording time by recording only when the microphone senses sound
· Record up to 444 hours of uninterrupted audio in LP mode
· 3 recording modes: HQ for high quality; SP and LP for extended recording
· Index marks let you specify a particular point in a recording or playback for easy retrieval
· Large LCD for easy, quick viewing of file locations, recording status and battery life
· Slow and Fast Playback modes let you listen to audio 25% slower or 50% faster than real time
· Contains 5 folders that each hold up to 200 files
· Alarm playback: Playback a pre-selected file at a specific time for reminders or wake-up calls


Right now it would save me the cost of buying that Zoom H2, or possible a Tascam DR-06, I think it is, both of which I have in mind for the future, but I don't want to spend the money right now if I can use up this wasted credit at Radio Shack as an interim step. It might also help to familiarize myself with computer tracks, etc. Who knows – I might even get into the twenty-first century.

Thanks for any help –
T-Rex

Sounds like a good deal. Not sure how it will record music since it is made for voice and also you would need software to convert the wma files to mp3. I am sure Bob can suggest an easy way to do this.

I have never used an Olympus VN-6200 recorder. However, I bought an older model Olympus recorder years ago and was very disappointed with its quality. It has lots of features, but they are difficult to select and use, the sound sensitivity is poor, and the recording quality is very poor. I put it in a storage cabinet soon after I bought it and have never actually used it for anything. The $99 I paid for it was a total waste. The Olympus VN-6200 may be better, but my previous experience with Olympus was sufficiently disgusting that I never want to buy anything made by them again.

Another consideration is that Olympus VN-6200 is marketed as a "voice recorder." Products that are marketed as voice recorders generally do not have sufficient recording quality to be used satisfactorily as music recorders.

-Bob

Manos Lentas wrote:Sounds like a good deal. Not sure how it will record music since it is made for voice and also you would need software to convert the wma files to mp3. I am sure Bob can suggest an easy way to do this.

Sam posted that while I was typing the post above. There are a variety of software programs that can be used to convert wma (Windows Media Audio) files to mp3 files. If you decide to buy the Olympus recorder I will explain how file conversions can be done.

-Bob

Bob wrote:I have never used an Olympus VN-6200 recorder. However, I bought an older model Olympus recorder years ago and was very disappointed with its quality. It has lots of features, but they are difficult to select and use, the sound sensitivity is poor, and the recording quality is very poor.

I concur with what Bob wrote. I have an Olympus recorder that is a piece of junk.

Lucas

Well, thanks for all the advice from everyone. I have scrapped the Olympus idea. After thinking it all over, I think that I will buy the DAK device for $70. I have an analog four track and a good Shure mike. I will record on the four track onto cassette, dub the cassette onto CD using the DAK, and then use the CD to load onto the internet. (is that called uploading or downloading?) You load sixteen tons and whatta ya get – a CD.

My problems are I have never done anything like this, and even with the DAK I will have to do stuff on the computer that I've never done. I'm sure I can learn it all, but I'm afraid it's going to take up an awful lot of time. Or maybe not. The other problem I foresee is that my tape deck, which presumably will have to be connected to my computer, or to the DAK, either way the tape deck is maybe fifteen feet from the computer. Seems cumbersome, and at the very least will require some kind of extension cable. Yes? Appreciate any comments.

One good thing about the current plan is that it kills two birds with one stone – I can use the DAK to get myself recorded on CD, and then I can use it to transfer my great old anthologies of flamenco onto CD.