I don't know if you're aware, but we recently started a YouTube channel where we talk about various How to's , gadget reviews, comparisons and many other interesting things. We've been actively posting videos about this for a few months now and in doing so I realized that while content is king, audio is queen.
Contents1. Choose between MP3 and WAV2. The input level to be adjusted during recording3. Use Line Out as camera input4. Always keep an eye on the batteryConclusion
To provide our viewers with the best possible sound within the budget, we have invested in the Zoom H1 recorder which is one of the best portable sound recorders for beginners. I've been using it for a few months and in the process I learned a lot about the recorder through experience.
So here are 4 cool tips for beginners to get the most out of Zoom H1 while recording professional audio using it.
Depending on what you are recording, you can select any format between MP3 and WAV. Since MP3 files are smaller in size, they don't contain as much detail as a WAV audio file, so it's ideal to use for long meetings and recording lectures. 192 or 256 kbps is sufficient for this kind of recordings.
However, if you are recording video for a project or presentation, it is ideal to record in 48kHz 24-bit wave format. To learn more about this, I suggest you read the list of common audio sampling rates on Wikipedia.
Now that you have set the Auto Level turned off during audio recording, it is very important to manually adjust it to an optimal level during recording. The problem is that there is no perfect number to set the level and it depends on your environment and if you are using an external mic.
The best thing to do is to turn on the recorder and set it aside for a while. Experiment with different level settings on the recorder and observe the bars on the recorder when it is stationary. The level where you see no bars when the recorder is stationary is the ideal level for recording. If using a micro-collar, wear it and breathe normally while adjusting levels.
Zoom H1 provides line-in and line-in port and on pen and paper, it can be used to connect external mic and earphone respectively. However, the line-out port can also be used as an input port for recording audio on cameras using an auxiliary cable.
It can be useful as a backup and you can get the soundtrack along with the video directly. Remember to keep the volume levels nominal or you could get a lot of interference when recording on camera.
Whether it's a Zoom H1 or an external collar mic powered by button cell batteries, always keep an eye on the battery. Finishing an entire video shoot with blank wave files can be really frustrating. So always test the recording and play it back on the Zoom H1 itself before recording anything.
Also, Zoom H1 can really drain a lot of battery even when turned off. Therefore always remove the battery from the recorder when not in use.
So here are some of the tips to keep in mind while recording with the Zoom H1. If you own one and would like to give some advice to our readers, please use our discussion forum.
