New Zoom HD16 - Recording acoustic guitar and vocals

[crawdad]

I have written a few songs and finally broke down and purchased the Zoom HD16. I wish to record these songs for now with just my vocals and my acoustic guitar. Should I concentrate on laying down a track with just the acoustic guitar, then come back and record another track with my vocals? Is it best to record the acoustic guitar with a microphone or better to plug it in to the Zoom?

Any tips and advice are greatly appreciated.

[Can of worms]

I wouldn't tie yourself down yet.Try a few things.

1)Record a click track,play gtr into Zoom(if your gtr has an output) then add vocal.This'll get you into learning about the Zoom and not worrying about mike positioning on the guitar.

2)Do the same but record the guitar with a mike.There are loads of places on this site to find out about positioning it.

3)If you need a more free timing feel,try plugging in the guitar and miking the vocals to capture a "real" performance.

4)The piece de resistance would be to be able to record yourself absolutely live with one or two mikes but this sort of thing takes a lot of attention to detail.

There are loads of permutations inbetween the above suggestions,just keep an open mind and find out what's good for the songs

[crawdad]

Originally Posted by Can of worms

I wouldn't tie yourself down yet.Try a few things.

1)Record a click track,play gtr into Zoom(if your gtr has an output) then add vocal.This'll get you into learning about the Zoom and not worrying about mike positioning on the guitar.

2)Do the same but record the guitar with a mike.There are loads of places on this site to find out about positioning it.

3)If you need a more free timing feel,try plugging in the guitar and miking the vocals to capture a "real" performance.

4)The piece de resistance would be to be able to record yourself absolutely live with one or two mikes but this sort of thing takes a lot of attention to detail.

There are loads of permutations inbetween the above suggestions,just keep an open mind and find out what's good for the songs

For option 1) How do I record a click track?
For option 3) I like this idea. So if I do this, I would be recording to 2 tracks, 1 & 2? Would I need to set the 8 track recording button?

Thanks for your response.

[Can of worms]

If it's anything like the 1608,there'll be a metronome facility in the rythm section,if not you could record one from a drum machine.I'll not go into anything else because I have a different model and I could very well be talking out of my arse.

My advice is,let the manual sink in for a good few days,then just set yourself up a project to experiment with.you'll probably make so many errors in the first few weeks that you'll feel like giving up but if you persevere with the manual,these stand alone units can be suprisingly rewarding.

I can't stress enough how important it is to get to grips with the manual.

Sorry I can't be more specific.

[crawdad]

Thanks. I am terrible at reading manuals, but know I will need to again and again to get this down. I wish there was a video tutorial walking through various situations from start to finish. I would pay money for this. Once I get it down, I think I am going to really like this unit. It is just really intimidating right now.

[fullcrib]

Originally Posted by crawdad

For option 1) How do I record a click track?
For option 3) I like this idea. So if I do this, I would be recording to 2 tracks, 1 & 2? Would I need to set the 8 track recording button?

You don't have to "record" the click....use the shift+pattern buttons to select the drum/metronome pattern you want, use the shift+tempo to set your desired tempo, then press play and use the rythem fader to adjust volume.

Use "8 tracks at once" button to record more than one track at a time. Unarm (no light on) any tracks not being used.

As previously said, I cannot agree more on reading the manual....over and over and over......make some extra copies and keep one by your favorite chair in the living room, keep one in the bathroom....etc....I've had my hd16 for 1 1/2 years and constantly reach for the manual....as confusing as it can be. Experimentation is the best thing. When I first used it, I got "okay" results, but with a little playin around with it, you discover things that sound better and work for your particular style/setup......

[crawdad]

Thanks again