The Zoom H4N Recorder, included in on of our mobile podcasting kits, allows a podcaster to record with or without a laptop computer. The H4N can store audio signals in an .mp3 (or other format) audio file on an internal storage card, or can pass the audio on as a digital signal via USB to a laptop. Both possibilities are discussed below.
In addition to the below tutorials, the podcasting kit contains the Zoom H4N manual, which provides everything you see here as well as other options.
The Zoom H4N recorder has all sorts of impressive features, but most importantly sounds very good with a great set of external microphones. However, in certain procedures it will need a minute or two to do things. So if you get a "please wait" screen, give it a chance to complete the process before unplugging or further attempting to do things with it.
Basic Operation
On the H4N, menu navigation, option selection, and of course operation is by the provided buttons.
To navigate menus, you will usually use the scroll wheel and "Menu" button located on the H4N's right side. The "Menu" button opens settings menus, as well as provides (prompted on screen) a "back" button. Turn the scroll wheel above the MENU button to scroll through the menus. Press the wheel to make menus selections.
mp3 is a good format for recording podcasts. Here's how to check to make certain the H4N is set to record in mp3:
Microphone Options
The H4N has built in microphones that do a good job of recording. However, the microphones provided in the kit will do a better job of isolating the podcasters' voice, and should be used for maximum quality recording.
If you have plugged in external microphones before powering on the H4N, it should default to using those microphones. If it does not, you can select use of those microphones using the "1" and "2" buttons on the front of the unit.
Using the H4N as an Interface
To use the H4N as a digital audio interface, that connects analog microphones to a laptop PC, do the following:
Connect the H4N to any external microphones you wish to use, external power, and lastly, to your laptop. | |
| If you plugged in the H4N while it is powered off, it may power on by recognizing the USB connection and showing, on-screen, the Interface option. If so, use the side scroll wheel to highlight the AUDIO I/F option, and select the Interface Model. Then, scroll to and select CONNECT |
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| Then, select the USB source (perhaps named H4 or Zoom, etc.) in your DAW. |
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You should now be able to record audio into your DAW from the microphones, through the H4N. You can plug monitor headphones into the H4N to monitor while recording, but more useful is probably plugging them into your laptop to listen to test clips. |
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Recording to the H4N's Internal Storage
Start by plugging the H4N's adapter into external AC power. If power is not available you'll need to rely on the internal batteries. Plug in the two SM 58 microphones to the XLR Jacks located at the bottom of the H4N, using the provided XLR cables. Power on the H4N using the switch on its lower left side. The unit should power on to "Stereo" mode, and ready to record MONO .mp3, as indicated by the LED above the screen and the on-screen indicators. This is the optimal configuration for two-microphone podcasting. If the H4N is in a different configuration, use the menu controls to find and reconfigure these settings. Be certain Microphones 1 and 2 are activated for use, by pressing their buttons on the left side of the H4N's front face controls. |
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| You can plug the provided monitor headphones into the Zoom to hear how you sound through the microphones. Adjust volume as necessary, using the righthand-side (for microphone gain) and lefthand side (for monitor headphones volume) controls. Make sure there's plenty of gain for your recording. |
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To record, Press the "REC" button twice. You should see the record counter start on the screen. You can pause the recording using the Play/Pause button. When finished recording, press the Stop button. |
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Obviously, you'll want your recording files off the H4N, and somewhere for your own use. Here's how to do that:
Using the provided USB cable, plug the H4N into your laptop computer. Using the menus, choose USB, and then Storage. This makes the H4N like a hard drive, and your file will be in one of the folders under STEREO. Find your file, using a Windows Explorer or Finder window. Copy the file to your hard drive. Once you are finished, use the menu on the Zoom Recorder to choose DISCONNECT. |
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| After the H4N is disconnected from your computer, use the menu system to delete your file: FILE → DELETE or DELETE ALL. |
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