SIMPLE digital recorder that works like cassette deck?

Nothing complicated or expensive. Play, pause, RW, FF.

I had a Line6 Backtrack, but it seemed pretty fragile, and with no screen or counter was hard to find your stuff you recorded.

Was considering on of these:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/musicians-gear-pocket-record-sd-digital-recorder

Any other suggestions?

Otherwise, I'll just go with one of these:
http://www.maxiaids.com/products/772/RCA-Cassette-Recorder-and-Player-AC-DC.html?utm_source=Froogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=Froogle&idAff=15225&gclid=CJC4yqKSh64CFYPc4Aodm2um3w

The Zoom H1 might be worth a look ... same price range, and I know several guys who use them that like the audio quality.

If you have a digital device the "retro cassette HD " app is free and works exactly like a vintage cassette recorder..

Tascam DP-004 works for me. It's pretty basic digital 4 track recording.

Nothing complicated or expensive. Play, pause, RW, FF.



Well this is wide open, I am thinking they all have those features now..

the next question is

HOW much do you want to spend ? As that is the most important consideration. Probably the biggest factor will be the quality of on board mics, they all record in Stereo MP3 or wav


Start at the Tascam Dr03 and work your way UP, I paid $49 for one of these from MF on blow out and it knocks me out...

If around $150 is the limit then you probably will end up with the Zoom H2...this is the one that many use, ( me too) on a regular basis


go for it..

t

If you have a digital device the "retro cassette HD " app is free and works exactly like a vintage cassette recorder..

THATS AWESOME. And I JUST got an iphone a few weeks ago. Nice!

Even the DR03 is more than I want to spend, and probably more features than I need... I literally need tape deck controls, of course a way to access the individual recordings, and that's it. Sound quality not paramount, it's just for capturing ideas quickly. I was all set to just buy a $33 cassette deck, and try to find tapes on ebay, but digital IS smaller, and more convenient.

I'm going to go check that app out right now...

The app is kinda cool, but there's no way to save more than the last thing you recorded. I need something that I can recall the ideas I put down.

$150 is way too much. Not looking for bells and whistles. When I said above "play/pause, rw, fw"... I meant "and NOT MUCH ELSE". Simple. Not looking for high sound quality. Literally just something to save ideas. Maybe a cheap cassette decks and a bunch of tapes is STILL the way to go for simplicty... seems like digital and simple don't go together.

The 4-track Tascam is nice, I remember the old Tascam PortaStudio was $500!! Now, you can the same for $150. But before I went that route, I'd buy an 8-track digital. Right now, just looking for an "idea catcher."

I've got one of these and I love it. Comes with a neat clip so you can attach it to a mic stand at a gig or rehearsal.

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-POCKETRAK-C24-Portable-Recorder/dp/B00378LGD2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1330092045&sr=8-2

I've got one of these and I love it. Comes with a neat clip so you can attach it to a mic stand at a gig or rehearsal.

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-POCKETRAK-C24-Portable-Recorder/dp/B00378LGD2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1330092045&sr=8-2

I have one of those too, works great and sounds good enough even with the band. Pretty expensive though. Nice that they have an internal rechargeable - they don't draw much juice. If you want to hear how it sounds I can send you a link ( I have a track posted here : http://www.tdpri.com/forum/twanger-central/310596-putting-out-there.html)

I wanted to get something for the singer and was looking at the Sony and Olympus little $30 2gig digitals. They were on sale at Staples this week. $29.99

Anyone ever use one of those with a band?

I wanted to get something for the singer and was looking at the Sony and Olympus little $30 2gig digitals. They were on sale at Staples this week. $29.99

Anyone ever use one of those with a band?

Thanks for the tip on those types of recorders... NOW we're talking.... wal-mart, a bunch of different models, cheap, on this page:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/RCA-VR5320-1GB-Digital-Voice-Recorder/15183948?findingMethod=rr

Not looking to record rehersals, just me... song ideas/riffs. This could be just the ticket.

I just use the voice memo function on my Ipod Nano. It's dirt simple; just record and play. Plus, it creates a separate file for each recording.

THATS AWESOME. And I JUST got an iphone a few weeks ago. Nice!

I use the voice recorder app on my iphone all the time to capture something that I later record with other methods. It costs nothing and sounds decent enough if you're just trying to get ideas down.

I need something that I can recall the ideas I put down.

$150 is way too much. Not looking for bells and whistles. When I said above "play/pause, rw, fw"... I meant "and NOT MUCH ELSE". Simple. Not looking for high sound quality. Literally just something to save ideas.

Right now, just looking for an "idea catcher."

Again, I would just suggest using the iphone for these uses. it is absurdly simple to use and when/if you sync to the computer, you can put your files there. I listen to my ideas at work with headphones and think about refinements. A great way to use what you already have.

Again, I would just suggest using the iphone for these uses. it is absurdly simple to use and when/if you sync to the computer, you can put your files there. I listen to my ideas at work with headphones and think about refinements. A great way to use what you already have.

The cassette deck app won't work- it records ONE thing only. I never thought of the voice memo app on the iphone (I've only had it for a few weeks).

However- if you wanted to get these recordings onto the computer, just for saving purposes, how would you do that with the iphone? With the $25 voice recorder (linked at WalMart above) at least it has a USB so I can transfer the files to the laptop.

ah... I see I can email the recordings to my laptop. IF I set up an email account on the iphone. Which I really don't want to do. We already get ALL of our emails on the Macbook AND ipad, I don't need them all coming to my iphone as well... I know, I'm a PITA. I'm going to experiment with the voice memo thing.

I use the app on iPad so it may be different
BUT there you can save your work...
There is a" tape library" (you touch something on the top of the "recorder")
to go there, you can name things and save etc.
There is also a tascam 4 tracker app but I'm pretty sure it is just for iPad
I know what you mean about simplicity, I have a early zoom digital
Recorder and since I got the Apple stuff it gets little use
Just so simple to lay stuff down with the various apps..
You might also want to look at getting irig it interfaces nicely with the fender app
(DR rtr recorder) and I have done a ton of work with it

iRig:

The reason I'm not going to go that far, is if I'm going to the trouble of trying to get a "good tone" or using amp models, I won't plug my guitar into the iphone/ipad... I'll open garage band & start recording for real. I guess part of my 42-year-old self just longs for the days of the intuitive easiness of tape decks & cassette studios... which I why even tho I have garage band, I might very well pick up an 8-track digital studio instead.

iRig:

The reason I'm not going to go that far, is if I'm going to the trouble of trying to get a "good tone" or using amp models, I won't plug my guitar into the iphone/ipad... I'll open garage band & start recording for real. I guess part of my 42-year-old self just longs for the days of the intuitive easiness of tape decks & cassette studios... which I why even tho I have garage band, I might very well pick up an 8-track digital studio instead.

The little digital recorders are good for that. The Yamaha is way smaller and lighter than a phone too.


One other thought would be to video yourself (on the Iphone) playing it. then you could see fingerings or odd voicings etc.

emailing them to yourself is a good idea. you could probably save a lot of 2 minute video ideas on the Iphone - maybe keep just a current batch...

if you wanted to get these recordings onto the computer, just for saving purposes, how would you do that with the iphone? With the $25 voice recorder (linked at WalMart above) at least it has a USB so I can transfer the files to the laptop.

ah... I see I can email the recordings to my laptop. IF I set up an email account on the iphone. Which I really don't want to do. We already get ALL of our emails on the Macbook AND ipad, I don't need them all coming to my iphone as well... I know, I'm a PITA. I'm going to experiment with the voice memo thing.


You don't have to do it via email if you just sync the phone to your computer and tell it to import your memos everytime you sync. I'll admit it isn't as easy as just plugging in a USB recorder, but the investment to learn how to sync or set up an email account is worth saving 100 bucks or so.

If you want to hear the quality of the recordings from the built in memo app, I'd be glad to share a link to my google site where I upload some of my ideas for storage. Like you said... I just email them to myself and then I can upload them. Super easy. Just send me your email address and I'll share the link if you're interested, and good luck!

You don't have to do it via email if you just sync the phone to your computer and tell it to import your memos everytime you sync. I'll admit it isn't as easy as just plugging in a USB recorder, but the investment to learn how to sync or set up an email account is worth saving 100 bucks or so.

If you want to hear the quality of the recordings from the built in memo app, I'd be glad to share a link to my google site where I upload some of my ideas for storage. Like you said... I just email them to myself and then I can upload them. Super easy. Just send me your email address and I'll share the link if you're interested, and good luck!

Hey! Just noticed you're in Charleston! I'm in NJ now, but was born & raised not far from there... Gallipolis, OH. I remember taking the drive to go to the "Charleston TownCenter Mall"...I think it was called... And I've seen more than my share of shows at the Charleston Arena, whatever it's called now...

Ok then , cheap, as in..$30...In your initial post you linked a recorder for $99 from MF, so I assumed that this was sorta' the price range. I can say this, for idea's ,ease of use and pretty nice quality should you want to record MORE than an idea of the moment, the low end Tascam DR03 fits the bill.

Sorry..
t

Hey! Just noticed you're in Charleston! I'm in NJ now, but was born & raised not far from there... Gallipolis, OH. I remember taking the drive to go to the "Charleston TownCenter Mall"...I think it was called... And I've seen more than my share of shows at the Charleston Arena, whatever it's called now...

Yep. I'm a recent (enough) import to this little city. Originally from Eastern Panhandle of WV, which is now a big sprawling suburb of DC.

http://en.audiofanzine.com/utilities/a.provider,m.290313,mod.media,th.normal,s.pictures .jpg i still have one of these as well as a ZOOM and an an Alesis Videotrack laying around the house ...

iRig:

The reason I'm not going to go that far, is if I'm going to the trouble of trying to get a "good tone" or using amp models, I won't plug my guitar into the iphone/ipad... I'll open garage band & start recording for real. I guess part of my 42-year-old self just longs for the days of the intuitive easiness of tape decks & cassette studios... which I why even tho I have garage band, I might very well pick up an 8-track digital studio instead.

Ah I just thought I'd mention it as I find it much easier to use than
Garage band, just select a pre set for the DR and select record
No need to dial the amp at all and the recorder is your basic 4 button deal
It also has the ability to export your work directly to other programs
The tape library on the iPad version of the casette app is marked with a "i"
Hit that and your work is saved

Thanks everybody. For now, I think I'll try the iphone, and maybe also pick up one of the cheap $30-$40 digital voice recorders from Wal-Mart... and then, if my old-school romanticism gets to me, I'll go ahead and buy a good ol'-fashioned cassette deck. The decks are easier to find then the tapes!

Tascam DP-004 works for me. It's pretty basic digital 4 track recording.

I listened to some of your sketches and I like that tremolo sound. Is that your Princeton or a pedal? If a pedal, which one?

Rite-Aid Drugs has blank cassettes all the time. Don't know if there's one in your area.