H2n Handy Microphone
Allen Brown, Bryan Tor, Thomas Sawano | Fall, 2019
The H2n Zoom Handy Recorder is a high quality portable recording device that can be used to record podcasts, music, movies, and more. The recorder has 5 internal microphones that can be used in 4 different modes. The recorder can be used from amateur to professional work and is packed full of features. To make this complicated device less overwhelming, we’ll start with a basic setup for how to record and export.
Content
1. Power
Turn the recorder on by holding down the power switch on the bottom right side of the device. To turn the device off later hold this down until the device turns off.
2. Put in SD Card
Take the MicroSD card out of the packaging and put it in the larger MicroSD Adapter. Then put the MicroSD Adapter in the bottom of the device.
Depending on the context in which you would like to make a recording, there are four modes accessible via the dial atop the microphone that modify the gain and direction in which audio is received. In short: if you want to record one person talking on the screen-side of the mic, use XY. If you want to record something in the front of the mic, use MS.
4. Mic Gain
Mic Gain is important for determining the range of your recording and can be seen as the two bars on the main screen. To adjust gain, rotate the silver dial on the right of the device.
Gain is used to amplify the recording so the best way to adjust this is to look at the readings for the sounds you’ll be recording and adjust the gain dial. You want the want the range to fit your recording so you need to make sure your softest sounds aren’t too quiet and your loudest one’s aren't too loud.
5. Recording
To record press the record button on the bottom of the device to start and press it again to stop. You can also adjust the gain on the fly and add marks to the recording by pressing the play button on the top right of the device.
You can use marks to jump to a specific point in the recording.
Keep track of what your file is called, this will help later.
6. Playback
The recorder has built in speakers so you can listen to what you recorded. To start listening press the play button on the right side of the device. To jump to the next track or mark, flick the play button up or down. The volume controls are on the left side of the device. Press the play button again to pause the recording. To return to recording mode hold down the home button on the very top right of the device.
You have two options to transfer your recordings, SD and USB.
SD:
Remove the SD card from the bottom of the device and plug it into the computer’s SD card reader.
USB:
To transfer via usb plug in the recorder to a computer using the usb adapter. It won’t open up anything at the start.
You need to press the menu button on the top right of the recorder and press the play button down to navigate down the menus. Scroll down to USB and press the play button to select. If you select the wrong menu, press the home button to go back a step.
Once at the USB menu, press SD Card Reader and the recorder will now be connected to your computer and you can see your files.
Disconnect by pressing the menu button
The files you recorded are stored in a subfolder in the device, don’t worry if you don’t know which folder you saved your file in. By default it’s Stereo -> Folder01 but that will depend if the person that used it before you changed the folder.
The easiest way to find your recording without slogging through the subcategories is to just search the device for what your file was named.
Navigating menus on the device uses two buttons the play button, and the menu button positioned on the top right side of the device.
The Play button is used to select by pressing on it and to navigate by moving it up or down.
The Menu button will take you a step back or if you hold it, it takes you all the way back to the recording screen no matter where you were.
Folders are essential for how the recorder handles its saved files. It’s possible to get by not determining your folder but if you are going to be doing a lot of recording and playback yourself for a project it’s a big help to have your own workspace.
If you want to clear a selected folder and delete all recorded files there. Go to the menu and select file. If there are files there you can select one and scroll down to delete all. Remember this could happen to your recordings so save your work to a computer after you’re done.
The included remote is a great way to get some distance between you and what you’re recording. Just plug in the cord to the left side of the device and you’re set to go. There is also an included extension cable if you need more range.
The built in tools for the recorder are mainly for music. There is a built in tuner and metronome. Navigate to the tools by selecting Tool from the menu options.
Tuner: The tuner is robust and has many options from chromatic, guitar, bass, and open strings.
Metronome: You can navigate the metronome menus to change a lot of settings. If you want to disable the metronome, do so with the click menu and turn it to off. Here you can also adjust the sound of the metronome, the tempo, time signature, and volume level.
The land on which we gather is the unceded territory of the Awaswas-speaking Uypi Tribe. The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, comprised of the descendants of indigenous people taken to missions Santa Cruz and San Juan Bautista during Spanish colonization of the Central Coast, is today working hard to restore traditional stewardship practices on these lands and heal from historical trauma.
The land acknowledgement used at UC Santa Cruz was developed in partnership with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band Chairman and the Amah Mutsun Relearning Program at the UCSC Arboretum.
Santa Cruz, CA