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Hello I purchased a Zoom H2 a few years ago and it is perfect for recording people talking or singing. I need it to copy simple sounds, like the key click on an old electric typewriter. It appears that my Zoom H2 is not very good for this type of thing. So what is the best way to record sounds? Simple thinks like a camera button press, or keyboard key press. That type of thing? Also I have scribe Pen. However I have not tried using that for this type of recording.

ralphstar wrote:
Hello I purchased a Zoom H2 a few years ago and it is perfect for recording people talking or singing. I need it to copy simple sounds, like the key click on an old electric typewriter. It appears that my Zoom H2 is not very good for this type of thing. So what is the best way to record sounds? Simple thinks like a camera button press, or keyboard key press. That type of thing? Also I have scribe Pen. However I have not tried using that for this type of recording.

Hi, there are a lot of ways to answer this sort of question! But you also leave out some info such as why you feel the H2 isn't good for what you are trying to record?
The things you mention you want to record are a bit quiet and perhaps the first obvious solution is to buy different equipment, but perhaps you are simply trying to record in a noisy environment. For example I live in a loud area so I have to wait and record things at night. Or perhaps you can construct something to help block outside sounds? Another thing to consider is microphone position. You may have to experiment with where you put the H2 to get the sound you want (for example a typewriter is somewhat complex, which part of the sound do you want or maybe you need multiple recordings and can mix them together).
Then of course you may find that the self noise of the H2 is simply too much. Then perhaps you can look into different microphones (there are different pickup patterns for example) and instead of getting a new recorder, perhaps a nice pre-amp to raise the level of the signal going to the H2. There are many, many, many combinations and without some clues about budget and other info it is hard to make a reasonable suggestion.
Good luck!

I also got a Zoom H2 a couple of days ago, and have been testing ways to use it.

Did you set the mic gain on H? Try it, and crank the recording level up. To avoid too much noise from other things, try setting it to "front 90 degrees". I know it's a longshot, but trying out options helps one to learn what settings are best in different types of situations.

Also you can amplify the sound in post production. I use audacity for editing, and it handles this quite nicely.

I always say to my custumers: RTFM or read the fuc..... manual.

http://www.zoom.co.jp/downloads/h2/manual/

klankbeeld wrote:
I always say to my custumers: RTFM or read the fuc..... manual.

http://www.zoom.co.jp/downloads/h2/manual/

Exactly

Thanks Corsica for the help and also the other fellow who mentioned audacity the audio editing software. Now ClankBleed you really have no class buddy. I have read the manual, and watched some nice tutorials on YouTube. However I still couldn't get good sound from the H2 Yet. So your comments I thought were a little idiotic. I don't know if you work for H2, but if you do, I must let you know that as a software architect, I find their user interface to be sub-par. For such a supposed nice peice of hardware, it is unfortunate that the UI is so poorly designed.

ralphstar wrote:
Now ClankBleed you really have no class buddy. I have read the manual, and watched some nice tutorials on YouTube. However I still couldn't get good sound from the H2 Yet. So your comments I thought were a little idiotic.

wlle, well well, I just tryed to give a 'funny' link to the manual but I didn't work. I'm sorry lad.

And now my tips;

1] set the tipewrite on a solit table in a quiet bedroom (no wooden floor, concrete flore is okey), at night with curtains clossed to cut out the envionmental sound. The bedroom because there is a lot of soud-damping material of the bed.
2] wear cuttton closing to limit self-noise.
3] Put the Zoom on a logical spot (50-100cm) on an other object (mechanical isolated from the table) on a cushion or some clothing for isolating the direct mechanical wopper sound.

4] do some testrecording so that the typing is at -12 dB (75% of the maximum excursion)

5] If you have, use a large headphone, so you hear the base during typing. Now you immediately hear whats going wrong.
Try to discover where the distortions are comeing from and try to correct them.

Now you have a good opportunity to make a good recording. Send me a link when ready.

A good recording takes a long time I know.

Good luck.
kind regards

Hello ralphstar

I have a zoom H1, which should be the inferior model to what you have.
You got some hints and tips from other fellows, but we really are still missing the specifics of your complaint. Is the sound too low, too high (so it clips) ? Is it noise that is the problem? If so finding 'what' noise is the key.
Is it that the sound just sounds different from the original?
You have read the manual, so i am assuming the problem is not that you have the recorder set to mp3 or low quality wav.
Some memory cards are faulty and introduce noise to the recording. Could you try a different mem card?
The list of suggestions is endless... Whithout knowing what the complaint is we are all shooting in the dark.
Here is another suggestion: why not post some example recordings at freesound, post links to the sounds in this thread and then explain what your problem is with each recording.
Then we will all be able to be of more help