Zoom H2 -- can it overdub?

[Jim Robbins]

Has anyone managed to overdub with a Zoom H2? You'd think they would be able to but I can't find anything in the manual or sites on recording. But I expect if it can be done, some steel player has figured it out.

[Andy Sandoval]

Hi Jim, You can overbud with the Zoom H4 which can record 4 tracks but not with the H2. You'd probably have to import your tracks into another program like "Audacity" to overdub. Here's a link to multi tracking with Audacity. Click Here

[b0b]

I've been using a Zoom H2 for quite a while. It's a great little recorder, but I don't see any way to overdub with it.

[Tony Prior]

Has anyone managed to overdub with a Zoom H2? You'd think they would be able to

Why ? It's a simple stereo recorder just like an old WALKMAN cassette recorder. It's not intended to overdub.It's intended to record live music in stereo...which it does very well. The H2 has no way, not intended, to record left or right channels independent. There is a mono mix but that records to BOTH channels at the same time.

H4 is what you want, or another 4 track type of recorder.

H2 is not an overdub recorder and was never intended to be. It is however a great small stereo MP3 or wave recorder at a nice price !

Now as Andy states above,) correctly ) you can send your recorded track to another recorder, play it back thru a mixer and add your instrument , played thru the mixer, to the H2. The you end up with the overdub. That's what we did 30 years ago..maybe 40...

When I was about 13 or so I used two tape recorders to create over dubbing, but after about 3 takes the first track was hardly recognizable , not worth listening to...uhmm..kinda like now

[b0b]

The H2 has 4 mics, and it can use them all at once. The result is two stereo WAV files, which must be combined afterward in your computer to create a 5.1 surround soundtrack. The H2 does not create multi-track files.

[Jim Robbins]

Thanks for your responses. I thought it might have been capable of overdubbing since the manufacturer claims it can produce "four-channel recordings" (http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/h2/index.php) or at least you might be able to overdub two mono tracks & presumably you don't have the playback head limitations of tape recorders. Oh well, it is a nice little recorder otherwise.

[Tony Prior]

It records two simultaneous stereo wave recordings using the 4 mics as bob states above..that's not overdubbing , it's front and rear surround sound. Different beast....that's what they claim and that's what it can do..they are not misleading, misunderstood ? sure, misleading, no. I use an H2 for every gig..it's a great gadget...

t

[Alexa Gomez]

I just ordered a Tascam DP-004, Jim, which can record two tracks at a time direct, or with its two mics, and has four bouncable, punchable tracks. Plus, it's got a little playback speaker.