I got a new toy today. A Zoom H2 recorder. I’ve had an eye on these for awhile, but had given up hope of ever owning one. It’s just never seemed crucial. It really wasn’t until Victoria and I formed Windhaven and, more recently, decided to start using backing tracks that I began to think of the H2 as something we really need.
Well, not long after getting the H2 today, I say it on the desk, started it to recording and grabbed my acoustic 12-string. I laid out a few bars of some improvised tune and then bounced the recording over to my laptop to listen to it. To say that I was pleased would be an understatement. I was relieved and felt somewhat vindicated.
What I heard on that recording was something I’d never heard on a recording before. I heard the same thing that I hear when I’m playing my guitar. It sounded exactly the same on playback as it had when I was playing it live. Sure, the recording needed some tweaking. What recording doesn’t? But at the core of it I heard an excellent capture of a live performance, with all its ambience intact.
I’m excited about the Zoom H2 and what it’s going to mean for Windhaven. I’m about about using it to record the new Windhaven CD. If what I heard on that recording is any indication, we’re about to blow some minds. Even if it’s only our own. But I’m also excited about what it means for our rehearsals. We’ll finally be able to get a pain free recording of each rehearsal, and immediately play back these tunes to see how things are evolving.
It may sound silly to be excited about a new piece of equipment like this. But we’ve needed to change our game. I think this will be a huge step in that direction, and will help continue the organic evolution of Windhaven that we’ve been trying so hard to keep our egos and minds out of the way of.
This is gonna be good.
