Zoom R8 Multi-Track Tabletop Recorder, Interface, Controller, 2 XLR Combo Inputs 8 Tracks, USB Audio Interface, Built In Stereo Condenser Microphones, Pad Sampler, Rhythm Machine

Very useful for musicians who wants to record their original music.

The Zoom R8 is an incredible, inspiring piece of equipment. I won't go into the tech details--you can find all the specs elsewhere. I'll just talk about how it's fit into my workflow.* The ability to record in .WAV files is excellent. It's one of the main reasons I chose this over other options, like the Tascan DP series. If you recorded it on the R8, you can just copy it off and use it anywhere.* Its timing--as in BPM--is rock solid and matches up to DAWs. For instance, If I record a demo in the R8 at 120bpm, I can create a 120bpm project in my DAW (Sonar X3) and import the R8's ,WAV files directly into it. It just syncs perfectly. No need to re-record. No need to edit or time-stretch.* The onboard mics are great. Just ensure you have a seriously quiet space (They're very sensitive and omni-directional), and you'll able to capture some great performances. They're also very convenient if you just want to lay down a scratch track anywhere, noise-be-darned.* I use the onboard drum machine all the time. I can't in good conscience call it realistic-sounding--kind of like a late-90's Boss DR or Alesis SR-16-type sound--but it's very useful for creating something to play against. They're also good for figuring out what kind of rhythm/feel you want for your song. I always record my own patterns, but the R8 brings a pile of stock ones.I used all the above on one of my most recent songs. I created some drum patterns in the R8, then proceeded to record electric bass via the 1/4" input, and two acoustic baritone ukulele tracks (lead and rhythm) via the onboard mic. I also recorded a couple of vocals tracks to finish out the composition. When I was ready to do a full production version of the song, I was already happy with the bass and uke tracks, so I just imported those into Sonar X3. Then I re-recorded the vocals, and recorded full drums and synth in the DAW. However, the original instrumentation--bass and uke--are the originals from the R8.I've also recorded a few finished tracks inside of it, making good use of the onboard effects and mixing capabilities. There's plenty of tweakability to the effects, and some hidden gems. For instance, you can do a tempo-synched delay, which is not obvious. Also, when you bounce down tracks, the original ones aren't destroyed. You can just go back into the file system and recall them. The machine simply has a ton of depth. I've had it a couple of years and keep finding new things inside of it.Tips:* I'd recommend pairing it with a good vocal preamp or processor. I like the TC Electronics Harmony G-XT personally.* Use rechargeable batteries. It runs fine on 4 Eneloop AAs.* For a case, I use the Case Logic LNEO-10 . It's a Netbook case that fits the R8 and its manual perfectly in the main pocket, and has a side pocket for the USB adapter and cables.* The Volca Keys is an amazing sound companion for the R8, . The Keys can produce everything from shimmery synth pads, flute-like sounds, hard leads, and really good bass sounds. It's very easy to play and a lot of to tweak. When I travel, I take a solid body electric ukulele, the R8, and Volca Keys. I've got a tiny, battery-powered studio everywhere I go.If you'd like to hear an an instrumental I wrote on a cruise ship using just the R8/setup described above, search SoundCloud for "markrossmore travel 03 demo". It's a simple little happy song using the uke (both clean and distorted), the Volca Keys (both as bass and synth lead), and the R8's drums.Drawbacks? Maybe that I wish I'd gotten the R24 instead, as it's easy to run out of tracks quickly, and that I'd like to have the eight simultaneous inputs. Each drum pattern requires its own track, so if you have three patterns (say, a verse, chorus, and a bridge) you're down to three usable recording tracks. Depending on the song, this may not be a big deal. I've recorded a few songs on the R8 using a single four bar drum pattern for the entire song. Like I said, I can always import the audio into my DAW and build a full drum track. Again, not a deal breaker.However, I prefer the small size of the unit. It travels beautifully.

This is a compact and lightweight 8 track recorder. it can be powered by the included power adapter or run on batteries. With battery power you can take it anywhere to get the sound you want recorded - think of waves at a beach, or birds, a jam session around a campfire, or the sounds of traffic or construction for that perfect sound byte for your song or video project.I have friends in other states that also have one. We can share our track files (.wav format) via email and work on songs together by simply importing those same files into our 8 tracks to add out parts (bass, guitar, vocals etc.).These units also have built in drum tracks and effects (distortion/chorus/echo/etc. etc.). All those drum and effects can be customized if you want to modify them to fit your particular needs. You can also create your own custom drum and effects and save them for use in other projects.The built in microphones sound good and make things like acoustic instruments/vocals easy to record without the hassle of cables and adapters etc.The included manual is pretty good and very helpful learning to use all the abilities this little power house has to offer. It took a couple days to read through it and play around but after that everything is fairly simple and straight forward. After day 3 I could pick a tempo for the metronome and/or drum track, select my guitar/bass/vocal effects, and be ready to record a new track in less than a minute.This unit also works as an interface between your analog instruments and your PC. Making it so easy to get your instruments onto a PC to send to a friend, burn a CD, or add to your own favorite DAW software.Bottom line is this; the price is right, the portability is awesome, it is very convenient and simple to operate, there are lots of how to videos on YouTube etc., the sound quality is decent and works great for writing songs and sharing ideas. No, it is not high enough sound quality to produce an album for Led Zeppelin, but it also only cost a couple hundred verses the tens of thousands' it would cost for that quality of equipment. It is worth the price and I have recommended it to my musician buddies. We currently have 5 people across the country working together each on our own Zoom R8.