Device for recording to MP3 without using a computer

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Device for recording to MP3 without using a computer

Postby Hugh-AR » 20 Feb 2021 01:04

Device for recording directly to MP3 without using a computer

Most modern keyboards these days enable you to record directly to WAV or MP3, but if you have an older keyboard or organ you will have to find another way of getting an Audio recording to post in the Forum. The usual way is to have Audacity installed on a computer or laptop and to use an Audio Interface to get a STEREO input into Audacity via a USB Port. On my AR80 organ I have the Behringer UCA202 to do this. But for some, it may be easier to record directly as MP3 to a 'stand alone' device.

Remember the 'stand alone' MP3 recorder we used to have many years ago? The ENCODER-DECODER. Did the job, but unfortunately had no means of controlling the INPUT VOLUME, so direct recordings from a LINE OUT often ended up in the RED and were clipped. Recording from a headphone socket was fine as the volume to this can be controlled, and the device did have a headphone socket to monitor what you were recording. This device has been discussed here:

Do a right-click to open this up in a New Tab
http://www.tierce-de-picardie.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=200&t=5435&p=36097#p36098

Unfortunately, this device disappeared from the market several years ago.

Rob Owen (Bobbo) has found a similar device for recording directly from his Technics KN5000 keyboard to MP3 on a Memory Stick. It's called the Music Digitizer, and it looks like this:

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He has found this on Amazon, and it is described as:

Audio Capture Cassette CD MP3 Recorder Converter with 3.5mm & RCA IN Ports, Remote Controlled Music Digitizer

You can see the device and read the information about it by clicking this LINK. Do a right-click to open it up in a New Tab.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cassette-Recorder-Converter-Controlled-Digitizer/dp/B06XBWQ151/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=mp3+converter&qid=1613759487&sr=8-3
What You Get: 1 x Music digitizer recorder, 1 x USB power cable, 1 x 3.5mm audio cable, 1 x Remote control, 1 x English user manual, 30-day money back & 1-year warranty guarantee, and 7 days a week friendly customer service.

The device records MP3 at 128kbps MP3 which is the standard for listening on the internet. It is not meant to be a 'quality' recording device for musicians.

If you want to hear how Rob's recording from his Technics KN5000 turned out, then click this LINK below.

Do a right-click to open it up in a New Tab.
https://app.box.com/s/qrr7idvcjr0s1padncivpfwd7xo2y4jq

The only thing we did find about Rob's MP3 recording was that it wouldn't load into Audacity so his recording could be NORMALIZED and some 'silence' removed from the beginning. This was overcome by putting the MP3 into SWITCH (a Program by NCH Software) and SAVING it as MP3. This 'converted' mp3 file loaded into Audacity quite happily.

In the 'blurb' it says the recording is "Dual-Mono". I had understood that to mean that the recording is on both left and right Channels, but is not in stereo. The waveform for Rob's recording is below, and looking at the green bars .. and the recording in the left and right channels .. it certainly looks like STEREO to me!

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And listening to it you can hear quite clearly that this is a STEREO recording.

I asked Rob how he powered his Music Digitizer, and he said he uses a mains plug with USB output that connects to the Digitizer. He got this from Amazon too.

Do a right-click to open this up in a New Tab
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Universal-ameego-Charger-Approved-Compatible/dp/B07YRRFNSV/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?dchild=1&keywords=USB+Universal+ameego+UK+Mains+Charger+1000+mAh+CE+Approved+Adapter+Cable+Compatible+with+Mobile+Phones+iPhone+5+6+7+8+X+iPod%2FSamsung+Galaxy+S2+3.4+S5+S6+S7+S8+S9%2FSmart+phones%2FMedia+devices+%28blue%29+https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2Fdp%2FB07RSR21J3%2Fref%3Dcm_sw_r_em_apa_fabc_SE2GDVRMC3JW06PGJC2Z%3F_encoding%3DUTF8%26psc%3D1&qid=1613853511&sr=8-1-fkmr0

Hugh
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Re: Device for recording to MP3 without using a computer

Postby Rev Tony Newnham » 21 Feb 2021 09:32

Hi

Pity this doesn't record WAV files - 128kbs MP3's aren't going to be the highest quality! Although a little more expensive, I'd go for a digital audio recorder with line level inputs and record to WAV.

The "dual mono" spec here I guess indicates that there are 2 independent recording streams - IIRC, mp3 also has a linked stereo mode, which reduces the amount of data.

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Re: Device for recording to MP3 without using a computer

Postby Hugh-AR » 22 Feb 2021 12:09

Tony,

This is the only 'stand alone' device I can find for recording music. Bet you can't find the type of recorder you are talking about .. one to record to WAV without using a computer.

Hugh
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Re: Device for recording to MP3 without using a computer

Postby Rev Tony Newnham » 23 Feb 2021 08:55

Hi

Admittedly a bit more expensive than your box, but there are several digital audio recorders by firms such as Zoom & Tascam. See, for example, https://www.studiospares.com/studio-gear/recorders-portable.htm

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Re: Device for recording to MP3 without using a computer

Postby Hugh-AR » 23 Feb 2021 21:16

Thanks for that, Tony. When you are recording a group of musicians 'live', particularly when they are 'acoustic instruments', ideally you need several microphones and several INPUTS on your recording device as you need to control the 'balance' between them. When you buy one of these devices you are paying for having a portable 'recording Studio'.

Our keyboards are unique in that they are electronic and we don't need microphones to record them. Not only that, but all the 'Balances' and 'Pans' between left and right are carried out in the keyboard itself. Or in other words, we do not need a recording studio as the keyboard itself is the recording studio. All we need is a device that will record the Audio output from the keyboard as WAV or MP3. And it's this I was trying to find as a 'stand alone' device. A device that would pick up a left and a right channel 'as is' and record it (as WAV or MP3). No frills!

Is there a device other than the one I have described above that will do this?

Hugh
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Re: Device for recording to MP3 without using a computer

Postby Rev Tony Newnham » 24 Feb 2021 09:13

The basic stereo digital audio recorders do just that. There are 2 microphones for simple acoustic recordings - assuming that what you're recording is balanced, etc. They also have line inputs that you can plug your keyboard, organ or whatever electronic source into.

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