Zoom H4N Operation Guide

This video takes you through how to set up the Zoom H4N, initialise unit, format card, record from external mics and internal mics and basic menu functions. A quick guide to get you started.
Duration 05:47

[@blurryphan7578]

The calmness of his voiceover is so peaceful. It's like a PGA tour explanation of the zoom. Thank you for making it simple and explaining!

[@relentlessinnovator3846]

After watching 4 other inadequate videos I came across your brilliant operation guide. Thank you so much for your orderly explanation!

[@abeerkhan123]

Your voice is serendipity. Your tone is so soothing.

[@t1rrr0n]

I've watched some tutorials about the Zoom H4N and this one is the best video for an overall introduction. Thank you!

[@SimplydvBiz]

Nice concise explanation of main functions without the BS of other people's videos. A very useful professional tip mentioned here is to set recording levels to -12dB. It's an industry standard yet I haven't seen reference to this in other videos about the H4N or H4N Pro (which I have just bought). Nice one, Richard.

[@tropicalscuba]

SimplyDV Limited thank you

[@iankennedy4728]

The single most soothing voice on KZbin.

[@JohnDuncanfiddler]

excellent video. I wish more ppl did operation guides like this. Thank you

[@user-hy9pm1tg6l]

Delightful guided meditation, thank you!

[@luigiw21]

Amazing video, Wish everyone was as clear and simple!

[@MDHenry4]

Thank you Richard this is great 👍 help for basic settings for starting out. Works with the zoom H4N Pro as well.

[@matinatrushi9518]

Great video, thank you so much for posting!

[@jayadevakavi7574]

Simple and straight-forward guide. Thanks

[@johnsager6947]

this was a great video. the point and perfect

[@TomKaszuba]

Perfect. Just what I needed. Thank you.

[@StreetAdrenaline]

Best guide ever

[@zheng4333]

Thank you for sharing, your explained clearly.

[@ShaneIrwin7]

Thanks for the video. This helps me a lot to get started on my unit I just got.

[@JacobBaragry]

Great Video Very helpful no nonsense thanks 😊

[@gstcy7925]

Didn't know it has a lo-cut feature. Been using it for many years already lol Thanks!

[@kelvintmutize]

Wow the video is amazing and I learnt a lot and the comment section really helped me understand a lot more... lo cut, I now see a graph looking icon in the bottom left bar is that meant to always be there or did I do it wrongly

[@chinamaldonado2525]

great tone of voice and so clear

[@isaaccarlton]

Thank you so much for this! Do you recommend using mono mix when recording sound for film and video? Or is it best to pan in post?

[@tropicalscuba]

When you say "film and video", do you mean dialogue? If recording dialogue, use a mono microphone plugged into the bottom inputs. A boom mic, or a lav mic, or both. Leave mono mix off. In post production, separate the two mic inputs as two discrete mono sound sources. Even if you just use one boom mic plugged into input 1, there's a high noise floor from input 2 (the unused input) that needs removing in post. Dialogue is mono therefore should be recorded with a mono mic. Using the stereo mics on the zoom to record dialogue will produce poor results, compared to a boom or lav. Even with mono mix turned on in the settings when recording with the zoom mics, it's still being recorded in stereo, then the H4 mixes it together into mono at the record stage, inside the zoom. For tv and film production, the stereo mics on the zoom should be used for recording atmos and wild track. Hope that helps

[@jamclubmusic9074]

Wonderful information!!! Thank you :)

[@davizra7941]

Спасибо, дико полезно🔥

[@sl4081]

Thank You. Very well explained.

[@VRRider]

i watched several videos before i actually used mine in real world recording. Glad i did because the sound recording came out great. What did not come out great was that the recorder automaticly cut the recording and restarted it in another file. So I had to piece it together in post. One section actually has a half second gap in the recording. I will now be looking to find if and where that feature can be turned off. I want to a kiss concert the other night and the recording came out flawless As far as sound quality goes even with out the mic fuzzy cover.

[@CapuletLeGrand]

Nicely done. Thank you.

[@KTHKUHNKK]

Superb absolutely superb

[@ikechukwuharry2328]

My inbuilt mic doesn't work again. If i hit the record button it doesn't show the audio waves again. What could be the issue

[@blackstar_1069]

Superb guide 😊

[@TheSickNeeds]

wow wish I knew all of this stuff a year and a half ago. Who are the seven dorks giving the thumbs down?

[@lightspeed72]

Very helpful, thank you!!

[@ikechukwuharry2328]

My mic doesn't work again. What can be the issue?

[@taratantara]

Isnt the ribbon supposed to go under the batteries so you can lift them out more easily?

[@tropicalscuba]

Yes, that's why I put the batteries in top of the ribbon in the video. There's excess ribbon that sits on top of the batteries, so there's enough to pull on. Look closely and you'll see that I've done what you said

[@senasena1211]

Can I hear with headphones at the same tme i talk? i want to improve my speech , please

[@inpoweryou-rayw6743]

Very helpful

[@bestmoviesever1]

What happens if you record 4 Channel with two XLR mics and one stereo 3.5 MM mic? Would it mute the built in mics or would both the 3.5mm mic and the built in mic record onto the same stereo track? Or would it record three stereo tracks? Or if none of those what would happen?

[@tropicalscuba]

Never done it myself, but I believe you'll get two stereo recordings, one from the 3.5mm and one from the XLR

[@bestmoviesever1]

@@tropicalscuba Thanks a million.

[@maxoot5508]

Hello! Do you know, can I record 2 different stereo channels from 2 ext mics (bottom 1 & 2 jacks) simultaneously? Thank you!

[@LoveRise]

Please make another tutorial...of anything so I can just here your voice! Until then...I have been using the h4npro as an interface using the stereo mic recorded in garageband ios. The sound quality was wonderful with low noise floor and I was wondering how that could be. Does the interface convert the sound signal into mono when it’s recorded to garageband?

[@none53]

Is it compulsory to put mic in it to record the dialogues for outdoors??

[@tropicalscuba]

Dialogue comes from a single, mono sound source, therefore you should use a mono mic to record it. If you record dialogue with a stereo mic you get background noise and essentially that mono sound source is "off-mic" for each microphone. If you don't have a mono mic, then use either the left or right mic on the Zoom H4n and discard the other channel in post (for example, use the left mic to record the dialogue and discard the right channel in post). I would only use the stereo, in-built mics to record stereo audio such as atmos

[@CVG388]

What memory can I use? I have been having trouble recording medium files. He never finishes saving them and I lose them.

[@piotrlara3002]

SD cards up to 32 gb

[@stopitmedia]

I have the H4n Pro, but I know a lot of the basic features are the same. I'm seeking insight on what settings you suggest I should use for this scenario Richard Butler: -Silent room -Recording myself speaking on camera -Into H4n Pro mics -Distance: 3 to 4 ft Should I set mics to 90 or 120 plz? Any other special settings I should adjust to ensure the highest quality sound? Any response I would greatly appreciate. Give thanks.

[@tropicalscuba]

GivThanks TV - For the best result, for dialogue, you should be using an external microphone. As your voice is a mono sound source you should use a mono microphone to record it. As the Zoom is Stereo recorder it will record your voice within the room are speaking, not just your voice, hope that makes sense. You'll get reverb, camera noise, etc. If you don't have that as an option then you should set to 90° and get as close as you can to the Zoom

[@Kaavotibinada]

OMG I wish I had seen this video earlier! I've been abusing my poor recorder and blaming it for bad sound instead of my own stupidity

[@jaboom9561]

ArtemusPrime lmfao

[@sideshowdrummer]

So I've had this recorder probably for about five years now now the SD card says error every time you put it in yes I have tried another SD card and yes I have formatted the card

[@tropicalscuba]

Could be a couple of things... 1) is the SD Card 8gb or smaller? They are old devices and don't like large SD cards (16gb was MASSIVE when they were released). 4gb or lower is more reliable on these I find. 2) if you've got a Windows computer you could try using DISKPART in Command Line to CLEAN the SD Card, then create a new FAT32 partition with disk utility. Google it. I've brought a few SD Cards back to life this way 3) if you access to any compressed air, blow some into the SD Card slot. Fingers crossed one of those will do it. Come back to me if not and I'll have a deeper think

[@199pterosaur]

Good, but how do you fast forward? When I hit the double arrow button it goes to the next track.

[@tropicalscuba]

Hold the "Next" button down to fast forward. (The button with the arrow pointing to the right.)

[@199pterosaur]

Wow, thanks for the fast reply. I figured it out accidentally by holding down the button instead of just clicking it. The manual isn't very clear on it. But thanks!!

[@dubiousjesse]

what is the lo cut option for? I notice that I get a lot of background noise even with a wind screen on my external microphone.

[@tropicalscuba]

Lo cut is for removing low frequencies, like those produced from HVAC and to assist, not remove, issues with wind noise. When you say "background noise" do you mean wind noise? If that's the case then you need a wind muff, the hairier the better. You will not eliminate wind noise as the movement of air is far better than the change in air pressure produced by sound. If using a shotgun mic try to have the wind behind the mic. ADR is the saviour. If you mean white noise, rather than wind it could be a few things, mono mix is on (turn off), cable noise (try another) or cheap microphone with a high noise floor. The Zoom H4's noise floor isn't the best with phantom power on

[@escaragami]

Verry exellent tutorial. Thank you.

[@mattmarkus4868]

Why did you recommend changing format to WAV 48K 24bit, instead of the default 44 16 bit? I want to record my band tomorrow and just plan on using the built in mics, on a stand in front of drums or just in front of singer. Any suggestions.? Also should I use 120 or 90 degrees? Thanks a lot

[@tropicalscuba]

Hi Matt, I recommended 24bit and 48kHz as I work in broadcast TV and film and this is the standard we use. For live music recording from the internal mics you'd be grand with 16bit / 44.1kHz. I'd put the recorder in front of the singer, not the drums otherwise they may drown out everything. Probably best to have on 90° so you minimise room noise and early reflections on your recording.

[@mattmarkus4868]

Thanks! Should I maybe use 24bit with 44.1kHz - what's the difference between 16 and 24 bit with 44.1KHz. I cannot remember what the default was now, and there are several options including 48khz. But I believe the default was 44.1. I just cannot remember the default bit rate. THANKS! :)

[@tropicalscuba]

@@mattmarkus4868 bit rate is related to dynamic range, the range between loud and quiet. 16bit gives you 96dB of range, 24bit gives you 144dB. If you have the SD card space then go 24bit for sure. Stick at 44.1kHz for music recording, that's the standard for music. So, 24bit, 44.1kHz for the win

[@mattmarkus4868]

Great info! You have no idea how helpful this has been :) I have 8gb on sd card, do you think that should be enough for 3-4 hours of music at 24bit?

[@mattmarkus4868]

Never mind, I actually have 32GB on sd card. That should be enough! Thanks again, your quick response was much appreciated.

[@mariocomeq1961]

I want to use the Zoom H4N to record my classes at the university: 1. 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 from my seat to the professor around 19 to 32 ft. 2.- Which 𝗺𝗶𝗰 will you suggest: 90° or 120° 3.- Which 𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝘂𝘁 frecuency will you suggest Thanks

[@tropicalscuba]

MARIO COMEQ I recommend, from that distance, using en external microphone plugged into the zoom. The stereo microphones built into the zoom H4 will pick up too much room noise. Better to use a shotgun / rifle mic. If you don't have a choice, then 90° would be best

[@pao1307]

Nice!

[@Kaavotibinada]

Hey! So i was trying to change the recording format, but for some reason when I press the WAV button it doesn't do anything... I've never dropped my device nor have a spilled anything on it. Furthermore, when I go to recording settings the only two options it gives me are: 1. Auto record 2. File name Do you know what the hell is going on?

[@tropicalscuba]

ArtemusPrime is your Stamina switch on? Underneath the battery cover? Make sure it isn't

[@Kaavotibinada]

nevermind! Apparently there was a glitch and it got fixed after I reset the factory settings and turned it off and on But again, thank you for your video

[@johnnysepulveda7355]

If you’re not a professional voiceover actor and/or audio narrator, you should be.

[@tropicalscuba]

Sorry, don't understand the comment. Shouldn't be using a stereo microphone to record dialogue, a mono mic for a mono source. Was that what you were asking?

[@ne0ne0]

@@tropicalscuba I think what he was saying, is that you have certain qualities as a voiceover actor and/or audio narrator, and that if you are not using these qualities in the professional field already, then you should.

[@tropicalscuba]

@@ne0ne0 AHA!!! I see. What a numpty I am, probably a multitask fail on my part. @Johnny Sepulveda thank you for the compliment. I'm an ex Dubbing Mixer who now teaches audio post production

[@reginaldworthington7558]

Agreed - very good voice quality and also the instructions in this video were the clearest and best presented I’ve found on the H4n to date. Thank you.

[@HardcoreMotors]

I'm missing half the menu.. cant access wav/mp3 format, mode menu is missing..wtf?

[@tropicalscuba]

Sounds like your Stamina switch is on. It's underneath the battery compartment. Turn it off to access all the settings

[@vincentc.maggio5401]

The ribbon is meant to go under the batteries, to make them easier to get out. THE MORE YOU KNOW.....

[@tropicalscuba]

Yes, you are correct, that's why I did actually put the ribbon underneath the batteries then the excess is sitting on top. The more you see, the more you know!

[@ValJedi]

I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that...