Not only has music technology gotten better at making high-quality recordings, it’s also gotten smaller. Nowadays you can carry in your pocket technology that surpasses what some of the best studios were using just a couple of decades ago.
If you like to be able to record on the go, or want something that’s simple for laying down tracks, a portable digital recorder is an excellent tool to have. But don’t be deceived by the small size, many of the latest recorders are capable of producing incredibly robust, detailed tracks.
Here are the three best portable audio recorders on the market right now:
Tascam DR-05
The Tascam DR-05 seems too good to be true. It costs just $100 it comes with a stereo pair of high-quality omnidirectional microphones and records up to 24bit/96k in Linear PCM, which is better than what most professional studios record at. It also features a few built in tools, like playback EQ and pitch-neutral slow/fast motion. And of course, it sounds great. For a recorder that can easily fit in your pocket, the DR-05 simply kills it.
Zoom H2n
For $160, the Zoom H2n is equally a steal. It features two internal sets of stereo cardioid mics that can be used simultaneously for a four channel surround sound recording. It can also record up to 24bit/96k in WAV format. Most importantly though, with the right placement, it’s capable of producing a rich, clear recording in a less than ideal environment.
Zoom H4n
If you like the H2n but want a few extra features, the H4n is its tricked out $200 big brother. With two phantom-powered XLR/TRS ports you can record using any mic you wish. Though, the mounted XY pair on the top of the H4n are excellent, and can be adjusted to expand their pickup pattern. Like with the H2n, the H4n supports up to 24bit/96k, but in Linear PCM. And like with the H2n, it’s capable of producing a solid recording.
It’s not short of amazing at how great of recording you can produce today with a handheld recorder that costs you $200 or less. If you’re ever inclined to try some recording outside the studio, try picking up one of these portable recorders. Even if you just use it to capture ideas, you won’t regret it.
So, Why A Membership?
Let’s face it — trying to create professional mixes without the correct knowledge, tools, services, and network is like playing a concert with a broken instrument to an audience of no one.
That’s where the Sage Audio membership comes in — the membership gives you everything you need to create professional mixes consistently.
The membership is the secret to your success — it’s the difference between the 1,929,999,999 of poor-sounding mixes and the .00000002% of mixes that make people say 'WOW!"
There are 7 unique value-points included in your Sage Audio membership.
Let’s go over each one so you can decide if the membership is right for you.
1. Sage Audio University
- SAU Flagship Mixing Course: 23-video in-depth mixing course that reveals the little-known secrets of mixing and matches the needs of the new music industry.
- SAU Flagship Mastering Course: 19-video in-depth modern mastering course that dives into every nuance of making professional-sounding masters.
- SAU Pre-Mastering Course: Concise pre-mastering course that details the latest industry standards for preparing your mixes for mastering.
- SAU is designed for every experience level, ranging from budding mixing engineers to advanced engineers. The techniques and concepts taught can be applied to any DAW to create industry-leading mixes without expensive software or plugins - and free plugin alternatives are suggested throughout each course.
- Each SAU course includes Start-to-Finish session walkthrough lessons for multiple genres so you can follow along with your preferred genre.
- SAU Certification Document, which can be downloaded and showcased on your website and social channels.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
2. Private 1-on-1 Mentorship
- The Sage Audio private 1-on-1 Mentorship gives you direct access to us for advanced mixing feedback, in-depth discussions, and customized guidance that's tailored to your specific needs.
- Unlimited private access to us for advanced mixing feedback, where we provide detailed suggestions for improvement.
- Unlimited private access to us for in-depth discussions to help you improve every aspect of your mixes and masters.
- Customized guidance that’s tailored specifically to your needs.
- Fast communication so you can improve your skills quickly.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
3. Unlimited Mixing Feedback
- Unlimited professional mixing feedback directly from us so you can consistently improve your skills and create professional mixes.
- Mixing feedback is invaluable, and the Sage Audio membership gives you continual direct access to us for real-world feedback so you can improve every aspect of each of your mixes while you're in the process of mixing.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
4. 50 Free Mastered Songs Per Year
- 50 free mastered songs per year with your own dedicated professional mastering engineer so you can get all your mixes sounding like professional songs.
- You get your own dedicated Sage Audio mastering engineer to create custom masters that are specific to you and sound exactly how you want.
- Unlimited revisions with your dedicated mastering engineer. As a standard of our service, we are not happy until you are happy with the sound of your masters.
- All masters are delivered as commercial, industry-standard high-resolution 24-bit HD WAV masters so they will sound clean and clear on every platform.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
5. Community
- The Sage Audio community is a tight-knit community of passionate audio engineers who can provide you with additional real-world mixing feedback, meaningful discussions, networking, collaborations, and more.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
6. 70+ GB of Curated Sage Audio Downloadable Content
- 36 multitrack sessions spanning multiple genres for mixing practice.
- 57 un-mastered mixes spanning multiple genres for mastering practice.
- 62 Recommended Free Plugins List (vetted, tested, and approved, so you don’t have to).
- 39 Recommended Paid Plugins List (vetted, tested, and approved, so you don’t have to).
- 71 Sage Audio custom plugin presets to improve your mixes and masters.
- Sage Audio Membership Badge to showcase on your website, social channels, and portfolio.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
7. 800+ Video Catalog
- Access 700+ in-depth Sage Audio mixing and mastering videos - curated and organized into categories so you can easily take a deep dive into all aspects of audio engineering with thousands of hours of concise, expertly crafted Sage Audio videos to continually improve your skills at your own pace.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
