What ever happened to...

While I was looking the other way, cassette tape recorders vanished. They were cheap, functional and almost idiot proof. They were very useful to people who play musical instruments. They enabled you to really listen to your playing. Is there a modern equivalent, that is as easy to operate, and is as affordable?

I suppose the average tablet which has a built in microphone.

I use Reaper and a laptop. It's easier than it looks.

 

http://www.reaper.fm/

I used to use the free Audacity

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Also an Audacity user.

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There are lots of dictaphones available which replicate the functions of portable cassette recorders. Various quality and price available for example http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/audio/dictation/dictation/312_3041_30041_xx_xx/xx-criteria.html

Just about all laptop and PC have simple stereo sound recording function, which is a program called Sound Recorder in Windows Accessories folder. It works just like a cassette recorder - record and play. That's probably what wiped out the need for recorders. Non Windows systems have equivalents. The proper studio recorders like Audacity and Reaper are better because you can record multi-tracks and you can record several takes, then make a master with the best bits from each, so you don't have to get the whole thing right in one go.

Most smartphones will have a simple recording and playback function and used just like a dictaphone. These should (unless you are recording very high noise levels) work perfectly well for recording acoustic music. You should be able to save the recorded file as an mp3.

Thanks for all the helpful advice and comments. My immediate needs have been met by a mate giving me his cassette recorder that he never uses now. I will in the future be looking at other solutions, as the ability to make multi track recordings is something I would like to have a play with.

Thanks for all the helpful advice and comments. My immediate needs have been met by a mate giving me his cassette recorder that he never uses now. I will in the future be looking at other solutions, as the ability to make multi track recordings is something I would like to have a play with.

 

The cheapest way to multitrack with at least some semblance good quality is to get an audio interface and use your computer and some software.

 

For a two track portable for not really a lot of money, the Zoom Hn4 is hard to beat. It's simply not going to give you Apogee quality but I know a few people that use and love them.

 

Guitar inputs as well as effects and what is supposedly a surprisingly reasonable x/y mic set up (if you don't know the x/y mic technique then it's worth a read) it all seems like quite an amazing deal for the money.

 

http://www.gear4music.com/Recording-and-Computers/Zoom-H4n-SP-Handheld-Digital-Recorder-and-FREE-Power-Supply-and-SD-Card/14Y6?origin=product-ads&utm_campaign=PLA Shop - Zoom&utm_medium=vertical_search&network=google&adgroup=2 - Brand Level - Zoom&merchant_id=1279443&product_id=53070d1&product_country=GB&product_partition_id=118372845679&gclid=CJuAnpnQhMUCFWfItAodF34AoQ

Thanks for all the helpful advice and comments. My immediate needs have been met by a mate giving me his cassette recorder that he never uses now. I will in the future be looking at other solutions, as the ability to make multi track recordings is something I would like to have a play with.

 

The cassette will probably sound better. I have some recordings on cassette taken thirty years ago from my then deck which still bounce and syncopate and sound better than the digital versions.