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Hi all,

I am recording myself on acoustic piano with what I currently have available as a microphone, which is a fairly crappy webcam. Hoping maybe Santa will bring me a decent USB microphone for xmas. Anybody have any opinions on Blue Microphones "Snowball". I figure from what I am using now, pretty much anything would be a step up.

Hi dmsynck,
I have the Mikey by Blue Microphones and I really like it. Blue is a very good brand. The Mikey is really easy to use ( just plug into an ipod and record). It doesn't have all the bells and whistle of the Zoom H2 or H4 though.
Before I decided on the Mikey, I also looked at the "Snowball" because it can be used either directional or omni-directional. My husband did extensive research on a bunch of recording devices, especially with an acoustic piano in mind, and decided the Mikey was best for what I was doing. He thinks a better choice may have been the "Yeti", which is 2 or 3 notches above the "Snowball" all around. Price was a factor for me, hence the Mikey.
Hope some of this helps - Blue Microphones has a good reputation.

I've never tried the Snowball, but it's generally well-reviewed on sweetwater.com, the website for my favorite pro audio supplier. While usb mics are great for some things, I've never had a desire for one with my music recording. When I want to make a fast and convenient recording, it's hard to beat my Zoom H2, since there's no computer to set up and no DAW software required (unless you want to post-process your file later). If I want to do really serious recording, I have more elaborate studio-like equipment, and a usb mic doesn't really work for me in that environment either.

The Zoom H2 is not THAT much more expensive than the Snowball as a one-time purchase ($159 versus $99 at Sweetwater), but it's so versatile and convenient. I also use mine for field research where I need to record interviews or group discussions. Since the H2 has a usb port, you can even use it as a usb mic for live recording directly to the computer instead of the H2's memory card (I've never tried this, but that's what the instructions say).

Zoom has the new H1 out this summer that goes for $99. I've been eying that.

I just ordered a Zoom Q3 earlier this week. Cannot wait for it to arrive

I have the Eyeball 2.0; I had bought it to record music and thought the camera portion would be a great bonus. The microphone part is great, though there is a "pop" every once in a while but it's not too bad. The camera part on the other hand, is horrible.

"I've never tried the Snowball, but it's generally well-reviewed on sweetwater.com..."

If you want to find out the story about any piece of audio equipment, you will have to dig a little deeper than the listing on the website of a seller. It is in their interest to present every product favorably. But, if you tell the sales associate who answers your call what you want and your price range, they will try to do the best they can for you.

There are actual equipment reviews that can be googled up (though again, sometimes the reviewing publication is beholden to advertising revenue), and the product specs are available in more detail at the manufacturers' websites.

There are also resources (books, articles, web sites) that can educate you about the meaning of the specifications you find; the terms can be arcane. But, that is the story of audio capture all over. There is a lot to know.

You don't have much at risk at a price point of $99, and there is a pretty good chance that it will be "better than a crappy webcam." Piano is not so easy as all that to record well.

What device you're using to record the tracks to, and what you're using to play them back on, will also make a big difference to you.

Ok, Blue Mics are REALLY GOOD MICS.

I have a recording studio.

...but the snowball... STAY AWAY, I had one!!!

it is meant for Podcasts not instrument recording. PERIOD.

Take my advice!!!

If you're recording your practice, so you can work on your technique and expression, something like the Zoom works pretty well. Easy to use, everything in one unit, no external mikes, no cables. I use it for that, and to record my lessons. The maker of Zoom recorders, Sampson, is known for fairly low-quality gear. It could be worth your while to look at what other makers are offering in the price-point. Tascam has something similar, maybe a little better.

I've noticed that my Zoom and also their video camera have pretty fragile construction. I'm expecting something to break off any time now. But the sound is not so bad--- works ok with headphones, you can DL the files from the SD card to the computer.

You may get the most for your budget with something like that.

After wasting money trying to find a more frugal way to record myself into the computer, I finally got an H2 instead. It seemed to me that most non-musician-oriented microphones were really meant for recording speech like for podcasts, interviews, etc, and didn't capture the tonal qualities I wanted to listen for when I recorded myself.

A bonus is that the Zoom H2 is so easy to set up and use that I ended up recording myself far more often. And it's small and portable, so you can use it to record lessons if you want.