There are a lot of choices for recording equipment, but one of the most portable and easy to use options, with really great quality is the Zoom H1 Handy Portable Digital Recorder. You can throw it in your case and barely notice it’s there. It records either .wav or .mp3, which means you can load the files onto your computer and with little to no editing, have yourself an audition recording that you can either upload to a site, or burn to a CD. If you need a super portable, compact recording option, at around $100, you can’t beat it.

If you want a step up, the bigger brother to the H1, is the Zoom H4N Handy Portable Digital Recorder.The H4N is like having a recording studio in your pocket. It essentially is the mics, pre-amps, mixer, and computer with recording software all in one. It’s no wonder why this is the go to solution for so many musicians and film-makers. It does take a little bit of time to get used to all the controls, but if you can figure out how to pull your bow straight and move your fingers at the same time, you can figure out the H4N.

iPhone, iPod, iPad

One of the most convenient ways to record yourself is just with your phone. The built in recorder app works just fine for that, but if you want some more options, like the ability to control recording quality, check out:iTalk Recorder Premium which costs around $1.99. Or also StudioMini® Recording Studio which has lots of controls such as multi-tracking ($4.99)