Introduction to Multitrack Computer Interface Recording

digital multitrack recorder with GarageBand

Okay, I admit I haven't read through this entire thread, but I did read a lot of it and I'm still not quite clear on whether what I'd like to do is possible and/or recommended. I'd like to use a digital multitrack recorder like a portastudio and then mix and tweak the tracks in GarageBand on my Mac. I do see that the TASCAM DP-008EX will export - but I saw something about the tracks being in FAT format, which means they won't be recognized by my Mac, right?

Am I doing it wrong? Do I need to pick either an interface with a DAW OR a digital standalone recorder? I can't have both? :(

Thanks for your help! Sorry if this has been addressed - much of this is very over my head at the moment...
 
ok, I'm setting out in my flimsy little sailboat as I attempt this recording stuff. I am using an Alesis Multi 8 FX USB and a Tascam digital DP01 recorder. I think I should run the mixer thru my Behringer F Control Firewire, but not sure. The idea is to record my songs into WAV and then export them thru I don't know what as a DAW, but so far Garageband seems the best bet on my iMac. Any thoughts?
 
ok, I'm setting out in my flimsy little sailboat as I attempt this recording stuff. I am using an Alesis Multi 8 FX USB and a Tascam digital DP01 recorder. I think I should run the mixer thru my Behringer F Control Firewire, but not sure. The idea is to record my songs into WAV and then export them thru I don't know what as a DAW, but so far Garageband seems the best bet on my iMac. Any thoughts?

Gman, you can export your recorded tracks from your DP01 straight to a computer cant you not ?
 
Thanks for the information. As a newbie it is a start for me as i am researching what i would need to get started inj home recording. :thumbs up:
 
Okay, I admit I haven't read through this entire thread, but I did read a lot of it and I'm still not quite clear on whether what I'd like to do is possible and/or recommended. I'd like to use a digital multitrack recorder like a portastudio and then mix and tweak the tracks in GarageBand on my Mac. I do see that the TASCAM DP-008EX will export - but I saw something about the tracks being in FAT format, which means they won't be recognized by my Mac, right?

Am I doing it wrong? Do I need to pick either an interface with a DAW OR a digital standalone recorder? I can't have both? :(

Thanks for your help! Sorry if this has been addressed - much of this is very over my head at the moment...

If, by "multitrack" you mean 8 mics on individual tracks (and you would need this for a small band. You would need 4 mics on drumkit) then certainly forget the DP- 008.

The most cost effective way to do the above is the Tascam US 1800 interface but do not forget you will have to make a considerably investment in microphones, stands and cables.
You will also need a fair amount of space, time and a big swear box!

Dave.
 
I'm completely green with digital and this thread has helped much in me getting some of the basics. However I have one stupid question....rather 2.

First, I am looking to transfer from an analog 16 track tape machine to digital. 16 tracks, all in one pass as if I was just transferring to another tape machine.

Is this possible with the tascam 1800 unit??

Second,
The tascam uses Q base, but the tracks would end up going to another pro tools setup. Is this possible?

Thanks.
R
 
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Whilst the Tascam certainly has the capability of recording 16 tracks you would have a muddle of inputs if different and variable sensitivities and hooking everything up for transfer and getting consistent levels would, I think be something of a pain.

Better I would say would be a dedicated line 16 track converter and two come to mind. The Cymatic LR-16 at ~ £200 and the much more expensive but IMHO probably much better Allen & Heath ICE-16 at ~£550. The latter is available in Tascam wired "D" connector format and that would make plugging up very much simpler.

As far as transferability is concerned? Both devices dump tracks onto a hard drive as .wavs so I would assume you just find that batch of files in whatever DAW software you are using?

Dave.
 
Dave, thanks for responding.

Whilst the Tascam certainly has the capability of recording 16 tracks you would have a muddle of inputs if different and variable sensitivities and hooking everything up for transfer and getting consistent levels would, I think be something of a pain.

This was my concern, the fact that the unit doesn't have 16 dedicated line input inputs. I must admit the price is attractive.....but cheap isn't always useful.

Better I would say would be a dedicated line 16 track converter and two come to mind. The Cymatic LR-16 at ~ £200 and the much more expensive but IMHO probably much better Allen & Heath ICE-16 at ~£550. The latter is available in Tascam wired "D" connector format and that would make plugging up very much simpler.

I will look into these. This wired "D"connector would just go into the back of the deck??
As far as transferability is concerned? Both devices dump tracks onto a hard drive as .wavs so I would assume you just find that batch of files in whatever DAW software you are using?

Thanks, I kind of thought that. I am assuming that the DAW would just serve as a mixer and the files could be opened up in any one of them?

I am not so very interested in going into the digital realm for recording at this point, but I do want to transfer raw unmixed tape tracks to archive and edit in the PT. My songwriting partner from years back has evolved, while I am still a tape dinosaur:D.

Again, thanks for the info.

Edit; looked into these units and the Allen and Heath for sure looks to be the better of the two. It seems however that the amount of tracks drop down to 8 when using the higher sampler rate. I got all excited at the prospect of sending files via a thumbdrive, but there too, the sample rate is dropped down. I'd love to get the analog files into the PT at the highest possible rate.

.......Hmmm. More research and study is required.

But again, Thanks Dave, for pointing me down the road.
 
WHAAAAT!
16 bits at 44.1kHz is Waaaay better quality than any tape! The noise floor from even the cheapest converter is going to be at least 20dB lower.

I sense that most "pros" think super 44k operation is cork sniffery. There are I understand some "technical" reasons for using 96kHz for certain FX/plugins but even that would only be a few tracks, maybe just a stereo pair, at a time.

Dave.
 
WHAAAAT!
16 bits at 44.1kHz is Waaaay better quality than any tape! The noise floor from even the cheapest converter is going to be at least 20dB lower.

I sense that most "pros" think super 44k operation is cork sniffery. There are I understand some "technical" reasons for using 96kHz for certain FX/plugins but even that would only be a few tracks, maybe just a stereo pair, at a time.

Dave.

What does a good DAt recorder use for bitrate @44.1KHZ?? I'm just asking that because I have done all my mixes not to tape but a DAT @44.1KHZ and that has always sounded great to me.
 
What does a good DAt recorder use for bitrate @44.1KHZ?? I'm just asking that because I have done all my mixes not to tape but a DAT @44.1KHZ and that has always sounded great to me.

DAT might be 48kHz by default because of its broadcast connections but that is not going to matter diddly. I don't think they even switch the LPFilters for the tiny HF extension?

We have all been quite happy with the best of FM stereo sampled at 38kHz for years!

Dave.
 
Well Thanks for the info. As I said I'm real green with this digital age.....Lots to learn.

I must say digging into that A&H unit, it looks real good.
 
Hi all!

Sorry for dummy question, but I have never touched USB multitrack interfaces. I am looking for USB multitrack recording interface (with 4 or more separate analog inputs) what will appear as separate Wave (MME) Devices in Windows XP/7. Multiple inputs via ASIO/GSIF/etc. will not work for me, because I am using some proprietary software what supports only Wave devices as input sources. I can't use another software, so it's a mandatory requirement. Therefore, I need interface which will give me something like this:

1010LT_inputs.gif

I do have Delta 1010LT (PCI card) and it works exactly as I need. However, times of PCI are gone, and I need something similar with USB.

P.S.
Also I am interesting in Cakewalk UA-1G. It provides just 2 inputs (it's ok for mobile use), but I am not sure that 2 of these inputs will be available as different Wave/MME devices.

Thanks!
 
Hi all!

Sorry for dummy question, but I have never touched USB multitrack interfaces. I am looking for USB multitrack recording interface (with 4 or more separate analog inputs) what will appear as separate Wave (MME) Devices in Windows XP/7. Multiple inputs via ASIO/GSIF/etc. will not work for me, because I am using some proprietary software what supports only Wave devices as input sources. I can't use another software, so it's a mandatory requirement. Therefore, I need interface which will give me something like this:

View attachment 92698

I do have Delta 1010LT (PCI card) and it works exactly as I need. However, times of PCI are gone, and I need something similar with USB.

P.S.
Also I am interesting in Cakewalk UA-1G. It provides just 2 inputs (it's ok for mobile use), but I am not sure that 2 of these inputs will be available as different Wave/MME devices.

Thanks!

Not sure I quite understand your problem WiFi but if I knew the software you were using I might find a demo of it and see if my NI KA6 answers your purpose? It has 4 analogue inputs plus two more via S/PDIF. The latency is better than the Delta cards, I have a two 2496s in this PC.

Dave.
 
Dave,

My problem is very simple. Most of multitrack soundcards doesn’t appear as separate Wave/MME devices. They are usually appear as one device, and multichannel I/Os appear only in DAWs.

You can download this software and try: http://www.proscan.org/ProScan_7_8.zip (it's very small). Just install, run in demo mode and go to: Recorder > Input Audio Device. And try to take a screenshot of Input Audio Device pull-down and post it here. It will help. Really appreciate your input!

P.S.
I do not care about latency. It does not matter in case of air transmittion recordings (purpose I using the multitrack soundcard).
 
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Is the attached of any use?

The level on the top track comes from an AKG P150 stuck in front of telly.
I included the Windows "mixer" seemed moot?

I could not in the 10 mins I have been messing with the program, find any reference to drivers? Tell me how and I shall be happy to look.

Fascinating software. WTF is it for/do? Is it expensive?

N.B. For convenience this was done on an HP i3 laptop running W7 64 bits Home Premium. I can rig a much more powerful Asus MOBO+ 6core AMD if needs be? Same OS.

Dave.
 

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