Thoughts on cassettes

[PPatrick]

I'm a big fan of analog, tape-based recording. The little guy on this totem pole is the lowly cassette, and I'd like to make a few comments and ask a few questions too.

I think the cassette can do quite well for multi-track, provided you avoid bouncing or excessive erasing. I think it's also a must to record only individual instruments or voices, as mixes tend to sound lousy on cassette. I frankly think a cassette multi-track is perfect for recording a four-voice band --- It blows digtal away. But for a mix-down unit, I'd never use cassette --- even mini-disc outperforms cassette for mixes.

Question: Does anyone have particular recommendations for brands and types of cassettes for multi-track recording? I have used the TDK tapes geared specifically for multi-track, but I wonder if any of you have particular favorites. Let me know!

[Recording Engineer]

When first started in recording, my older brother and I bought a brand new Tascam 414? PortaStudio (only 2 tracks at a time) for around $350-$400 U.S. My favorite multitrack tape was 3M.

[PPatrick]

So 3M makes cassettes? Where can I get those (I've certainly never seen them here in Indiana!

[Recording Engineer]

I'm all the way out in Sacramento, California. I always went to our only local music store that sells pro audio gear called Skip's Music. I have know idea where you can get them; I'll browse around for you, though I won't be able to get back to you until Friday morning.

[Dom Franco]

Cassette recordings, if the tape is saturated to the max...sound great! It's a natural type of compression. But along with the tape saturation you get all the noise in the quiet sections of the music. I suppose you could record to tape then transfer to digital and edit out the noise with some fancy computer based EQ.software. I have never had the time or money to try this.

Sincerely;

Dom Franco
PS.... I have had very good results with Sony" CDit" high bias tapes.

[This message has been edited by Dom Franco (edited 11-11-1999).]

[Dragon]

Hey, R.E...did you say (choke) Skip's Music?

We're practically neighbors.
http://david.fiedler.com/images/rescue.gif

[PPatrick]

Thanks for the comments. When I record on cassettes, I always apply some type of noise reduction. I have two DBX-563X single-ended boxes that work pretty well (for denser tracks). I also have a four-channel noise gate that works wonders for tracks where material comes in and out. Finally, I also have an Aphex aural exciter which can add some sparkle back to tracks that have run through nosie reduction. So I usually process cassette recordings a lot! But I think Dolby C and DBX can also sound great too (although Dolby B really sucks!). Anyway, you can probably guess that I hoard gear --- I like to try a lot of different things, and I've come to disbelieve a lot of the conventional wisdom about what sounds good and what sounds bad.

[Recording Engineer]

Yeah Skip's Music (not my favorite place either, but I still respect some who work there)! I have to admit that Skip's Stairway to Stardom is what got me into recording in the first place when my band won 30 hours of free studio time in '94 at APG (Audio Production Group) studio off of Bradshaw (I'm not sure if they're still open). Now, I've fallen in love with recording and wish I could be recording music as a career (I'm working on it on my own in my own home studio, but I wish someone would take me under their wing; I'll work for free).

I live in Orangevale; talk about small world, ehhh!

[Recording Engineer]

Have you heard of a band called Human Music from Placerville? Not my band by the way, just a band I recorded.

[Beck]

TDK SA or SAX was almost always my fav, but I was really impressed a few days ago with Maxell XLII 60 that was made in 2003.

I hadn't tried the Maxell on my portastudio for years. It sounds great.

[cjacek]

Another 7 year old thread, Tim.

[Beck]

Well, it's as close to time travel as I've been.

[cjacek]

Hehe

[Dr ZEE]

Originally Posted by Beck

... I was really impressed a few days ago with Maxell XLII 60 that was made in 2003.

You mean you were Blown Away ... and swept away in time ?
sometimes it's hard to stay in sync.
*********
speaking of being blown away, how do some people get away with such thing. Or is it an example of fair use of "intelectual" property?