Virtual v. Real Tracks

[gmiller1122]

In the VF80 description, it says "16 virtual tracks, 8 real tracks" -- excuse my ignorance, but what's the difference?

thanks

G

[a12stringer]

The owner's manual isn't really clear on this issue.
I hope some of the more experienced voices in this forum will respond. Billisa, where are you?

[radiorickm]

ok. heres the thing. think windows os.

when you have a doc opened you can work with it change it whatever. you can put that info into "VIRTUAL" memory called a clipboard. it's up there in space hanging on.

if you change the doc it doesn't affect the clipboard. But, you really cant print from the clipboard, you have to paste is back down in the doc.

pretty much the same thing here. you have those tracks floating in memory. to use them you have to pull them back down to a "real" track.

it a way to save "takes" of the same info and choose the best one of the bunch

[PeteHalo]

Don't take this personally but that must be the worst explanation of virtual tracks that I've ever heard.
Unlike the contents of windows clipboard virtual tracks don't disappear when you turn off the multitracker nor are they "floating in memory" but stored on the same disk that the real tracks are.

To put it simply in the recorder section of VF80 or any of the Fostex multitracker's there's total of 24 tracks and in their mixer section there's fewer channels than that, usually 8 or 16 depending on the model. This means that you can play back only the first 8 (or 16) tracks at any given time and the rest of the tracks are the virtual tracks that I'd rather call ghost tracks or additional tracks. In order to record onto or play back a virtual track you must use the track exchange function to swap a virtual track with one of the real tracks so the real track in turn becomes the virtual track and vice versa.

[a12stringer]

I have to retract my previous post on this thread. I re-read the manual and page 68 has a fairly intelligible description and instructions for use.
I have to agree with Pete in principle that the Windows analogy is perhaps not the best explanation.
And I'm not sure mine would be simpler or necessarily better, but my current level of understanding is to say that you can record, for example, a really soulful lead part to a song as a chorded solo through a rotating speaker effect (think George Harrison on the version of "Let It Be" as it appears on the Beatles' Past Masters, Volume 2 CD). Then on another track you can add a really fiery single-string solo using a fuzztone (think George on the version of "Let It Be" from the CD of the same name). On the VF80, the track function allows you to keep both solos, storing one in a "bank" of tracks which can only be accessed by swapping (or, in their terminology, exchanging) one track for the other simply by trading their respective track assignments from the "main bank" to the "reserve bank," and vice-versa.
If you're thinking you'd rather not have to mess with virtual tracks and have both readily available by raising or lowering the fader in the mix, and you haven't made a purchase yet, you might want to consider the VF160 instead of the VF80.

[ausrock]

In which case you will probably find the VF160 has 16 real and only 8 virtual tracks.

I use a D160 and the 8 virtual tracks are as handy as hell for storing alternate takes. Another example of their use is where I have played back an original track but applied processing and recorded the result onto another track. I have then kept the processed track as a "real" and stored the original as a "virtual" track just in case I need it again.

[gmiller1122]

Many thanks, guys. This helps a lot.

On the VF80, the track function allows you to keep both solos, storing one in a "bank" of tracks which can only be accessed by swapping (or, in their terminology, exchanging) one track for the other simply by trading their respective track assignments from the "main bank" to the "reserve bank," and vice-versa.

a12, this is very clear -- I appreciate it. It reminds me of having 20 baseball players, but only 9 can be in the lineup at one time. (I hope that's a decent analogy).

I do like the idea of having more real tracks, but, jeesh, the price tag is getting up there. I set a limit of 600 for now just to get into a system and see what it's about -- I'm reading about the Boss BR-864 and Tascam 788, too. I have the money, though and I see where musiciansfriend has the VF160 for 899 (w/CD burner! saves the hassle of going to the PC for burning).

So, I'm still looking.

Here's a follow-up question: So, I could bounce a few real tracks onto one track, then 'bring in' a few more virtual tracks, right?

Again, many thanks.

I'm going to go do some virtual work now.

[a12stringer]

Or maybe like an NFL team placing a player on "injured reserve" to meet the team size regs when the player's "injury" is like a hangnail--they don't have to pay the guy since he isn't playing--so it doesn't affect the salary cap, and they don't have to cut him because they want him to be available if someone really does get injured.