help!

[loudnaybor]

In that price range you're looking at a 4-track cassette deck, like a Tascam. You can get pretty decent quality out of them if 4 tracks is enough for you. If you need more than that the price goes up real fast.

[ehazzard]

thanks for responding so soon! does the tascam product you suggested have as good a sound quality as a digital recording? if not how would you compare the two?

[DALtune]

No it doesn't and you can't compare. Sorry.

HOWEVER...

You may want to try a Fostex FD-4 Digitasl 4-track. Has lots of fun options. Digital recording allows you to do much more in the way of editing and keeps your signal solid (no loss of quality when bouncing tracks).

I've seen it at www.musiciansfriend.com on a closeout for $299 US. I think you may have to connect it to some type of storage medium (hard drive, zip, jaz) but you won't beat the quality.

From there you can burn to a CD.

[loudnaybor]

No....
Not because it's analog, I don't want start THAT argument , but because 4 tracks stuffed on to a 1/8" tape moving at a relatively slow speed isn't going to sound as good as digital or as good as larger format tape moving at a higher speed.
But, you won't get digital or 2" tape for $300.

So, will you be able to get good sound?
Sure, with a little experimentation and practice, you'll be able to make acceptable recordings.

Will it sound the same as higher priced equipment?
No.

You might want to look at the "Black Hole of Recording" thread in the Dragons Cave before you get started on this...

[ehazzard]

okay. i wanted to record my own demo and maybe a seven song album for promotional purposes. i made most of the background music on a keyboard and planned to add some guitar and some sounds to my own vocals and harmonies. i figured that i could edit and design my music on a mixer and just record it onto a minidisc and then have it burned into a cd. it's come to my knowledge that that isn't possible because a minidisc only has two tracks and i did want to have more than that. so now i don't know what to do. i don't really have consistent access to a computer outside of work and was only hoping to spend maybe $300. is there a cheap and easy way to record with multiple tracks that will sound good enough to send to record labels? even if it is a little out of my price range, that's okay.