What exactly do these do?

[mjr]

Ok...
I have a Yamaha MT100 II 4-track. I'm still fairly new to home recording, and I'm working on putting together a demo. I'd just like to know what some of these things do...

I know what the pan dials are for.

1. Auxiliary send (1 per track)
2. Monitor select (monitor, mix, stereo)
3. Each track has a slider (line --> mic) and volume (0 - 10)
4. Auxiliary return
5. Monitor dials (this is the main one) (1 per track)

6. What's the difference in recording on the track number, versus recording on the L/R track?

7. Which monitor is best to use during recording/playback?

I know this is probably an older machine, but I couldn't pass it up.

[mikeh]

I have no hands on with that Yamaha unit - but I can offer some logical assumptions.

The Aux send allows you to send the recorded signal on that track to a processing unit (reverb, etc) and the Aux return allows you to bring the "processed" signal back into the 4 track.

The monitor select (and this is an assumption) allows you to select what signal will be sent to your monitoring device (speaker or headphone) - so you can choose if you are moitoring the 4 track or a stereo mix, etc.

The monitor dial on each track most likely allows you to control the mix volume of each track.

The line --> mic allows you to select an appropriate input gain for what every source (mic vs. guitar, etc) you are recording.

I don't know how your machine works - but the L/R may be a way to route the signal onto the correct track - often with a four track you may have an input for tracks 1 & 2 and then the Left sends it to track 1 and the Right sends it to track 2.

Regarding what is the best monitor - there are a million posts on this site (do a search and read everything) there is much good info here. However, I'm rather sure you will also need a power amp (the signal from the 4 track goes to the power amp and the amp is connected to the monitor speakers.

If you are just starting out you may want to use your home stereo system for a while just to get your feet wet.

Be prepared once you start to get hooked on home recording you will become a gear junking (personally - I'm a full fledged "Gear Slut") and soon you will have spent $20,000 (with another $20,000 selected for future purchases).

[regebro]

1. Auxiliary send (1 per track)
4. Auxiliary return

The send takes an anoumnt of signal on that track ans sends to the auxiliary send. This signal you can then send to an effects box, like a reverb, and then feed back through the axiliary return.
This is the normal way of putting effects on channels.

5. Monitor dials (this is the main one) (1 per track)
2. Monitor select (monitor, mix, stereo)

The monitor dials do the same thing as the aux send, but to the "monitor". (which may not be a real output)

The monitor select selects what to listen to: The monitor (ie the tracks through the monitor dials), the stereo mix (which is the normal stuff) or "mix" which is a little bit of both.

3. Each track has a slider (line --> mic)

This is the microphone preamp. Use it to set the levels correctly when recoring.

and volume (0 - 10)

I think you probably refer to the standard volume here, right?

6. What's the difference in recording on the track number, versus recording on the L/R track?

When recording, you select what the source is for that track. The source can either be the input channel with the same number, or either the left or the right mix bus. When using the mix bus you can record several channels at once.

[MartyMcFly]

You ever see the Beavis and Butthead episode where Butthead goes to Beavis..."huh huh huh dude...If you don't know, I'm not gonna tell ya...huh huh huh huh"?