Tips and tricks for the 388

[Mark7]

I've got a Tascam 388, and very nice it is too. I've read through the manual several times and now I want to ask if any of you can give me some hints and tips about using the features that might not be covered fully in the manual (like, for example, using the 8 pairs of buss ins and buss outs as fx/processor sends and returns).

[A Reel Person]

I don't think you want to patch effects loops from the BUSS OUTs to the BUSS INs, directly. Individually the Buss Outs and Buss Ins may be used for individual effects sends and recieves, but not necessarily in a direct-patched-loop.

An alternative to that would be to use the AUX and EFF sends, together with the AUX and EFFECT RCV or the channel INSERTS for effects-loop patching. That's a more conventional approach that's covered in the book.

WTG on a nice purchase, that I'm sure you'll enjoy a lot!

[Mark7]

Hey thanks for posting!
Yeah, using the conventional Effect and Aux loops is okay during a mix when you're sending everything to the Stereo Suss and hence to whatever you have that passes for a mixdown machine. But if you're doing a bounce and you want to put an effect on an instrument you can't really use the Effect Returns or the Stereo Ins to bring the signal into the mix as they're hard wired to the Stereo Buss. Which means using either spare Channel Inputs or Buss Ins.

An example.

I recently recorded a song that had the following arrangement:

Track 1: Lead Vocal
Track 2: Lead Guitar
Track 3: Second Lead Vocal and Guitar Solo
Track 4: Bass Guitar
Track 5: Rhythm Guitar & Backing Vocal #1
Track 6: Rhythm Guitar & Backing Vocal #2
Track 7: Drums & Percussion
Track 8: Drums & Percussion

The first step was to lay down the Drums (from an old Yamaha RX21) and the percussion (four tracks: a tambourine, claviers, shaker and some wooden thing). Thus

Track 1: RX21 Left Output
Track 2: RX21 Right Output
Track 3: Tambourine
Track 4: Claviers
Track 5: Shaker
Track 6: Wooden thing
Track 7: Guide Vox

Once that was done I had to bounce the recorded instruments from Tracks 1 - 6 to Tracks 7 & 8 to make way for the other parts. One of the things I decided to do during this bounce was to add reverb to the drums: primarily because the RX21 has no built-in FX and if I'd added reverb to the drums along with everything else during the final mix there'd be no way I could control the amount of verb on the kick. By using the line inputs on Channels 7 & 8 as Effect returns I could get some semblance of control over the reverb in the low end by setting the equalisers in these two channels to cut drastically below 200 hz. What I also wanted to do, however, is use my other FX unit to achieve a ping-pong echo on the claviers (to give a sense of movement). Since I'd already used the only two spare channel inputs, I thought I'd experiment by using the Buss Input of Track 7 for an Effect Return. And it worked quite nicely. Of course I could have used the Insert Return on that channel instead but I was using that for a compressor return (I prefer to compress each instrument conservatively during tracking and then add a smidgen to the whole lot during a bounce) So that option was closed. Hope that explains my thinking behind the question.

[A Reel Person]

I do agree that the PGM BUSS INs and OUTs may be used individually as effects sends & recieves, but to not patch a BUSS OUT in a loop to the same BUSS IN, or else a nasty feedback loop will develop.

Other than that, with your full explanation, I think you're on the right track. No doubt, they can't cover every little odd scenerio in the book, but you're doing a good job despite it.

WTG and good job on a great purchase!

[Mark7]

Yeah, it is a great little (and I use that word advisedly) machine isn't it! As far as patching effects between the Buss Ins and Outs goes I understand what you're saying about the potential for feedback loops. What I tend to do is to only use them in that way during an internal bounce and only between mismatched(?) pairs. So (for example) the Buss Out for Track 1 might be sending guitar to a chorus effect but the signal will come into the mix via Buss Returns 5 and 6.
I wish they'd included Phantom Power.