4 track recording deck?

You can use mics with either XLR or 1/4" plugs & should get similar results, but adding an adapter shouldn't noticeably affect the sound.

If your Rec Function switch setting is set to Buss L or Buss R while recording, the Pan control should affect what goes from the Input to that (rec-enabled) track.

If your Rec Function switch setting is Direct Mode, then the Numbered track gets signal from the same Numbered input, directly, & Pan has no effect on what goes to the track.

If you're getting track bleed of previously recorded material onto newly recorded tracks, likely you're switching the Input Select to "Tape" during overdubbing, and not using the Tape Cue section. I'd recommend not setting any inputs to "Tape" until final mix time. Use the Tape Cue section to listen back to previous tracks while overdubbing.

When you purposely set Input Select to "Tape" during overdubbing, you redirect tape-track material thru the mixer and onto a newly recorded track, usually in a "submix", that's referred to as "track bouncing". It's a technique to pack the tracks with material that exceeds the basic 4 tape tracks,... a medium-advanced technique. When you get inadvertent track-bounce you are probably setting the mixer channels incorrectly during overdubs and not using Tape Cue,... a common novice mistake.

If you record with proper levels, the 424mkII should play back with relatively the same levels you input to the tracks when recording. If there's a big mismatch it might indicate a calibration issue in the audio channels, which isn't a huge deal but it is relatively technical to split the case and adjust, plus the tools and resources you'd need to do a proper setup, which is why this is often left to a qualified bench tech. A little mismatch of the playback levels vs. record levels would be normal for a tape deck of this age (~15 yrs old).

Only the most ancient of cassette decks won't utilize Type II cassettes, but it's not always obvious because most of the later decks are "auto sensing/auto switching" for tape types. Which Sony model do you have?
 
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F/i...

You may use Input #1 exclusively during tracking, while using Buss L/R on the Rec Function switches, and routing the input from Input Channel 1 to tape tracks 1 & 3 by panning Left, and tracks 2 & 4 by panning right, but as stated before if you're recording a single track at a time you may leave the Pan in the center position and achieve basically the same results.

Any input channel is able to route signal to any tape track when recording in Buss L/R mode. Until you understand this concept you will not be able to gain full utility out of the Portastudio format recorders,... concepts that are covered in one way or another in the manual.

You should not have to repatch the mic to a different connector to get the mic signal down to either tape track, 1-4, inclusively. Alt., you may patch a signal to all 4 inputs and route all of them down to any single track simultaneously, such as recording Inputs 1-4 simultaneously down in a submix to Track 1 by panning all 4 input channels "Left", (or in a stereo pair if you wish, whereas Pan will set the stereo mix down to the pair of tape tracks).

Or similarly route any input channel to any tape track, respectively, once you grasp the concept of the Buss L/R Record Function setting.

You have to clarify in your mind Channels vs. Tracks and Buss Mode vs. Direct Mode, then come to grips with Tape Cue and you'll be set.

Sorry if I've been redundant.

:spank::eek:;)
 
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Thanks guys,

need to print out what you say & match it to the manual - it does sound like I had the wrong switches pulled to end up with tracks merging into tracks. I did another take utilising the L / R pan technique and that separated out the tracks, but it sure is confusing trying to dub along to a single ear phone :-o Did a three track song, did not risk the fourth - that will be the next experiment. The analogue vocals are much more tricky (for me) than digital but then I am so used to the digital / vox set-up.

It's a Sony TC-WE505. I started out recording on auto level then ended up manually increasing the level until it filled the horizontal display

http://youtu.be/wfd1QW5CYwY
 
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Have demagnetised tape heads on both Tascam & Sony. Am wet cleaning with the cassette cleaner because it is shifting debris.

Followed the manual to the last dotted 'i' and crossed 't' but the instructions to record Track 1 left me with audio in left phone only. It said to set the L Monitor to the right. Then i noticed the R Monitor switch. Set that to left and 'bingo' had live monitoring in both phones. But the manual says nothing about Monitor switch R at this stage. Is this something I am doing wrong please?

Have panned left on Channel 1 because the manual says so - but it still says I should be hearing "center mono" with the Mon switch at right position, which it is. Without switching the R Mon switch in the other direction I just get audio in one ear.

Next - Tape Cue & overdub.
 
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postscript: getting better levels now but the final mix levels when setting all the inputs to tape are much easier to work with than the tape/cue settings - definitely prefer to use the sliders for adjustments when all the tracks are down
 
Yes.

The settings on that picture look good for listening to Cue of Track 1 and recording an overdub track to Track 2 from Channel 1, panned RIGHT. Everything there looks good.

The Monitor: If you switch EITHER R or L into the monitor separately, I believe that signal bridges to MONO, and thus plays in both earphones. If you switch BOTH R and L into the monitor together, then it is true stereo & if your input is hard panned either full-left or full-right, then it will play in that single earphone. (This is by memory and from your description). This was never a huge issue for me, because when I was recording a single track at a time I'd usually leave the Pan in Center and R/L MON switches both in. I do know, however, how it can be somewhat distracting if your signal is only in one ear.

Tape cue isn't meant to be a final mix buss, but believe it or not I've done final mixes off the Tape Cue buss, mind you it's in MONO, not stereo. Typically when you do final mix you'd switch the INputs to "Tape" and bring the tracks down thru the channels, EQ, faders, etc.

I think you're getting the hang of it! (A picture is worth a thousand words!)

:spank::eek:;)
 
Thanks for the L / R monitor settings. I have to plead that I have been recording with a DAW for a decade and 4 track recording is new to me, so I'm finding it a little challenging. I definitely prefer the audio on final mixdown settings over the tape/cue preview, but it does allow you to dub along with other tracks while keeping the recorded material safe. I imagine all the levels have slipped on the Tascam over the years - otherwise outputing projects at fader 7 setting should set the Sony on auto record level at an optimal level - but it doesn't, the result is very quiet ... just like the mic which shows clipping on record, then low levels on playback: but I can work with this, adjust to it.

Am slightly curious about midi. The manual says you can input midi but there are no midi sockets?

Have now introduced 'line in' instruments to the Tascam and that is okay.

How often should I demagnetise the heads please - how many hours of tape use?

Thanks again
 
- also, to 'bounce', you can do this on the Tascam - but if I wanted to bounce an entire 4 track, do I simply mix it down to a vcr then re-import it please? I imagine you'd arm tracks 1 & 2 panned Left & Right respectively, splitting the project two ways and leaving tracks 3 & 4 available for additional recording?

... couple of hours later ...

there is weirdness: channel 3 will not take the mic patched to xlr 1, or 3, it takes it at position xlr 4, and you have to have channel 4 cued to hear the mic when you dub, otherwise you can only see the mic level and hear tracks 1 & 2. Channel 4 seems to behave just like 1 & 2.

Has someone been handy with a soldering iron at some time i wonder? :-o

Thanks
 
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VCR Bounce?

kr236rk said:
- also, to 'bounce', you can do this on the Tascam - but if I wanted to bounce an entire 4 track, do I simply mix it down to a vcr then re-import it please? I imagine you'd arm tracks 1 & 2 panned Left & Right respectively, splitting the project two ways and leaving tracks 3 & 4 available for additional recording?
Click to expand...

After several hours I managed to bounce my 4 track to a Hi-Fi model S-VHS video cassette recorder, but the levels were disappointingly low. Even with the master fader up full on the Tascam the stereo levels on the vcr were middling. When I listened to the playback from the vhs tape it was low, which means I'd need to boost the volume on bouncing the vhs back to the Tascam, which is going to boost any hiss. This is going to crunch down on audio quality, it feels like the vhs (levels) will be inferior to a C60 bounce, and a C60 duplication is going to lose me audio quality. I'd lain great store by the vcr bounce and it is not shaping up. I don't particularly want to raid my piggy bank for a dat recorder either, and is there any guarantee a bounce would be any better from a dat?

The vcr also has an ongoing, auto 'better' function which means it will pull the vhs tape around inside the recorder until an optimal play is achieved, but this does not enhance the bounce recording experience unfortunately.

:-|

Notwithstanding, if I patch an analogue mixer between the Tascam and the vcr at least that will get me my levels. A trick could be to let the vhs tape roll for about 5 minutes before hitting the record button, that way the 'better' function has had plenty of time to do its thing.

Thanks
 
Strange.

Verify proper Line Out levels by plugging from the 424mkII to an input that accepts RCA plugs & consumer line level, such as a receiver, boombox, etc.,... something that you can hear in the room like a stereo system. Sometimes those jacks fail and need repair (resoldering) to get a normal output signal.

You should get adequate output levels directly from the Tascam without any component in the line to boost the signal.

If your Master fader is all the way up, verify that the L/R Stereo Buss levels on the LED meter bars are at least to "0" but not slamming the top too hard. This should give you plenty of output gain to external devices.

:spank::eek:;)
 
Have successfully bounced 4 track project to vcr and back again to the Tascam, where I added 2 more tracks. End result not too lossy but wouldn't want to try 8 tracks by this method. Is this why folks saved vocals till last, so that the last tracks are fresher-sounding than the compressed tracks material? Thanks.
 
kr236rk said:
Is this why folks saved vocals till last, so that the last tracks are fresher-sounding than the compressed tracks material? Thanks.
Click to expand...
part of it, the other part is it is hard to sing the vocals first and play the music to that.
 
Okay,...

If the standard 4-track format seems limiting, you may consider looking at the Tascam 488mkII, cassette 8-track. It will sound better than track bouncing with a 4-track & give you better control of your mixes vs. a track-bounced production.

Track bouncing is a handy technique to use moderately, sometimes, but it has some serious drawbacks & sonic penalties. If your projects are regularly scoped for more than 4 tracks, I think you'd be better off stepping up to an 8-track.

I think 4-track cassette sounds best in it's "native" format, i.e., 4 tracks right off tape into final mixdown.

With that being said, you've made good progress learning the operation of the Tascam 424mkII Portastudio, which are skills and concepts that will translate to bigger systems.

:spank::eek:;)
 
mic blues :-|

Thanks. Still get in a mess though. Still less than happy with the mic/vocals. I recorded an acoustic guitar today & it came through clear as a bell. Then I used the same mic set-up for vocals, even tweaked the trim a little on the Tascam - vocals overly loud in the monitoring phones - then when I played the two track back the vocals are way, way back in the mix, and I have to boost channel 2 equalizers & ease right off on channel 1 fader, to hear the vocals at all. Why?

Am I not singing loud enough? But watched the levels on mic record and they were right up into the reds - clipping level - & the level on the resulting recorded vocal hardly shows on the scale at all! Either there's something I'm doing wrong or the age of the Tascam is showing itself here.

postscript: it was a dynamic microphone. Should I try a dedicated vocal mic, whatever that turns out to be?

Thanks again.
 
If the recording levels were in the red, the mic is not the problem. What do the playback levels indicate?

More than likely, this is a silly panning, switch in wrong position, etc... issue.

Worst case, your recorder is broken.
 
update

just methodically went through channels 1-4 for xlr & 1/4" sockets.

this time i plugged straight into the Tascam, to date i've been going through analogue mixers to boost mic volume. Could have been a backward step.

all the sockets work properly as long as you remember to reverse the micro monitor switches as you hop from channel to channel. Pretty dang sure it doesn't tell you that in the manual, but anyway. All the inputs function. If you don't reverse the L & R monitor switches you see levels rising & hear zilch in the phones.

now i pushed the audio level into the red / overdrive / clipping zone on each channel. When I played the tape back the highest recorded level came in at -6, so something's slipping somewhere.

have to admit that the mic quality (actual recorded volume) seems to be head & shoulders over what i was getting earlier on; also with the trim up 90% on the Tascam there is precious little 'hiss' whereas i was getting loads of hiss going through a stand-alone mixer.

am really hoping when i re-record today's vocal tomorrow - direct into the Tascam - there is a great improvement on the quality and volume ... just a tiny improvement would be extremely well received -

fingers crossed ;)


oh, channel one mic didn't come out at all on channels 2-4, bit of a mystery that, I'm sure I have used the mic in channel one for other channels before, but tonight channel one mic only registers in channel one.

But as long as the mic plugs work channel-to-channel, & they do, that's okay with me.
 
Test:...

Use one mic, in Channel 1, Input set to MIC. Channel 1 Pan set CENTER.
Use TRIM control on Channel 1 to get a satisfactory level on BOTH Left and Right channels of the Stereo (Master) buss.
Set Record Function Switches: 1/L, 2/R, 3/L, 4/R, (that is ENABLE Buss Mode recording, NOT DIRECT).
With this setting, anything you play into the mic should register the same on ALL FOUR TRACKS.
Press REC+PLAY, sing or play into the mic. Really, any known test tone will do.
This will record the exact same signal SIMULTANEOUSLY on all four tracks.
Press STOP, REWIND, PLAY.
Use TAPE CUE section to listen back, or switch each Input (1-4) to TAPE.
Regardless, LOOK at the LED BAR METERS for tracks 1-4. What do you get?
You should get all four tracks playing back at relatively the same level.
Likewise, the playback level should be roughly the same as the record level you gave it while recording.
If it doesn't play all four tracks at roughly the same level, and/or if your playback level is noticeably different than the record level, you have either a head cleaning or a calibration issue, or both.

You can't just say, "my guitar records well but my vocals don't", because without solid context it is meaningless.

I understand what you're saying, but to sort this out you need to back up and approach things methodically.

This test will help determine if your tape tracks are recording and playing back at the same levels, as a baseline.

:spank::eek:;)
 
My Friend,...

Do yourself a favor & get the external mixer "to boost input levels" completely out of the picture!

Leave the Pan control in CENTER and the MONITOR L/R switches BOTH switched IN.

You have to realize that this unit was designed to be a one piece, self contained solution. It is capable of receiving Mic-Line level signals on it's inputs, and outputting adequate levels to external devices.

Each time you say you'll use an external intermediate device to boost signals, it curls my hair. You don't need it. At this level of your understanding of the Portastudio itself, you're doing a disservice to yourself if at every twist or turn you're putting an intermediate device inline to solve a problem that could likely be solved by proper understanding and setting of the Portastudio. You're complicating things further, and in my opinion it's simply not needed.

Take the external mixer and put it in a closet until you can understand the workings of the Portastudio and come to grips with it's many capabilities. And no, the manual is not perfect. You have to Stop, Look and Listen, while putting on your Thinking Cap. I can't believe I just said that ;) but I hope you grasp my meaning.

I think what I mean, is to sit down with the Portastudio, the manual, and a simple input device such as a mic, electric keyboard or electric guitar. Plug it in, set the switches, turn the knobs, look at what they do, and the context of Left/Right Stereo buss and the relation they have to the tape tracks, meters, and Monitor section, as well as Tape Cue. Come to grips with Buss L/R Record Function vs. Direct Record Function, and how that relates to the mixer and inputs, themselves. Then report back.

/All/
 
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