need to come up with a songwriting rig at home

ruebarb

ruebarb

New member
ok...here's the deal....I have a great Mackie studio - D8B -HDR24 - super stuff - I record my band and demos in it at my practice space.

here's the problem - 20 miles away, closed some hrs...and too much shit to work for on the fly recording -

I need something cheap and easy for the apartment - (like a drunk sorority girl) -

something I can do a vocal, guitar, bass (guit and bass use POD's for both) and a drum machine - prob. 8 tracks - don't need too many effects but would like to record 3 things at once - (vocal, drums, and guit or bass) -

as this is TOTALLY for doodling and writing at home - I'll set up a recording station at home for working on new songs instead of going down to the space, moving shit, powering up shit, resetting shit, recording shit, and stopping shit - all without the thrash band next door making noise - and I'd like to move it to a hotel room if I'm on vacation, so a PC based solution is out.

but here's the other problem - guys - I'm totally out of the loop. - I don't know what is good - I know I want digital (tired of tape) - I was thinking the Korg 8 track but I don't see that available anymore...was hoping an easy 400 buck range device without having to drag a computer into it - maybe the Fostex VS80EX for $599- or that really cheap p.o.s. of theirs that runs on compact flash, MAYBE. - (it only has two tracks of input - but I can live without stereo or doing the drums first if I gotta....but really, I want at least 3 inputs.

monitors are no concern - if I really wanna mix something down, I'll just take it to the studio and bounce the tracks int my 824's - I just need something sitting around for when I get the songwriting bug - a sketchpad. Something to doodle with...I just need something like the old 424 but not tape...

ideas?
 
if you want a pc solution. search under my name. lots of detailed tips on this posted in past few months to help. then if you have Q's ..just ask.
 
manning1 said:
if you want a pc solution. search under my name. lots of detailed tips on this posted in past few months to help. then if you have Q's ..just ask.
Click to expand...

nope.....seeking the opposite - a small almost Portastudio solution -

PC requires moving too much stuff unless I did a laptop, and I think I'd pass on that.

RB
 
sounds like an old used tascam 8 track cassette based unit will do you nicely.
if you can find one.
look around for a used one. 388 if i remember.
also yamaha used to make one.
peace.
 
dude...you need to read my post again...closely - :D

anyone who has a line on the Fostex/tascam/korg digital recorders....please let me know.

RB
 
Just throwing out suggestions here.

Most of these units only have 2 inputs and seem to run on flash cards though.

The Demos for the Pocketstudio5 are pretty impresive for such a small unit IMO.

http://www.tascam.com/Products/PocketStudio5.html

There is also the brand new digital portastudio from tascam. But again only 2 inputs

http://www.tascam.com/Products/dp01.html

Then there is the Boss BR864. Again only 2 inputs.

http://www.bossus.com/index.asp?pg=1&tmp=128

And finally the Korg PXR4.

http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?A_PROD_NO=PXR4
 
Hi ruebarb,

It sounds like you are looking for a Tascam 788 Digital HD recorder. It is just about discontinued, so prices are down for any machines left. 8 channels available with up to 250 virtual tracks to play with (8 at a time.) Digital out if you want to pump your stuff into your main Mackie rig. It is not battery powered, but it is compact. The only outboard piece I would recommend as necessary is a pre-amp, and they come pretty small these days.
With me having gotten the 2488, the 788 is now my 'transportable' model.
Tascam has just introduced a couple of new smaller machines, the DP-01, and the DP-01FX; go to tascam2488.com and you will see things about them and about the 788 as well.
If you want real miniaturization, then the Pocketstudio might be what you are looking for; I haven't used it, but over at the site, there is a lot of info about that one as well.

Hope this is of use,

Best,

CC.
 
The Tascam seems a nice idea... You might also think about a Roland vs890 or so - if you can get them still (here in Germany you can SOMETIMES find some musicstores kicking them out -- old demo versions... You might also try to get on from ebay. The 880EX/890 is quite cheap now. I'd NOT go for the plain 880 or the 880vx, as they are missing a lot of the possibilities the newer machines have.). I assume that for your purpose, any digital 8tracker with multiple inputs will do. Personally, I am into the roland stuff, as it seems to have most possibilities compared to the other machines, but I'm thinking alot 'bout getting a yamaha. The fully loaded compressor section is an argument for me but should not for you. I think to remember reading that editing on the tascam is quite a pita, but you'll surely find someone to explain to you...

aXel
 
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