Transferring Multi-Track Cassette Recordings To Computer Then To Cubase LE

M

Mike Freze

New member
I would like to send my 4 separate recorded tracks from my TASCAM port-a-studio to my computer, save them to hard drive, then import them into my Cubase LE program as SEPARATE tracks like I recorded them on my TASCAM cassette recorder to begin with. Is this possible? Or will everything I send to my computer's hard drive end up as one single file that gets imported into my Cubase program as only one file in a new audio track I import into?? If so, then I can't edit each track individually: it will almost be like a mastering phase where you can only edit a complete song that was bounced to one stereo file.

Guess I'm trying to keep the separate cassette track recordings separate to work on in Cubase as well. Maybe that can't be done. Any suggestions? Would I have to literally transfer one track recorded at a time to my computer and save each one as a separate file to import into a new track in Cubase?? Or can I send the entire 4 separate tracks to my computer to one folder and import them as 4 separate tracks to work on?

Mike Freze
 
You will have to send one track at a time if you don't have an interface that will transfer 4 tracks separately. Does the port-a-studio have separate outputs for each channel?
 
Hopefully you can do it all 4 tracks at the same time, makes things wayyyyyy easier. If you can only do 1 or 2 keep in mind that with a tape the playback speed may not be exact so you may have issues lining up the tracks. I've had some success doing it so I don't want to make it sound impossible but it can be a pain.
 
Thanks, guys! No, TASCAM Port-A-Studio doesn't have separate outs for each channel: just one in the back of the box. My TASCAM interface only has two line level input channels, anyway (plus two mic channels). Guess I'll ust have to send one track at a time to the computer.

Might as well record everything in the computer to begin with to get separate tracks rather than use a cassette player, right? I agree. But if I ever wanted to edit/mix/master someone else's songs one day that they sent to me on a cassette, that becomes the problem. I guess I could have them record a vocal on one cassette, the background instrument (guitar/piano) on another (or on the B side of the first cassette), then I could import those two tracks separately in my Cubase program. A lot of songwriters/solo artists/ bands don't have computers or recording software programs. So there you go.

I have a SIAB too (Fostex), 16 track with a built-in CD drive/burner. Same problem. You can save the tracks individually in the Fostex, but you'ld have to send each track to your computer that way too! Even if you burn your project to the built in CD and copy the CD into your computer, you get a mixed down version of your song: single file, no track separation.

Mike Freze
 
Dump two tracks at once. Hard pan left and right into your interface. At least then you will only have two sets of two tracks to line up.
 
A workaround for multi tracking with 4 trk: Dump first tracks into computer then bounce the 4 tracks back onto one or two tracks then record vocals, piano, whatever on the remaining. Lather, rinse, repeat. You will always have the original separated tracks on your computer but have a mixed down version to play along with on tape. Hope tracks line up for ya!
 
Thanks, jimmys69! Makes sense. That way, you can get more "bang for your buck" with a 4-track cassette system. Maybe a bit of sound degradation in the end, but it is a way to utilize more tracks.

Again, I do have a computer, Cubase LE, a SIAB (Fostex). etc. Just want to get more familiar with techniques of using cassette recordings. I would love to produce finished demos one day for others who don't have computers, SIABs, and so on. I have a lot of musician and songwriter friends who only have cassette recorders and are afraid of computers. Yet they write great music.

The trick is to be able to work with something they give you on cassette, get it inot the computer, and add instruments, effects, adust the EQ, etc. Hard to do if a 4-piece band records a song on cassette (the old standard 2-track cassette we all use), sends it to you that way, and then all four instruments are on one file (no separation).

The best way around this, I think, is to just have a cassette with only two instruments on it: the lead vocal and a meloldic instrument (guitar or piano). They couild record each one separately (side A, side B on a standard cassette) or use two different standard cassettes. Then I could get them into the computer as separate tracks. They could record both vocal/guitar at once as a reference CD, then listen back to that version via headphones while recording the two separate instruments to another cassette player close by to get the vocal and guitar to sound very close in time.

If I was sent the orginal cassette of both together, it would serve as a reference point to what the overall song should sound like when I work on the individual tracks (or add others).

Completel bands, I don't know. If they sound fairly tight already on a cassette tape, seems like you can't contribute that much for them since they are self-contained. But a solo artist with no band around or a commerical studio around, that's the market I think one could do justice with.


Mike Freze
 
The biggest problem you will face is not having any reference of time for aligning tracks. Tape speed can and will vary on different machines, different tape lengths, different location on tape, etc. Best bet IMO, even considering loss of quality, is to record over on same tape on same machine if possible. That way you will always have duplicate of what you had originally to line up tracks with. Maybe even recording a click on tape may be advantageous. Get Cubase 6 and your life will be way easier here.:D
 
Thanks again. Gotta go to work soon but will ask you one more thing (if you don't mind).

If someone recorded a vocal/guitar together on a simple, two-track cassette, if they monitored that tape through headphones from another cassette player but recorded a separate vocal cassette and separate guitar cassette using the same type of cassette tapes as the original and recording everything that way from the same cassette recorder, would that help keep the track alignment in check? That way, every cassette copy is using the same machine, same head, same type of tape. Still not a go??

In other words, don't record to a different cassette player: ust go back to the same recorder to record the two separate instruments on two different cassettes. Or should they record both instruments on the same cassette (A side, B side) so you also have the same cassette tape as well as the same recorder?

Mike Freze
 
Problem there is the 'other' cassette deck for playback. No doubt the speed will be different and tracks will be almost assuredly useless. You can try but I forsee a waste of time man.
 
I had to do the same thing with my Roland BR8 when I moved over to 100% DAW.

A lot of the better DAWs have tools to help with this, as mentioned. I use Sonar, and you can drag/bump tracks to line them up, and worse comes to worse, it has the AudioSnap tool, which can change timing, tempo, etc.. handy to have in such a situation!
 
im trying to record my old Tascam 4 and 8 track cassettes to the PC ,I will mix them as they are recording to the PC, but trying to find a unit besides the Dazzle that I can do it with ,Ive got 7 tracks recorded on Reverbnation, a friend I cant find anywhere, had a little Device a small recorder with phono ins/outs ,I mixed the output and it was on reverbnation & CD real quick ,Im not really computer literate, I know theres a tons of software programs (but my best spontaneous stuff is on these hundreds of cassettes),.... but this thing was just Input to the USB on the Pc and phono out from my Tascam , It was handheld small device about 200.00 I just dont know what its called....anybody know what the unit is called
 
Groovedoctor77 said:
im trying to record my old Tascam 4 and 8 track cassettes to the PC ,I will mix them as they are recording to the PC, but trying to find a unit besides the Dazzle that I can do it with ,Ive got 7 tracks recorded on Reverbnation, a friend I cant find anywhere, had a little Device a small recorder with phono ins/outs ,I mixed the output and it was on reverbnation & CD real quick ,Im not really computer literate, I know theres a tons of software programs (but my best spontaneous stuff is on these hundreds of cassettes),.... but this thing was just Input to the USB on the Pc and phono out from my Tascam , It was handheld small device about 200.00 I just dont know what its called....anybody know what the unit is called
Click to expand...

An "Audio Interface" Something like a M-Audio FasTrack would do the trick. It comes with software that you can record with.

Lots of options though. Do a quick google fo interfaces and you'll find tons. You could even upgrade and record all 7 at the same time if you have a way of sending the individual tracks.
 
If this is important to you then I suggest you find someone who can do all four at once, even if you have to pay for it. I think your chances of lining things up one by one are slim. I used to get chorusing all over.
 
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