tascam portastudio 488 mkII

freddyfish

New member
hello, nice site!!
i was wondering if someone could help?
i have had my 488 mk II for a little while now and was content
on just recording my band live. now i would like to get into
recording my band but in a more controlled structure.
say studio like with my 488. is it possible to record like 3 tracks for like drums, and like have my guitarist play along with me
on a scratch track that can be redone later . also could i use a headphone amp on my 488, so that we could hear what is going on?? and how would i record the guitar with out bleeding on to the drum mics?? lots of stuff... thanks for you time.. and any help..
 
Yo Fisherman:]

You will need a cans amp for multiple cans so three/four folks can hear what's going on. You plug in a stereo plug into the cans plug on the 488 and the other end feeds the "usually" small cans amp which will have, minimal, four inputs that accept the regular 1/4 inch instrument plugs.

The 488, which I had two of, is a nice little box. You won't be able to do digital quality; however, I've run some 488 tapes into my digital SIAB and have gotten great results.


You will be able to overdub on the 488. Remember, put the recorded tracks, like the first two you do, into the CUE mode; then overdub the next track -- if you don't do that, everything will get screwed up on the tape. DON'T use 90 minute tapes on the box -- just 60 minute quality tape, like Sony or any other quality brand.

You can run a couple of effects boxes into the unit and have a little reverb/delay variety.

Hope this helps.

Green Hornet

PS I have a small Peavey can amp and it didn't cost much and works great. Beware of cosmetic looks in a can amp; beware of high price.

GH


:D :cool:
 
Yo doode... what i am doing is kinda like the same principle.. not as what green hornet is saying.. but what your doing instead.

I am recording synth drums so the process isnt the same as what green hornet is saying.. .... but once you do his ideas to mic the drums etc etc... the process to record them would be kinda like what i am doing with my synth drums!

So picture all of my drums (alesis d4) track.. so instead of going to different tracks on the 488 for each different drum.. which would tie up tracks like mad!.. is after you mic them or what not.. go through a line mixer to bring them down to two tracks and then record that into the 488... just an idea!..

Like i have all my synth moduals going into a line mixer and then into the 488 on two racks.. which is easier cause then i had my vocals and guitars live after that on the other tracks.. (two for rythem guitar, two for vocals.. and two say for lead.. ) tho i dont usually need that many tracks but it works out.


And since my guitars are also plugged into the line mixer.. and can also go in to the first two tracks along with the synths.. it makes it nice since i can layer down rythem guitars and my synth stuff at the same time. if i make a mistake i can just redo it over again!... cause i sequence the drums/bass/pianos'ect! so i can get away with it and having many tracks left over to do anything else.

Then of course i record that all digitally back to my computer via USB audio interface..(usually after the first tracks are done i basically record the rest digitally) as seperate tracks and get a nice clear digital audio and can layer more tracks if needed! or digitally edit specific tracks IF NEEDED!

But i guess the whole thing boils down to what i am saying is line mixing as much as you can without losing control of your tracks... before putting it in to the 488?!

oh well just a tidbit thought!.. cheerz

dog
 
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