Hello new 8 tracker:
You can get the Yamaha people on the net and, possibly, get a manual for your box. I've had a couple of 8 track machines, one was a Sansui -- not too cool a box. The other two were Tascam 8 tracks. I now use
a Yamaha MD-8 Digital 8 track and it's heaven compared to the "waiting for the tape to rewind" and countless pops/clicks and buzzes.
I would guess that you can record on at least 4 tracks at once if you need to. What I learned to do from a professional recording producer was to do the drum track first. This means that you have to count out the choruses or use some other method or use the drum machine to write out you entire drum sequence. Next, add keys/chords. Then, the bass. Now you should have 4/5 tracks open do do vocals and, perhaps, a few drum licks to add detail to the tune. Since I use a synthesizer in my home studio, I can add horns/bells, you name it to a song.
Frequently I pipe in background music from a CD for a client and she does the vocal. You can also pipe in background from cassette tapes but the sound footprint is better with a CD.
Check out the
www.askjeeves.com for the Yamaha people and see if you can get a manual. Then, man, you sit and read and experiement and LO, you will understand.
Good luck,
The Green Hornet
