Timothy108
New member
Hi folks, this is my first post - i'm sure the first of many as I embark on an analog recording project this year. I've enjoyed reading all the posts in this Analog section and have found it very inspiring...there seems to be a great community here.
I'm looking at buying a Tascam 38 8-track and hope to combine it somehow with my computer (using Cool Edit Pro). I've done a lot of recording on my 4-track Tascam 414 mkII as well as in Cool Edit, but the 8-track reel-to-reel is completely new to me. Basically I love the sound of tape, but I need more than the 8 tracks. Where should I start? This may sound silly, but all I can think of is doing bed tracks on the Tascam, dumping those into Cool Edit somehow (individually? Is it possible?), recording a basic mix of those tracks back onto the Tascam as a reference to record more overdubs....I want to do all of the recording on the Tascam and maybe use Cool Edit to store the tracks and mix them later. Can it be done?
Obviously, I am also wondering about tape sources. What type of 1/2" tape should I be sourcing for the Tascam 38? Where's the best place to find it? This machine would also come with some used tapes...perhaps I can use some of those.
The owner claims that the Tascam is in good shape, and this is what he says about it:
"Hi Tim the unit was used right up to the point where I switched over to Computer recording and it was continually kept clean and demagnetized. The last time it was used a glitch showed up with Ch # 2 and I discovered it to be a loose circuit board which I reseated (resealed?) and it appears to Ok now. The Tapes I have go with it and some of them have no miles at all on them. The Recorder has been in the Case for the last 4 years and not even opened."
He's offering the Tascam for under $300. Does this sound trustworthy to any of you? What else should I ask the owner? What should I be looking for when I go to see the machine before buying it?
There's a lot here, if you have suggestions for any of it, I would be forever grateful! I hope there's some way of avoiding total reliance on Cool Edit Pro...I have a chance at making a quality indie record, albeit low-budget, and tape is what comes to mind. Thanks in advance!
I'm looking at buying a Tascam 38 8-track and hope to combine it somehow with my computer (using Cool Edit Pro). I've done a lot of recording on my 4-track Tascam 414 mkII as well as in Cool Edit, but the 8-track reel-to-reel is completely new to me. Basically I love the sound of tape, but I need more than the 8 tracks. Where should I start? This may sound silly, but all I can think of is doing bed tracks on the Tascam, dumping those into Cool Edit somehow (individually? Is it possible?), recording a basic mix of those tracks back onto the Tascam as a reference to record more overdubs....I want to do all of the recording on the Tascam and maybe use Cool Edit to store the tracks and mix them later. Can it be done?
Obviously, I am also wondering about tape sources. What type of 1/2" tape should I be sourcing for the Tascam 38? Where's the best place to find it? This machine would also come with some used tapes...perhaps I can use some of those.
The owner claims that the Tascam is in good shape, and this is what he says about it:
"Hi Tim the unit was used right up to the point where I switched over to Computer recording and it was continually kept clean and demagnetized. The last time it was used a glitch showed up with Ch # 2 and I discovered it to be a loose circuit board which I reseated (resealed?) and it appears to Ok now. The Tapes I have go with it and some of them have no miles at all on them. The Recorder has been in the Case for the last 4 years and not even opened."
He's offering the Tascam for under $300. Does this sound trustworthy to any of you? What else should I ask the owner? What should I be looking for when I go to see the machine before buying it?
There's a lot here, if you have suggestions for any of it, I would be forever grateful! I hope there's some way of avoiding total reliance on Cool Edit Pro...I have a chance at making a quality indie record, albeit low-budget, and tape is what comes to mind. Thanks in advance!