Transferring Multitrack Reels Into Computer?

B

bmg

Member
Hi,

Can't seem to find an answer anywhere, so here goes:

I have an extensive collection of 4 & 8 track reel-to-reel tapes that I wish to edit in the digital realm.
Is there a way I can input these tracks to a computer so each will be on its own track?
Or do these have to mixed to 2 channels before they can be sent to the computer?

I assume an interface would be needed, but am not sure if it's at all possible in the first place.

T
 
Yes, it's possible. You just need an interface that can accept all of the outputs from the tape deck, i.e., 8-in that can handle line level on all of those. This assumes you have the tape deck with those outputs, of course.
 
Thanks.

Yes - these were made on a Teac 3440 and a Tascam 80-8.
So the interface will allow separate tracks through its output?
 
Yuyp, As keith said, you'll need an interface with as many channels as you need to capture. 8 channels.

Here is a list of interfaces that will work for you. I have had two Tascam units in the past and despite the low price, they work and sound great.

USB Audio Interfaces | Sweetwater

You'll need software. Each of those units will come with some "Lite" form of a popular DAW program and it might be enough to get you started. After a while, you might start to feel the limitations. Reaper is a great program used by many here at HR. It is not expensive and has a really forgiving demo version. Free to use indefinitely. If you like, you pay for a license. (We encourage everyone to pay for software they are using).

After that, it is a slippery slope. You'll soon see that you'll need studio monitors. Then when you are disappointed with the outcome, you're gonna do some research and find out your room needs acoustic treatment for those monitors to sound like they should. Then during you're searching, you'll run across people talking this plug-in and that plug-in and what reverb they use. Oh, and that guitar is sooooo sweet.....

Yeah, it's a slippery slope. See ya at the bottom.
 
bmg said:
Thanks.

Yes - these were made on a Teac 3440 and a Tascam 80-8.
So the interface will allow separate tracks through its output?
Click to expand...

The interface needs to have 8 discreet line level inputs to accept the outputs from your 8 track machine. BTW - Have the proper gear and do this kind of work on a regular basis for clients.
 
Thanks for all the info.
Yes - I had a small studio, so know how things can escalate with equipment.
It was all carried away by a hurricane, so the tapes are all that's left.
It's been too long and I want to get these digitized before they crumble away.

Funny, someone lent me a 3440 and I thought it would have to be 'set-up', but the tapes sound very good.
Used Maxell tape in those days and it has held up (except for some sticky splices I can hear as they approach.)
The 80-8 was used with Ampex, which I hear horror stories about; hopefully this won't be my experience.

The material is largely acoustic based, so I would want an interface that is very smooth.
I'm an analog person, and remember when CD's first came out how harsh they sounded (the drums were the worst offenders.)
I used to mix to a beautiful Otari MX5050 that I can't bear to put to the curb, although it's encrusted with mud.
I know things have improved ten-fold, so I would think this not a huge problem presently.
 
bmg said:
I'm an analog person, and remember when CD's first came out how harsh they sounded (the drums were the worst offenders.)
...
I know things have improved ten-fold, so I would think this not a huge problem presently.
Click to expand...

Converters have improved a lot since those days. But the unfamiliar accuracy of digital can sometimes sound unpleasant compared to the familiar inaccuracy of analog. Often they were mastered on different gear by different engineers, and since CD didn't require some of the things done for LP they sounded different.
 
I was just reading something about that analog to digital switch and a lot of it was probably caused because in the analog realm there was a constant degradation as copies were made so the inclination was to add back some of the loss in mixing, usually highs. That wasn't required in digital, but folks still did it. Plus I doubt everyone got the whole truncation thing when those first 16-bit disks were mastered, but totally guessing there.

Any of the big name interfaces will do a pristine conversion. Pick one for your budget and make sure it works on your OS/computer. You can always filter and EQ and even introduce analog type noise if it's too clean for your ears.
 
What would be a good program to mix with?
Not looking for too many options, as the tapes were mixed while recording mostly.
Reverb/echo and compression are a priority, and was thinking of going the 500 series route.
(My computers at this time are an imac and macbook pro.)
 
bmg said:
What would be a good program to mix with?
Not looking for too many options, as the tapes were mixed while recording mostly.
Reverb/echo and compression are a priority, and was thinking of going the 500 series route.
(My computers at this time are an imac and macbook pro.)
Click to expand...

Any software is going to have more options than you'll ever use. Don't worry about that, you can learn to use what you need and ignore the rest.

I'm not sure what you mean by going the 500 series route. There will be ample eq, compression and other effects available inside the software so you really won't need hardware versions, though a minority of people do use them. In the software you can use as many copies of an effect as you like with no cost penalty until your computer runs out of processing power.
 
I mentioned Reaper earlier. A lot of people like it. I use Cubase, myself. Bit of a learning curve with initial setup, but plenty of people here to help get you through it.

You don't need to look at a full blown, expensive version of any DAW program. You can get 80% of what is offered while getting 100% of what you need by purchasing a cheaper version. Such as Cubase Elements for $99. But there are others too. Pro-Tools, Presonus, Ableton Live, Oh wait, ProTools is subscription based. That would turn me off right there. Reaper= $60. Samplitude, Propellerhead.

There are some free ones out there too. Muse(?), Krystal.
 
I was referring to the 500 series if I decide to continue recording new material; not to use when mixing.
Though not familiar with any of these programs, I am reluctant to believe effects included to be the equal of outboard gear.
Just have to jump in and find out for myself.
 
bmg said:
I was referring to the 500 series if I decide to continue recording new material; not to use when mixing.
Though not familiar with any of these programs, I am reluctant to believe effects included to be the equal of outboard gear.
Just have to jump in and find out for myself.
Click to expand...

The received wisdom is that DAW effects are BETTER than hardware in almost every case. There might be a rare, very expensive outboard compressor say that cannot queee-ite be simulated in software but mainly not.

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
The received wisdom is that DAW effects are BETTER than hardware in almost every case. There might be a rare, very expensive outboard compressor say that cannot queee-ite be simulated in software but mainly not.

Dave.
Click to expand...

Sorry...I completely disagree with that.

Sure, there are great software plugins...but there's a lot of great analog gear that sounds better than many plugs, and I wouldn't necessarily call it "rare, very expensive" (though I guess that's relative in the home rec world).
Compared to $29 plugins, most analog options are going to seem much more expensive for a similar task...but "rare/expensive" analog gear is stuff that could cost $10k-$20k or more, but you can find $500- $3k analog gear that sounds better than a lot of plugs...but again, that may still seem too expensive in a home rec setting, though for typical commercial studios that's actually not, and in most, you'll find racks and racks of it.

Also...most people who have both or have experienced both...will say that the bulk of plugins that were meant to simulate some specific high-end analog boxes, can come close, but they usually don't beat it out.
The other thing...of you're tracking/mixing with a more analog mentality...having a bunch of plugs in the DAW doesn't really make for simple usage in that analog environment. Yeah, you can make it work, but having the racked gear makes it much simpler.
For later mixing in or from a DAW...the plugins can be very useful along with the analog gear of you are coming back out of the DAW.
 
miroslav said:
Sorry...I completely disagree with that.

Sure, there are great software plugins...but there's a lot of great analog gear that sounds better than many plugs, and I wouldn't necessarily call it "rare, very expensive" (though I guess that's relative in the home rec world).
Compared to $29 plugins, most analog options are going to seem much more expensive for a similar task...but "rare/expensive" analog gear is stuff that could cost $10k-$20k or more, but you can find $500- $3k analog gear that sounds better than a lot of plugs...but again, that may still seem too expensive in a home rec setting, though for typical commercial studios that's actually not, and in most, you'll find racks and racks of it.

Also...most people who have both or have experienced both...will say that the bulk of plugins that were meant to simulate some specific high-end analog boxes, can come close, but they usually don't beat it out.
The other thing...of you're tracking/mixing with a more analog mentality...having a bunch of plugs in the DAW doesn't really make for simple usage in that analog environment. Yeah, you can make it work, but having the racked gear makes it much simpler.
For later mixing in or from a DAW...the plugins can be very useful along with the analog gear of you are coming back out of the DAW.
Click to expand...

But here is the relevant part-- Well 'parts.. #1
bmg said:
I was referring to the 500 series if I decide to continue recording new material; not to use when mixing. ....
Click to expand...


...Though not familiar with any of these programs, I am reluctant to believe effects included to be the equal of outboard gear.
Just have to jump in and find out for myself.
Click to expand...
Then #2..
Unless you are comparing- and intending to spring for a very nice analog mix rig, yes the plugs would be very tough to beat. (Not to mention something left out so far; That being the current status of mix automation -now available on anything and everything in the DAW environment!

So that leaves, spring for a very nice (or standard adequate fare utilitarian') record front end, with enough inputs, and perhaps a few support -eq / compressor pieces?
 
mixsit said:
Unless you are comparing- and intending to spring for a very nice analog mix rig...
Click to expand...

Well that's my point...there's a lot of very nice analog rigs that will beat the plugs...and not only "rare, very expensive" analog gear. :)
 
I'd rather have a good clean front end and a beefy computer to host as many good plugins as I'll need than a limited channel count of nice hardware compressors.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
I'd rather have a good clean front end and a beefy computer to host as many good plugins as I'll need than a limited channel count of nice hardware compressors.
Click to expand...

Well if you put it that way...:D...but I didn't think we were setting very specific scenarios.

How's this...
I would rather have both a clean front end and also lots of "color" options, a good handful or so of racked EQs and comps, and throw in a multi track tape deck and console...
...plus the beefy computer loaded with plugins. ;)

I kinda hate having to choose between this or that in any absolute way...so a lot of analog and digital options seemed to me like the best way to go.
 
miroslav said:
Well if you put it that way...:D...but I didn't think we were setting very specific scenarios.

How's this...
I would rather have both a clean front end and also lots of "color" options, a good handful or so of racked EQs and comps, and throw in a multi track tape deck and console...
...plus the beefy computer loaded with plugins. ;)

I kinda hate having to choose between this or that in any absolute way...so a lot of analog and digital options seemed to me like the best way to go.
Click to expand...

If you're buying, sure.
 
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