4 track cassette only good for demos, while real records are made on 2" Studer?

  • Thread starter Thread starter cjacek
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Hi_Flyer said:
The biggest limitation of these machines is their low track count (especially four track portastudios). In a professional situation. You need to be able to accomodate a client's needs, whatever they may be. 4 or 8 tracks just doesn't cut it, even if sonically, those four tracks sound good.

also I think there are factors other than fidelity. Take the Tascam I just traded in for the Otari for example. It was far more difficult to bias, calibrate, align and service the Tascam. You had to take the thing apart. The Otari could be set up quickly and easily, controls were easily accessible fom the back, it has a built in o-scope, etc... In a professional environment, where time is money and you charge clients by the hour, you can't take an hour to take apart your deck, you need to get it set up within minutes.

Sometimes the difference between "pro" and "semi-pro" is just extra features, not sound.
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Hey, of course there are viable reasons to get one of the "pro" machines and I, for one, have not counted out getting a "washing machine;)", sometime into the future but I'm not gonna get it on sound quality alone but rather, and most importantly, on the high built quality all around and easy servicing of those units. No one can dispute that "pro" level machines are just much better built and much easier to service / work on - two of the most important reasons to opt for a 500lb beast.

As far as track count, we all know that didn't stop many superior 50's and 60's records from being produced. Studios used multiple mono, 2, 3 and 4 track machines and bounced a lot and / or musicians played together. It's just easier with a 8, 16 or a 24 track.;)
 
"Your skill as a technician and your abilities as an artist will be significant factors in the results you achieve."

I copied this straight out of the opening statement in the Tascam 388 manual. That says it all for me. With a little bit of talent and creativity you can make "semi - pro" gear sound awesome. I have seen some amazing people get some amazing sounds out of equipment that was no where near "pro" level. Like seeing a buddy, run his vocals through a 'piece of junk' reel to reel in the corner of the room, just to use the tubes in it, and in turn laying down one of the most amazing vocal tracks on his Tascam 488 that I have heard recorded.

As far as people believing that the Tascam line of consumer decks are just demo quality, I think that is just a scam. Commercial studios, major labels, and what not would love for everyone to believe that only professionals can produce professional music.

Alot of it also has to do with personal taste. Personally I would prefer a raw, slightly unpolished, local band's recording any day over a spit shined big sounding Nickleback album.

I think the whole 'convenience' factor is an issue too. Most people don't know, and don't want to learn how to get consumer decks to produce great results. To me, that is the reason digital recording is taking the world be storm, because it is more convenient for most people. Same reason there is a McDonalds, or Wal Mart on every corner now.
 
Herm said:
I guess I should say this was just a jam at my house a few years ago. We had never played the song and I had just thrown up a few mic,s and hit record on my Fostex R8 and fostex 812 mixer.
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For a jam, thrown together that way it sure rocks! Hell, for any setup it ROCKS!!:):)

I wish we could get more of you guys ie Tim Dan Jeff and everyone else to post some of their work on here that is done with their analog gear.
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As for myself, I'm just not there yet as far as being completely happy with the results and I'm continually working on it. I will, one day, post something to be sure. I'm finding the only limitation to be my knowledge and circumstances in my life, rather than my gear.
 
this thread has been incredibly informative and interesting.
I recorded some music on my Tascam 424 Mk III portastudio last year, some of it was bounced down onto an external Technics minidisc recorder (I wanted to try and maintain the clarity of the audio) and then recorded back into the four-track as one channel of audio so that more overdubs could be made.
Some of it was recorded live, with all of the musicians in the room being picked up by two Shure PG81 condenser mics with the remaining two channels being taken up by a DI'd acoustic bass and a vocal take being captured by a shure SM57. You can here it here it on myspace. Just type my name, Jud Vandy into the music search engine.
The overdubbed tracks are: Picture Of The Sun and Lights From St Ives.
The live track is: Jellybaby.
Please note: Jellybaby features a guitar solo overdub that was captured through a live channel as I recorded the mixdown onto minidisc. The vocal harmony/double-track was recorded live at the same time as the solo. If you listen carefully, you can hear my voice waver slightly on the first line just after the solo, as I'm trying to re-adjust the desk and sing at the same time!
I'd love to know what some of you think of the technical aspects of these recordings. I'm aware that Picture Of The Sun lacks low-end! This is because of my clarity hang-up that I had at the time. :)
enjoy!
 
As an owner of a Porta-07 and a 424 and several digital interfaces that eat either for breakfast, AND being a friend of a guy with a 24-track 2" Studer (for sale, BTW) I can emphatically state that there is plenty of territory between hiss-land and the promised land. ;)
 

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I think that means you are wrong.

...........................:eek::rolleyes:
 
PS: Would drstawl please tell me if the Porta 07 is a single- or double-speed deck?

Thanks!!!.....................:eek:;)
 
drstawl said:
As an owner of a Porta-07 and a 424 and several digital interfaces that eat either for breakfast, AND being a friend of a guy with a 24-track 2" Studer (for sale, BTW) I can emphatically state that there is plenty of territory between hiss-land and the promised land. ;)
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That's just fine and I agree, in a more general sense, but at the same time, not all cassette decks are / were created equal (and you picked the lower end cassette stuff as comparison to a top line Studer), nor are we neccessarily pitting cassette vs a "studer" type machine. That's not really the crux of the argument, as outlined in my opening post.
 
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funkytonk said:
Commercial studios, major labels, and what not would love for everyone to believe that only professionals can produce professional music.
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And so "everyone" does belive so. And this is the reason why it is the way it is.
***********
The Industry does what it does best. Good for The Industry.
The Industry is not a problem. The problem is the ignorance of Mr. "everyone". More to that, Mr. Ignorant "Everyone" uses The Industry as THE SOURCE of "information" for his "education", which just reinsures Mr. Ignorant "Everyone's" status quo.
And so that's why it is the way it is.
It is the way it is everywhere - talk about recording, talk about doog food, talk about toothpaste, cooking oil, cars, sneakers, underwear, tennis racket, kitchen knives... you name it.
***********

Daniel! Good thread. Also I have nothing to say about it ...heh heh ;):D
***********
A side note:
"YES! YOU CAN GROW YOUR OWN POTATOES!"
They come out just as sweet or even sweeter as the ones from a supermarket.
:D:D:D
( photo source )
 

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cjacek said:
That's just fine and I agree, in a more general sense, but at the same time, not all cassette decks are / were created equal (and you picked the lower end cassette stuff as comparison to a top line Studer), nor are we neccessarily pitting cassette vs a "studer" type machine. That's not really the crux of the argument, as outlined in my opening post.
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It wasn't a comparison.

They were endpoints of a range of equipment.
 
drstawl said:
range of equipment
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"range of equipment" - IS The Fundamental Cement of The Consumer Ignorance, now and forever. AMEN.
:)

/respects
 
Dr ZEE said:
"range of equipment" - IS The Fundamental Cement of The Consumer Ignorance, now and forever. AMEN.
:)

/respects
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Howso?

Not everyone needs a 24-track 2" tape machine or is even willing to buy ONE reel of tape to feed it.

Explain how the existence of a "range" of equipment equates with ignorance of any kind. :confused:
 
drstawl said:
Explain how the existence of a "range" of equipment equates with ignorance of any kind. :confused:
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"Existence" of a "range" of equipment does not equate with ignorance of any kind. "It" does not equate with anything.
Wide range of kinds of (consumer) ignorance complies with the notion of existence of any and all kinds of "ranges" of equipment (consumer products).

/respects
 
Dr ZEE said:
"Existence" of a "range" of equipment does not equate with ignorance of any kind. "It" does not equate with anything.
Wide range of kinds of (consumer) ignorance complies with the notion of existence of any and all kinds of "ranges" of equipment (consumer products).

/respects
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Restating the same ridiculous statement does nothing to provide the reasoning behind it. :rolleyes:
 
Look up a fellow named "John Vanderslice". He recorded an album using only his Tascam 424. (Don't quote me on that, it's just what I've heard) I think the the album is titled: Life and Death of an American Four-tracker. Something like that. I don't own the record, but I've heard it, it's sonically amazing. I believe it was also a commercial release. The sound is very very pro.. He is also a studio genius, but it just goes to show you what you can do on a cassette multitracker if you have the skills.
Cheers,

Aaron
 
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