Bouncing tracks to stereo

[Will25]

Just thinking while walking home....in theory this should work? Ie bounce tracks 1+2+3+4 to track 8 with, say track 4 at 8 on the fader, other tracks at 7. then bounce 1+2+3+4 to track 7, set all tracks to 7 on the fader but track 4 to 6 on the fader. pan accordingly. Dos this work or is it more hassle than it's worth?

 

[grimtraveller]

What are you trying to achieve ? It will work, but I can't fathom what you're trying to get. Some kind of stereo situation that comes from tracks 7 and 8 ?
It also depends what is actually on tracks 1,2,3 and 4.

 

[RAMI]

Just thinking while walking home....in theory this should work? Ie bounce tracks 1+2+3+4 to track 8 with, say track 4 at 8 on the fader, other tracks at 7. then bounce 1+2+3+4 to track 7, set all tracks to 7 on the fader but track 4 to 6 on the fader. pan accordingly. Dos this work or is it more hassle than it's worth?

No, you'll just end up with louder mono tracks. You can't create "stereo" out of thin air. All you're doing in your example, is bouncing the same tracks to 7 and 8. It won't accomplish anything other than duplicate those tracks.

 

[mjbphotos]

No, you'll just end up with louder mono tracks. You can't create "stereo" out of thin air. All you're doing in your example, is bouncing the same tracks to 7 and 8. It won't accomplish anything other than duplicate those tracks.

And have one of the sources (4) louder on 8 than on 7.
I guess you are using a stand-alone recorder? What are you trying to accomplish?

 

[grimtraveller]

What actually is on tracks 1,2,3 and 4 that you want to bounce to tracks 7 and 8 ?

 

[Armistice]

What actually is on tracks 1,2,3 and 4 that you want to bounce to tracks 7 and 8 ?

Nothing urgent, apparently...

 

[Will25]

Ah apologies, I'm not actually in this situation at the moment but was thinking hypothetically. I was thinking of recording a lot of instruments so this would have been useful should it have worked but I guess keeping it mono is much simpler!

 

[Lt. Bob]

Ah apologies, I'm not actually in this situation at the moment but was thinking hypothetically. I was thinking of recording a lot of instruments so this would have been useful should it have worked but I guess keeping it mono is much simpler!

actually, since all a pan does is make instruments louder on one side than the other, technically you could achieve panning using your idea though it would take a LOT of experimentation to figure out what levels would place something where you wanted it.
But why wouldn't you simply bounce a stereo mix to 2 tracks so you could simply pan stuff?

 

[grimtraveller]

technically you could achieve panning using your idea though it would take a LOT of experimentation to figure out what levels would place something where you wanted it.
But why wouldn't you simply bounce a stereo mix to 2 tracks so you could simply pan stuff?

^^^^^^^^^^
This would be the way to go Will25. If you record on tracks 1~6, you can then bounce those 6 to 7 and 8. The benefit of this is that a) you can pan the instruments however you like across the stereo field and b) you have 6 free tracks again. You could repeat the process with new stuff (tracks 1~4 going to 5 and 6 as a stereo pair }.
But like Lt Bob says, you would need alot of experimenting and further to that, your stereo tracks are fixed forever and it's a headache and a nightmare. It's going to be almost impossible to know at the first bounce what any of the other bounces will sound like. There again, this is dependent on what instruments are actually being bounced and how many elements are in your song. For example, that first 6 track bounce could be drums. It can definitely work but it's not easy. Might be just what you need to get you well in there !

 

[snatchman]

^^^^^^^^^^
This would be the way to go Will25. If you record on tracks 1~6, you can then bounce those 6 to 7 and 8. The benefit of this is that a) you can pan the instruments however you like across the stereo field and b) you have 6 free tracks again. You could repeat the process with new stuff (tracks 1~4 going to 5 and 6 as a stereo pair }.
But like Lt Bob says, you would need alot of experimenting and further to that, your stereo tracks are fixed forever and it's a headache and a nightmare. It's going to be almost impossible to know at the first bounce what any of the other bounces will sound like. There again, this is dependent on what instruments are actually being bounced and how many elements are in your song. For example, that first 6 track bounce could be drums. It can definitely work but it's not easy. Might be just what you need to get you well in there !

Actually, years ago this is how most aspiring home recordist in my local area made recordings..Only thing is, it was bounced between two portable stereo cassette players..!..Didn't do much for ya sonically, but it did teach you arrangements/level/reverb/panning technics that you "HAD" to get right before you could proceed to the next bounce..Ahhh...quite the teacher it was...Good luck if you give this a whirl..

 

[Lt. Bob]

Actually, years ago this is how most aspiring home recordist in my local area made recordings..Only thing is, it was bounced between two portable stereo cassette players..!..Didn't do much for ya sonically, but it did teach you arrangements/level/reverb/panning technics that you "HAD" to get right before you could proceed to the next bounce..Ahhh...quite the teacher it was...Good luck if you give this a whirl..

man that's true. For a very long time everything I did was done within the 4 tracks of a 3340 ...... you really learned how things wer gonna sit in the mix ........ mostly by having stuff disappear when you didn't want it to or dominate the mix when you wanted it subtle!

 

[snatchman]

man that's true. For a very long time everything I did was done within the 4 tracks of a 3340 ...... you really learned how things wer gonna sit in the mix ........ mostly by having stuff disappear when you didn't want it to or dominate the mix when you wanted it subtle!

Ahhh...the 3340..!..Great machine for it's time..This machine help the band I was mixing for at that time get a record deal with Arista..!

 

[Lt. Bob]

Ahhh...the 3340..!..Great machine for it's time..This machine help the band I was mixing for at that time get a record deal with Arista..!

I still have mine ..... it still works!
I have a 2340 also.

Arista was one of my favorite labels ...... what band was it?
PM me if you prefer it not be a public thing.

 

[grimtraveller]

Didn't do much for ya sonically, but it did teach you arrangements/level/reverb/panning technics that you "HAD" to get right before you could proceed to the next bounce..Ahhh...quite the teacher it was....

man that's true. For a very long time everything I did was done within the 4 tracks of a 3340 ...... you really learned how things wer gonna sit in the mix ........ mostly by having stuff disappear when you didn't want it to or dominate the mix when you wanted it subtle!

It was due to the trials and tribulations on a 4 track that nudged me into buying an 8 track. And then moreorless the same thing happened. So I moved from analog to a digital 12 track with 238 virtual tracks. It makes life so much easier. Funny thing is, now that I have more tracks than ever before, I'm becoming quite economical ! No pressure to use all 12.

 

[snatchman]

It was due to the trials and tribulations on a 4 track that nudged me into buying an 8 track. And then moreorless the same thing happened. So I moved from analog to a digital 12 track with 238 virtual tracks. It makes life so much easier. Funny thing is, now that I have more tracks than ever before, I'm becoming quite economical ! No pressure to use all 12.

Exactly...When Adats were in demand ( or something), I remember this group that asked me to mix their Adat tracked song, had 'bout 48 tracks ( 6 Adat machines locked together). After listening to the track I asked them if I could " produce" this song..They said yes..I re-arranged/edited/ consolidated/omitted some of the tracks..Ended up with 24 tracks..!.Simply amazing how they tracked this..Had some tracks with just a measure of signal.!.Everyone was happy...

 

[dkelley]

Actually, years ago this is how most aspiring home recordist in my local area made recordings..Only thing is, it was bounced between two portable stereo cassette players..!..Didn't do much for ya sonically, but it did teach you arrangements/level/reverb/panning technics that you "HAD" to get right before you could proceed to the next bounce..Ahhh...quite the teacher it was...Good luck if you give this a whirl..

actually, this is how we ALL did it years ago. machine to machine, bouncing as we went, adding instruments as we went. Who invented it (or at least made it famous)? Les Paul.

I did my first overdubbed recording this way at 16 playing guitar, bass, and singing and playing lead guitar. 2 cassette decks. it was 1986.

 

[mjbphotos]

If you DIDN'T do your first recordings this way, you are too f'ing young! When I did my first song demos for my early-80s band this way they were amazed that I had multiple voices and guitars in the demos!