Transferring Multitrack Reels Into Computer?
- Thread starter bmg
- Start date
bouldersoundguy
Well-known member
Bit depth ("word length") is under the Media tab of File -> Project settings. Sample rate is under the Project Settings tab of File -> Project settings.
jamesperrett
Active member
Weird thing happened today while transferring a tape:
Upon playback, I noticed a dropout, though it sounded more like the tape was folded.
When I checked the actual tape, there was no such glitch, so it occurred during the transfer.
I did the transfer again, and there was no issue.
But another song had the same problem, though bringing the levels down eradicated it.
Not sure what's causing this, as my levels are conservative, and I always check the file for any clipping.
Most of my tapes are Maxell XLI, and I've not had any problems with it (yet.)
This tape just happens to be a TDK GX/35.
I notice whenever I run a TDK tape through this machine, small pieces of tape remain on the rollers, etc.
And the tape needs a rewinding, as there is slippage when first played.
Most people online don't think there is a need for baking, but I'm thinking otherwise.
(After all, It does say 'back treated.')
Upon playback, I noticed a dropout, though it sounded more like the tape was folded.
When I checked the actual tape, there was no such glitch, so it occurred during the transfer.
I did the transfer again, and there was no issue.
But another song had the same problem, though bringing the levels down eradicated it.
Not sure what's causing this, as my levels are conservative, and I always check the file for any clipping.
Most of my tapes are Maxell XLI, and I've not had any problems with it (yet.)
This tape just happens to be a TDK GX/35.
I notice whenever I run a TDK tape through this machine, small pieces of tape remain on the rollers, etc.
And the tape needs a rewinding, as there is slippage when first played.
Most people online don't think there is a need for baking, but I'm thinking otherwise.
(After all, It does say 'back treated.')
jamesperrett
Active member
I often find that I need to go back and re-transfer part of a tape due to tape particles causing dropouts - even with tapes that have been baked. I often find that the second pass has fewer dropouts than the first pass as all the loose particles have already been removed on the first pass. I don't have many TDK reels but I remember having issues with one of them which could have been a GX. I mainly used Maxell and the odd TDK LX back in the 80s.
The more tapes I transfer, the more varying levels I'm encountering.
I'm keeping it all under clipping, but wondering if I'm being too conservative; some of the levels are reading -9, -12, etc.
I guess it's better to be under than over, but some of the quieter stuff I'm boosting a little, though I wish there was an easier way.
(Need to learn more about maximizing the input, while keeping it all under control.)
I'm keeping it all under clipping, but wondering if I'm being too conservative; some of the levels are reading -9, -12, etc.
I guess it's better to be under than over, but some of the quieter stuff I'm boosting a little, though I wish there was an easier way.
(Need to learn more about maximizing the input, while keeping it all under control.)
bouldersoundguy
Well-known member
TalismanRich
Well-known member
What he said! You don't realize how much headroom you have with 24bit. Just normalize after you finish recording it.
You're really overthinking this whole process. You've got a 5 gallon bucket and worrying if it will fit in a 50 gallon drum!
bouldersoundguy
Well-known member
The analog console I'm using right now is an inline style on which each channel can handle live inputs and playback at the same time. When you push the Flip button, a lot of the functions used for live inputs get applied to tape playback, for example the gain control. So if you recorded a track a little low, you can boost it a bit so you're running your fader in a more normal range. The clip gain in a DAW does essentially the same thing.
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bouldersoundguy
Well-known member
jamesperrett
Active member
Ignore normalising - most of the time there is no need to use it. When transferring tapes I try to keep average levels at -18dBFS but I find that the peak level depends on the engineer doing the recording. Some would keep things very compressed so that the peaks will be around -12dBFS while with other tapes the peaks could be as high as -2dBFS.
TalismanRich
Well-known member
Normalizing is helpful when you don't have enough range to bring samples up in the final max. In Reaper, you really only have +12 on the faders, so if you transfer low, you might run close on getting the final mix high enough, especially if you are just transferring and then burning to something like a CD. In that case, normalization has no penalty in terms of noise or headroom, and you basically can leave the faders close to 0. Plus, if you are doing any visual editing like finding the beginning and end of a track exactly, it's is a touch easier to see. Yes, you can do a bunch of zooms, but highlighting a track(or 3) and hitting Shift Cntrl N is a quick and easy way to get there.
jimmys69
MOODerator
I am curious now about how that works with faders/signal level/track gain in Reaper. Is it not easy to adjust individual track gain? Does it require adding something?
Seriously only curious, as it is like right there in Cubase to do easily. It would be beneficial I suppose, if I knew it is not the same in Reaper.
Seriously only curious, as it is like right there in Cubase to do easily. It would be beneficial I suppose, if I knew it is not the same in Reaper.
TalismanRich
Well-known member
It's not anything special that needs to be done. It's just that in Reaper, the standard fader range goes from -infinity to +12. So it you are trying to raise a track that is recorded so the highest peak is -20dBu, you'll really only be able to boost it up to -8dBu. To get it higher, you would have to raise the master fader an extra 8db.
Now, this is just the default level. You can change it under the preferences, like you could set the fader to go to +20, but is that really necessary? Remember, it's nondestructive editing, so normalizing the track doesn't do anything to the original file. It just "floats" the track up so that the highest peak is at 0. I just find it easier to operate where you can easily see the waveform without having to zoom in a bunch (great for editing) and working with the faders more in the middle of the range rather than everything maxed out.
The other thing to remember is that the fader position does not "correspond" to the number on the grid. That is for the meter, not the fader position. There are probably themes that have a fader number, but I don't use them. The line under the fader is the 0 marker.
Now, this is just the default level. You can change it under the preferences, like you could set the fader to go to +20, but is that really necessary? Remember, it's nondestructive editing, so normalizing the track doesn't do anything to the original file. It just "floats" the track up so that the highest peak is at 0. I just find it easier to operate where you can easily see the waveform without having to zoom in a bunch (great for editing) and working with the faders more in the middle of the range rather than everything maxed out.
The other thing to remember is that the fader position does not "correspond" to the number on the grid. That is for the meter, not the fader position. There are probably themes that have a fader number, but I don't use them. The line under the fader is the 0 marker.