4-track recorder or Loop Station?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tylund
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Tylund

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I am looking into equipment that would allow me to play rhythm and lead guitar with myself at home when I can't find anyone to play with. Would I be beeter off to buy a 4-track recorder or a loop station? I know nothing. What are the differences in capabilities and cost? There is a lot of info out there. Please help me sort.
 
Yo Tyland:

Don't know much about "loop" stations. However, forget getting a 4 track. It will limit your creative ability sooner or later. Go for at least 8 tracks or 16.

I have both. The 8 tracker is a Yam MD8 -- easy to use out of the box, but it does have its complicated parts too -- but these "parts" won't tie you up when you wish to record.

With a 4 tracker, if you bounce tracks you lose control of individual cuts -- thus, two tracks bounced to a 3rd track will only let you tweak the track, not the individual instruments you bounced -- bad gnus.

For the money, the MD8 is a good box and you can use a couple of data discs for years.

I am now learning my way around my Yam DAW 2816 -- great sounds but I'm glad I had experience with four other units, including the MD8 -- it helps me understand the DAW, and the folks on this site are a great help too.

So, that's it. Go for 8 tracks to begin and, later, maybe 16 or more.

Green Hornet






:D :D :p
 
Green Hornet,
Thanks for the response and info. I borrowed a loop station from my local guitar shop and have been playing with that the last few nights. Very fun! I'm looking mostly to lay down a rhythm and then loop it and play over the top. I don't have any desire (yet) to record abything for a public audience. The loop station seems quite simple and inexpensive, but am I missing something by not using a multitrack recorder? Could I accomplish the same with a 4 track. I mostly like playing improvisational music like blues and jazz. Ty
 
Yo Ty:

Well, with a 4 tracker, you can add a reverb unit and for sure, you can do the blues all night long.

You'd be able to add a bass line and tweak the sound. You could record direct or from a POD [I don't know much about pods but the folks on this site do.]

You'd still have a track to do a vocal. So a 4 tracker gives you:

one track = chords track 2: lead Track 3: bass line track 4: vocal.

Total result is fun and if, at this time, that's all you're after, go after it.

I know have a good idea of what a loop device is. Thanks.

Green Hornet
 
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