4 track tape recorder to PC- question regarding panning

[dwt77]

I'm not entirely sure if this belongs in this forum, but I'm attempting to solve a problem that seems like it shouldn't be complicated but is throwing me for a loop!
I have a Yamaha MT400 four track tape player and I'm attempting to dump some old songs off of this machine into my computer. I've tried connecting the four track direct, I've tried using a little usb inferface that I have as well connecting up red and white cables from the four track and turning those in to a single quarter inch cable. It works and I hear sound- BUT I can't control the panning on the individual tracks. So when I try to pan all the way left or right I often get no volume at all. So all the tracks are dead center and I can't get any seperation between anything. (Hope this makes sense)

A friend suggested I dump each track individually and mix them/pan them out through the computer but this is not only time consuming but I feel you lose the natural sound of the music when you are jigsaw puzzling it back together like this. If you are off by even a fraction of a second it can create rhythm issues in the music.

Any suggestion of what I could do to solve this? I'd like to be able to use the pan controls from the four track itself and dump it in to the computer exactly as it sounds mixed straight from the four track. (Like a special cord I could purchase from Radio Shack perhaps?)

 

[jpmorris]

You've got two choices - if you just want to dump the stereo mix, there should be a stereo out from the cassette deck.
If you want to digitize it in its original 4-track format so you can mix it on the PC, you'll need a sound card (probably a USB device) with at least 4 inputs. Mushing 4 tracks into two like that will give you very odd panning, as you've found out.

 

[A Reel Person]

...

You will need an RCA-to-1/8" stereo Y-cable adapter. This will let you record from the MT in stereo to the puter, using the 1/8" line in jack on your soundcard.

 

[dwt77]

You've got two choices - if you just want to dump the stereo mix, there should be a stereo out from the cassette deck.
If you want to digitize it in its original 4-track format so you can mix it on the PC, you'll need a sound card (probably a USB device) with at least 4 inputs. Mushing 4 tracks into two like that will give you very odd panning, as you've found out.

Thanks for the response. Yes! I have found out the hard way about the panning! Actually after reading your post and looking around a bit, I've decided to go ahead and start dumping the music in track by track (individually) and then trying to match everything up in rhythm after the tracks are on the computer. I feel like I'm spending WAY too much time on music that I'm really only wanting to capture for sentimental value. But this seems to be the most effective way to get it done - especially quality-wise.

 

[dwt77]

You will need an RCA-to-1/8" stereo Y-cable adapter. This will let you record from the MT in stereo to the puter, using the 1/8" line in jack on your soundcard.

So this is something that would go in to the headphone jack of the puter? I actually had a connector that eventually got me to the same end result (hard to explain the kind of connection) but it didn't work. BUT I'm wondering if that was because I had too much stuff attached together for it to work right. It would make the job a lot easier if I could just mix off of the four track and have that panned out correctly in to the computer. Thanks for the response! I'll try to grab this connector and try it out.

 

[jpmorris]

So this is something that would go in to the headphone jack of the puter? I actually had a connector that eventually got me to the same end result (hard to explain the kind of connection) but it didn't work. BUT I'm wondering if that was because I had too much stuff attached together for it to work right. It would make the job a lot easier if I could just mix off of the four track and have that panned out correctly in to the computer. Thanks for the response! I'll try to grab this connector and try it out.

It would go to the line-in (since the headphone is an output). Bear in mind that the onboard sound card may have interference from the PC itself unless it's a really good one, though.

 

[dwt77]

quick update

I still haven't managed to get that cord that was suggested. Will do that asap. But tonight I did manage to go out of the stereo inputs and record some tracks one by one. The latency issue makes it impossible though! I'll get 2 tracks synced up right for about 20 seconds and then the whole thing stats coming unglued and becomes totally off rhythm. I've tried adjusting latencies through Audacity and nothing relly works thus far. I'm thinking maybe the tape player itself is playing things at slightly different speeds every time? I can't correct it through latency software. I remember the good old days when I'd plug my four track in to a stereo and mix everything direct from the four track. i'd have a finalized cassette ready to go in an hour or so!

 

[Chilljam]

I still haven't managed to get that cord that was suggested. Will do that asap. But tonight I did manage to go out of the stereo inputs and record some tracks one by one. The latency issue makes it impossible though! I'll get 2 tracks synced up right for about 20 seconds and then the whole thing stats coming unglued and becomes totally off rhythm. I've tried adjusting latencies through Audacity and nothing relly works thus far. I'm thinking maybe the tape player itself is playing things at slightly different speeds every time? I can't correct it through latency software. I remember the good old days when I'd plug my four track in to a stereo and mix everything direct from the four track. i'd have a finalized cassette ready to go in an hour or so!

Yeah that's the cassette that is slightly varying the speed due to the mechanical nature of the device. If you want all 4 tracks still separate in the computer for editing then you need to get a 4 channel audio interface (records the 4 channels simultaneously rather than just 2 like your stereo line-in).