4-track to computer?

  • Thread starter Thread starter dork
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dork

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Can anyone tell me about any good software that can be used to take music from a four track recorder and put it on a computer?
Also, whenever I try to put the music on my computer when I listen back it sounds all distorted. Like I recorded it too loudly. I tried turning it down as much as I can but it doesn't help very much. Any ideas?
Thanks,
LUKE
 
Not sure what kind of computer or soundcard you have, but it could be something simple. When I first started recording on a PC I had a similar problem. I finally figured out that the mixer for the soundcard (a Soundblaster Live! Value - not great but for now it at least works, it just came with the PC) controls the recording level. I adjusted the record level there and was able to get a better signal into my multitracking software (N-track).

I also tried just recording on WAV files from the line input on the sound card without using N-track and it didn't really sound any different. The only reason I used N-track right away was to put those WAV files right into a song. Otherwise I would have had to import the WAV files into a new song. Once I got the tracks off tape, I was able to use various plug-ins for signal processing and also add new tracks to what was originally on tape.

Another possibility is to just lower the level coming out of your 4-track. If your soundcard software includes a level meter make sure that you're not going over 0 dB. That's not an awful thing when recording on tape (you can even use it to your advantage) but when recording digitally you get a really harsh distortion above that level.

[This message has been edited by DaveO (edited 07-26-2000).]
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by dork:
Can anyone tell me about any good software that can be used to take music from a four track recorder and put it on a computer?
Also, whenever I try to put the music on my computer when I listen back it sounds all distorted. Like I recorded it too loudly. I tried turning it down as much as I can but it doesn't help very much. Any ideas?
Thanks,
LUKE<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Do you mean you want to record each individual track onto the computer? Or the final mixdown to the computer? If you want to record a final mixdown to the computer it's easy. Your soundcard probably has a stereo input (1/8" jack). To get rid of that distortion you're talking about is so easy, but it's somewhat hidden in Windows 98 (In windows 95 it was as easy as pie to adjust). Go to Start, Control Panel, Multimedia, and under the "Audio" tab, under "Recording" click on the picture of a microphone and a little slider bar will apear, bring that down until it works for you, and adjust accordingly.
If you're looking to record to the computer track-by-track, you'll need a multitracking program, I use Cakewalk. But, if you're going to do that why would you record to the 4-track and then to the computer? Why not to the computer in the first place? Saves a bunch of time. Anyway... I have a sound card that has 8 inputs, it's called Layala. With that you could input each track and tell Cakewalk to record everyone, and then you'd have the multitrack recording on your computer.
-Later
 
One thing I read on this website was never let the recording level get into the red (recording level meter) when going into the computer. For a 4-track it's fine but for the computer it's very distorted. The last reply should cover everything you need. Now, to exploit this just a bit... I am trying to do the same thing but even when using stereo cables I can only hear the music through the left speaker. The speakers work fine when listening to other files. In short, any music I have panned (to the right, I think) gets lost in the background. So, how can I run music from my stereo headphones jack or 4-track into my PC and hear it through both speakers the way I intended it; the way it was recorded? Any help is much appreciated, thanks...
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by deadzenmen:
One thing I read on this website was never let the recording level get into the red (recording level meter) when going into the computer. For a 4-track it's fine but for the computer it's very distorted. The last reply should cover everything you need. Now, to exploit this just a bit... I am trying to do the same thing but even when using stereo cables I can only hear the music through the left speaker. The speakers work fine when listening to other files. In short, any music I have panned (to the right, I think) gets lost in the background. So, how can I run music from my stereo headphones jack or 4-track into my PC and hear it through both speakers the way I intended it; the way it was recorded? Any help is much appreciated, thanks...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah, just try plugging the headphone jack half-way into the sound card. Actualy the sweet spot is a little more than half way, but you can feel, and hear where it is. I don't know why they do it sometimes, but I have the same problem with my cheaper headphones. Let me know if that works for you.
 
Brian,

Ok, I went to Radio Shack and got a plug with a stero gold colored end and it works fine. Something about the gold tip made the difference. However, when I record from my 4-track I get lots of clicks and pops. I can hear the music well but the pops are loud enough to be annoying as hell. When I record from my stereo I get no clicks or pops but then the panning on the tape does not carry over to the computer. So it's either no panning and good sound, well, decent sound, or clicks and pops and panning. I've tried recording from my VCR and get the same results. One more note; when I record into the computer, I hear no clicks at all, only on playback. Does that mean the recording software is sub-par? Any suggestions? Thanks...
 
I used to get that clicking crap when I first started recording. I can't seem to remember what it was from but it bugged the piss out of me. I think it ended up being my sound card. If it's your sound card you'll have to get a better quality one. I don't think it was a hardware problem, ie: cords, or plugs. I wish I could remember what that was, but I can't. As my equipment got better, the problems just got smaller and smaller.
And can someone tell me why it says "Newbie" under my name all of a sudden?? geez.
 
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