advice

[Magnum Pi]

I need some feedback from some people who have messed with this stuff before. I am use to an ADAT and 8 Channel Board, but recent fall outs and what not have set me back to a fostex 4 track, my questions are.

whats the best way to record a guitar, bass, drum set, 1 or 2 vocal tracks, and a keyboard/synth track with a 4 track?

I have a few line mixers but I am kinda iffy about using them with the 4 track.
should we record 3 tracks and bounce them to 1, and repeat?

again. i am asking of people who have experience with this stuff, not people who think they know, or people who like to say "do a search" if i wanted to do a search or thought i could find what i want to know doing a search i would do a search and i wouldnt have to bother you people.

thanks

 

[bbbmusic]

Mag,

Don't get in a tif my man. Everyone here just wants to help, not be bitched at because they have suggested you do a search.
I have an FD-4 and a VF-16. I use a 12 channel mixer with the FD-4. That way I can use 6 mics on the drums and record them to 1 channel. Same goes with everything else. If you start pinging channels, you degrade the sound.
Good Luck
Later
Bruce

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

Yikes......... I have 2 things to say with this post....

again. i am asking of people who have experience with this stuff, not people who think they know, or people who like to say "do a search" if i wanted to do a search or thought i could find what i want to know doing a search i would do a search and i wouldnt have to bother you people.

I am experienced, and I definitely say "do a search" when I know there have been 10 posts listed recently that deal with the very question the poster is asking. Or I have answered the question myself somewhere else! How many times are the regulars supposed to answer the most basic questions over and over again! Gimme a break......


Now that being said...

whats the best way to record a guitar, bass, drum set, 1 or 2 vocal tracks, and a keyboard/synth track with a 4 track?

Back in my 4-track days, the most effective way I found to deal with more tracks than I had was to sub-mix to an external, high-quality mixdown unit.

Specifically in your case, you could do the drums with 2 channels (I always preferred drums in stereo), bass, and one rhythm instrument in one pass.

Submix (carefully, 'cos once it's done, it's done!) those 4 tracks to another unit, preferably DAT, CD-R, or even minidisc. Now copy the 2-track submix back to the 4-track (don't erase over your original tracks!) You can then get 2 more tracks down along with the submix...

More tips -
- if you add a live instrument as you submix, you'll get yourself another track for nothing...
- if you add a live instrument as you bump the submix back to your 4-track, you'll get yourself yet another track for nothing...
- make your tracks do double duty - many times a vocal will not occur during solo passages - so you can record your solos on the vocal track (punch-in/out). You have more work at mix-down, but hey, you're dealing with limitations of a small number of tracks!
- Also.......... DO A SEARCH!

Bruce