Am I headed for trouble?

[Cyrokk]

I thought I had an excellent idea to maximize my recording setup, but after reading a post on tape syncing, now I'm having second thoughts..

My idea was to use up all 8 tracks on my ADAT for drums. Next, I would make a rough mix down to 2 tracks using my Tascam DAT machine. Then I would record the DAT mix on a new ADAT tape, and use the remaining 6 tracks for all the other instruments..

I could then have 14 tracks on two separate ADAT tapes that I could load into a computer for mixdown..

Is this going to work, or am I going to have problems syncing up the two ADAT tapes when it goes into the computer? I'd test this out for myself, but I don't have a computer yet.. And if there is going to be a problem, then is there a way I can overcome this potential fiasco by somehow utilizing the drum machine's SMPTE?

Cy

 

[Fangar]

I thought I had an excellent idea to maximize my recording setup, but after reading a post on tape syncing, now I'm having second thoughts..

My idea was to use up all 8 tracks on my ADAT for drums. Next, I would make a rough mix down to 2 tracks using my Tascam DAT machine. Then I would record the DAT mix on a new ADAT tape, and use the remaining 6 tracks for all the other instruments..

I could then have 14 tracks on two separate ADAT tapes that I could load into a computer for mixdown..

Is this going to work, or am I going to have problems syncing up the two ADAT tapes when it goes into the computer? I'd test this out for myself, but I don't have a computer yet.. And if there is going to be a problem, then is there a way I can overcome this potential fiasco by somehow utilizing the drum machine's SMPTE?

Cy

Here is what i do that is sort of similar...

Record the tracks of audio onto the ADAT (Drums or whatever). Then sync it down to 8 tracks on your PC (Via ADAT PCR if it works with your system or any other PCR that will allow you to SYNC to the ADAT (With ADAT as slave). Then Once you have the 8 tracks down on the PC, you can record over the tracks on the ADAT that you don't need as they are already on the PC. When you go to transfer the new tracks to the PC, just use the same punch time (WITH PC as Master again) and the wav files will be the exact same length. They will be perfectly synced. I only do this when I need more than 8 tracks. So for example:

Track 1 & 2 Drum machine.
Track 3&4 Guitar Track.
Track 5 Lead Track
Track 6 Bass
Track 7 Vocals
Track 8 Vocals

Once those are recorded and dumped to PC, then I can create upto 8 new tracks. I usually keep tracks 1-4 so that i can play to something for reference (Scratch tracks if you will). Then dump the new stuff down. Works for me with not noticeable signal loss. Good luck,

Fangar

 

[Kendog]

You may have a problem with this method. The weak link here is the DAT. Since it's tape and motor based with no time code, you will assuredly end up with a time difference. The scary part is that it COULD be almost unnoticeable as a timing difference, but will still give you a phase difference that will get worse the longer the song goes on. This method would only work with short clips like sfx or music for loops. You need to always be synced somehow.

This is what PC and ADAT setups are made for. As long as you have reliable sync, you can throw in as many tracks as your HD and processor will allow.

As Fangar said, once you get your computer you'll be unlimited.
The most important part is sync. I happen to use JLCooper's Datasync2 and it works like a charm. Set it and forget it. Haven't so much as touched it in three or four years.

 

[Fishmed]

Many, many years ago....

A long time ago when I was recording with just one ADAT (before audio recording was reasonable for the PC) I did something simular. in the end I had my drums on two tracks with 6 remaining. The problem I had is that after the rest of the music was recorded the drums did not have the right mix. For example, the cymbals were fine in the mix with no other instruments, but when all the recording was done, they were not loud enough for the mix.

My advice: if you are going to get a PC, make sure you sync up the adat to your PC. Record your drums to the ADAT, then record the remaining tracks directly to the PC. If that is too costly, I would buy a second ADAT since they have come way down in price.

 

[Cyrokk]

Thanks for the advice. Once I get the pc, I'll definately change things up with respect to how I track using both the pc and the adat..

Since it may be some time before I can afford a computer, I was hoping I could bide my time by getting some of the tracking done on the ADAT.. And thinking this through a little more, I think I have a solution of sorts:

Instead of recording drums to adat, I'll record SMPTE on track 1 SMPTE, and track 2 as a mono track of the drums. Then I'll use tracks 3 through 8 for guitars, bass, etc.

Then, when I get my computer, I'll feed the SMPTE track back into the drum machine to sync the drums to the rest of the tracks and record drums straight into the computer. This eliminates time problems with DAT and reduces the mechanical factor to just the adat.. Furthermore, I could probably test out this theory without a computer by feeding the tracks and the drum machine outs to the mixer and mixdown to DAT..

Thanks again for the input..

Cy