Anyone have Tips on getting the most out of

[David B]

I have all of these "Virtual Tracks" at my disposal, but I'm having a hard time conceptiualizing what I should be using them for.

Every time I record something, I'm still using a real track.

I typically send two (stereo) outputs from a drum machine to the stereo "7/8" channel on my 840GX. This gives me left and right side drums.

Then I start recording other instruments on tracks 1 through "5/6." Usually, this means there's one track of bass and three or four guitar parts.

What kinds of task should I be using the V tracks for?

 

[Tulago]

Virtual Tracks

David,

I have an older VS-840 expanded to EX with the software only upgrade (still 100mb zip drive). I use the 840 as a scratch pad for ideas and recording my own work, strictly home hobby stuff.

The 840 is basically an 8 track, 6 channel digital recorder with which you can record 4 tracks simultaneously. The virtual tracks essentially make it a 64 track machine for digital editing.

I use the virtual tracks for extra "takes" on parts of a song. for example, say you lay down:
Drums - track 7/8,
Bass - track 1
Rythum - track 2
Lead - track 3
Vocal - track 4.

Say you don't like the lead on track 3. Instead of over-dubbing on the same track, try laying down a second lead on track 3, V-track 2. If you don't like what you've done, lay down another V-track. Or, if you want, add additional leads, vocal harmonies or whatever on other V-tracks. Now you've got a body of work on multiple tracks and V-tracks you can select from for bouncing or mixing down.

When, you get over the leaning curve, you can also "cut and paste" from the best parts of your work onto still other V-tracks and then mix from there.

Hope this helps.

 

[zophim x]

some ideas

i generally record this way on my vs840:

track 1 - drum machine (mono)
track 2 - bass
track 3 - rhythm gtr
track 4 - rhythm gtr
then bounce 3&4 to track 7/8 (panning & mixing appropriately)this frees up 3&4 to do vocal tracks which i then bounce to 5/6. i can then go back and record my gtr solos or anything else i want on the virtual tracks on 3&4
with out erasing my original vocal takes. then when i do my final mix my rhythm gtrs are premixed & so are my vocals. but i still have the original vocal takes in case i need to remix. you can also use the virtual tracks to try out different takes and select the better one.
check out a couple of tunes i've recorded this way at
http://www.mp3.com/zophimx

this is just a suggestion & may not be the right way for you but it gives me enough flexability to get my demos finished. peace.

 

[David B]

These are great answers, folks. Pleas keep 'em coming.