headache with Tascam DP-01FX

  • Thread starter Thread starter Takamine Jo
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Takamine Jo

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Hey out there in the world of recording............I am not good at all with this recording equipment thing......had a Tascam 424MKII and had finally figured out how to work it and now have bought the new Tascam DP-01FX and it's suppose to be user friendly......and it may be, but not for this brain! Can someone offer up any info on the assigning inputs? I have been able to record guitar and accidently was able to get mic to work but not sure "how" and "what" I did.......can still record guitar....but now can't get any sound thru mic......it's driving me nuts! I keep trying to switch assigning keys but something is not connecting. I'm getting a signal but no sound. HELP!!!!
Thanks.
 
Got to make sure you un-assign the last channel you used.
 
Assigning Inputs

Push and hold the Assign button for which ever input you are working with, while still holding the assign button push the record button for the track you are wanting to arm. Then release the two buttons and the record button should stay lit. If you have recorded a track and done a playback and maybe got distracted by something else, and you forget which track the input is assigned to just push the assign button for the input in question and the record button for the track the input is assigned to will light up.
Hope this helps,
 
so whats the word...???

Shakkalath said:
Push and hold the Assign button for which ever input you are working with, while still holding the assign button push the record button for the track you are wanting to arm. Then release the two buttons and the record button should stay lit. If you have recorded a track and done a playback and maybe got distracted by something else, and you forget which track the input is assigned to just push the assign button for the input in question and the record button for the track the input is assigned to will light up.
Hope this helps,
Click to expand...

any new pro's and con's?

sounds like you've had some time with the unit.

how is the effects working?
does the DP let you have different effects on each track,
while recording?

i gave up on deciding and ordered some Whafs Monitors...order got cancelled,
so now I';m ponderiong again....

always watching the DP posts tho.
 
still stressing!!

I have recorded a couple of times.....but I guess it was by accident because right at this moment the assigning inputs are driving me nuts! I think the recorder is going to be great once I figure out how the heck to use it! If someone could just walk me thru the order of these inputs it would be great.......as in, do I press the shift key first....then the assign key A or B..then while holding down assign key do I press record key until lit?.....or just give me the order of what to press first. I believe I unarm each time ....I have pressed everything in every different way that I know how but obviously I don't know what I'm doing. I thought this would be the easy part. Once, I was able to record 4 tracks bam, boom, bang.....no problem....now I recorded the guitar but can't get a signal for the next track! HELP!
Thanks for working with an slow learner. :mad:
 
Let's just work with input "A". Push the "ASSIGN A" button and hold it. If no tracks light up then none are assigned. If any flash then press them (but no need to hold), whilst still holding the assign button down, so they do not light any more. Do the same with "ASSIGN B" Now if you want track "1" assigned then hold the "ASSIGN A" button down while at the same time press the "REC/ MUTE" button at the top of track "1" and it will flash red. Let both buttons go. Then press the track "1" "REC" button and it will flash red and is armed to record. Set your levels and then push record and play at the same time on the lower right group of buttons which look just like a tape recorder and they work the same.
When done recording press the flashing red "REC/MUTE" button and it will stop flashing. To rerecord that track just press "REC/MUTE" button to get it flashing again. Track OK? Then press and hold "ASSIGN A" whilst pressing the flashing "REC/MUTE" button on track "1" and it will not flash and no longer be armed. Now to track "2". Press and hold "ASSIGN A" and press "REC/MUTE" above track "2" so it flashes and go man go.
You can only record 2 (two) tracks at a time.
Should work. Took me a few tries to get this part, but makes sence.
 
haha -


Im glad someone else is having this trouble. I think I have it down now though. I can record, use effects, etc but I have no idia how to get started mixing and mastering :(
 
DP01 So Far...

This is really my second weekend of recording with it and so far so good. First off all I have to record with at this point is an acoustic guitar, a drum machine is the next purchase. With that said, I have had no problems assigning tracks for recording or assigning the effects to a or b. Of course I have experience with multi-track recording so maybe that makes the difference.
One draw back for somebody wanting to record 2 tracks at once is the effects can only be assigned to one input at a time, but if you just working by yourself this is not a problem.
One thing I am not understanding with the effects is, you have control over the parameter, and the volume for the effect. The volume is a curious thing as at first I was trying to use the volume as a "mix" variable, ie, wet to dry ratio. I doesn't work that way, it is actually effects gain, and with it turned down, your input signal goes down as well. I am not understanding why the effects volume operates this way, to me it doesn't make any sense. Maybe somebody can shed some light as why it would be set up this way.
One other thing that I have noted, as I have had the problem happen twice now is powering up the unit. Two times at power up it seems to just get "hung". The screen won't display anything, it just faintly shows the LCD boxes, no letters or numbers, just the boxes themselves. I have had to turn it off let it reset and turn it back on very slowly for it to initialize. If this keeps up I will have to take her back and get it exchanged.
I read on another post, about the DP being limited. Yes as compared to larger set ups, and DAWs it is. But for the market it is intended for and the price paid it its one hell of a unit in my opinion. With outboard effects and a mixer, this unit could be used to produce some mighty fine sounding music. Here again, you just have to work around the limitations.
I have gone all the way through the process, recording mixing down to 2 track saved as a wave file in the FAT partition, hooked up the usb port and uploaded to the computer. One note on that process that is not real clear in the manual once you have mixed down the tracks to stereo L and R, you must save the "master". In the manual you jump from page 24 to page 45 to accomplish process. If you do not save the master you have completed and move on to the next master the previous master is overwritten. The manual is not real clear at least to me anyway on this process. Of course it could just me, ADHD is no fun folks!
Well I guess thats about it at this point. Today, I have a lead track to add to the song I am working on, and I have a finger picking song I am want to get tracked as well. Then it's mixdown time!

Until Then,
Straight Ahead!
 
Anyone wanna take the time to explain how you go about mastering something youve recorded. Ive duely noted the recording give what you put into it and im very curious to see how much different it will sound once mastered. Also, would one suggest recording through a pro mic, or plugging directly into the unti. Any help and advice is appreciated. funny thing I have ADD too :P
 
Yippee!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! With your simple instructions , it worked! I have now figured out how to use the Assigning inputs! But I may need you again later on to figure out how to hook into computer and get my music onto a CD. Actually there will be plenty that I will need help with I'm sure......such as punching in and out when making mistakes. As far as mixing.......I don't know much, but I thought you just adjusted the controls on each track until you get the sound you like and then burn it onto your CD. Am I wrong? I plug my guitar directly into the recorder then find the guitar effect I like......then for vocals I do the same using a condenser mic. I think it sounds pretty awesome. The reverb definitely helps! If there are better ways of getting better sound......somebody talk to me!
 
Just don't over do your effects and listen to your stuff through a few sources such as different headphones and a stereo or boom box or two to see if it is acceptable through most, or at least how you like to listen. Compare your mix with a CD that you like. Won't be the same of course but will be a reference. Little things I learned along the way.
Hope I helped a little here on this thread.
 
tracking sounds good-to-go

Shakkalath said:
I have gone all the way through the process, recording mixing down to 2 track saved as a wave file in the FAT partition, hooked up the usb port and uploaded to the computer. Until Then,
Straight Ahead!
Click to expand...

sounds like you got it. appreciate the feedback. i may be upgrading
in the near. appreciate the posts.

so you took it all the way into the PC via USB.
Skipping D/a.. A/d..nice.

I'm thinking if it was me (old porta-head/analog)...technophobe.
I'd probably not use the Tascam effects while tracking.
Just use outboard gear, Tascam for hd recorder only.
Would that make it easier at least at first?
most recommend tracking dry anyway.

upload to PC i'd probably do the mix/master on the PC too.

USB 2, pretty userfriendly and keeps it in digital, sounds great.
 
IMHO, outboard effects would give you much more control over the effect parameters for sure. The only problem I see is that the unit has only one effects buss, and no other bussing options, inserts etc. or seperate busses. So at mixdown time your still only going to be able to use one effect loop. Myself if I was going that route which I will be someday (grin) I would record the tracks dry, export the raw tracks via the USB port to your computer and use a DAW with plugins to add different effects to the different tracks during mixdown.
As for me, tracking with or with out effects it just depends on the situation and what I am tracking. I always prefer to put my vocals down dry however there are exceptions to that rule as well! It's all a matter of taste, as I read somewhere those two things on the side of your head are your best tool when it comes to making decisions like this :D
As Kramster said when it comes to effects "less is more", the more tweaking and adding effects you do the further your mix gets away from you. That is one of the problems is I see with the DAW's and people new to recording. They have all these new whistles and bells to add, and before you know it the mix sounds like dirt, muddled, no dynamics, and no distinction in the soundscape. One of the most important things you can do before you even start tracking, is take an inventory of the instruments you plan on having in the song, envision the final product and place your instruments in the sound scape. For us old timers that use to mean just left and right, front and back. Now day with the surround sound revolution it is going to mean a full 360 degree sound scape!


Until The Next Time...
Straight Ahead
 
Also, it seems to me, when someone adds a lot of effects they are covering something or afraid to put it (guitar, voice...) out there. More than a few times someone will have a CD they did on thier own and all the effects they use get in the way and sounds almost "wishy-washy" if I may be so graphic.
My 3 1/2 cents.
 
no pc required

How's this sound for the technophobe porta-studio
songwriter/musician? no pc required.

DP01 FX- $500 16/44.1K
Fiber Optic to the
Masterlink $700>>> RedBook CD 16/44.1K.

What kind of monitors you guys using?
 
Monitor wise I have not gotten that far yet! :) Maybe after the drum machine, but only time will tell.
If anybody out there is looking for a good deal on a DP01FX, check out www.bswusa.com, they have a package deal, Sennheiser HD202 headphones, a Audio Technica AT2020 condenser mic and the DP01FX...all for $499! That's what I paid for my DP alone! The perfect starter package. I found this deal in the back of the new EQ magazine. Sweet deal it seems like!

Until Then...
Straight Ahead!
 
I bought mine from the Guitar Center.......DP-O1 studio 499.00......condenser mic/with guitar mic....99.00...and Studiophile DX4 monitors...149.00....total 700 bucks. I like the monitors....great sound. Anyone else have these monitors.......and what do you think? I think it's all gonna sound really good once I figure out how to use it all and get the best sound.
Sometimes I pick up a loud humming noise coming thru the monitors.......can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong. I know I have something set at the wrong level.
Thanks
 
Your humming noise is either going to be EMI (electomechanical interference) or a grounding problem. Are you using single coil pick ups on the guitar?
 
I'm not sure about the "single coil" guitar thing?? Guess I'm an ignorant musician. But I do know when I hold the cable of the mic or guitar right at the top where it is plugged into recorder the hummimg seems to stop. What do you think?
And I'm confused about using the parameter for different effects. Should I set it for vocals and guitar before recording.......and what about reverb? The first time I recorded my voice it seemed clearer.....not sure how I did it.......but next time I went back to record......it sounds muffled????
 
Also......having trouble finding the songs I saved. Help!
 
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