help for a dumbbutt

[dano2819]

Hey there.
Just dropped way too much money on a Fostex VF08. Too stupid to figure out how to use it. Too lazy to read instruction manual. Too stupid to figure out how to use it even if I wasn't too lazy to have read the manual.
Any satisfied users out there who want to walk me through? I already know the basics, but my recordings sound suspiciously like a 8 buck tape recorder from wal-mart (maybe i should just trade it in for one).
thanks for your help.
dan

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

Hey there.
Just dropped way too much money on a Fostex VF08. Too stupid to figure out how to use it. Too lazy to read instruction manual. Too stupid to figure out how to use it even if I wasn't too lazy to have read the manual.
Any satisfied users out there who want to walk me through? I already know the basics, but my recordings sound suspiciously like a 8 buck tape recorder from wal-mart (maybe i should just trade it in for one).

Sorry... too lazy to help!



Bruce

 

[oneArtist]

Dan,
I have a D824 which comes with a Quick-Start manuel. If you have a Quick-Start manuel, get someone to read it step by step while you complete each step. The chances of just stumbling on the right buttons are very poor. These things are computers and they have to have the right buttoms pushed or they just sit there and stare at you. Your poor recording may be due to improper syncing?
Have someone read.
Chuck

 

[micmac]

I'm not satisfied. But if you have any specific questions, i'll try to help you out.

micmac

 

[dano2819]

ok, so maybe i was exaggerating a bit...i've read the manual (ever see the news radio where mr. james had his book, wildly successful in japan, translated back over from japanese in an attempt to sell more copies in the us?), and i can record a track from my accoustic guitar, do the playback and record on top of it with singing or whatever. it just sounds like crap (sure, MY PLAYING may be crap, but the crap i'm talking about is like a new kind of crap, independant of my lack of talent). i've listened to the demo, so i guess its possible to make a professional sounding recording, but i don't get how...mostly, say you've recorded a couple of tracks--how do you bounce down while being in control of the relative volumes of the tracks? and what's up with stereo recording? i thought mono was a thing of the sixties, but i guess its making a comeback with my recordings. and what about the effects? would it be easier to trasfer it all to my pc? what would i need for that?
thanks for your help.
not the too lazy to help guy, though.
geez, just trying to inject a little humor into my post.
thanks,
dan

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

thanks for your help.
not the too lazy to help guy, though.
geez, just trying to inject a little humor into my post.

Well DUH...... SO WAS I!!!!!!!!

*sheesh* why bother with smilies if no one looks at 'em??? Christ, I put two of them there!

Bruce

 

[micmac]

i can record a track from my accoustic guitar, do the playback and record on top of it with singing or whatever. it just sounds like crap (sure, MY PLAYING may be crap, but the crap i'm talking about is like a new kind of crap, independant of my lack of talent).
Mic, mic placement, the room you record in, and your guitar might be worth suspecting here, assuming you've got a good level going in to the VF.

It's important you set the trim levels properly. The meters should just be touching the upper line on the display.


say you've recorded a couple of tracks--how do you bounce down while being in control of the relative volumes of the tracks?
-When you've recorded onto tracks 1-6 (7-8 are stereo tracks which will hold the bounced stuff from 1-6), hit the 'Bounce Mode' button.

-Press 'Record' so that the button is flashing.

-Press play to set volume levels, panning, EQ, and effects for tracks 1-6.

-Sounds ok? Then 'Rewind', hit 'Record' and 'Play' and you're bouncing. You can adjust levels etc while you bounce.

Remember that the Master fader should be up in the '0' neighborhood.

and what's up with stereo recording? i thought mono was a thing of the sixties, but i guess its making a comeback with my recordings.
-Hit the 'Pan' button, select track (1-6). Pan.
-You can record stereo by using input 1 & 2 at the same time. It's where you decide to pan your tracks that really matters.

7-8 are stereo tracks. No panning needed.

and what about the effects?
You can only use one effect at a time. Also remember the effect will not 'stick to tape' until you've bounced/mixed down the track/s.

To save your settings for level, pan, eq and effects, push the 'Scene' button, select 'Store' with 'Shift'+'F2'. You can save a whole bunch of different sets of settings and then recall them whenever you need.

would it be easier to trasfer it all to my pc? what would i need for that?
There are a couple of ways to do this.

-You can transfer the audio files from the VF either via a Zip-drive (then you need the optional SCSI-card, look on the right side of the VF), or you could burn the files to CD and then get them into your pc that way. Needless to say, you need a ZIP/CD-Recorder to do this. Check the manual for details.

-Depending on what inputs you have on your computer, you could just hook up the analog outputs of the VF, or if your soundcard has a digital S/P-DIF connector (look on the back of your VF - the two RCA-jacks are S/P-DIF in and out). The S/P-DIF would be the better way to go.
[/B]

Maybe i'm being a bit too basic here?

Fostex manuals suck.

micmac

 

[dano2819]

thanks for your help. if you get sick of this, let me know...
couple more things.
to update, i use a sure sm57 to pick up an accoustic. the room ain't so great, but, check this out, i think its the machine noise that is diminishing my quality.
also...do you ever record electric guitar straight into the machine?
how about bass?
and...is it impossible to record drums?
thanks again.

 

[micmac]

thanks for your help. if you get sick of this, let me know...

No problem. My pleasure.

couple more things.
to update, i use a sure sm57 to pick up an accoustic. the room ain't so great, but, check this out, i think its the machine noise that is diminishing my quality.

Some people will tell you that you "can't use a SM57 to mic an acoustic!". That's far from true. It works very fine. Just make sure your guitar is sounding good to start with and work on the placment of the mic. Also, you need to have a proper cable, XLR to XLR (the three pin/hole thing at both ends).

Check out this for micing:
https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27030&perpage=25&pagenumber=4

That's a mile long thread, the link is to page 4 (acoustic micing tips further down the page). To read, or at to least have a look at the whole thread is a very, very good idea...

As for the noise from the VF: Yes, it's noisy. It's the Fireball hard drive that's producing all that noise. Try to have your mic/guitar set up at least 3-6 feet from the machine. The further away the better. You're gonna have to move around a bit to reach the VF but it's worth the trouble. Use the Auto Punch function to make life easier.

If it's still to noisy, the very last resort is to change the hard drive. We changed one on a VF16 and now it's almost dead quiet.

also...do you ever record electric guitar straight into the machine?
I've done it to throw done some melody lines and stuff, but i don't recomend it unless you like that kind of sound (some people do...). If you don't have an amp (the SM57 would be excellent to mic the amp with), an amp modeler/effect unit could be the way to go. There are tons out there, POD, J-Station etc etc . I use an old Boss GX-700 (guit -> boss -> VF08) when i record at home. It's enough to get stuff down.

how about bass?
Use a direct box. It brings the weak signal out of the bass up to a 'workable' level. Sometimes a direct box can work with guitar as well.

Or: if you have a bass with active mics (if your bass has a 9V battery compartment, you most likely have active mics) you could get a decent sound going straight into the VF.

and...is it impossible to record drums?
No, but there's a few things to think of. You can only record two tracks at the same time with the VF08. If you wanna mic a live drum kit, the best is to use separate mixer and then go from the mixer's two main outs to the two ins on the VF. Same if you use a drum machine with more than two outputs.

There are some ways to work around this, but they're a bit time consuming or 'gear consuming'.

micmac

 

[little z]

Hmmmm.........

Man, I have this killer double-cheeseburger, but I don't want to eat it, what should I do?????? No smart-arse intentions, just thought I would let you know what that sounded like.......
Little Z(Steve)