Help with mixdown to stereo.

[AndyK12]

Hello,

After recording a couple of cassettes worth of material on my portastudio MKIII and fooling around with mixing down to 2 track on my stereo by running the "lines out" to it, I've come to BEG of you to tell me whats a cheap (and not involving a computer!!!!!) way of doing it that sounds good.

I've been thinking of getting a digital recording device so I can track and mix down to stereo all in one box, but REALLY don't want to because I'd sooner put that money into getting gear for playing live.

I'm really asking for a (short) signal chain, not a methodolgy on how to do it.

Does anyone use compressors or limiters going into the mastering (is that the word?) deck or is that all done while tracking?

I am using these tapes as demo's, to get gigs, that sort of thing... Nothing over the top.

Any help would be nice, its frustrating to have recorded material that sounds pretty good going back through the moniters, and having it being mixdowned to stereo and losing ALOT of fidelity. Are there cheap models that will burn to CD?

Thanks a bunch, I really would like some help.

Thanks,
Andrew.

 

[Astoe]

Hi Andrew,

I am not quite clear about how you work and, I myself have never worked with cassette decks. But I'll try to give you some thoughts.

Obviously you have a decent sound when everything is on separate tracks. So The basic problem should come from the gear or level at mixdown.

You said you record on your stereo.

What is "a stereo"? Is it an all in one thing, or dou you have a separate cassette deck with adjustable record level?

If not, I would invest into something like that, you can probably find good cassette decks for cheap today...

You were mentionning compressors etc... Compression is not "included" when you mixdown, this has to be done with separate gear and when done correctly it can drasticaly enhance level and musicality. For this you need either outboard or a PC. It is expensive, except maybe for some Behringer stuff, but well...

Good Luck,

Astoe

 

[FALKEN]

get some alcohol (at least 90%) and clean the heads on your stereo with a q-tip. clean the heads, and all the metal parts, then see if the quality isnt' good enough. your stereo might just suck, in which case you might find something better at good will.