How to Record on computer from 4 track?

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Mr. C

Mr. C

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I am currently waiting for a Tascam 424 mkii I just bought to arrive. I was just wondering how and if I could take what I record on the 4 track and record it onto the computer so I could burn a CD. I have a Dell Dimension 8100, umm, not sure about the RAM (128?) and I think it is a 40 GB hard drive. What would I need to accomplish this if it is possible? Thanks.
 
It's pretty easy.

Taking for granted that you're recording in 4-tracks on cassette, you'd first do that, and develop your songs/material/recordings.

Then, comes the mixdown phase, where you'll put all 4 tape tracks on playback, and use the Portastudio's built-in mixer to mix the 4 tracks to a stereo image, which is output on the 424mkII's LINE OUTs.

Then, you'll need a 1/8"-to-RCA stereo Y-adapter cable, a simple and inexpensive "radio-shack" type of item. You'll use this cable, and plug from the 424mkII's LINE OUTs, [RCA] to the standard soundcard's normal LINE IN, [1/8"-stereo], and use some recording software to record from your Porta- onto your 'puter, in 16-bit/stereo/44.1kHz format WAV files.

Then, with the WAV files on the 'puter, you'll use a CD layout & burning software program to lay the wave files out into songlists and burn cd's.

It's even simpler than it sounds. There's a minor & insignificant learning curve, and of course, you'll need to find software that records into stereo WAV files, and other software that arranges songlists and burns CDs. Sometimes, this is one software package that does all, but often it's two different software packages to do this. This type of software is many and varied, and both types of software can be found as inexpensive titles, or sometimes free downloads.

That's taking for granted that you'll first learn to use your 424mkII in it's basic use, recording into 4 tape tracks and mixing down to stereo.

Good luck.
 
The sound quality of a 4 track is a joke when compared to recording directly to the computer.[I have two 4 tracks collecting dust] With the money that you would waste on a 4 track you could get a decent multitrack software program [which you need anyway to transfer the tracks correctly] and the number of tracks would be limited only to what your computer will handle. 4 tracks just isn't enough to do squat.
 
A 4-track can give you a clear (enough) reproduction of what you record into it and 4 tracks can be enough communicate your song...Ease of use and portability are positive factors with a 4-track. Here is a song I did with a friend. We recorded onto the 4-track (no bouncing of tracks) and then I mixed the song straite into the computer (as described in an earlier post). I sequenced the bass part with a drum pattern on a Roland XP-50 workstation keyboard (and recorded this onto track 1). I sang through a $30 Radio Shack mic (onto track 2). My friend played one guitar part through a distortion pedal (onto track 3) and he played a second guitar part (onto track 4)...the 4-track is a Yamaha MT-50 and I hooked up a Art FX-1 effects processor ($60 off ebay) during mix down to computer...you may not like the song or my singing but I think the 4-track did the job of capturing what we put into it.

The song is "Rain Keeps the Crud Off the Streets" http://www.soundclick.com/bands/5/twangermusic.htm
 
Ok now listen to a song that I recorded running straight into a crappy Soundblaster soundcard. I also used a 30 dollar mic and a Digitech guitar preamp for an interface. The drums are a Zoom RT-123.
The song is "A Twist Of Fate" http://www.soundclick.com/bands/4/jerryroncomusic.htm
4 tracks isn't even enough to record the guitars let alone the rest of the instruments and vocals.
 
Ronco,... Dude,...

I don't even have to listen to your crappy tune to know it sucks, because your attitude sucks.

Granted, this question might have been better placed on the Analog or Tascam forums, instead of the Whizbang Computer Gizmos forum, but why try to skewer this guy's 4-track ambitions before he's even started?

Sound quality's a joke, 4-track's a waste of money, 4-track's not enough, need of multitrack software, crappy soundcard, are relative judgment calls. Don't try to force fit your personal judgments on us. Are you telling us you have more highly sophisticated values, or more highly evolved ears? Sounds like outright snobbery, to me.

I have news for you, that 'puter recording isn't all it's cracked up to be, and some people don't want to record multitrack on the 'puter,... don't like it and don't need it, period. The 'puter and cdr as a simple mixdown medium has it's place, as a MINOR consideration in the overall recording process, and that's how some people prefer it.

Some people like the 4-track cassette Portastudio, just fine, thank you, so focus on the question. Besides, many people were making appreciably good recordings on 4-tracks, probably since 'bout the time you were in yer daddy's nutsack.

Shouldn't you be out selling Shred-o-matics? So, piss-off, anyway.
 
ocnor said:
Ok now listen to a song that I recorded running straight into a crappy Soundblaster soundcard. I also used a 30 dollar mic and a Digitech guitar preamp for an interface. The drums are a Zoom RT-123.
The song is "A Twist Of Fate" http://www.soundclick.com/bands/4/jerryroncomusic.htm
4 tracks isn't even enough to record the guitars let alone the rest of the instruments and vocals.
Click to expand...
It sounded like you portrayed it. Cheap. A Reel Person gets a better sound quality out of his Tascams. And you can get 10 tracks on a 4 track with bouncing the tracks just once.

Hey, I'm all into computer recording and I wouldn't want to work any other way so I know what you're getting at but I've heard A.R.P. analog recordings and you're not in the same league. You better first climb that learning curve yourself before you open your big mouth.
 
Respect to A Reel Person

I just want to say I really respect A Reel Person here. I have only made a few posts but he understands where a person is coming from. Also thanks to the other posters who understood the question. Obviously it might be nice to record directly onto a computer, however they are a little difficult to lug around and a laptop is not on my radar screen. I have seen this type of problem with other forums and reviews of equipment on other sites. People need to keep in mind the needs and budget of the person who is posting. Of course there is always something better, but unless you are Bill Gates there is not much one can do about it.
 
What's with the personal attacks? My point was that Mr. C could get better results with his existing computer without spending money on an outdated 4 track. He never mentioned "lugging" it around in the original post. I assumed that since he was hooking up a 4 track to his computer that portability wasn't a concern. I started recording with 4 tracks over 20 years ago and I was just trying to relay my experience with them. There are plenty of freeware recording programs you can download. I was trying to save Mr. C some money and grief and some how "A Reel Person" and "Christiaan" got my meaning all wrong. Good quality cassette tapes can be expensive and you will use alot of them.
 
Okay, okay,... then,...

I beg your pardon.

He asked a fairly simple question, and you threw a whole other spin on it.

He's not even started on the 4-track Portastudio, and had a simple, concise question. Right out of the box, you're telling him it's money wasted, sounds crappy, etc., etc. That may be your opinion, okay, but it's discourteous to Mr. C, it didn't answer the question, and I wholeheartedly disagree.

He can do what he wants with a simple cable, computer and software setup, bypassing all that stuff about multi- sound cards and multitracking on the puter, altogether.

You are happy with your 'puter recording environment, and you gave your best recommendation. I appreciate you were trying to be helpful, but I resent the broad brush you used to paint 4-track cassette Portastudios as inadequate or a waste.

You can get respectable sounds out of a Portastudio, and it's not a waste. 4-tracks is often enough, but not all Portastudios are alike. There are your high end Tascam Portastudios, and your low end Portastudios & Ministudios.

Those non-Tascam porta-'s? Forget about it,... [MO] they're almost all crap, probably with the exception of the Yamaha MT-120, and even still, that's only equivalent to a 414mkII. I'm no fan of Fostex cassette multitrackers, [MO] the 260 or 380 probably being the best, but Fostex has some other gear I like, [OT].

The question was about a 424mkII, [implied], and I intended my answer to speak to that. What 4-trackers you have, or why they're collecting dust is not relevant to the question.

He's scored his setup, and has scoped his projects toward a certain thing. Some people prefer an analog solution, and prefer not to record primarily on the computer, for functional and esthetic reasons.

I'm sorry if I was rude. I'm sorry that I popped off at you.

This post has mega-edits to take out all offensive language and references.
 
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