Newbie Tascam 424mkiii Channel/Track Question...

[sad_analogist]

Right, so, a dumb question, but that's what you get from newbies I guess.

Basically, the Tascam 424 has six channels and is a four track recorder (as I'm sure you know), and I just wanted to know if you could record multiple channels to one track (like, say, all six.)

I have a couple of decent microphones (Shure SM57, AT 3035), and just want to know what I can do with 424 before I go out and buy more mics (I purchased the 424 online and am awaiting its arrival.)

Thanks for the help!

 

[JazzMasterWil]

I'm not sure about how many mics you can record at one time with that unit....

But I do know that you can always "bounce" tracks. I'll give you a quick example of bouncing.... Say I've got a song, and I want to use my drum machine, play a lead guitar part, an acoustic guitar part, use my keyboard, and sing. So I'm like "oh crap this is 6 different parts and I only have 4 tracks!".

So I record the drum machine, go back and record the acoustic guitar, and then record the lead. Now I can (worst case scenario here) mix thoose 3 parts until I'm having with them and put them on a tape.

I put the tape of the 3 parts I just recorded into the tape player..... And run my tape player back into the recorder.....

Now I have 3 parts on just one track. And 3 more tracks for the bass, vocals, and keyboard.

And that's basically what bouncing is. A lot of recorders now-a-days have bounce features. (I also have a tascam recorder, and my model has a bounce feature, so yours might). And basically it does what I just mentioned without having to waste a tape.

I hope this helps, do some searches and see what you can come up with. Good luck :thu:

 

[sad_analogist]

Thanks for the info, I found the online manual for the 424mkiii and am reading up on track bouncing, etc. No more questions from me!

 

[JazzMasterWil]

No problem man, I recorded with a tascam porta-studio 02 for YEARS! If you need any help or "cheap tricks" like the "ghetto bounce" I just described don't hesistate to p.m., or email me.

I new the world of computer recording and trust me, I know how confusing it can be at first. I just called something that probally has a very techinical term "the-plug-the-mic-into-the-computer-thing-a-ma-jig" so don't be scared to ask me a question you think it silly.

Good luck.