Punching In / Tascam 38

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When punching in the Tascam 38, with a foot pedal aren't you able to hear what was previously recorded on that track before you punch in? I'm really surprised by this I could swear on my old Teac 4 track I could hear the previously recorded material before punching in. It seems difficult to do it this way because you want the punch in to flow smoothly. In most cases it's not practical or possible to press the function key to punch in.
 
If you're in the sync mode during a punch in/out session, you should be hearing the track while in ready mode and input once the punch commences.

Cheers! :)
 
On all the punch-ins I have done on my 4 and 8 track cassette multitracks I could hear everything on the punch-in track till I hit the foot-pedal, then I would hear my current playing along with the other tracks. I would even play along with the punch-in track so my lip was ready to go when I hit the foot-pedal. This is very important for a brass player, to have ready chops, and zero in on the tuning before punching-in. DB
 
David Benson said:
On all the punch-ins I have done on my 4 and 8 track cassette multitracks I could hear everything on the punch-in track till I hit the foot-pedal, then I would hear my current playing along with the other tracks. I would even play along with the punch-in track so my lip was ready to go when I hit the foot-pedal. This is very important for a brass player, to have ready chops, and zero in on the tuning before punching-in. DB
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Same here. That's what I don't understand. You need to hear the track to maintain the feel.

When I press in the function button for the track and am in sync mode all I can hear is the input. The manual doesn't explain any other way except pressing the function key by hand to hear the track before punching in. But Ghost says you can so I must be doing something wrong.
 
Are you forgetting to monitor the line out of that channel from the machine

I hope that makes sense. I guess is it just a mixer setting you need to change on what input you are monitoring?
 
Herm said:
Are you forgetting to monitor the line out of that channel from the machine

I hope that makes sense. I guess is it just a mixer setting you need to change on what input you are monitoring?
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No, because I hear it on play back. You can't hear the track when a track function key is depressed in sync mode and in reproduce mode it's out of sync. Those are the only two modes so I can't see any possible way you can hear it while punching in with a foot pedal. :(
 
I don't believe we have missed anything here but I'm not 100% sure?

After you arm the track in question via the 1 - 8 buttons on the deck, it should work as I described otherwise, what's the point of the punch in pedal?

You have to be able to hear what on tape along with whats going to be on tape when you hit record so perhaps the solution is to use a dedicated input strip on the mixer so that one of the mixer's channels is dedicated to monitoring tape and the other is monitoring your live part you wish to inject via the punch.

If you have a mixer that has more then 8 channels, this should be easy to accomplish.

Perhaps "A Reel Person" could confer here and offer his opinions?

Keep calm, we'll figure it out.

Dave, Are you out there?

Cheers! :)
 
The Ghost of FM said:
After you arm the track in question via the 1 - 8 buttons on the deck, it should work as I described otherwise, what's the point of the punch in pedal?

QUOTE]

That's what I wondered. I agree it doesn't make sense, but the manual doesn't mention monitoring it except by depressing a function key while rolling in sync mode. Dumb, I know.

I have my mixer set up to monitor each channel on playback. While in sync mode with a function button (1-8) selected. The output of that track on the 38 only puts out the input. When you unselect the function button you can hear the track again.
Click to expand...
 
Well I have good news and bad news. The good news is your machine is not bad. The bad news is I read the manual and the machine is set up to do as it is now.
The machine is set up so that in order to monitor the previous recorded track you have to leave the function buttons up till you are ready to punch in.
You have to start the machine as you would to record but leave the record function button up till punch in. The function button acts like the punch in button in this case.
 
Herm said:
Well I have good news and bad news. The good news is your machine is not bad. The bad news is I read the manual and the machine is set up to do as it is now.
The machine is set up so that in order to monitor the previous recorded track you have to leave the function buttons up till you are ready to punch in.
You have to start the machine as you would to record but leave the record function button up till punch in. The function button acts like the punch in button in this case.
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That's what I got out of it. Thanks for looking into it Herm. I'll just have to work around it. It's kind of a bummer but I'm still happy with the recorder. It sounds great.

Still the question remains. What's the point of the punch in pedal? :confused:

I wonder if you can hear it on the TSR-8.
 
Nah, that doesn't sound right. I read the manual, too,...

but I really have to test it!

I vaguely remember punching in, in the normal way, on my 38,... though it's been years.

I had a previous post, deleted, because I read the manual, and I just have to test this!!! :eek:
 
I tested it on my machine today and thats how it worked. The tsr8 would probably not do this cause it is a 2 head machine I believe so it would do what you are trying to do with the 38.
 
A Reel Person said:
but I really have to test it!

I vaguely remember punching in, in the normal way, on my 38,... though it's been years.

I had a previous post, deleted, because I read the manual, and I just have to test this!!! :eek:
Click to expand...

Surprises me too. Thanks for checking it out.
 
Um,... not that I don't trust the source,...

but I just don't believe it. I'll have to retest, myself. No offense, of course.

I've had the 38 and used it for many years, with punch ins and everything, and I don't recall this peculiarity being an issue. Sorry, my 38's under minor repair, and is not readily available, but I'll have to retest this issue, myself, asap. Thanx.

On first glance, with the 38 in SYNC, PLAY mode, and the FUNCT SEL button depressed for a track, you should should still be able to hear the recorded track (TAPE) in the phones, prior to punching. When you activate the punch, the machine should drop into REC mode on that selected track, and the monitor should seamlessly switch over to INPUT. Should. Should, I said. Furthermore, that's how I remember it to be, or so I think.

That assumes there are no other patching problems in the monitor or Submix section (M-30).

I gotta retest this!!! TBD.
 
The tracks you cant hear are the ones that are armed for record.
 
A Reel Person said:
but I just don't believe it. I'll have to retest, myself. No offense, of course.

I've had the 38 and used it for many years, with punch ins and everything, and I don't recall this peculiarity being an issue. Sorry, my 38's under minor repair, and is not readily available, but I'll have to retest this issue, myself, asap. Thanx.

On first glance, with the 38 in SYNC, PLAY mode, and the FUNCT SEL button depressed for a track, you should should still be able to hear the recorded track (TAPE) in the phones, prior to punching. When you activate the punch, the machine should drop into REC mode on that selected track, and the monitor should seamlessly switch over to INPUT. Should. Should, I said. Furthermore, that's how I remember it to be, or so I think.

That assumes there are no other patching problems in the monitor or Submix section (M-30).

I gotta retest this!!! TBD.
Click to expand...

No offense taken at all. I hope I'm wrong but, like Herm said when you're in that mode as you described it (sync & track select) you can only hear the input. I see nothing that could make a difference in the way my mixer is set up. If you used it for many years without a hitch it's a good thing. Then I'm sure I can get by with it the same. But please, check it out when you get you recorder back and let us know. You never know.
 
Man, my 38 has been out of commission so long that I can hardly remember. But it seems like I remember being able to monitor the track I was gonna punch in on.
 
It's tricky

The 38 is tricky to punch on for this reason and I'm not sure how much money was saved by leaving certain features out of the logic. If you are recording a player or singer who is very consistent you can use the transport buttons but to punch out you have to either push stop or disarm the function select. It seems strange since even my portastudios will punch in and out while still rolling. I was wondering if there is a mod for this machine that will drop out of record and keep rolling. It's not that big of a deal it just sounds weird. It does make the punching process a little more exiting. You really have to pay attention.
 
Yeah, old thread!

As being only from memory, I'm sticking with the idea that when in "Sync" mode and track-armed for record, you should be able to hear the off-tape signal in the Cue section (Submix on M30) before the punch, then the punch-in would bring the "Input" signal in simultaneously as triggering "Record" mode, then puch-out would revert back to the off-tape signal. If the 38 doesn't respond this way, I'd suspect maybe a sticky relay on the audio card, or operator error (no offense/mentioned before).

As far as "cutting corners on the logic", I just don't think this is the case. There have been many documented cases of sticky relays in 38's, over time. This can be fixed.

I think the foot pedal RC-30P is the best option for activating punch in/out. To use the Function buttons or Transport buttons is workable but awkward at best. Now, this has been a while for me & the 38, but most recently I've been activating punch-in/outs on my 424mkIII Portastudio with the transport buttons during play mode. Just put into play mode with track record enabled, at the spot hit "Record", and for punch-out just hit the "Play" button. This drops in & out of record mode for the punch while the tape is moving. Not sure if this would work on the 38, as I haven't tried it or used the 38 lately. Maybe soon or in weeks to come I'll check/refurb the 38 and try it.

Note: Tho' using the transport or rec-funct buttons to affect a punc-in/out is fiddly at best, by using the RC-30P punch in pedal you can drop in and out of punches while the tape is rolling. Just thought I'd clarify that point. You can do that as desired with the pedal. The other operational questions about the 38 I'd quote from memory but would have to verify on-deck at some other time, as yet TBD.

Thanx,...:eek:;)
 
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I'll try it with mine. Has been some time since I've used it.
 
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