Recording on TSR8 straight into Pro Tools

[desmond22]

I had no computer for a long time but just got a very cheap imac. Been recording on the TSR8 with tascam m216 mixer for about a year and love it. love the desk, love the tape, but i must admit, i miss the mixing and editing in Pro Tools.
I had a bit of a break through.

I have 8 cables going directly from the 8 track outs into the digi 002 inputs. there are 8 of them, works a treat. microphone goes into track 9 on desk. xlr from pgm either 1-4 into Valve compressor. XLR from compressor into which ever track im recording to on 8 track. patch everytime i reocrd on a different track on the 8 track. i have an XLR adapter so it goes to the RCA on 8 track.

Headphones and monitoring through digi/imac.
In PT as a default tracks 1-8 are already set up. 1-4 are through the digis preamps 4-8 are analog inputs.

I setup up 3 Stereo aux tracks for some effects, reverbs etc.
In order for me to hear all the tracks on the 8 track, i arm tracks in PT i want to hear from 8 track.

To me this is a bloody awesome set up. i can use my effects in pt while recording on the 8 track. Can record on the 8 track and pro tools at the same time. By using really good leads and not using many im minimising hums etc from the tascam desk.
its like ive minimised, but maximised. The sound is analog, still recording on tape.

I EQ on the channel on the desk. Avoid using too many plug ins in PT. get the sound i want onto tape. tiny tweaks if need be in PT, keeping it all simple. i dont like to get caught up editing for ages in PT.

Pretty sure most people will go "ho hum been there done that" but to me this is a really efficient way to work.

just sayin.

 

[lo.fi.love]

Can record on the 8 track and pro tools at the same time.

Unfortunately, with the TSR-8, that's not how it works. The TSR-8 has only one record/playback head, which means that if you're monitoring the signal coming out of the machine during record mode you're not hitting the tape at all. With a three-head deck, you could put the machine into tape-monitor mode; on a two-head deck you're just monitoring the incoming signal.

To get this to work the way you'd hoped for, you'll need to first 1) record to tape, rewind and 2) play it back into protools.

 

[Chilljam]

To get this to work the way you'd hoped for, you'll need to first 1) record to tape, rewind and 2) play it back into protools.

Which means, without a sync device, well... you will be out of sync and that gives you much less options for digital editing when you can't match up the beats and bars.

I have a very similar setup only that I have a 3 head reel to reel and so can monitor off the playback head and once I make up for the delay I have perfect sync with pro tools.

 

[desmond22]

ahhh, i wondered if it recorded to tape and onto PT through the tape but it would only be going through the board. THat is ok though. No worries syncing it up so its all in time. As miroslav says just record a click track on on of the tracks on 8 track, dump all 8 in , record another click track and another 7, dump those line the click up. Im getting a great sound anyway for vocals going through desk - compressor into PT so thats freeing up the vox tracks. Im stoked!

 

[fstrat76]

I've tried more than 8 that way and since the tape doesn't play back the same all the time, on the second set of 8 tracks, it might not align perfectly with the first set of clicks. Might be close though. I just use 7 or eight tracks from tape.

 

[desmond22]

hi

I've tried more than 8 that way and since the tape doesn't play back the same all the time, on the second set of 8 tracks, it might not align perfectly with the first set of clicks. Might be close though. I just use 7 or eight tracks from tape.

thats what i was thinking. im happy with 8 tracks from tape though and do the vox through the desk, compressor straight in. Its amazing how different the sound is going straight into digi002.
its fun to keep experimenting