Starting on a portastudio

[jeffv145]

I am struggling to find help starting out with a new tascam portastudio.
My manual says that to complete the recording system I will need a two track recorder, and an effects processor. I don't know what those are. I took a screenshot of my manual, and the text I am referring to can be seen on the top right of this picture:

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...dID=119952551&albumID=803302&imageID=45412833

If anyone has any information for me I will put it to good use!

Thanks---JV

 

[gecko zzed]

Your Portastudio records four tracks onto cassette.

Once you've done your tracking onto this, you will want to mix these four tracks down onto another device. This could simply be a conventional cassette deck. But it could be any recording device that accepts a stereo input (e.g. ADAT, or your computer). This is so that the mixed-down recording can be played elsewhere.

You don't necessarily need an effects processor. Typically, these will add reverb or delay (or other effects) to your tracks, and they certainly come in handy.

 

[Centropolis]

I am struggling to find help starting out with a new tascam portastudio.
My manual says that to complete the recording system I will need a two track recorder, and an effects processor. I don't know what those are. I took a screenshot of my manual, and the text I am referring to can be seen on the top right of this picture:

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...dID=119952551&albumID=803302&imageID=45412833

If anyone has any information for me I will put it to good use!

Thanks---JV

Not sure why they mention an effects processor as a need. Although most studios would have an effects processor to add reverb or something, it is certainly not required to have a recording setup.

For example, if you're using this to record band rehersals then it's all about miking up everyone and put them onto 4-tracks.

 

[Armistice]

Wow - I didn't think they still made those things!

I remember cutting my recording teeth on them back sometime in the 80s.

Surely someone's made a small 4 track digital device that would be a better bet than these things? I mean if you like cassette sound, fine, but the destructive nature of editing surely should have seen these buried with the dinosaurs.

I'm perfectly willing to believe I'm missing something, but why would you want one of these things? Are they particularly cheap or something?

 

[mjbphotos]

They don't make them any more! I assume when you say "new", you mean new for you. Hope you didn't pay a lot for it - you can get a digital stand-alone recorder which will do much more for about the same as these cost when they WERE new.
I guess if you are asking the questions you are asking, you are very new to home recording, so its a good place to learn, but you will probalby not be real satisfied with the results you get from this.

 

[TeyshaBlue]

Great little machine to learn on. You'll learn the basics of multi-track recording and signal flow logic from this. These lessons will serve you well as you progress to better and more capable machines. It's a great place to start and you can get some surprisingly good mixes off of them if you work at it.

BTW...lots of good info in the analog section. Get to know A Reel Person. He knows these units inside out.
https://homerecording.com/bbs/forumdisplay.php?f=21

 

[jedblue]

They don't make them any more!

Oh yes they do...

http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/music_products/x12.shtml