This may be a dumb question, but....

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federationofide

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I am new to analog tape recording. I have an 8-track Tascam 38 using 1/2" tape. Does it matter which side of the tape I record on? One side is darker than the other. The reason I ask is I have been trying to record on one track. When I am recording, the meter is showing an input signal, but I am not getting anything on playback. I thought perhaps this was a question worth asking. Thanks
 
Yes, you can only record on one side. The other (darker) side is likely the back coating. Record on the lighter brown tape side.
 
Thanks, That's the side I have been trying to record on. Any thoughts on explanations why I'm not getting anything in playback?
 
yes, the dark side is on the inside.
If the dark side is on the outside, re-spool the tape on reverse on another spool, and flip it over.
 
what do you mean by inside? The light side should be the side that touches the tape heads, correct?
 
federationofide said:
The light side should be the side that touches the tape heads, correct?
Click to expand...

Yes.


Have you tried other tracks?

Not that familiar with the 38 but is there a source/tape button for monitoring? Click those if so on playback to "tape".
 
Hi. I have tried on tracks 1 and 2. There is no movement on the VU meter on playback.
 
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Did you arm the tracks when recording, and then when playing back did you switch the monitor source to sync or repro?
 
Yes, the light side should be in contact with the heads.. My bad.. I always spool my tapes "tails out" for storing, and was looking at some tape.
 
Hi. I have tried recording in both Input and Sync modes and yes the track is selected in function. I have tried playing back in both Sync and Repro mode as well. Does it make any difference that I don't have anything plugged into the outputs? I am currently just running a line from my mixer into the input.
 
its not the meters. They are moving as I record, just not on playback.
 
Do you have any tape that is already recorded that you can try to play back? If not, you can test playback to see if it's working by recording something on tape without using your recorder. Stretch out a few feet of tape on a table, oxide side up (black down, brown up). Get a magnet, like a fairly strong ceramic magnet from a hardware store, and "record" pops on the tape every couple of inches by placing the magnet on the tape then taking it away. When you run this tape through your machine in "repro" you should hear the pops go by, and they should flick the meters, all channels. If this works, you have a record problem, something common to all channels. The bias oscillator comes to mind. If you get no playback of your pops test tape on any channels, look for something common to all play channel amps, like the power supply, a bunch of dead caps (many caps will all die at about the same age), or the like.


Jim
 
Thanks before I try that can I'd like to ask one more question. I am currently waiting for my proper Tascam M-30 mixer to come in the mail, so for now all I have is a mic going into a small mixer and then running the signal from the tape out into the input of the 8-track. There is nothing running from the Tascam back into the mixer. I know that obviously I won't be able to hear anything I record like this, but I thought that the recording should at least show up on the VU meters in playback. Is this incorrect?
 
Yes, correct, it a recording should move the meters the same amount in "repro" as it would in "input", given the machine is properly calibrated. If not, it should still move the meters, but perhaps not equal to "input". But you owe it to yourself to listen to the playback, it will help you a lot in figuring out what's wrong.
 
if there's anything on the tape it should show up in the meters on playback ..... yes.
Is it possible one of the lifters is sticking and holding the tape off the head?
 
I just sent the output into a second mixer, and I can hear the audio I recorded, though it is extremely faint and still not in the meters.
 
Maybe it will help if I give the exact setup I am working with right now (until my real mixer shows up). I keyboard going into a Behringer mixer. 1 rca going from the tape out on the mixer to the input of the Tascam 38. I am getting an input signal. On playback, I am taking 1 rca from the output of the tape deck and putting it into the tape in of the mixer. It's all running into Pro Tools. There is no movement on the VU meters on playback but I can faintly hear my track being played.
 
Clean the heads and demagnetize the entire tape path, then try recording again see if audio is stronger on playback.

To do this you need: Isopropyl 91% alcohol, swab, and Han D Mag demagnetizer.
 
federationofide said:
Maybe it will help if I give the exact setup I am working with right now (until my real mixer shows up). I keyboard going into a Behringer mixer. 1 rca going from the tape out on the mixer to the input of the Tascam 38. I am getting an input signal. On playback, I am taking 1 rca from the output of the tape deck and putting it into the tape in of the mixer. It's all running into Pro Tools. There is no movement on the VU meters on playback but I can faintly hear my track being played.
Click to expand...

What do you mean by "It's all running into Pro Tools"?
 
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