Trying ONCE AGAIN to get this tape tip uploaded.....

[MickB]

Making an 8 track tape recording on a 4 track deck - with no bouncing!

Do you buy, for the same money, a decent 8-track tape deck or an excellent 4-track one? I'd get the 4-track one myself.

But what if I knew that I'd need to make an 8-track recording but not want to bounce? Hmmm. How to keep that analogue 'feel' without too much hiss and loss of quality...



In the end, I worked out this method:

1. 'Stripe' track one of your tape with time code.
2. Synchronise a second recorder to this time code (for this, let's use a PC).
3. Record your basic track(s) to your tape, including guide track or whatever else.
4. Copy the playback to the second device.
5. Record over the taped basic track with overdubs - The synchronised playback of the copied basic track will be your guide.
6. Copy the overdubs across also. Carry on until you have enough tracks done.

So there it is. Your individual 8 track 'tape' tracks are all ready to be individually edited, etc, and mixed!


_______________
Also, it's simple enough to add analogue tracks to a half-done digital project by syncronising the tape deck to the PC. Or, if your tape deck doesn't have a synchroniser, use a multi-channel sound card as an insert point (if your kit suppor

 

[Ford Van]

Have you ever tried doing this?

 

[MickB]

I have no idea what that means.

I'm not saying I invented this, I just worked it out. Doubtless other people use the same method.

 

[BRDTS]

Yes, this is a very common method that's been around for 30+ years....in it's earliest form, the transfers from any one tape machine were going into a second machine (rather than into a computer). All synchronized via smpte and a synchronizer for the two machines.

One variation of what you described is to not erase your 1st four tape tracks on that second pass of overdubs. Instead, simply fast forward the tape to an unused section, reset your smpte lineup (offset) time, and then overdub up further where the tape is blank. That way you 're not erasing any of the earlier tracks. You can easily fly in the earlier tracks again (to the daw) if you should ever need to. This plan usually involves dedicating an entire reel (or more) to a single song....common in the old days, not so common nowadays as kids go into sticker shock when they see the price of tape.

 

[Ford Van]

I have no idea what that means.

I'm not saying I invented this, I just worked it out. Doubtless other people use the same method.

Depending upon the tape machine you are using, this can be a very hard thing to accomplish! If the tape machines transport is not rock solid, the digital device will lose sync easily.

Also, you have to be careful about phasing issues with the tape starting to stretch.

 

[ofajen]

Making an 8 track tape recording on a 4 track deck - with no bouncing!

Do you buy, for the same money, a decent 8-track tape deck or an excellent 4-track one? I'd get the 4-track one myself.

But what if I knew that I'd need to make an 8-track recording but not want to bounce? Hmmm. How to keep that analogue 'feel' without too much hiss and loss of quality...



In the end, I worked out this method:

1. 'Stripe' track one of your tape with time code.
2. Synchronise a second recorder to this time code (for this, let's use a PC).
3. Record your basic track(s) to your tape, including guide track or whatever else.
4. Copy the playback to the second device.
5. Record over the taped basic track with overdubs - The synchronised playback of the copied basic track will be your guide.
6. Copy the overdubs across also. Carry on until you have enough tracks done.

So there it is. Your individual 8 track 'tape' tracks are all ready to be individually edited, etc, and mixed!


_______________
Also, it's simple enough to add analogue tracks to a half-done digital project by syncronising the tape deck to the PC. Or, if your tape deck doesn't have a synchroniser, use a multi-channel sound card as an insert point (if your kit suppor

Hmmm.... I think I'd consider buying a 1" 8-track, again. Much easier than all this stuff, and probably cheaper than buying a synchronizer. The tape deck will have to slave to the PC, not the other way around. I just fill up the 1/2" 4-track and then copy over to my Mac and carry on in the box. Life's too short for all that headache.

Cheers,

Otto

 

[MickB]

I've never had much trouble with tape stretch, save for old ones I'd been reusing.

In the pre-SMPTE days it was possible to synchronise two machines together by a 50 hz tone on a track being amplified to mains level to run the capstan on the second machine.

Back in the days were men were men and I'd be very much classified as the boy!

 

[rayc]

I just record 4, then using a multi in sound card record them into cakewalk do a rough mix back to 1 track of tape & then record another 3 then record over the mono mixed one when I have enough cues to follow Then pull that up into cakewalk. Then shuffle things about until they fit properly again.
Not great but it works OK.