Will a 424 work?

[statecap]

I currently have a 424 mkIII
I want to purchase n-track.
Can I just use the 424 as a mixer and plug it directly to my PC so that I can use the mic jacks on the 424?

I tried "searching" for this but could not find this exact situation I think.

Thanks
Denver

 

[Gidge]

yes you can do that...plug the outputs of the 4 track into the line input of the soundcard......

 

[bryanzera]

Make note, however, that all the tracks on your 424 will mix down to one stereo track when you do what Gidge suggests. You won't have any track separation.

 

[statecap]

If I do as Gidge suggests, will this work if I only record 1 instrument at a time?
Then will I have separation and the ability to "mixdown" within n-track?

Thank you

 

[DaveO]

Yep, you'll have all the separation you want recording one track at a time.

FWIW, I have a Tascam 414 and have occasionally used it as a mixer as you described. However, I found that I don't get that great a sound tracking it that way. Besides not having a great quality mixer (it's an inexpensive 4-track, can't expect super quality in each of the sections), I also have a cheap SB Live! Value soundcard, so I have a double whammy working against me.

I'm working with another guitar player on some songs and when we practice, I sometimes run my drum machine into the stereo inputs (like channels 7 & 8), my bass into one of the four normal channels, and his guitar into one or two of the other four channel (depending on mono or stereo). I can then route the line outs into my soundcard and record the practice session that way. It's a conventient way to get the ideas down all in one shot, but I never use it for tracks that are suppsosed to be keepers.

As in most things, YMMV.


- Dave

 

[statecap]

Thank you for your help guys.
I think I'll give it a try!

 

[Gidge]

you can record 2 separate tracks....on the recording VU meter, set it up to record a stereo track to 2 different tracks.....on the 4 track, pan everything you want on one track hard left and everything you want on the second track hard right.......

 

[trickless]

Gidge is steering you right.

Trust me, I done much worse things than pluging a 4 track into the computer as a preamp/mixer.

If it works, it works.

Rock on,
Pat