How oldschool multi-track recording works. Tascam 4-track

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8-Bit Keys

8-Bit Keys

8 жыл бұрын

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In this episode I demonstrate a Tascam Portastudio MF-P01, which is a 4-track recorder that works with regular type-II audio cassette tapes.
Looks like somebody found some information on that song.
That's the theme song of The Amazing Spider-Man and Captain America in Dr. Doom's Revenge for MS-DOS
Here's the link for the original sound track:
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@gsxerwhite
@gsxerwhite 4 жыл бұрын
I wanted a four track so bad in 91 but I couldn't ask my parents after they already spent a fortune on instruments for me. Young musicians are living in an incredible era for recording and instrument availability.
@tonyhill8963
@tonyhill8963 5 жыл бұрын
So when you play Ghostbusters backwards, you hear Devo. Got it.
@silverdrumvideo
@silverdrumvideo 3 жыл бұрын
“In The Name of Love” by Thompson Twins
@alanjamesh.zamorano1677
@alanjamesh.zamorano1677 3 жыл бұрын
It sounded like a possessed David Byrne talking backwards
@josephreynolds1220
@josephreynolds1220 3 жыл бұрын
I believe it’s magic.
@theneonllama416
@theneonllama416 3 жыл бұрын
We're all Devo, even the Ghostbusters.
@ShajaKarim
@ShajaKarim 3 жыл бұрын
That song revered blew my mind 4 years back lmao
@RandomnessTube.
@RandomnessTube. 4 жыл бұрын
So much respect for people who made house music back in the day made with love and hard work.
@SheThe1Who
@SheThe1Who 4 жыл бұрын
👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿
@JanKowalski-vh1rg
@JanKowalski-vh1rg Жыл бұрын
They were using sequencers and MIDI so keeping on track wasn't hard
@Nexcroo
@Nexcroo Жыл бұрын
More like Rock
@M364A
@M364A Жыл бұрын
@@Nexcroo why rock?
@jpsynth1411
@jpsynth1411 5 жыл бұрын
Also, you can actuelly record 10 parts on a 4 track recorder. Here's how: Record parts 1, 2, and 3 on tracks 1 to 3, then mix them down to track 4 while mixing in a 4th part. Record parts 5 and 6 on tracks 1 and 2, then mix them down to track 3 while mixing in a 7th part. Record part 8 on track 1 and transfer it to track 2 while mixing in a 9th part. Record part 10 on track 1. Voilà. And you only have 1 generation of signal loss.
@kainen1279
@kainen1279 Жыл бұрын
this is insane! I've always dealt with the generation loss as a kind of... "art through circumstance" but this is great!
@SoopSoopa
@SoopSoopa Жыл бұрын
do you know how to operate a Fostex X26? im really confused and the manual doesnt make any sense to me, maybe im daft. i dont understand if Line 1 means track 1+3 and track 2= 2+4. sometimes during playback some recordings are heard on unrecorded tracks. any help would be appreciated
@rimmersbryggeri
@rimmersbryggeri Жыл бұрын
Thats how they did it in big studios.I thiknk it's mentionedin the documentary about queen's A night at the oper and also on the making of I'm not in love by 10cc. They used the the same principle but probably on 18 or 24 track recorders.
@evelk5233
@evelk5233 Жыл бұрын
Bouncing
@SuaveCityGear
@SuaveCityGear Жыл бұрын
Genius ❤
@Jaspertine
@Jaspertine 7 жыл бұрын
Dude, you wanna talk about broke musicians? I used to *Rent* one of those things. Actually buying one seemed like a crazy pipe dream back then.
@nomadben
@nomadben 6 жыл бұрын
Jaspertine haha that's awesome. What kind of place did you rent it from?
@tim76239
@tim76239 6 жыл бұрын
I worked at a Sound and lighting rental company and I "borrowed" a big ole Tascam all the time and never got anything good out of it
@patrick6350
@patrick6350 6 жыл бұрын
It's a pipe dream again given how much these things go for these days.
@djdigital3806
@djdigital3806 6 жыл бұрын
Jaspertine I'm Digital and a proud broke musician. Love vintage equipment.
@MattWarb2
@MattWarb2 6 жыл бұрын
Dj Digital what do you think of the Teenage Engineering OP-1? I think it's an amazing piece of equipment.
@raizoc5178
@raizoc5178 4 жыл бұрын
I recorded one of my creations over my sister's Michael Jackson tape when I was a kid and I got whooped for that.
@MoonLanta
@MoonLanta 4 жыл бұрын
😁
@klvAcosta
@klvAcosta 4 жыл бұрын
Hahahahaha!!!! 😂
@hakonsoreide
@hakonsoreide 4 жыл бұрын
You got told off for having used normal instead of metal tape, I presume?
@countrabricksbuildcraze8916
@countrabricksbuildcraze8916 4 жыл бұрын
Hahar. Dam. I youst to take the odd tape I fount. An put tape over the end to record. If had no blank tape s. Dam u made this video. But u dident have a taskam back in day s. I'm holding to buy one asap
@RoomAtTheTopStudio
@RoomAtTheTopStudio 4 жыл бұрын
That brought back memories. I was either getting beaten or I was beating someone for taping over cassettes in the 80's. That was a serious offense.
@DeviatingVapors
@DeviatingVapors 2 жыл бұрын
there were 4 tape standers back then I - Normal II - Chrome III - Ferrichrome (wasn’t very popular, so was dropped) IV - Metal the heads and the biasing need to match in the recording deck and the playback deck. that was the lowest end model they made, and as you mentioned better units offered changes in the IPS to use more tape per second to increase the bandwidth for the recording. some units could also do bouncing (letting you merge one or more tracks to an open track to free up space for further recording). those were the first machines cheap enough to allow a regular person to explore multi track. rented one from a music store in high school for a week, shared it with my lead guitarist, he was able to think non linearly .. vs I needed to do everything in one go.
@darylllanier2591
@darylllanier2591 4 жыл бұрын
When quantization didn't exist and perfect timing was imperative for musicians/producers.
@f.herumusu8341
@f.herumusu8341 4 жыл бұрын
"Perfect Timing" and quantization are two different things. Bernard Edwards of Chic was a "Grove-Master" but far from playing perfect quantized tracks.
@radddch3293
@radddch3293 4 жыл бұрын
Back in the day I used to devote a track to stripe with FSK to get midi sync. Believe me the sync was much tighter than anything I have been able to achieve with midi over USB.
@sadniggahours4046
@sadniggahours4046 4 жыл бұрын
but a lot of people quantize because of latency when recording
@10dthompson60
@10dthompson60 4 жыл бұрын
@@sadniggahours4046 Yeah, and recordings are so hi-fi nowadays that a slight variation of timing is quite noticeable. A lot of hard rock and metal producers have to sync up double kicks and guitars if they're meant to match up since being even a fraction of a second off compromises the mix
@DICACIO1
@DICACIO1 4 жыл бұрын
Shiiid, NEVER in my life would I ever use quantizing. It ruins the Natural way we play our instruments making it sound too robotic & perfect... there's no feeling or soul in the swing. Real/Raw music doesn't need quantizing, but I guess beginner musicians that can't keep up with the beat or even swing right, would probably use it to avoid being too sloppy 😂😂🎹🎵🎸
@JimJWalker
@JimJWalker 7 жыл бұрын
This is how I learned how to record my music in the late 1980s on a Tascam Porta One. By learning proper microphone placement, room acoustics, exact playing technique, and judicious bouncing of tracks while also making the most of the limited EQ available, I learned the lessons that have served me well in my life journey in music in the modern age of the digital audio workstation. I almost feel sorry for those who did not experience these the limitations I had; for example audio compression. This was something that I had to rely on tape saturation to achieve, today it so common as an audio effect in every computer based recording software that I am not sure that the younger generation appreciates the luxury of this technology. Then again, I hate admitting I am an old fart.
@checkerace50
@checkerace50 7 жыл бұрын
We appreciate the technology. We all started out at one point and sat there scratching our heads wondering why this part of the vocal or the guitar is louder than this part etc etc. Not to mention in today's audio industry, everything is overcompressed (I am guilty) and not too long ago was a loud war (not guilty). Also, it would be great if compressors were as easy as a LA2A but they're not and most of us don't have $4K to spend on a great vintage compressor. Compression is a complicated thing to master. It can really change the direction of the song. Something that is heavily compressed will sound like it's in your face and if the song isn't in your face and the vocal is, well then the vocal is sitting on top of the mix which isn't good.
@wes_m
@wes_m 7 жыл бұрын
The LA2A emulation(s) on the UAD Apollo interface sounds great. So does the UA 1176.
@JimJWalker
@JimJWalker 7 жыл бұрын
An 1176...lol, a Boss RCL-10 micro compressor was a dream unit for me and still beyond my budget then (and now). I was lucky to have a SM-57 microphone. Audio always has been a rich man's game and it has been my experience that those who can afford high end equipment often have no idea what to do with it.
@checkerace50
@checkerace50 7 жыл бұрын
Wes Murray I haven't used any of UA's plugins. I've been using Waves for years. I like their CLA2A. Would like to test some of Universal Audio's plugins.
@checkerace50
@checkerace50 7 жыл бұрын
Jim Walker btw, I found that compressor for $100
@jeremymiller7793
@jeremymiller7793 2 жыл бұрын
I had this Tascam and I loved it! I lost the recorder after moving. I paid $100 new in 2001 and now a used one is close to $300.
@blookz7877
@blookz7877 5 жыл бұрын
I loved how you setup your cables on the wall and your table. Nice setup. Your video was so good, right to the point. I keep listening all the way thru and learnes some things. Thanks!
@SuzanneKowalski
@SuzanneKowalski 8 жыл бұрын
Lazy Game Reviews, TechMoan and this channel are the only channels on KZfaq (I'm aware of) that not only have informative and perfectly edited videos, but these guys talk in a very non-offensive way that should be more common among content creators. I just feel relaxed watching these videos.
@8BitKeys
@8BitKeys 8 жыл бұрын
Hahah.. You mean in contrast to The Angry Video Game Nerd or something?
@SuzanneKowalski
@SuzanneKowalski 8 жыл бұрын
Exactly. :D AVGN is very entetaining if you can accept he's only a character acted by James Rolfe, but still a bit too much for me after a while. There's enough frustration in the world around me anyway. :)
@aidanstenson7063
@aidanstenson7063 8 жыл бұрын
I watch all of those channels and love them
@Damaniel3
@Damaniel3 8 жыл бұрын
I'm a happy subscriber to all three and have been for quite a while, for this exact reason.
@AwesumIndustrys
@AwesumIndustrys 6 жыл бұрын
There’s Nostalgia Nerd.
@scarholmen
@scarholmen 8 жыл бұрын
i recorded friend's band this spring on a similar tape recorder. Feels kinda nice when you don't have to look at a computer screen during the recording.
@countrabricksbuildcraze8916
@countrabricksbuildcraze8916 4 жыл бұрын
Oh yes magic. Awsum..bring it back I say. But can still up load recordings from 4 track to a computer if need be to add or mix an compress plus. .
@SplotchTheCatThing
@SplotchTheCatThing 4 жыл бұрын
Very cool piece of information. I didn't start *writing* music till well into the 2000s but I'm still old enough to remember cassette tapes and tape recorders and all that fun stuff... when I was a kid it was my dream to use that record button to make something cool. But I wound up using a record button on a computer instead. ;) If I was born a decade earlier, I could certainly see myself using something like this. :) Another life, another time.
@rustedskelotonproductionse3687
@rustedskelotonproductionse3687 5 жыл бұрын
This is how I remember recording in the beginning. We used to do the editing with a small blade and clear sticky tape lol!!! I still believe that the recordings of the past is of way better quality than the digital recordings of today.
@dafunkmuzic989
@dafunkmuzic989 4 жыл бұрын
Amen
@380stroker
@380stroker 4 жыл бұрын
Analog recording are better. Not in the dynamic range department, but consider the fact that converters, word clock, jitter, dither, bit depth, sampling rate, 32 bit or 64 mix engines don't exist in the tape world. A Tape transfer to vinyl was like heaven.
@countrabricksbuildcraze8916
@countrabricksbuildcraze8916 4 жыл бұрын
Dope that's good digital is way to clean for me ....
@countrabricksbuildcraze8916
@countrabricksbuildcraze8916 4 жыл бұрын
Yer good old sticky tape over hole s on any blank or old tape an keep recording on them..then 4 track came in. Got confusing one added to much ..an tape s from then. Whant play. In today tape deck s an music play all scrabeld lol unless thru 4 track. Put all onto track one. I got tunn of old school tape s Pbs hip hop show recording s an live Dj battle DMC s an gigs .dope to play. Tape. Sound slow. If tape s from orly 90 s only just got tape deck larst year. As my old school bomb box spring Brock of. Hard to find any body who fixes tape deck s. So hopeing to get dubble caset deck. For tape to tape recording agen. Sume of my stuff home recorded is dope just wish I was pro. Producer back in 90 s but I gess I was in my own right. ..my sirtch is on for working dubble tape deck or aux .into ..two tape deck. I still got old school sanyo silver pa amp.with mic input plus. Is dope an pioneer equlizer old skool type .taken it back to late 80 s orly 90 s
@alejoromero
@alejoromero 8 жыл бұрын
Your videos have become a source of joy to me. Love all your content mate, keep up the good work!!
@djbhe
@djbhe 4 жыл бұрын
Every DJ who wanted to be a producer in Chicago during the 80's House Music Movement used those 4 track recorders. Those were the days.
@all_that_gazz
@all_that_gazz 5 жыл бұрын
“Back in the 80’s and 90’s I thought MIDI was the way to go” Yep - same here, and I remember being so disappointed when I first got into MIDI and realised my Casio CTK 670 only had 4 MIDI channels. Mum & Dad couldn’t understand why I could possibly want or need another keyboard!!
@synthasia-5041
@synthasia-5041 4 жыл бұрын
I still enjoy MIDI, My first setup was a yamaha PSR-47( basically a toy) and Atari PC with midi ports, have to agree i was also quite disappointed with it and its lowly 16 note polyphony :) try layering with it and PHbtttt notes cutting out all over the place..
@tonysteel1377
@tonysteel1377 3 жыл бұрын
I faced that same issue with that very same board! 😂 I did get a Yamaha TX 81-Z and only used the keyboard for one sound. My Alesis MMT-8 sequencer was the brains of my MIDI flow. My drum machine was a small Boss Dr Rhythm 550. I still use MIDI today, and whereas I’ve since upgraded sound modules and sequencer, I still use the Casio as a controller board only. The MPC 1000 is the brain now. Although I don’t use them, I still have my Tascam 424 four-track, and 488 MKII eight-track cassette recorders.
@all_that_gazz
@all_that_gazz 3 жыл бұрын
I felt like I need to come back to my own comment. I suppose I am still very much using MIDI because of all the virtual instruments I use, I think back in the 90's though MIDI seemed like the be all and end all, I'd quantise everything to death to the point where there was no emotion left in anything. Oh how much I've learnt since then!
@houseofskunk
@houseofskunk 6 ай бұрын
I picked one up the other day at a thrift shop. I always wanted one growing up! Thank you so much for this tutorial. I'm excited to go back and learn the analog ways of recording. They actually appeal to me more than digital which has always been daunting and confusing. Thanks again!
@RothBeyondTheGrave
@RothBeyondTheGrave 4 жыл бұрын
Had that exact unit in the 90's and loved every minute.I've had the pleasure of tracking in a handful of multi million dollar facilities as I got older, and still wished I had something simple like this at home. It's real, and you really have to be able to play. Period. I'll take the sound from this over some digitally harsh, disgusting og box or equivalent any day.
@willdwyer6782
@willdwyer6782 2 жыл бұрын
My uncle had one when I was a kid. Different model but functionally identical. The electronic musical instrument that fascinated me in the 1980s was the Casio VL-1.
@synthartist69
@synthartist69 4 жыл бұрын
Before I had a 4 track I would record into a standard cassette deck a drum track. I would play it back and while playing it back I would play along with it my first keyboard track while recording the drums and keyboard into a 2nd cassette recorder and continue back and forth until the song was finished.
@nonsenseinmyhead9016
@nonsenseinmyhead9016 4 жыл бұрын
synthartist69 lol...man we were good at that back then! I’d do sometimes 20 x!
@countrabricksbuildcraze8916
@countrabricksbuildcraze8916 4 жыл бұрын
Yes. Amazing it is. I say bring it back. Eazy an effective an raw. In own zone creating n recording it. I did one track. Hole thing is free style adding new tape an put tape into other side an keep adding. Befor I had a 4 track to ... I need a dubble tape deck asap ....an 4 track I can still get caset tapes TDK or box s of them ...collecting. Incase tape stops bean made ..like vhf. .but albums on caset tape are still bean made an still sale. I live pulling out my old recordings on caset tape s take me back to good ol late 80 s orly 90 s. .
@RoomAtTheTopStudio
@RoomAtTheTopStudio 4 жыл бұрын
I learned to do one take vocals using a standard cassette deck as well in the same way. While it was playing back I would run the 2nd tape to record the harmonies and backing vocals. I used the instrumentals on the B side of singles to practice
@JoeyLevenson
@JoeyLevenson 4 жыл бұрын
I’ve done that!
@madspetersen1708
@madspetersen1708 5 жыл бұрын
You forgot the “ping-pong” mode ejere you mix 3 tracks onto track 4 and thereby free up 3 tracks with minimal quality loss.
@gillyrocksjapan
@gillyrocksjapan 4 жыл бұрын
My thoughts exactly. Frustrating to listen to his mix down approach.
@rexterrocks
@rexterrocks 4 жыл бұрын
Yeah ! 'Bouncing' - I would mix 4 tracks down to a stereo mix, then use that as a new 1 and 2 leaving 3 and 4 empty, and repeat. Or 4 into 1 leaving 2,3 and 4 etc That was the fun of using them.
@mikethebloodthirsty
@mikethebloodthirsty 4 жыл бұрын
You can't bounce down on tascam porta 02's. That's why he didn't do it, he knows his s***...
@krisscanlon4051
@krisscanlon4051 4 жыл бұрын
Bouncing?
@James-ke4gq
@James-ke4gq 3 жыл бұрын
i dont think you can do that on one of those really little guys def can on the big portastudios like 424's etc
@MrSammonkeyfist
@MrSammonkeyfist 7 жыл бұрын
I still have one of these Tascams. Was a great little unit for drafting ideas.
@user-fb8py5hw2c
@user-fb8py5hw2c 6 жыл бұрын
This video was shown in my music GCSE class today
@marinacelada3246
@marinacelada3246 5 жыл бұрын
The 8-Bit Guy reaches even schools!
@matte_uk
@matte_uk 4 жыл бұрын
Gaming829 shown in my college music production class the other day!
@kryzondaan1855
@kryzondaan1855 4 жыл бұрын
I used one of these to record some my compositions, guitar pieces, for GSCE music in 1994. I was allowed to bring it home for the weekend. My father, whose enthusiasm for audio technology was cruely stunted by available funds, was enthralled by it, it was just the most amazing piece of kit ever. Sunday night, something jammed on it, I opened it with a screwdriver and it miraculously returned to normal in its own. The other half of my compositions were recorded to tape, from the line out of the school's Roland U20 controlled by cubase on an atari st. Limited by the polyphony on the U20,I recorded a highly complex OTT orchestral piece in 3 tracks on the TASCAM, after much trial and error on the exact point to hit the big mouse button to start cubase for the second and third tracks one afternoon after school had finished for the day. I felt like I was pushing technology to the limit and beyond. What a time to be alive! for the record, 1994 was when the A* grade was introduced but I had to settle for A, despite my herculean efforts in the back room. I'm still bitter after all these years... Don't make the same mistake I did..... Study hard!!!!
@tenslider6722
@tenslider6722 4 жыл бұрын
in other words kids, appreciate what you got these days. Now this was music imagine what it was like editing videos lol
@iVan123
@iVan123 3 жыл бұрын
true.. it's amazing what music we can create with a laptop in our bedroom
@gilberttosanchez
@gilberttosanchez 3 жыл бұрын
dude i love how warm the 4 track sounds and the hissing is sooo dopeee
@realGilby
@realGilby 8 жыл бұрын
Really loving the new intro theme, it's pretty kick-ass
@Vikotnick
@Vikotnick 4 жыл бұрын
I remember getting a wavestation for christmas. I cried for about ten min. Greatest gift ever. My friend had a DAT and a mixer. Never figured out why my tracks were so low then. It was a while until I got a compressor.... good times.
@scooterking136
@scooterking136 4 жыл бұрын
Liked, subscribed, and added to my playlists. Great informative video! I love learning about old music tech. Keep doing what you're doing!
@brianvarano5005
@brianvarano5005 5 жыл бұрын
That is crazy! I had that exact Tascam four-track recorder, and I had a Casio CZ-1000! You just took me down a trip down memory lane!
@countrabricksbuildcraze8916
@countrabricksbuildcraze8916 4 жыл бұрын
Would u consider swooping sume thing for it or sale it.
@astrosteve
@astrosteve 2 жыл бұрын
I have a friend who had a 4 track similar to that in the mid 90s. We used to hang out and I'd watch him record songs. I can't play any instruments (nor do I really know anything about music theory) but I'd give him suggestions. One thing I remember is he could use the 4 track itself to copy tracks around. So, for instance, he could record drums to track 1 and bass to track 2. Then he'd play both tracks at the same time while setting the 4 track to record to track 3. Track 3 now contains the drums and bass. Then he just records over tracks 1 and 2 with whatever he wants. He said it sounded sort of bad if you tried doing that trick with 3 tracks playing, so he never did more than two. Also, trying to copy 2 tracks made this way to a third also didn't work very well and sounded bad. I think he said he could effectively have a total of 6 tracks. (Copy 1 and 2 to 4. Record again on 1 and 2 and copy to 3. Then record on 1 and 2, no further copying possible. You could squeeze 7 in if you didn't mind sound degradation and copied tracks 1, 2 and 3 on the initial run.) Anyway, really nice video!
@mcarp555
@mcarp555 5 жыл бұрын
I started out with the original TASCAM 144 Portastudio, which I loved. It was over a thousand dollars back in the day. Still have it boxed up.
@CO-254
@CO-254 3 жыл бұрын
Man I loved my old Tascam 4 track. We would record with it all the time. Great video!
@davidvasquez4380
@davidvasquez4380 5 жыл бұрын
Boy that bring back fun memories . Thanks for Posting!
@thierryruquier9416
@thierryruquier9416 5 жыл бұрын
Oh man, you still have your Ghostbusters OST cassette! I really loved it back in the days and still do. So Eighties! Great video, by the way.
@skeeter197140
@skeeter197140 5 жыл бұрын
Had one. Had a LOT of fun recording with it. Me and My drummer recorded 4 songs over a weekend, with me doing all guitars, bass and backing vocals, and him doing drums and lead vocals. What a frickin' blast!
@TheMamaluigi300
@TheMamaluigi300 Жыл бұрын
Man! Eat your heart out, Crush 40
@Awank_Kurniawan18
@Awank_Kurniawan18 5 жыл бұрын
thank you sir, i like your video, make me sad, make me in tears remembering when i was child in 90's. now i know how difficult for people in the past to record legendary music as we know it today. there must have been great and patient editors of that era
@countrabricksbuildcraze8916
@countrabricksbuildcraze8916 4 жыл бұрын
Yes so so tru.
@flatgroundtv7097
@flatgroundtv7097 Жыл бұрын
This is a fun stuff to collect and playing around with it. Thank you for sharing.
@shayneoneill1506
@shayneoneill1506 2 жыл бұрын
Man I recorded so many songs on my Tascam 4 track in he early 90s. I'm running an 8 track reel to reel unit these days, but I actually have a sony 8 track cassette unit sitting around gathering dust. It actually sounded pretty great.
@weaseltears3785
@weaseltears3785 Жыл бұрын
Let me know if you’re ever trying to get rid of that Sony 8 track!! I’d love one lol
@bobbythompson4268
@bobbythompson4268 Жыл бұрын
Why reel to reel these days?
@oztrekgelsoft8409
@oztrekgelsoft8409 2 жыл бұрын
Luv it I still use my original tascam 424 it is brilliant for natural tape saturation and also creating samples great episode. Btw glad you covered bouncing 🙌
@scottcupp8129
@scottcupp8129 5 жыл бұрын
My first 4 track recorder was a Yamaha MT120. Had a lot of features. Those were the good ol days.. Kind of the first pro tools in sorts :) Love your videos. Keep them coming. Greetings from Hobbs New Mexico.
@drpearso1
@drpearso1 4 жыл бұрын
Interesting info regarding old school multitrack recording. That 4 track audio recorder was pretty darn neat. Now folks get an idea of why it takes so long to produce a song, and or album. Lots of mixing, etc etc.
@thenoodledrop
@thenoodledrop 7 жыл бұрын
had that EXACT Tascam. used it for all my recordings from 2006-2009
@Breakbeats92.5
@Breakbeats92.5 7 жыл бұрын
Four tracks like this are still a great way to 'demo' songs you want to compose. I used make songs on my fostex for hours on end. Great memories of singing and writing songs.
@magneto7930
@magneto7930 4 жыл бұрын
I used to love these toys in the 80's! You can play along with a pre-programmed drum computer, and if you have more than one keyboard you can play bass on one with one hand and the regular rhythm or chords on the other keyboard with the other hand. This is a way to have stereo drums, stereo keyboards, and a centered bass all on just two tracks of the four track recorder (an equivalent of 5 tracks). Then you have two more tracks to do whatever you want and you didn't have to bounce anything. You can also punch things in or put a lead guitar solo where there is no vocal. It helps to be able to do more than one thing simultaneously. I remember having a microphone close to the floor recording a tambourine being played with my feet while simultaneously playing a guitar with stereo reverb. So as you can see I had an equivalent to 8 track recording while keeping everything in stereo. You're basically doing a live performance while making sure everything is balanced.
@backcuetheoriginal
@backcuetheoriginal 4 жыл бұрын
I really love your videos. You have old school tech mixed with sound recording mixed with keyboard playing. Great job! I have subscribed to your channel. Have a nice day! :)
@mikhailgorbachev3721
@mikhailgorbachev3721 7 жыл бұрын
Far from perfect? That's amazing. I'd buy that in a heartbeat...
@spkoftdvl
@spkoftdvl 2 жыл бұрын
When musicians have to do all in one take with so little edition, amazing
@thomasrabon9964
@thomasrabon9964 11 ай бұрын
Dear lord. I’ve had one of these for 14 years and have done so many home recordings with it trying to record on both sides. I had no idea about how to actually do any of this properly! Thank you!
@thomasrabon9964
@thomasrabon9964 11 ай бұрын
Can you or anyone tell me how to clear the tracks properly after finishing a track?
@SamsonIsBored07
@SamsonIsBored07 10 ай бұрын
@@thomasrabon9964 Just erase the tape.
@lcdsebsystem
@lcdsebsystem Жыл бұрын
Was planning to record an elliott smith-ish style of music using a 4-track but had no idea how to use one. this made it rlly simple thank u :)
@yungheat84
@yungheat84 4 жыл бұрын
I used to record music off the radio and then record my voice rapping over the that music
@FeelingShred
@FeelingShred 4 жыл бұрын
Pretty sure someone out there must have created the first "Reaction" audios just like that, in an old box somewhere
@robvegas9354
@robvegas9354 4 жыл бұрын
rad - i used to do the same with guitar and sing like try to play along and listen back! good times!!
@JC20XX
@JC20XX 3 жыл бұрын
That's awesome
@crikeycrikeys9699
@crikeycrikeys9699 7 жыл бұрын
This is actually really neat. I have a Juno GI keyboard with multitrack recording (digital) mixer of 8 tracks and it was hard to find something like that for my composing to make rough drafts of stuff... I didn't know there was something similar all the way back in the 80s. I actually also have one of the early Yamaha keyboards from like 1985 and if I could get one of these recorders and the tapes for it cheaply I could make a retro recording setup like this just for the heck of it. I got the originally $250 Yamaha for $12 at Goodwill in working condition so maybe there are some of these old recorders floating around too.
@HoodHandyman
@HoodHandyman 4 жыл бұрын
THIS IS THE COOLEST VIDEO I HAVE SEEN ON KZfaq IN A WHILE . sorry for the caps i'm just stoked about it!
@stringedassassin
@stringedassassin 5 жыл бұрын
My old old bands first two demos were done on one of these... still have it packed away with gear somewhere here. Bouncing drums, 2 guitars, a lead, bass and vox, all on 4 tracks. Fun stuff!!
@MattGreerMusic
@MattGreerMusic 7 жыл бұрын
Check out Alessandro Cortini (guitarist and synthesist for NIN). He has a box of tapes and one of those old 4 track units on stage and they use them for drones and other elements of their songs. Other musicians are also recording a single sustaining note, usually one of a 4 part chord, to each track and then using these units to perform with along other synthesizers, drum machines, etc.
@RogerSullivanNOLA
@RogerSullivanNOLA 7 жыл бұрын
For bouncing down you could also route your output back into the input on the 4 track and record 3 tracks down to 1. Or to get all 4 tracks on the units that weren't double speed you could just mix down to left or right (or both to preserve stereo) on the other cassette deck and then put the tape right back into the 4 track to avoid double bouncing.
@Aejotz
@Aejotz 7 жыл бұрын
I did that all the time with my old Cutec. Record four tracks on tape A, mix and send to tape B on good quality stereo recorder then put tape B in the 4-track. Then record two more tracks and add a "live" track during final send to stereo. 7 tracks total with only one bounce. Not bad. If you planned well, you bounced the sounds that were least harmed by the inevitable, if slight. degeneration of sound.
@curlysam131
@curlysam131 5 жыл бұрын
I love the video friend. I just recently got my dads old tascam 246 rebelted and working. It sure is a whole lot of fun.
@kingtrance6826
@kingtrance6826 5 жыл бұрын
Well the Beatles used to record this way. All the technology in the world will never replace talent and the ability to write a great 👍 song. We all keep trying...
@spacecase7504
@spacecase7504 2 жыл бұрын
well said
@vintagestuffguy1998
@vintagestuffguy1998 8 жыл бұрын
Have you ever considered doing a collaboration video with Techmoan ?
@snitzelll3710
@snitzelll3710 8 жыл бұрын
plz make this real
@AzureOnyxscore
@AzureOnyxscore 8 жыл бұрын
Hell yeah!
@8BitKeys
@8BitKeys 8 жыл бұрын
I would love to... but I'm pretty sure he lives on the other side of the planet, so it wouldn't be anything in person.
@vincentjanse
@vincentjanse 8 жыл бұрын
You are aware that they live on different continents?
@vintagestuffguy1998
@vintagestuffguy1998 8 жыл бұрын
Of course - i mean something like an online collaboration - the internet makes stuff like that very possible, and through the magic of video editing, it could be really seamless and potentially fun
@spooktasticaparanormal
@spooktasticaparanormal 2 жыл бұрын
These are great little machines for quickly getting your ideas onto tape. I use the tascam 488mk1 8 track cassette recorder with all the many mixing controls ect. It also records at high speed for great sound quality. Thanks for sharing.
@GILLnBARRY
@GILLnBARRY 4 жыл бұрын
Excellent video! I still have my Tascam 4-Trac, as well as my Tascam 8-Track Cassette recorders ... which still work! Of course I jumped into the digital age, but you can't beat the overall audio quality and warmth of tape!
@johnwalliss
@johnwalliss 7 жыл бұрын
sigh - memories of my old tascam 4 track from the 90s!
@MrPotz-lg4mj
@MrPotz-lg4mj 5 жыл бұрын
I still have this same unit. I'm feeling kinda' nostalgically inspired to break it out and mess around with it.
@countrabricksbuildcraze8916
@countrabricksbuildcraze8916 4 жыл бұрын
Lucky u. Or if u would swoop or sale it. Pleas let me know. If all still works .injoy.
@dustinpollard6237
@dustinpollard6237 4 жыл бұрын
Im about to buy one and start my journey, at 41 lol.
@clappingjazzhands9408
@clappingjazzhands9408 5 жыл бұрын
I started using an old tube reel to reel recorder. The invention of the Tascam 4-track was much appreciated. I still use one today well as the old reel to reel.
@TurnstyleBand
@TurnstyleBand 3 жыл бұрын
Most of our early works and demos were recorded on a Tascam 4-track. Great vid. Thanks.
@organfairy
@organfairy 8 жыл бұрын
The manual for my Yamaha MT3X describes how you can record up to 10 layers on the same tape without any of the 4 tracks being transferred more than once: First you record in tracks 1, 2, and 3. You then transfer those to track 4 while mixing in a fourth layer. Now there are 4 layers on track 4. You then record on track 1 and 2. You transfer those to track 3 while mixing in a third layer. Now there are 4 layers on track 4 and 3 layers on track 3. You record on track 1 and transfer this to track 2 while mixing in a second layer. Finally you record the last layer on track 1. So now there are 10 layers total and none has been transferred more than once.
@michaelhamerin3814
@michaelhamerin3814 5 жыл бұрын
It's called track bouncing.
@TheStuF
@TheStuF 5 жыл бұрын
@@michaelhamerin3814 its called a good explanation of track bouncing and how to do it well. Actually :)
@TheStuF
@TheStuF 5 жыл бұрын
Great explanation.
@maysonstorm4956
@maysonstorm4956 5 жыл бұрын
Ah. The good old days. I was young, inexperienced , and having sooo much fun.
@reeyanholbrook6279
@reeyanholbrook6279 5 жыл бұрын
Informative to the max. Thanks for your info about the subject
@MusicDiscoveryLab
@MusicDiscoveryLab 2 жыл бұрын
I have one of these and I love it. Thanks for doing a video on it.
@EnochDark
@EnochDark 4 жыл бұрын
still makes me feel old that a video entitled "oldschool" shows basically the last 4 track tape recorder ever made... you know WAYYYY back in like 2001...
@jonathanpullen7439
@jonathanpullen7439 8 жыл бұрын
We've come a long way. I remember using a Tascam 4 track in the 90s - and before that, I used to bounce from tape to tape, adding one track on each bounce - analog generation loss would quickly cook my goose. These days, I'm recording 64 tracks wide on a PC ;-) www.sheer.us/stuff/2016/Sheer.HouseOfTheRisingSun.mp3 and www.sheer.us/stuff/2016/Sheer.HistoryOfModern.mp3 are two of my projects from this month - essentially the same process you show here, just mo tracks and betta sound.
@jonathanpullen7439
@jonathanpullen7439 8 жыл бұрын
However, be it a 4 track tascam or the latest 256-track protools rig, there's no better toy for a musician than a multitrack deck..
@Markuv6
@Markuv6 4 жыл бұрын
Good video, your explanation an presentation were solid.
@garysmusicandvideos7225
@garysmusicandvideos7225 5 жыл бұрын
Fantastic video, studio, and t-shirt!...Thank you!
@WizardClipAudio
@WizardClipAudio 4 жыл бұрын
I’m pretty sure that Metal refers to type 4 and type 2 were called Chromium.
@getstew
@getstew 4 жыл бұрын
You are completely right. Dude needs to check his facts.
@TransCanadaPhil
@TransCanadaPhil 4 жыл бұрын
yep I was about to say the same thing when watching this. Type 1 was standard cassette, Type 2 was Chromium Dioxide, There was a type 3 that was hardly used, and type 4 was metal.
@SamiJumppanen
@SamiJumppanen 4 жыл бұрын
Yes. Type IV, at least what I used, was too hard for my Fostex X-30 to erase, so it left low frequency content of the previous recording. Only use type II if the device is made for type II.
@hakonsoreide
@hakonsoreide 4 жыл бұрын
That's right. They're all made from metal, which is why one shouldn't mix up the terms; only type IV should be referred to as Metal.
@johnvice4066
@johnvice4066 4 жыл бұрын
Just getting ready to comment that, but I figured someone else had made that observation. Having cut my recording teeth on a TASCAM cassette 4-track in the early 90s, I remember the difference.
@catgirl_eva
@catgirl_eva 7 жыл бұрын
2:27 There is no music. Only Zuul.
@voxsatan3736
@voxsatan3736 5 жыл бұрын
Playing B side backwards
@seanspartan2023
@seanspartan2023 4 жыл бұрын
"Ok, so? She's a dog..."
@cosmicsprings8690
@cosmicsprings8690 4 жыл бұрын
Evangeline Domenech 😂 there is no Zuul only music
@araigumakiruno
@araigumakiruno 4 жыл бұрын
Get sucked
@aestheticaltwat
@aestheticaltwat 4 жыл бұрын
I’m the gatekeeper!
@krazyrocofficial
@krazyrocofficial 5 жыл бұрын
This guy is very well organised and very clean that's pretty good, and I remember I used to be soo good at looping and recording tape to tape on stereo back in the 1997 when I recorded mixing breakdance music, good days.
@meanderer06513
@meanderer06513 6 жыл бұрын
I love Tascam 4 track machines! Still have one, about 3 feet away from me. I haven't played guitar in many years, but I have put my recordings into my computer to digitally edit them - quite impressed at the clarity of many of those antique recordings. :)
@chriswilliamstunes1
@chriswilliamstunes1 4 жыл бұрын
Most on here have no idea what recording on tape was like. You would appreciate what we have now so much. However, tape was so much warmer and wonderful sounding
@chriswilliamstunes1
@chriswilliamstunes1 4 жыл бұрын
David Singleton Have you ever worked with Tape? Its much warmer sounding and can be just as clean: if recorded right
@rogercook8277
@rogercook8277 4 жыл бұрын
Oh how I remember coming up with different ways to record myself. I never bought Tascam or Fostex machines. I used regular cassettes recorders. Yeah. Dumping 4 tracks down to 1 track to free up 3 more tracks was nice, but when it came time to mix your project, you didn't have alot of leg room to work with. 4 instruments on one track? When you turn that particular track down, you were turning down all the instruments at the same time. Fast forward. Today I use Logic, and I have more tracks to work with then I actually need. Thank you Modern Technology.Lol
@gamepad3173
@gamepad3173 3 жыл бұрын
I've stuck with Tascam for as long as I could,for the first time in 9 years I'm grabbing a Yamaha MT4X since it uses figure 8 plugs instead of those bulky AC adapters.
@hermann0912
@hermann0912 7 жыл бұрын
You're pretty awesome with those keyboard! And very interesting video.
@RipperTheEntertainer
@RipperTheEntertainer 4 жыл бұрын
Wow, this is what I needed back in my starting out earlier days of recording songs
@hector_romero
@hector_romero 3 жыл бұрын
Hell yeah!!
@eclipse8978
@eclipse8978 5 жыл бұрын
Dope! Sounds like a 80’s porno music...... back when porn had a story line
@joveaaron-real
@joveaaron-real 4 жыл бұрын
it sounds like you said
@forevershampoo
@forevershampoo 4 жыл бұрын
i enjoy a nice porn story line on VHS
@Drugaddict22
@Drugaddict22 4 жыл бұрын
Ron Jeremy was king.
@AJersy
@AJersy 4 жыл бұрын
lol
@docnathan3959
@docnathan3959 4 жыл бұрын
r/cursedcomments
@jessefillmore
@jessefillmore 5 жыл бұрын
4 track cassette recorders have skyrocketed in price :( I'm glad I bought one when I did . Be cool if a company would make new ones .
@TheStuF
@TheStuF 5 жыл бұрын
definitely, the company will probably charge too much but would still be nice.
@msh6865
@msh6865 4 жыл бұрын
With the resurgence of Polaroid cameras, you know it's only a matter of time.
@madwax4771
@madwax4771 4 жыл бұрын
MSH68 They will probably be inferior in quality compared to the 414 & 424
@slarbiter
@slarbiter 3 жыл бұрын
Tascam is still making new ones that work and feel the same, they just write to an SD card instead of tape. Their 6 track is only like $150 which is pretty damn cool. I find it much more straightforward and effective than DAW and PC, especially when recording simple demos
@acepaul407
@acepaul407 2 жыл бұрын
I still have my 4 track Tascam. It was nice, but no way I would ever go back. The Portastudios that Tascam has come out with blows away the old stuff by a country mile.
@riley7796
@riley7796 4 жыл бұрын
I got one of these. Got it from my dad from his 90s band days. I still plug it into my stuff and use it all the time. Ordered a bunch of cassettes off eBay and have a ton of fun
@FeelingShred
@FeelingShred 4 жыл бұрын
we want videos of that... no... we NEED it... now, by the way... XDDD
@matthewgragg2152
@matthewgragg2152 7 ай бұрын
Thank You for this information, now I know how to make a 2 hour long cassette tape and wether or not to get one of these things. I Will be getting one. Thanks again!
@jean-pierremartineau4136
@jean-pierremartineau4136 4 жыл бұрын
The Maxell XLII is not a metal (type IV) tape. It's a type II tape, sometimes refered to as CrO2, or Chrome tape. On another note, I had no idea Tascam made a model as basic as this. You can record up to 10 parts on a 4 track using a technique called bouncing: - Record parts 1, 2 and 3 on tracks 1, 2, and 3 - Record part 4, plus a mixdown of tracks 1, 2, and 3, onto track 4. All your 4 parts are now on track 4, freeing up tracks 1, 2, and 3. - Record parts 5 and 6 on tracks 1 and 2. - Record part 7 plus a mixdown of tracks 1 and 2 onto track 3. Parts 5, 6 and 7 are now on track 3. - Record part 8 on track 1. - Record part 9 plus the content of track 1 onto track 2. Parts 8 and 9 are now on track 2. - Record part 10 on track 1. You end up with Parts 1 to 4 on track 4, parts 5 through 7 on track 3, parts 8 and 9 on track 2 and part 10 on track 1. Voilà.
@RazorBeamz
@RazorBeamz 8 жыл бұрын
Techmoan is your British doppelganger.
@ChaseMC215
@ChaseMC215 5 жыл бұрын
But he didn't start his youtube channel looking at mac computers unlike david
@EnginerdBrian
@EnginerdBrian 2 жыл бұрын
I still have my Tascam Port-a-Studio. All the songs I wrote middle and highschool were recorded with that thing & it was so much fun. An amazing tool
@RotterStudios
@RotterStudios 4 жыл бұрын
Subbed. I used all these. Fostex 8 track reel to reel Tasman 4 track machines and of course now Logic Pro. 4 track tape memories. Many band recordings!
@yannastra
@yannastra 4 жыл бұрын
Wow this really makes you wonder what was like to make music at a home studio in previous decades! Like I started recording in a daw in my tablet back in 2014 (it was GarageBand) and although it felt very limited it was ligues ahead of what that lovely Tascam recorder has to offer. Now I use Logic Pro X and I’m quite used to having access to virtually endless tracks and effects but seeing machines like the one featured in the video makes you appreciate the possibilities that technology brings us.
@FatNorthernBigot
@FatNorthernBigot 5 жыл бұрын
Fostex 8 track cassette was my go to. They doubled the channels by doubling the tape speed. £500 at the time, but the results were pretty good. The good thing about tape? It forced you to make decisions. Bouncing tracks down set recording levels in stone. Digital tracks are never finished, you keep tweaking and fiddling... Learning when to say its done is a skill in itself.
@customsongmaker
@customsongmaker Жыл бұрын
With 8 tracks on a cassette, you'll need to make sure loud tracks like bass and kick drum aren't right next to each other so they won't bleed over on that tiny strip of tape
@FatNorthernBigot
@FatNorthernBigot Жыл бұрын
@@customsongmaker That's sage advice. Tell that to the young lad that didn't know what to do with all those channels, thirty years ago. 😁
@customsongmaker
@customsongmaker Жыл бұрын
@@FatNorthernBigot ok I'll tell him, if you go back and tell another lad that he'll never finish his 4 connected concept albums to change the world
@FatNorthernBigot
@FatNorthernBigot Жыл бұрын
@@customsongmaker 🤣 Ah, the hubris of the young.
@auxcorduniversity6354
@auxcorduniversity6354 5 жыл бұрын
Great channel and vid - big love!
@ConstantinPhillipou
@ConstantinPhillipou 5 жыл бұрын
this is an awesome track and presentation...
@someguynamedvictor
@someguynamedvictor 4 жыл бұрын
Kids will never know how hard mixing and recording drums into one of these things was. 😂
@wizardito7741
@wizardito7741 4 жыл бұрын
Ok boomer
@someguynamedvictor
@someguynamedvictor 4 жыл бұрын
Wizardito Someone is triggered. Did you think of that “insult” yourself? You’re so original and edgy. Actually you’re just cringe in human form 😬
@spicysandwch7452
@spicysandwch7452 4 жыл бұрын
@@someguynamedvictor hey man you ok
@robvegas9354
@robvegas9354 4 жыл бұрын
@@someguynamedvictor my mates and i did so many demos on these back in the 90's - when you ping ponged the mix that was time for a beer while it bounced down for each pass... we found that recording one song usually involved about 20 beers for the group... good times!!!
@gamepad3173
@gamepad3173 3 жыл бұрын
@@wizardito7741 Okay Zoomer.
@supernovagamer929
@supernovagamer929 5 жыл бұрын
Fun fact: weird al actually used a Portastudio 4 track recorder when making some of his first songs in a garage!
@RED_indiemusic
@RED_indiemusic 6 жыл бұрын
Glad I learned of DAWs, but this was informative and fun to watch. Great job!
@dopplerfox
@dopplerfox 4 жыл бұрын
Awesome video! I will be getting a Fostex multitrack tape recorder soon using some tips from this video.
@DetroitWrecker666
@DetroitWrecker666 5 жыл бұрын
I still have one of these sitting on my desk.
@FearfulEndeavor
@FearfulEndeavor 4 жыл бұрын
Detroit Wrecker - I do as well. The exact same unit.
@kristeremtweden1481
@kristeremtweden1481 5 жыл бұрын
There is a fourth way to make more tracks. ( atleast in some of the portastudios from that time ) you can record 3 prerecorded tracks directly to the fourth track internally. then you have 3 "new" tracks to record on.
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