4-track Cassette Recording

[real_low_mind]

I don't actually have one yet (I've been using my computer...Audacity + computer microphone is so bad sounding. And I think I broke my speakers.)...but I have to know; 1. Does it use special cassettes? 2. What do you do after you mix the tracks? Do you need some other source to make a master tape?
That's it for now...unless anyone else has anything to say about it.
laura:thumb:

[Ethan.]

Sorry I don't know much about multitrack recording devices, but I'd highly recommend sticking with a computer. Get a good mic and a better recording program (I use cool edit pro 2, which is fantastic and easy to use) and everything will sound loads better.

[isojoe420]

I'd highly recommend sticking with a computer.
Agreed

1. Does it use special cassettes? 2. What do you do after you mix the tracks? Do you need some other source to make a master tape?

1. No
2.1 Mixdown to external source
2.2 Yes, computer, external tape deck, etc.

[real_low_mind]

Agreed

1. No
2.1 Mixdown to external source
2.2 Yes, computer, external tape deck, etc.


1. Ah! I knew someone would tell me to keep recording with the computer. Not like I can even find an XLR to 1/8 (I think?) adapter for my computer.
And I can't afford some $100 program any way; I am getting a $60 recorder from ebay. I just want something a little better than Audacity; when I want a CD quality recording I will use a studio..
2. Will it lower the sound quality a lot to record to a regular cassette player (with a 1/4" output to RCA cable in my cassette player I am assuming)? Or I could record to my computer with Audacity, but my CD burner is in pretty bad shape, and I would think it would be the same quality recording to Audacity as it was without the extra 4 track mixing.

[Ethan.]

More than likely cassette sound quality will sound worse than digital sound quality.

Why not get a free recording program and spend that $60 on a mic? It will be the same cost, WAY better quality, and WAY more (and better) editing/mixing/mastering/effects/etc/ options.

Believe me, there are programs way better than Audacity. I went from starting out with Audacity to Cool Edit Pro 2.0, and it is soooo much better. There are very useful presets to help you get the sound you want for every effect and edit, which makes it very easy for someone like me who doesn't know a bunch about how to use some stuff on there.

This would be a huge step up from both, the cassette multitrack and Audacity. But you will need a pretty good mic.

[Moseph]

I'd like to remind everyone that this is not a pro-piracy website. In fact, mxtabs.net is no longer providing tabs with the intention of avoiding a pro-piracy appearance in court. Anyone promoting piracy on these forums (on a sister site of mxtabs.net) runs the risk of causing more legal problems for the webmaster in the future.

That being said, Cool Edit Pro 2.0 is pretty lame anyway. There are freeware programs out there with similar and better functionality. The ones that spring to mind for me are Kristal Audio Engine (http://www.kreatives.org/kristal) and REAPER 0.999 (http://www.cockos.com/reaper/ - find it in "previous versions").

[real_low_mind]

1. I still have a crappy CD burner; anything I record will make annoying sounds and skip & everything.
2. I already have a microphone; it's $10 but who cares? I'm no professional. And I have no money.
3. I tried those 2, they froze up my computer. *sigh*

[Moseph]

If you can't go with a computer, I'd still suggest you go the digital route, since that provides you with much better flexibility, storage, and quality. There will also not be quality loss with use of the media (ie, it won't degreade with repeated listens like tape ultimately will).

In terms of feature/cost comparison, I usually recommend the Fostex MR8HD, which has a nice set of features compared to other similar devices in its price class.

[real_low_mind]

If you can't go with a computer, I'd still suggest you go the digital route, since that provides you with much better flexibility, storage, and quality. There will also not be quality loss with use of the media (ie, it won't degreade with repeated listens like tape ultimately will).

In terms of feature/cost comparison, I usually recommend the Fostex MR8HD, which has a nice set of features compared to other similar devices in its price class.

ah...if only I did have $350.

[Moseph]

Be patient and save then. If you purchase the wrong thing for $100 and then decide you need to get the $350 product anyway, you've effectively spent $450 for the correct product. Considering that at the moment you're already using the "wrong thing" to record, and you're doing it for money that is already spent, there isn't any point in switching to a new "wrong thing."

Just some food for thought.

[real_low_mind]

Be patient and save then. If you purchase the wrong thing for $100 and then decide you need to get the $350 product anyway, you've effectively spent $450 for the correct product. Considering that at the moment you're already using the "wrong thing" to record, and you're doing it for money that is already spent, there isn't any point in switching to a new "wrong thing."

Just some food for thought.

ha. ha. ha. I've done that so many times already. Buying and selling...no real income...since I was 13 and irrationally bought my first keyboard for $350.
But I now can play a lot more instruments because of it.
The thing was on ebay and it was only $60. I don't think I will need anything much better for a while because I don't expect anything professional as long as it's listenable.
By the way I sold my keyboard the same year for $200 and I kind of miss it now.
It was a Roland JX-3P. So worth more than $200. :mad:

[scheid]

Here's a thought: you already have a mic that suits your needs. If you can get that plugged into your computer somehow, great. There are tricks to plugging in professional mics directly into computer sound cards, namely that a computer sound card mic jack actually has a power pin on it (different than phantom power) which could screw up some mics.

If you can't get your mic into the computer, then heck, get one of those mics made for computers that already have the correct jack to plug into a sound card. You can get one for under $10 (all amounts here are in US Dollars), and maybe even for free. Sure, they suck, but you just want something to get your ideas down.

Regarding software, a few years back I was using N-track which is a great multitrack program for the money (http://www.ntrack.com/). I think it's around $55. You can record from the cheap mic directly into n-track to your heart's content.

So, this is a $65 solution. True it doesn't address how you would burn CD's. But you can still render a final wav file, and then make mp3's from that and upload to web sites.

[Auberge le Mouton Noir]

I use cassette recording for my recordings, because of the cheapness and the convinience and the fact i'm really not serious about it. you have to use type II tapes which are "special" but not much harder to get hold of than normal ones, they sell them in music zone

it might be that i need to clean my heads and haven't but my main issue is with noise

an excess thereof

but the noise is probably coming in throughout my signal chain from unbalanced cable to a poor soundcard

and I master to pc, in full mixed stereo if it's a multi tracked song

and on a guitar track and vocals track if it's just an acoustic/vocals song (so each panned hard one way or the other)

but the latter is **** if you want a solo or something in there

[moshpitdrummer]

well i have gotten good quality sound out of a cassette recorder and then dumped all the tracks onto a computer and mixed them there. even though u lose a generation of quality when u do that, it was cheaper in my case to go that route, but i didnt have any computer recording equipment except for cool edit pro (which i highly suggest getting. it is extremely good for mixing)

in the end, it all comes down to quality. if you want high quality be prepared to spend a little more $. digital is usually more expensive but can reach crazy high levels of quality and the trend is starting to go with digital. i expect that soon analog will be almost completely phased out.

[Ethan.]

Unless you are recording drums individually, why get a multitrack and a recording program?

[KKKKKocaine]

Contrary to what's been said, you do need 'special' tapes. I think it's Type 2, they only cost slightly more than regular tapes. In some cassette multitracks is makes the difference between being able to record 2 tracks and being able to record 4.

[real_low_mind]

what are the ways of mixing down after I have something recorded? Can I connect a 1/4"cable from the multitrack to my record player? (it has an RCA input, and useless 1/8 microphone inputs), I can't think of any other ways.

[Auberge le Mouton Noir]

Contrary to what's been said, you do need 'special' tapes. I think it's Type 2, they only cost slightly more than regular tapes. In some cassette multitracks is makes the difference between being able to record 2 tracks and being able to record 4.

ya hug you harry because *I* said so