four track opinions:

frank_johnson · Feb 6, 2007

I've never done anything but the most basic recording and am totally confused by the plethora of relatively cheap 4 track recorders available. It would be great to receive some advice:
I want something that is easy to use (and I mean EASY), that does not require lots of extras to get it to work and that will be equally useful for electric guitar, sax and voice.
Also, do you feel that cassettes will be around for another 4-5 years, as analogue Tascams etc. seem to be available at knockdown prices now??? :S
Frank

Linky Lee · Feb 6, 2007

cassettes, no. They aren't really around now with digital media being so cheap and high quality.

As for a four track recorder most of them are basic and simple to use. I find Boss products to be good for the price and have a nice feel about them.

Your requirements depend on what you want to do with one. Many come with CD players built in for play a longs to jam to which enable you to slow/speed the CD up and transpose it as well as record. These are great if that's what your looking for.

If you want to record multiple things at the same time, you'll need to check that the four track has 4 track simultaneous recording, many don't. You'll need at least one quality mic (SM57's are nice and cheap).

You can get some very nice conputer based systems as well nowadays if you plan on doing all your recording at home and have a computer that can handle it.

Pete Thomas · Feb 7, 2007

Cassette no.

I started out using the good old portastudio which was great back in the mid 80s. I don't know enough about the modern digital equivalents which may be very good, but the way to go would be to get a software recording system. On PC I have no knowledge, I'm sure others will advise. On Mac, Garageband is amazing and quite easy to get to grips with.

If you are a bit of a technophobe at all, then in most areas there are short courses or evening classes in muisc technology for beginners.

frank_johnson · Feb 7, 2007

Thanks Linky & Pete. My daughter actually has an Apple Mac lap-top and she's always tinkering with keyboard and guitar, recording on it, but I don't think the musical/recording software is anything but that, which came as standard with the computer. She comes back from Oz next week so perhaps we can go half-shares on 'Garageband'.
Frank

Linky Lee · Feb 7, 2007

Sounds like a good idea Frank. I used to do all my stuff onto digital media via mixer/recorders, but now I've got a laptop that's capable of handling it I use it all the time.

You can get some nice .wav file editing software as well. You may want to look into an external hard drive if you plan on doing a lot. .wav files are pretty big, 3 minutes is about 6meg.

frank_johnson · Feb 8, 2007

Thanks again Linky from alpine Wolverhampton. Got the day off school :laugh: All that extra practice time!!!
Frank

chrisshaw · Feb 8, 2007

You've probably made the right choice. You can download multi track software / shareware free off the net.

The problem with portable 4 tracks, is that some models use multimedia cards as storage. So often people record at a lower sample rate, by accident or on purpose to save memory. I had a Korg pandora 4=4 which was great when I lived out of a suitcase.

With cassette recorders, I actually like the sound they can make as a demo. You must use a Chrome tape. I was listening to a demo I made in 1995 on a portable cassette Tascam 4 track, recorded to DAT. It had a very warm smooth sound to it, which was quite refreshing from the tweaky digitial sound you get today. I'm tempted to do a retro recording again.

The problem with Cassete is they have a narrower 'Frequency response,' which means it cuts out high and low tones. They also scrape a tape across the head, which causes noise, which technically is 15dB loud and what we call a "Sound Floor". Tapes also 'wow and flutter', you know, the sound when a tape is getting chewed up and down in pitch, even in normal operation.

Lastly, the lowest and highest recorded volume is known as dynamic range. On a cassette it's about 50dB or 65dB with a dolby.
CD is a whopping 90-96db, records 70dB.

For these reasons, people avoid tape. It also 'may' fall under todays broadcast quality.

The problem is with computer recording is the quality of the souncard that comes as standard with your PC / Mac are terrible, despite what specification the maufactuers quote. Most people buy an external soundcard for more serious music making.

It doesn't matter what format or medium you use to make your demo, these are the pros and cons and things to look out for.

frank_johnson · Feb 8, 2007

Thanks a bunch Chris. I thought I'd get some sound info./advice from all you guys. I looked at your web page and noticed that your grand-dad played with Tom Jones , Shirley Bassey etc. What was his name? I'm not a nosey B***er, but I have a mate who is a session guitarist who played with the above in the 60s, so he might have known your grand-dad. His name is Bill Parkinson and he is 61 this year. :S
Frank

chrisshaw · Feb 9, 2007

Yes name was Glyn Benjamin Stallard, but he passed away in 1985, so he would have been 91. We've got a box in the attic full of signed photos of the acts he played with.

Oddly I have joined a band called the ' New Arcadians', where the MD got the name from a 90 year old friend's band, which he was the drummer. The band played on the radio and were very popular during the war. My grandfather was the pianist in that band. It's a strange world.

robaldo · Feb 9, 2007

I think garageband comes with free with your mac doesn't it?

Linky Lee · Feb 9, 2007

I'm going to have to get myself a decent mac soonish I think. the PC is coming to an end and it's use is becoming more and more music orientated.

Maybe I'll be able to talk my way into a grant while I'm at uni?

tris · Feb 16, 2007

By the by...

It is well worth investing in a good sound card. Don't bother with anything second hand. They get a thrashing and anything up for sale could be well worn.

You should check out "control surfaces." These plug into your computer and give you all the sliders and knobs of a regular desk. It is fab when you have motorized pots and sliders with automation.... just for the wow factor of having them moving. It is kind of sad but automation means you can control your panning, volume, etc etc via programming so when it comes down to the "mix down" you have not got the performance element of twiddling all the right knobs, the right amount at the right time.