Question about 4track cassette recorders?

[spwarlock]

I have a Tascam portastudio 414 MKii and Im having trouble understanding how to record in stereo from my SP.The way I understand it you plug the rca outs with adaptors into channels one and two on the recorder.Then you pan each knob to the corresponding right and left channels all the way left and right.I seem to be having trouble getting a balanced sound with the channels(it sounds like everything is panning more to the right)The volume levels also appear to be stronger on one channel over the other which could be why this is occurring.So every time i record a beat i have to screw around w/ the levels until it sounds balanced.Am I doing something wrong in this process?or is my 4 track messed up?or is that just part of the process?
Any advice is massively appreciated?
Cody

[l i f]

Hey dude - it was a long time ago i was using my 4 track properly... and most recently just recording one track at a time to dump ideas blah blah..so this wasn't an issue for me.

Anyways, i remember i think that when recording you have the headphone/monitor switch set to hear the recording in mono thru headphones/monitors ("cue" setting on my tascam) but actually need to set both the pan-knobs on either hard right or hard left (forget which) - if you have them set any other way you get bleeding onto the separate tracks or the situation you describe with one channel louder than the other. When you go to mixdown is when you can pan them R & L respectively...

This off the top of my head. Others undoubtedly have the definitive answer. But if you can work a 4-track you're a mix-master imo. No better production foundation I reckon.

[spwarlock]

Hey dude - it was a long time ago i was using my 4 track properly... and most recently just recording one track at a time to dump ideas blah blah..so this wasn't an issue for me.

Anyways, i remember i think that when recording you have the headphone/monitor switch set to hear the recording in mono thru headphones/monitors ("cue" setting on my tascam) but actually need to set both the pan-knobs on either hard right or hard left (forget which) - if you have them set any other way you get bleeding onto the separate tracks or the situation you describe with one channel louder than the other. When you go to mixdown is when you can pan them R & L respectively...

This off the top of my head. Others undoubtedly have the definitive answer. But if you can work a 4-track you're a mix-master imo. No better production foundation I reckon.

Oh so you mean instead of one left and one right...both have to be set one way?
I think i can google the direction but thanks man I never knew that...no wonder my shits been such a pain to make haha!

[spwarlock]

Thanks a ton bro that was it!I was recording with the two panned left and right that was my mistake.... haha I'm a dumbass:)

[l i f]

Hey, so glad to help man...! nice to be right too, once in a while!

Long-term memory: still in service; short-term, well.. yeh... what were we talking about?

[medearis]

I have a Porta 424 MKIII without the PSU that I would be willing to make an easy swap for or sell for beans. Word.

[rak]

im having same kind of issue with Spwarlock.but when i turn track 1 n 2 pan-knobs hard left seems like some volume misses in comparison to the right.plus it doesnt sound like totally left.master fader at 7.

the fader seems to be the problem.when i turn it down it goes totally left.but at this moment,if i turn the pan-knobs hard right both of them no sound comes out.anyway,i cannot understand what im doing wrong.
assuming,when master fader is 0 and pan-knobs 12 o clock (monitor on L-R) sound is hard right.then i raise master fader and sounds goes right.THAT seems awkward.

fuck that im getting trouble explaining this thing..may someone explain me in simple words the steps i need to follow?