OK so I've been thinking about buying a multi track recorder for a little while now but I'm not entirely sure about how it would change my workflow. The one I'm interested in is the Tascam Portastudio but it could be any multi track recorder.
Do you you create a pattern in the SP and then record it track by track in the multitrack? Or do you record your loop(s) directly in the multitrack, sort of live? I would opt for the 2nd option but I'm not sure how easy it is to create a loop directly in the recorder.
Interested to hear how you guys are working with your multitrack recorders
Workflow with SP + multi track recorder
Moderator: TGN
Re: Workflow with SP + multi track recorder
Get the 4 track.
If you can't find a Tascam in your budget, look at Fostex. I got mine for under $60.
You'll have more fun recording on a tracked out cassette.
Plus, you'll get the warmth and lo-fi sound.
There are a few videos online on how to use the recorder, if you don't feel like reading the manual.
I like to do my sample loops on track 1, 2 is kick and snare, 3 is Hi hat, and 4 is bass.
But I switch it up sometimes. The other night I recorded the bassline first. And now I'm gonna add drums on top of it. And look for horn stabs for a third track, and leave fourth open for someone to rock a mic on.
There's no set way. The more you mess with it, the more you'll feel at ease and start to create your own flow of things.
If you can't find a Tascam in your budget, look at Fostex. I got mine for under $60.
You'll have more fun recording on a tracked out cassette.
Plus, you'll get the warmth and lo-fi sound.
There are a few videos online on how to use the recorder, if you don't feel like reading the manual.
I like to do my sample loops on track 1, 2 is kick and snare, 3 is Hi hat, and 4 is bass.
But I switch it up sometimes. The other night I recorded the bassline first. And now I'm gonna add drums on top of it. And look for horn stabs for a third track, and leave fourth open for someone to rock a mic on.
There's no set way. The more you mess with it, the more you'll feel at ease and start to create your own flow of things.
Latest sounds at Spotify
support my music habit, buying tapes @ mattcoops.bandcamp.com
Experiment, and Have Fun!
support my music habit, buying tapes @ mattcoops.bandcamp.com
Experiment, and Have Fun!
Re: Workflow with SP + multi track recorder
Yeah I'm not completely sold on one track recorder. I wasn't necessarily thinking about a cassette recorder but I'm sure the workflow is pretty similar 
So if I understood everything, you record track by track in your 4 track which is exactly what I would like to do. Is it possible to loop what you've recorded and then duplicate that loop to create a full beat? And how easy is it to set the start and end point of your loop? I guess that's my biggest fear. I don't want to spend too much time looping 2-4bar.
So if I understood everything, you record track by track in your 4 track which is exactly what I would like to do. Is it possible to loop what you've recorded and then duplicate that loop to create a full beat? And how easy is it to set the start and end point of your loop? I guess that's my biggest fear. I don't want to spend too much time looping 2-4bar.
Re: Workflow with SP + multi track recorder
You can't really loop with a cassette. You might be able to with a digital multitrack.
But you could always make your loop and then send it back into the sampler and loop it on there.
But you could always make your loop and then send it back into the sampler and loop it on there.
Latest sounds at Spotify
support my music habit, buying tapes @ mattcoops.bandcamp.com
Experiment, and Have Fun!
support my music habit, buying tapes @ mattcoops.bandcamp.com
Experiment, and Have Fun!
Re: Workflow with SP + multi track recorder
That's actually a good point.
I wanted to finish my beats in the multitrack, just so it's not destructive. I would then be able to go back a few weeks later, listen to the mix again and then add a few tweaks here and there. I don't know why I have that need, it's always been hard for me to finish beats...
I wanted to finish my beats in the multitrack, just so it's not destructive. I would then be able to go back a few weeks later, listen to the mix again and then add a few tweaks here and there. I don't know why I have that need, it's always been hard for me to finish beats...
Re: Workflow with SP + multi track recorder
yo i usually get it done in one take start to finish, even tho i got 6 portable multi tracks, and 2 4 tracks, the 4 track tapes i mostly use for storage, the mfp01 is sort of a piece of junk, mostly because playback is consumer speed, 1.875 inches (4.8 cm) per second,the good thing is you can play other tapes, and listen to the raw 4 track tapees on anytape player. on 414mk2 you can pitch it up and get best quality for tape at faster speed, combined with eq it is the best porta studio. sound wise the VS880 digital sounds, good on lofi mode, i compress and eq everything first on there and bleed a bit and the distortion is creamy, since I need to grab that from analog anyway, why not. but wait, 24 bit has the umph and sparkle that rivals tape recording. i will end up using both anyway, I make sure the mix forsure sound good on reel to reel, or just use the reel bounce, reel to reel always has some kind of extra pizazz some how, the old cuircits.
can use midi to start and stop multi track, or press record and then play, on your recorder, and it will start the mpc, have fun trying to do that on 404 and if you figure it out then, post it somewhere. or smpte timecode, some tapemachines use that, doing it that way, of having all synchronized on different tracks, on midi, so its like how it plays in the mpc, except its all tracked out and you can fine tune the mix. i want to do it like that, I just record one take ,
can use midi to start and stop multi track, or press record and then play, on your recorder, and it will start the mpc, have fun trying to do that on 404 and if you figure it out then, post it somewhere. or smpte timecode, some tapemachines use that, doing it that way, of having all synchronized on different tracks, on midi, so its like how it plays in the mpc, except its all tracked out and you can fine tune the mix. i want to do it like that, I just record one take ,
Re: Workflow with SP + multi track recorder
right when i pushed post, i realized i got the 8 outs on the 2kxl, and 2500, so if i want to do some fancy shit, i'll do 8 outs into VS880. it will go, mpc to mixer, with paralel DBX maximizer , and then trim the peaks on the mixer and VS880 , Then do some midi kung fu and press play record on vs880.