I've got my 4 track now what

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Aug 10 - 08:21 PM

I have Fostex FVo8 Ihave had it awhile but I havent used it in awhile it has been hard to figureout, I am trying to hook it up to my pc and having trouble figuring out how. I also trying to get the microphone to work and the only time I hear something is when the training button is pushed.   I need some advise.

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: Ian Hendrie
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 11:46 AM

Thanks SA,

That seems to be the way to go.

Ian

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 09:10 AM

Behringer UCA202 (from GAK)

Audacity 1.2.12 Beta

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 09:03 AM

What you need is an external USB sound-card which can turn the most humble laptop into a serious piece of audio kit. We use the Behringer UCA202 which comes in around £30 - not a lot of money considering the sound quality! No bells & whistles, just phono in's & out's and a headphone socket.

We use Windows 7, for which you can download Audacity Beta, still in the throes of development but I've been using it a few weeks now with no problems.

Should sort you out!

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: GUEST,Ian Hendrie
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 08:05 AM

Help needed with Fostex VF80! I have been using this for some time now to record, though I can't say I've utilised all its facilities.

Once I got a recording I was happy with, I transferred it to a lap-top (Windows XP) by using the VF80 stereo out to the PC's line-in, playing the track and recording it with Goldwave (occasionally Audacity).

Now I have a problem. The old lap-top has died and the replacement runs Windows 7 and doesn't have a line-in socket. Windows 7 also has removed the option to record internally Wave or Stereo Mix but that's another story - I think!

How can I tranfer the recordings from the VF80 (in their own format on the hard disc) to the computer? My VF80 does not have a CD burner fitted (which would provide a way) and the price they charge for them is outrageous. Any suggestions?

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 04:04 AM

Problem with D-888 was that we wanted it to run up to eight phantom power mics, which really is what it's made to do. It beggars belief that Korg haven't ironed this fault out, which people have been troubling over on-line for two or three years now - otherwise, as you say, it's a very lovely machine.

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: JohnB
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 01:32 AM

Rented a Korg D888 for the last two weeks for 50$Can, had the same problem with the internal phantom power. Thump thump every time the hard drive switches, got around it by using a tube pre amp for phantom power and patching into the 1/4 jack plugs.
Otherwise it seems like a pretty decent machine, did the job I wanted in the end.
Play with your machine a lot, that's the best answer.
JohnB.

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: GUEST,Captain Farrell
Date: 19 Feb 10 - 05:19 AM

Thanks people I will look out for a good Mic on Ebay cheers.

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 19 Feb 10 - 04:19 AM

I bought a Fostex VF80 a few years back - an 8 track digital recorder it said - in fact a 6 track with 2 tracks for mastering and only 2 tracks can be recorded at a time.

I love the VF-80 for solo recording - my own is out of commission awaiting hard-drive reformatting (a recurring problem on the Fostex machines) which means I'll loose everything on there, so a week or two needs to be found for some serious mixing before I lose it all forever. Quality-wise it's a notch up from the MR8-HD which we bought because it's one of the few digital recorders that have 4 phantom powered XLR inputs. Hardly an 8-track, it is essentially a 4-track with two additional stereo channels for bouncing down & mastering, but it's good for recording live sessions with four mics - see the songs on the Demdyke myspace page, especially Mother Carey's Chicks.

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: Jim Lad
Date: 18 Feb 10 - 11:24 PM

Go here http://homerecording.com/bbs/

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: Bernard
Date: 18 Feb 10 - 07:28 PM

The most important thing with a cassette recorder is keeping the tape heads scrupulously clean - a cotton bud and isopropyl alcochol does the trick. The first thing you lose with dirty heads is the high frequencies.

People witter on about using a tape head demagnetiser, but I think that is a little overstated... I have one, but didn't really notice the difference. I believe there has to be a serious problem with the bias to cause the heads to maganetise so badly as to affect recording.

One with Dolby C, or better still, DBX noise reduction is the way to go.

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 18 Feb 10 - 04:13 PM

I joke, although there is an element of truth in what I posted above. I bought a Fostex VF80 a few years back - an 8 track digital recorder it said - in fact a 6 track with 2 tracks for mastering and only 2 tracks can be recorded at a time.

The secret of getting a good recording on a cassette multitrack is first of all to have it set up properly to give it half a chance, always record at the fastest speed, and use the best cassettes available. I always used TDK AR as they would take one hell of a level before they distort.

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 18 Feb 10 - 04:08 PM

Soon you'll wish that you bought an 8 or even 16 track!!

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: Howard Jones
Date: 18 Feb 10 - 02:24 PM

Your Tascam should do exactly that - plug in a mic and/or an instrument lead, record and play it back through headphones. You can record one or two tracks simultaneously, and up to 4 tracks in total.

If you want to be able to play the track on other equipment, you can then mix down the multi-track recording to stereo by connecting it to a normal cassette player, or better still to your computer where you can record it using something like Audacity , which is free audio recording and editing software.

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: GUEST,captain farrell
Date: 18 Feb 10 - 10:20 AM

Is there anything that just plugs in then record then back through your headphones

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 11:33 AM

Lord, I love cassettes! I've still got an Yamaha MT44 (circa 1985) which still works, just about, though it could do with an overhaul. Shame you can't get the old Sony HFS Pros with the white ceramic innards which were the best cassettes ever. A while ago I was so hacked off with unreliable digital media (external hard-drives, internal hard-drives, CD-Rs, Mini disks) that I started backing everything up on cassette. My Fostex MR8HD crashed recently and in reformatting the disk I lost everything on it, which is why the Alesis iMultiMix 8 machine appeals so much, but how reliable are i-Pods??

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: Hamish
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 08:13 AM

Ah. Cassettes. You need to be even more careful about getting a good high level without distortion to keep the signal to noise ratio high. No reason why you shouldn't get reasonable results if you use high quality tapes.

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: GUEST,Captain Farrell
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 07:21 AM

I have to say it`s a Tascam Porta 03 mk11 fairly old now but I should be able to make a start PS using cassettes.

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: GUEST,S O'P (Astray)
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 07:14 AM

If you've got phantom power on your machine & large diaphragm phantom powered mics then you don't need a pre-amp. Start with the Behringer B1 which is a doozy all-rounder for the price. Otherwise, you just need to keep playing with it until the results inspire a warm glow in your ego.

What have you got anyway? I'm presently using a Fostex MR8-HD, though I recently tried the Kord D-888 but there's a design flaw when it comes to using phantom power. I've also been looking at the Alesis iMultiMix 8 which does away with internal hard-drive and records on an i-Pod. The Zoom R16 uses flash-cards, but only two of the xlr inputs are phantom powered, which necessitates a mixer.

Subject: RE: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: Hamish
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 06:28 AM

Well you'll need one or maybe two decent mics and most digital multitracks need a pre-amp of some sort to get a sufficient level. (I use a Behringer mixer and that does the job. Pan one mic left and the other right and it's effectively two pre-amps). That's all you need. Plus the cables, obviously.

Subject: I`ve got my 4 track now what
From: GUEST,Captain Farrell
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 06:16 AM

Now it`s here I have lost my box with all my old mics cables and preamps what do I need to start making half decent vocal and multi instrumental tracks apart from some more talent.Please can I have some constructive help.Rgds. Captain Farrell