heymisterk Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 [angry] Trying to learn my Tascam DP-004 so I can share some tasty bits with you guys. The owner's manual is 112 pages long. I am new to home recording. You get the idea. I know I know: I should have listened to CB and others and bought computer recording software. The problem is, I don't have a laptop. I shall overcome. Still, I feel like the school burnout sitting in front of a board full of trigonometry and I can't leave until I do them correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChanMan Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Try to relax and have fun learning. No deadlines to meet, so you have plenty of time, and will eventually get the knack for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heymisterk Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 Once you get the hang of it, its all good. Have you tried watching any youtube videos on how to use the recorder? Yes, that is what I figure: kind of like riding a (very difficult) bike. I have watched a couple of the videos, and one was very good, but it only taught me the basics of laying a basic track. It was funny because the guy making the video used a camo hunting knife to point to different knobs and inputs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Hate to say I told you so... You will be able to use the basic features well fairly quickly but there are some that are pretty out there especially if you have never used this type of recorders. I hope you read waht I posted about microphones on the other thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1 Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I think a stand alone recorder is easier to use than computer software. I use them both. But I prefer using my 16 track digital recorder. It's just that manual you have to master first. Read it all. And then read it as you need to when doing certain functions. After a while it will become easier for you. I guarantee it. Just don't give up! Good luck and have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heymisterk Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 I really do believe that once I figure it out, I...will have figured it out, and it will be easy, at least the basics. I think it's just getting over the hump. I must say that the basic track I recorded with my Shure mic sounds pretty damn good... In terms of "I told you so," I just don't know what other options I had: having only a desktop computer, I was not gonna drag my computer down to my music room, or my rig up to my office. Perhaps other 4-track machines are easier to use, but I can't imagine they would be all that different. Thanks for the encouragement guys! I will not be deterred by a mere 112 page manual... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I was just messing with you, more like a "know what you are getting into" kind of deal. Like I said the basiscs are easy, but you have to keep at it, The thing with these recorders is that they are less visual and more abstract, my Micro BR has a ton of functions and a few buttons, that just means that you have to do a lot of button-presing in a certain sequence to get things done. It can be done, just take patience, this guy did good: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBjDiskRSbE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaysEpiphone Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I've done some cool stuff with my basic Fostex , just last night I dumped a 20 year old mono recording from it into my DAW workstation and made it sound pretty darn good IMHO (for what I had to work with). I'm sure you can find something used analog for next to nothing, just set up a mic (Shure SM57 or SM58 are fool-prof) in the right spot in the room your rig is set up in and then dump your track's into one of the many free DAW software's for Window's and you can do a mix-down in your computer room. It would be good for you to download a DAW, here's Audicy free. It's safe to say that all the pocket unit's are, while very useful, quite limited/clunky to use because of there menu based operation. I've got a Tascam DR2d pocket recorder that sound's very good with an external mic & pre-amp hooked up to it, I would use it on it's own for spoken word or field recording but not for something that I wanted to sound "good". My old Fostex X-12 is more musically pleasing to the ear with it's natural tape saturation, it's got crap dynamic range compared to the DR2d but it sound's warm and rich. As with any used gear you need to check it out good first, to check an old 4-track machine you just record on all track's and make sure they sound the same on all 4 track's as tape drag will ware out the head if it's been used a LOT! Usually track 1 and 4 will go week or lose sparkle (high frequency's) if it's been worn out, however there are for sure some units still out there that didn't get used a lot and the heads should still be good. The first 4-track I got back in 1986 was used quite a bit so I had the head replaced and I got many years of heavy use out of it after that so there may very well be aftermarket replacement heads still around to. You already got the DP-004 so unless you just hate it and don't want to take some time to learn the interface I'd say keep working with it and you'll eventually get it. Id also say to download a free DAW software and use it as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmurray Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Throw down a click track first. Might tighten things up a bit :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I was just messing with you, more like a "know what you are getting into" kind of deal. Like I said the basiscs are easy, but you have to keep at it, The thing with these recorders is that they are less visual and more abstract, my Micro BR has a ton of functions and a few buttons, that just means that you have to do a lot of button-presing in a certain sequence to get things done. It can be done, just take patience, this guy did good: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBjDiskRSbE Wow, that guy did a bang up job on that! Great playing, nailed it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heymisterk Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 Thanks everyone. My goal is to record a multi-track song within the next week...I just need to keep at it. I bought it; for better or worse, I will live with it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Hey cant the newer recorders actually interface with PC's and Mac's through the USB or Firewire? They do, you can upload or download MP3 or WAV files into your computer but not a full interaction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.