How I recorded an album on the four track

Recorded entirely on the four track Tascam 414 Portastudio and mixed down using the 424.
Download the album here
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[@kaivrock]

I'm impressed. This sounds great. You hook up outboard gear to those things and use space creatively, I'ts amazing what you can do.

[@madlymusical7352]

I immediately checked out the Album after seeing this video. Genuinely really enjoy listening to it. Definite Radiohead feeling with it. Congratulations

[@magicspiral3323]

You know what’s hilarious about that comment is the first Smee album has the incidental name of Radiohead. I never thought Smee would see such a comparison. 😆

[@roadrunner5260]

man this video is so inspiring. sometimes i get caught up in the modern world of music, but i can for sure imagine how much fun and creativity this will unlock. album is great. the instrumentation really gives me this 90's vibe.

[@minimaldanic1338]

Totally agree Marvin

[@jonathansoko1085]

Theres a reason the 90s was so much better for hiphop and limitations was a big factor, people had to try. Dudes dont even try these days, everyones sounding the same out here becuase they all go to google and download the same sound packs, i legit hear the same "lofi" stuff all the time because clearly dudes just went and got free or paid for loop packs. ITs shite.

[@travisraab]

Yup!!

[@KingPaimon_]

This is dope as hell and inspiring like crazy !

[@zachmcintire2189]

smh am I the only one who realized the ... auspicious title (facepalm) lol

[@johnnybelle2686]

@Pop Ease i dont get it

[@omstheband]

Yeah I saw that immediately lol.... oiii

[@robinsdoom]

it means greedy

[@livgreene1492]

Yeah wtaffffff clicking away now 👋🏻bbye

[@danandkiko]

Awesome concept. I also used to have an SK-1. Our house burned down in 1988. The SK-1, though melted some, still worked afterward.

[@antonhosinsky3090]

I absolutely loved this. It has an organic feeling that gets lost with modern production techniques. I had a Fostex x26 but nobody told me about click tracks so I was a bit lost, then it disappeared and eventually I got into computer recording. But I'd love to do a an album just with a Dx7, Juno60 and Mirage going into.a 4track.

[@MadeOnTape]

love it! these "old" tools are so powerful!

[@spooktasticaparanormal]

Wow Landon great video. I have the 8 track 488mk1 model, and I've just started work on my own album with already great results. Thanks for sharing.

[@blakewhittington4336]

I've been working on recording with a Tascam Mark III for a while. It's not as easy as some think but once you learn how it works it's great. I need help on mixing and compressing my recordings that's where I'm stuck

[@facksvillain2296]

The album is 🔥🔥🔥, it was worth every penny!!!

[@likemeonfaceboot]

the Beatles: "hold my beers"...

[@Zer0Spinn]

Hold our lsd tabs

[@spooktasticaparanormal]

Hi Landon, I'm just loving your channel content. I still use a cassette based recorder, it's the Tascam 488 mk1 8 track recorder. It has such a fantastic sound with hardly any noticable noise floor because I record as hot as possible to get a good signal to noise ratio. However I do all my recordings with DBX, but it still sounds great on mix down. Thanks for sharing your videos my friend. Kind regards. Paul.

[@magicspiral3323]

Tascam 488MK1 Home multitrack recording thank you kindly! I’m loving the sound of my Tascam 238! Amazing quality for a cassette. Glad you’re enjoying the 488. That’s a beast of a machine. Cheers!

[@spooktasticaparanormal]

@@magicspiral3323 It certainly is. I'm in Scotland and I bought the machine from Belgium. It wasnt working when I got it but I changed out the capstan motor and belts, an it sparked into life. Its a very clean and professional sounding machine. I'm currently recording an album, but it;s taking time as I got sick. So I'm hoping to get back into it soon. Beest wishes. Paul.

[@Bridging_the_Political_Divide]

How much does DBX rob dynamics on cassette multitracks?

[@Hippitay]

Bravo Mr. Landon Bravo. Fun to watch 👏🏻👏🏻

[@IvesMarcelin]

I Feel Something good about this box ...she sounding fine

[@HearGear]

This is just awesome, imagen what you could do with an 8 track portastudio with a built in CD burner on it.. :D

[@magicspiral3323]

Pick Your Brain is now available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music ect. ✌🏼

[@011001er]

People sell out their runs of cassettes on bandcamp like... All the time. It's great for the customer, you get a digital and physical copy. Why everyone isn't on bandcamp... Dunno, it's a no brainier. Also I can't not see magic spiral without thinking of Trent's band mystic spiral from Daria. Bandcamp dude.

[@bobzmuda3940]

cassette

[@RobinJamesHurtMusic]

both

[@mka917]

Wowee Zoweee Holy Shite you made an entire album on your own ? At home ? On a portastudio ?? In 2020 sumpthin ? Wow !! Considering almost every Indie Album from 1987 to 1997 worth a shite was made that way you're only 25 years late to the party hahaha

[@BeatsByRossi]

I love it! Great Video! Thank You! 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾

[@KRAZEEIZATION]

I found one of those machines in a pawn shop a few months ago but it was sold. I would have bought it as I have a Fostex 4 Track. The quality is poor compared to digital which I’ve been using since 2000 but recording to tape has a magic that’s long gone.

[@DizzyMakavelli]

You can't go wrong with the cat as Engineer .. Dope!

[@leightonmitchell2564]

Are you familiar with the music of Ariel Pink or R. Stevie Moore? I feel like they have a similar style. Enjoyed the video!

[@magicspiral3323]

You know, I have heard their music and read a thing or two about them, though I’m not familiar with a ton of their material. I take the similarity as a compliment, so thank you for that and thanks for enjoying the video!

[@flower5185]

@@magicspiral3323 Check out the musician Larry Wish too. Very cool weirdo songwriter

[@deanandthebeans857]

Sounds really good!

[@benabel886]

bro you not being more successful is a bad on the world lmfao, when did you start getting into wanting to make music? i just have recently and im 19 so im wondering if you started around that age and still sound as good as you do. im high on weedables rn so sorry if i sound stupid 💀

[@magicspiral3323]

Hey thanks! You don’t sound stupid at all. I’ve been tinkering with keyboards and making a musical mess since I was like 7, but I started making “serious” music when I was like 15. I got my first guitar at 18 which is about when I started to dive into songwriting.

[@michatroschka]

really nice my mate!!! inspiring

[@maximecassady7918]

inspiring !! great job.

[@cosmoschtroumpf]

If i'm right, the first Bruce Springsteen album was recorded on a porta one...

[@Stargrazer]

It was the album Nebraska

[@Allan-et5ig]

Magic Spiral - Nice song. It's actually quite easy to bounce on tape. Regardless, you did a good job.

[@crackdown84]

this is great inspiration! Would you make a list of what you used here, and possibly an alternative of setting up a good (budget) 4track home studio with similar potentials? Really enjoyed the music. I'll check out the album! Take care

[@robaxl3088]

nobody is mentioning how hard it was and the time this guy put into recording an album using this shit...I can say "shit"because I used one of these in the 80's and omg it was a pain in the ass...I commend this man and give him props for the torture he must have went thru.

[@nintendoor1]

I use tape machines almost exclusively these days. I can see how someone would think it’s a pain in the ass, but coming from someone who got severely burned out working inside of a computer, it’s refreshing. I have to do everything in real time. While I suppose it’s annoying that it’s difficult (impossible) to splice different takes together, It encourages me to practice my songs ahead of recording. I can’t be lazy with tape, and I love that, because If I have the option to be, I absolutely will be haha

[@TimmyTheSnail]

Oh this is great. I miss this type of passion in people these days

[@arlyon]

Great video and great sounds. I have an old Tascam Porta 07 which I bought about 25 or more years ago. Used to love mucking about making stuff up. Then the kids came along. End of 'mucking about'. Kids now grown up and I dug it out again. Great old bit of kit. The only real issue I have now (apart from recording something decent ;D) is - how the hell can I transfer my stuff in to my computer and itunes? I'm a bit bemused......

[@magicspiral3323]

I use an audio interface to transfer tapes to the computer.

[@NovelMeetsEvilPodcast]

If you record it onto a sequencer first and then export a sequenced performance from there it's not what I think of as recording onto 4-track. I guess this counts, at least as an awesome callback to the olden days.

[@inthefade]

Was hoping the xr-5 in the pic was used because that's what I'm looking to use in my production.

[@magicspiral3323]

A Tascam 424 is the model featured in the photo. the workflow will be very similar. Thanks for watching and happy recording!

[@shawnjohnston237]

Casset please :)

[@thelo-fidelityarchive597]

Digging this a lot! Reminds me a bit of the later Tall Dwarfs albums or Chris Knox.

[@shannonpalmer]

I thought of Chris Knox as well! Also reminds me of when I was in college living with a bunch of elephant 6 members and all the home recordings they were making at the time. Really great stuff!

[@baisustipas9857]

Dope content, dope album! Rain blow is my favorite!

[@zakkziegler111]

Great stuff, man. That track that kicks in around 2:50 has some *major* MBV Loveless era influences for sure. I hear it a mile away. Beautiful stuff.

[@cliffordpearsonjr.9748]

Just Now saw thiS--- VERY Good! Great Ideas...Great attitude...I love the 4 track too... What do you film with?? Keep it Up!

[@magicspiral3323]

Thank you for watching! We used the Canon Rebel T5i DSLR camera.

[@cliffordpearsonjr.9748]

@@magicspiral3323 Cool! Thank you.

[@pascaljosso2280]

Now I want the rug too :'( FeelsSadMan

[@mrdanielnewell]

This was sweet! Just been getting into my 424 mkii and it’s been a bit of a long learning curve. I wanted to ask, can’t you record the stereo backing track through 5/6 or 7/8? Then use the other inputs for mono and panned tracks? I’ve been doing this on the mkii but still not really understanding where that signal records to. I think it’s like master bus, but where is it actually going on the tape? Is it duplicated on both channels on both sides of the tape, or first side, or what? Do you know? Cause then when you pan the tracks after recording, wouldn’t that also pan the recorded info from 5/6 and 7/8? I’m prolly just not understanding something. the manual doesn’t go into any depth about this as those inputs are usually dedicated to Fx

[@deviousxen]

I hope there are additional stimulus checks I can finally get into tape with cause it'll take a grand lmao

[@robblackwell80]

Coming soon!!!!!

[@kuzan-steele2043]

This is amazing. Definitely subscribing MAKE MORE!!!

[@GeekTherapyRadio]

If I had not already, I would've subbed instantly at 1:43. Laughed my ass off.

[@jamesdoctor8079]

I got that same 424 for $50 on Craigslist.. sold it for $200 and now they go for even more

[@AZ-zf1eu]

Super cool video! I’m wondering if you could tell me the type of power supply you have/I could get for the tascam 424 portastudio? I have one I’m trying to resurrect and found my power supply missing. I found a couple on amazon claiming to be what I need but just wanted to be sure. Any help is appreciated.

[@ronnieremark3355]

Dude! I need one too. I’ve had the same tascam and have not had any luck with the power supply. The are very hard to find, if it’s the one that looks like a small midi looking cable. I forget the actual model number for the power cable. All I can say is keep looking on eBay

[@BillyBanter100]

What's wrong with old tech, sounds good to me.

[@magicspiral3323]

Nothings wrong with the technology, but it sure is impractical to use in comparison to a DAW

[@gamepad3173]

this may give me an idea with the yamaha MT4X,though I'd prefer to record in audition then bounce each track to tape.

[@SamuelBlues]

Wow this is really cool, gonan listen to the album now! I recorded on Fostex X-15 4-track, check out my album, LO-FI CAR MUSIC, same as you, just for fun!

[@j0an-07-arc6]

Can you connect it to a laptop using an interface if so what cable to use

[@magicspiral3323]

Yes you can. Typically you’d use RCA to 1/4” cables.

[@starrguitargoddess]

Newbie here. Apologies if it's a super naive question..if I use the stereo outputs on the recorder to connect with the Focusrite interface it will transfer my tracks to my DAW's , correct ?

[@ryfkiherdi]

2:51 reminds me of Alanis Morisette’s You Oughta Know!

[@bliss3174]

Reminds me of Ariel pink

[@bc4065]

I'm trying to do this! Thanks you for showing some info and skills!

[@tomblaze2]

sounds hot

[@YoungNino2017]

I just got a 4 track and after using it I don't understand how anyone records with these... the tape does not playback as consistently as a a computer... the speed (timing) fluctuates... thus making me wonder how one can play along to a previous track (say drums) and get it in time when the previous track will not be in time. Even me playing two tracks (bass and treble) into a 4 track don't stay in sync... and they are sequences made on a computer.... so how could a human possibly sync with a track that's timing is fluctuating due to the tape????

[@magicspiral3323]

I think you’re using it backwards

[@jesusgavemeaids]

I have a tascam 424mkiii. I've made decent sounding recordings in the past but it's all been dumb luck. Usually I waste most of my time trying to get everything to sound just decent. I don't even use effects or anything...just guitars (2 tracks, one panned left, one right, bass, & drums & vocals. That's it.) It's very difficult to figure out how to get everything to sound decent.

[@seamusearl8651]

Great tone at 4:44 reminiscent of helter skelter

[@matthewleger5605]

really pretty stuff man. just got a portastudio, i appreciate the demonstration! just had a question if you could help. i've been recording for a couple of years through my behringer umc404hd audio interface, into logic pro x, but i've never had the chance to mess with anything truly 'analog'. i'm not sure how you transfer the audio to your computer, but i should be able to run my portastudio into an audio interface and then into a DAW, correct? i assume so, but am still waiting on some cords to arrive, so i haven't been able to get it up and running yet. anyways, keep making music! not sure what's up with the annoying comments below. edit: just saw you have another video describing how to do exactly what i just asked! read my damn mind

[@magicspiral3323]

Thanks for watching! Glad you found the other video. Hope you get recording soon! They’re fun tools!

[@willclocksinjr4442]

who gave this man the n word pass

[@josephwhitehead685]

your first album was called what now?

[@ryandeanlindgren9054]

cool

[@dyxonelgeniomusical5864]

¿Can i use a analog mixer in the aux in from the tape recorder, and use it to mix the tracks sounds?

[@Nightshade_42]

Hey Landon, what happened to the other channel? Nice to see you back

[@magicspiral3323]

InThisTwilight hey thanks! Our previous email was deleted when renewed, and our KZbin page was lost with it unfortunately. Don’t worry, we still have videos coming up!

[@_Yugin]

Hello,I need your advice,please tell me, how you connect your sp 404 to tascam 424.?im right uderstand inputs tascam 424 have XLR 6.5 jack?Thanks

[@cianleonizoabad]

I love this video! Did you need an audio interface when connecting the 24 channel mixer to the 4 track?

[@magicspiral3323]

No, just to record to the computer

[@prophetoffire6976]

It sounds way thicker

[@antoniomedesc]

hello, world. I have a question about radio frequency interference. I’ve got a Fostex x-18 that sounds great and works perfectly, but it has a huge RFI when i plug anything in any input. It’s a shame because there’s a lot of potential here for soundscapes and textures if only I could have a RFI free signal. I’m asking this here hoping that someone could help me with that. Sorry that I'm using this video comment session as a forum (: cheers.

[@fernandezlapa]

0:19 yo wtf man do you even have the pass fo this kinda shit?????

[@synthesizerhome2041]

In the nineties I had a Tascam 4-track. I made good tracks with it, but actually I hated the machine. I could not afford something better. You could always hear that DBX and noise thing. All I wished is something like 16 tracks in digital quality (what we all have today). 30 years ago this was not affordable, you were stuck with 4-track cassette.

[@magicspiral3323]

I know all too well what it is wanting to work with more tracks. I only had stereo cassettes available to me until I was 15, then we had a stereo CD burner and a year after that we had an 8 track digital studio. The Fostex MR-8! I’ll do a video on that one soon!

[@yufu938]

hello this might sound like a dumb question, is it possible to record a full drum set with 2 tracks? (with 6 mics on the drum set)

[@d655]

that´s the way we used to do...i love it

[@IanTtierney]

god i'm so jealous of your studio.....

[@dme1016]

My Tascam 424II analog 4-track is 23 years old, with a few more features than this one....and I didn't have a kitty. I work that sucker like it's 12 tracks. I don't use punch-ins either. It's definitely old-school, & clunky compared to today's high-tech digital, but it's an organic, uncompressed sound that...to me...requires one to use their musical skills & abilities without a computer doing it for you.

[@Zer0Spinn]

Man... I know what I'm getting myself this christmas... Amazing video.

[@magicspiral3323]

Zer0Spinn a rug?

[@Zer0Spinn]

@@magicspiral3323 Yes. Exactly.

[@mb9ether]

I love this ....the reason why I found this video is because I'm reverting back to old tech to capture the essence of live unedited recordings ....Im leaning towards a minidisk recorder....good to know that people are recording this way .... excellent work bro

[@magicspiral3323]

Thanks Martin, I’m glad you came across my video. Minidisk is a format I have yet to experiment with myself, perhaps that will be in the future. I like physical media and I’m finding others are too - just look at the prices of four tracks right now. What’s leaning you to the minidisk?

[@mb9ether]

@@magicspiral3323 well I have a personal Sony MD player that I picked up on eBay a year ago ...instead of listening to Spotify and the like I am going to record my own music and listen on there ....I never fully utilised the minidisc format when I was younger ....so I suppose it's to see what I missed out on all those years ago ...

[@magicspiral3323]

@@mb9ether that’s fantastic. I’m curious about your output with the machine!

[@Martin-pq1kw]

Where can i get one of those? How much did that cost?

[@cleaningmyroom1000]

are we just going to gloss over that first album name?

[@magicspiral3323]

The album in question is available on all your favorite streaming and digital downloading platforms. Enjoy!

[@Xtn1Insecticide]

I’ve been looking at upgrading from my tascam 4 track so I don’t have to bounce down but hearing the modern digital multitracks, the sound good, but the tape sounds better, even if it’s just a cassette, but the real to reals sound next level, haaaa one day if I’m lucky and can still find tape

[@titmusspaultpaul5]

Great stuff and very insightful.... Thanks.

[@འབྲུག-ན2ཅ]

were all those intro songs recorded with a four track??? sounds great

[@magicspiral3323]

Yep. Four track. All of it. Thanks!

[@jasonsully135]

Hi Landon! This kind of strange idea popped into my mind: have you ever tried recording the exact same sound excactly the same time on two or more different tracks on a four track? Like duplicating the track, but not in a DAW but in the analog realm? I wonder if it sounds as massive as I imagine it in my head :) or do you think it would just be phasing issues etc.?

[@magicspiral3323]

That’s a good question. I’ve only done bouncing which doubles the sound, and it doesn’t necessarily make the sound bigger. Maybe you’ll get those results if you feed some sounds through processing or effects.

[@jasonsully135]

@@magicspiral3323 ok thanks for the reply :)

[@Devalu3d]

Kinda reminds me of clouddead

[@NomNomBlankey]

Woah

[@joedarrow5422]

Man that rug really tied that room together

[@ineedstuff8286]

it's sooooo hard to decide what to buy,,, mk1 or mk 2... dude the meters are soo nice on that... but then the eq's have no mid... it's not an easy decision.

[@DiegoCarvacho]

This is inspiring ! Thanks for sharing 👍

[@zachyoungyuen]

This is pure dope dude

[@leogolive]

I have the Digitech RP360XP as well. It’s a great pedal with great tones. Especially if you take the time to create your own tones from scratch.

[@MatrixAlphaCWX]

I just found a MR-10 Vesta Fire or $5 at a thrift store. But it wont turn on unfortunately xD

[@dudeseriously79]

Makes me miss my Fostex x-12. I still have the recordings though. :) All inside a nice, fat, 80's briefcase.

[@finleyquayemusic]

Phenomenal ! Thank you

[@dr.christopherdiaz4473]

Wasn't Nebraska recorded on one of these?

[@Mr1978Dan]

I think you're right. Atlantic city sounds great!

[@lafinestracatalana8340]

Where can Iisten this album?

[@magicspiral3323]

Thanks! Link is in the description, but you can listen to it or download it on virtually any service like Spotify or Apple Music.

[@gwugluud]

Containing humor doesn't negate anything. I thought it was a good song. I want your t shirt, lol.

[@andyhuynh7]

questionable name for an album

[@magicspiral3323]

Pick your brain?

[@nameless2340]

Question - how did you transfer to digital in the end? :)

[@magicspiral3323]

@@nameless2340 great question! I connected the stereo output of the four track to my Scarlett audio interface. I then played the tape back and mixed the four tracks down to stereo and recorded the live mix into my DAW. Then I did some light mastering and tadaaaaa! Magic.

[@nameless2340]

@@magicspiral3323 thanks! Just the inputs with no gain? :)

[@nameless2340]

@@magicspiral3323 would quality be better if someone transferred to digital using a DAT machine (analog tape to digital?)

[@csilt]

Very cool project, I had a guy ask if he could, "pick my brain" yesterday. I absolutely hate that term so much.

[@magicspiral3323]

csilt yes! It’s an unsettling phrase “let me pick your brain.” Always bothered me. It seems to be a certain age group and class that likes to use the phrase. I thought it would make a good morbid title.

[@ineedstuff8286]

dude... i just looked up that 238... im cmming

[@RandoKing]

Ummmm.... at 19 seconds in

[@wetdewlap8741]

Dude, it was a great video but can you make one just with the four track.. you have a whole lot of other stuff in the mix( no pun intended) and I have a terrible case of A.D.D. But I loved it!!!!

[@magicspiral3323]

Hey thanks for the inquiry! Not sure I’m understanding you correctly, though. Part of getting the most out of the four track is mixing multiple elements onto a single track - like a bass guitar and a vocal merged onto track one, for example. Cheers!

[@rubi20ful]

Smee,Smee, what about Smee? Smee is me!!! Hook was a great film.....