How I use my Tascam Portastudio as an Actual Instrument

[@LiamKillen]

My latest single (available on all streaming platforms): ►distrokid.com/hyperfollow/liamkillen/extension FREE DL Link to chords used in this video: ►sellfy.com/liamkillen/p/lk-long-chords/ My other sample Packs: ►www.liamkillen.com/samples-all

[@AgustinDavidF]

We are living in the “anxiery I want the things right now” so recording to tape is a very good cure for that

[@LiamKillen]

True!

[@scottnelle]

This is awesome! I just dug my old Tascam 414 and this is super inspiring.

[@LiamKillen]

Oh great! Thank you for watching! :-)

[@travisraab]

this is very sick. i just found a tascam 388 and i'm excited to mess with it

[@LiamKillen]

Exciting!!

[@DocBolus]

I like what you say at the end here, that the point of doing stuff like this is to introduce that human variance into tracks. That is where emotion can be introduced in a way that is much more difficult in a DAW.

[@LiamKillen]

Yeah it just gives a unique flare to things

[@xbocanegrax]

6:18 was my favorite part of this video. I love my Tascam for this exact reason. Love the video dude. Keep it going

[@LiamKillen]

Ayyy thanks Marty! 🤝

[@chinmeysway]

Thank Alessandro Cortini for popularizing this idea aye

[@LiamKillen]

Yes!

[@I.O.M.]

Embrace the tape machine as instrument! The tape loop folks are doing some great things. Thanks for sharing.

[@LiamKillen]

I know! It’s a world I love being a part of 🌍

[@Deatg-ek8rf]

The fades technique is also dope on the BX-8 you could put a pitch effect on one of the sends, actually I need to try this!

[@LiamKillen]

it’s very satisfying!

[@kathleencoveny3860]

What a great sound .. nicely brought together ... thanks for the walk through .. cheers to all you bring ...

[@LiamKillen]

Thanks as always for watching!

[@samuelsolano5759]

That bass tone is so good. How did you record and mix the bass, just di into the interface and some eq, compression? what is your secret

[@LiamKillen]

That bass is DI baby!!! 🔥

[@MilesKvndra]

Really nice video, thanks for that! The insights on how you setup and hook everything up are great! :)

[@LiamKillen]

Thanks Miles! Do you have a cassette player?

[@LiamKillen]

Cassette recorder i should say **

[@MilesKvndra]

@@LiamKillen unfortunately not anymore, but I loved it a couple of years ago! Maybe sth for the future again. 😎

[@LiamKillen]

I’m eyeing the Porta One right now

[@MilesKvndra]

@@LiamKillen nice! Instead of the porta studio?

[@vanessalouzon]

Really nice! Thanks!

[@LiamKillen]

cheers

[@travisraab]

how did you get so much warble and slowed down as you said? was there a formula for that?

[@LiamKillen]

I use the pitch knob for that

[@Two-Eyed_Boy]

Didn't wake up today thinking I needed to scan my local marketplace listings for tape decks but now, here we are.

[@LiamKillen]

Haha love it. Thanks for watching 🙂

[@ajcloribel9975]

Man thank you so much for this

[@LiamKillen]

Yay! Glad you enjoy 🙂

[@connorlawrence8003]

Love you stuff man! So I recently got a portastudio 424 mk1 from the 90's (had never been used..wild) I'm curious how I sync it with logic like you do with your mkii? The line outs are rca and my interface is an Apollo twin. Any advice on how to get logic sounds to run into the tascam would be hhhuuuge(trump voice).

[@LiamKillen]

Yeah! Just go out of your audio interface into RCA in of the tascam and make sure to set your outputs correctly in your DAW. That is all.

[@klaytonvonkluge4905]

I have a zoom r8 recorder laying about, doing nothin' but drawing dust, I wonder if it could be utilized similarly (?) , Thoughts?

[@LiamKillen]

Yes you could use that!

[@klaytonvonkluge4905]

@@LiamKillen thanks, will give it the ol college try!

[@LiamKillen]

Whip it out in one of your college classes

[@queergermangirl5701]

Hi Liam, really awesome video! Just a newbie question: Do you record the altered audio to the cassette first or do you simply record it directly to the DAW?

[@LiamKillen]

I record it into the cassette and use the pitch knob to pitch it down for that lofi sort of effect

[@queergermangirl5701]

@@LiamKillen Okay, so I understand that you're recording it onto the cassette first and then alter it with the pitch knob. But what I am asking is: Do you then simply record that "pitch knob performance" to your DAW or do you record that to the cassette first?

[@LiamKillen]

I record that into my DAW

[@queergermangirl5701]

@@LiamKillen Ahhh, awesome! Thanks so much for the reply, Liam. :)

[@LiamKillen]

Pleasure!

[@benoftroy]

Great video! I got this model for Christmas when I was 15 (best present I ever got!) and it was all I did for the next several years. Unfortunately, I have no recollection of how I lost the machine, but I bought a replacement about a year ago and it's a wonderful device. Acouple question for you, if you don't mind: does your interface have four independent outs? Wondering your method for recording the four chords simultaneously on separate tracks. Do you tend to use the DBX noise reduction or no?. Also noticed you're using the RCA tape outs instead of the 1/4" outs on top. Any particular reason? Thanks, Liam!

[@LiamKillen]

I’m obsessed with the porta one now. That’s the next one i’m 👀 in I’m recording those chords from my DAW and just setting output to (output 1-2-3-4). I’m not using noise reduction. I’m using this set up because it’s the one i know how to use and the one that I have proper gear for. Would you recommend changing anything for quality’s sake?

[@Ilikethatmusic_typebeats]

Hi, I just bought what appears to be a brand new, never-used Ministudio 02 Mkii, but I'm having trouble getting sound in and out through my interface or patchbay. When I connect a mic/line to the interface, I can only get a signal through the headphones. However, when I connect to the phone level or phone in, I can't hear any playback, just static noise when adjusting the phone level knob. I'm starting to think it might be defective, but I don't want to request a refund until I'm sure my connections are correct. Do you have a video or any advice on the proper connections? I'm using a Focusrite Clarett+ 8Pre light pipe to a Pro 40 for extra I/O, routed to a patchbay, and also connected to a Presonus monitor station. I would be very grateful for your help.

[@LiamKillen]

Oh man this can be a whole number of things - this is a question for my discord community. I'm sure a team would be able to help you out with tech stuff like this - here's an invite link: distrokid.com/vip/liamkillen

[@Ilikethatmusic_typebeats]

@@LiamKillen Yea I think something stopped working after buying new tapes that wouldn’t play. Are there any repair guys in your group do you repair?