Making beat tapes with 2 K.O. II's + Tascam 424 Portastudio tape machine

Another quick breakdown on syncing two Teenage Engineering K.O. 2's (EP-133) together and recording them to 4-track tape cassette recorder. While experimenting with alternate setups, this was a favorite for making weird sounding beat tapes for a solid month while waiting on my replacement mpc3000. The best part about these tapes is that I can re-sample them (like mpc stems) by playing individual tracks at varispeeds into my drum machine. full video on patreon.
0:00 - 1:40 - intro and setup
1:41 - 2:11 - beattape tascam demos
2:12 - 2:48 - sequencing a beat on the KO2
2:49 - 4:28 - playing live effects on one of the KO2's
4:29 - 5:22 - playing the stems on cassette
5:23 - 6:51 - making a second beat on the EP133
6:52 - 9:48 - outro & messing with tape speed
ig:
_eddieleonard
tapes:
eddieleonard.bandcamp.com
secret releases:
patreon.com/eddieleonard

[@NuOriginal]

Crazy how all the talk about digital converters in hardware for the last 20 years led us to watching dope sounding videos using a cassette deck. Fresh.

[@thallrudedjentstorm1756]

Just make music. Gear snobs won't stop yapping about gear.

[@eddieleonard6925]

truth.

[@eddieleonard6925]

haha! some folks def get too caught up in specs. Honestly, tascam 424s are noisy if you don't use the right tapes, but they have a certain charm about them and are perfect for some genres of music.

[@mgyb8269]

It's not about the tool, but the user!! Fire session as always man!

[@eddieleonard6925]

facts. glad u dig the experiments.

[@stormie909]

Love this setup. A hybrid of old and new, digital and analog. The best of both, the best way to work. Keep cooking!

[@eddieleonard6925]

Thanks fam! Running these through tape def adds some flavor.

[@nilespeshay1734]

I love to see people using cassettes, and that 424 is a classic machine! I see you're using the recommended cassette BUT if you ever feel like experimenting... pick up a TDK AR or TDK DS-X (same tape formulation, just MUCH cheaper). You're gonna lose some high end BUT they do bring out the 'thump' of drums/bass a bit more. They can also take a hotter signal before distorting so they're one of the few cassettes that you can "push into". (It's more tape compression than true 'saturation', but whatevs...) Hope you get that 3000 post haste, mon ami!

[@eddieleonard6925]

Thanks for the tip! I'll look out for those tapes. I love my 424. I use it for sampling, beat tapes, demos, everything... :)

[@lukebussey5218]

I’m glad ur still going

[@eddieleonard6925]

thanks. it's an addiction.

[@overciy9thquadrant992]

BRO THESE ARENT EVEN BEATS ANYMORE THIS IS LITERALLY SCIENCE!! 😆🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@eddieleonard6925]

Appreciate that. I'm just playing with sound over here. More to come..

[@GrayedSchool]

The last beat tho !!! 7:09

[@eddieleonard6925]

Thanks fam. That beat's very simple, but has some bounce.

[@lindasson]

That 424 has been on my mind for a while, that was dope bro!🙏🏾✊🏾💚

[@levelletate4551]

Same

[@eddieleonard6925]

If you can find one, get it! I love the 424! It's such a useful recorder, and a solid mixer. Very capable machine.

[@lindasson]

​@eddieleonard6925 Wassup Eddie, I'm thinking about using the same setup; a 2nd KO2 and 424.. how would you get your finished product to a Wav form or Mp3 for a future Beat Tape? Also.. I would love to see you do another video in the future with this setup. Peace and God Bless my brother!!🙏🏾✊🏾💚

[@eddieleonard6925]

@@lindasson thanks! you need to have some kind of digital recorder to act as your "2track" for final capture. I connect the rca stereo outs of my tascam into a recorder to get that final mp3. you can use anything that has stereo inputs, even your daw.

[@lindasson]

​@eddieleonard6925 thank you so much my brother! I have a Rodecaster Pro, and a SSL 12 Audio Interface, so I'm sure that I can make it work!

[@tonysmith5878]

OH YEZZZZZURRR, BEAT TAPES BRUTHA, DO IT!!!!!!!

[@eddieleonard6925]

U know it. Beat tapes are the essence of the artform.

[@_reallyjustinlikeig]

man i'm so happy i found your channel ! not only are your beats sick, but your workflow is super interesting AND i get excited whenever i see good videos of people using the KO-ii because there still aren't many out there yet lol. pretty much an instant sub

[@eddieleonard6925]

thanks for checking this out. i'll try and do more ko2 vids soon. It's very capable of creating its own brand of music. Cheers,

[@trakliteproductions]

Peace. My manz you got another 3!!!! Yes suhhhh

[@eddieleonard6925]

On the way. Been waiting forever.

[@TeddyRockSteady]

First of all that beat you are making is supreme FIRE! Secondly, love the way the KO 2 sounds and what you can do but heard from a few others they are junk cheaply made and not made to last. Good to see you back to cooking nonetheless. Salute!

[@eddieleonard6925]

Glad you dig the beats. The KO 2 has VERY cheap build quality. The reason I have 2 is because my first one had a bad fader and I accidentally dropped it (lightly) and the power button broke. But I really love the sampling and effects. But yes, build quality is why they're probably so cheap.

[@plain-bagel]

That playback on the cassette 🔥

[@eddieleonard6925]

cassettes have their own charm for sure.

[@Netm8kr]

Bruh... Now your REALLY cooking with grease. To me, nothing beats the added flavor of tape. Dual KO's for the WIN I see. Happy Sound Explorations.

[@eddieleonard6925]

Totally agree. Everything is more fun when you run it through tape. Opens up so many possibilities.

[@norman_nescio]

What a setup, dope shit!

[@eddieleonard6925]

Thanks. Made a lotta fun demos with this setup.

[@DrBigFMC]

Man what a set up. Dope Madlib t shirt too 🫡

[@eddieleonard6925]

Lord Quas!

[@justinraymund]

This is dope and inspiring and looks like a lot of fun. Thank you for sharing.

[@eddieleonard6925]

Glad it inspired. It's a fun setup.

[@MattCupan]

The word "seemless" can never be used with cassette recording. Unless you have God-like control with the pause button.

[@knix2for5]

That's how u get ya timing tho for drum machines

[@eddieleonard6925]

lol...i hear you. But that's why I love tapes. Especially with varispeed, they just add a little bit of "reality" and the "unexpected" to your tracks, in a pleasing way. And as long as you track at the same time, things'll sync up. Cheers,

[@knix2for5]

@@eddieleonard6925 🎯🎯🎯

[@sooperheep]

Super dope, the cassette just glues it all together. Anyone with a Quasimoto shirt is a friend of mine👊

[@eddieleonard6925]

Tape works well with this genre of music. And yes, quasimoto is one of my faves.

[@mattm3729]

The drums sound great

[@eddieleonard6925]

Thanks. I credit that to the tape machine. KO is punchy though.

[@Tech-Nem]

Can’t keep a good man down, Salute to you 🦾

[@eddieleonard6925]

thanks fam. it's an addiction.

[@pattyayyy]

Fire as always ‼️‼️

[@eddieleonard6925]

Thanks fam!

[@pattyayyy]

@@eddieleonard6925 🙏🙏 always inspire me to go make something mane. Hope you have a good one

[@sunahura]

Groovy man groovy man

[@eddieleonard6925]

Thanks for listening.

[@jayr1525]

Man Thank You for this video. Much Appreciated.

[@eddieleonard6925]

glad you dig it. hopefully it inspired some ideas.

[@tonysmith5878]

NOT A BAD BEAT MAKERS BRUTHA.

[@eddieleonard6925]

Thanks for listening. I got stacks of tapes with nothing but beats.

[@spchops]

Hell yeah, tape speed for the win!!

[@eddieleonard6925]

u know it.

[@VodkaskyT]

dope beat at 1:42 !

[@eddieleonard6925]

Thanks fam!

[@sunahura]

Po ko to the rescue

[@eddieleonard6925]

yessir!

[@sunahura]

​@@eddieleonard6925 Got robbed too, feel your pain. Keep going.

[@eddieleonard6925]

@@sunahura so sorry. that's the worst. hope you've been able to adjust and adapt. i was in a funk for a few months.

[@troyjlandry]

Dope

[@eddieleonard6925]

Thank u

[@ctomp1984]

That was fire man! Since you’re running 2 KOs, do you keep all your samples in stereo? Seems the polyphonic voice limitations would double with 2 KOs?

[@eddieleonard6925]

I haven't tried that. I still sample everything in mono, as an old habit.

[@deathmetalhell]

dang that 4 track sounds amazing

[@eddieleonard6925]

Tascams are dope.

[@VigoBeatz]

That's litty

[@eddieleonard6925]

Glad you dig it!

[@customerservice9602]

Seems like you're doing pretty good with just the 2 KO'S...

[@eddieleonard6925]

It's a privilege to have other devices I can work with. I'm grateful for that. KOs make a great mobile setup.

[@customerservice9602]

@@eddieleonard6925 Hey, Eduardo. I own a 3k as well. I used to have a Tascam 4 track back in the day ( 90's ). You are doing your thing with those Ko's the same flavor you use on the 3k is there, imo. But obviously the build quality on the 3k is probably the best ever from AKAI. I use a Pioneer CT series double deck for tape flavor/saturation. Much easier to maintain and crazy sound quality running the SP or 3K, ASR through a midas or the Vestax 20sl if I'm too lazy to hook the wide board up, lol. Cheers bud✌🏽

[@eddieleonard6925]

@@customerservice9602 that's a dope setup. sometimes I'll run a single sample onto tape, switch up the speed, resample into the mpc. better than any "saturation" plugin. lol. I've always wanted an asr. one day..

[@timothyharrison]

I would love to take a crack at turning some of your beats into a full track. If you have the energy to get some of these beats into stems I’d jump at it. Or create a Patreon and offer stems as a perk.

[@eddieleonard6925]

Thanks for the tip. Yes, I have 3 beat tapes, full tracked out (into 4 tracks). Maybe I'll add that as a feature on my patreon, which I just started and I'm experimenting with. Will let you know.

[@phdirac]

Dope seeing you cook with this dual KO-II setup. I love the KO, it’s very intuitive and streamlined. Very fun to work with! Do you record into the Tascam hot to get some added saturation from the tape?

[@eddieleonard6925]

It's funny, once I saw that you got one, it really peaked my interest. I love how it encourages an old school workflow, and how it handles keys and pitch shifting (and time correcting). Yes, I record into the 424 hot, but I think a slept on feature of the tascam is actually the mixer. The EQ's sound good to me, when used subtly. Mine also has 2 aux sends. I'll send you some of my kO beats that I've never shared. Got 3 tapes full...

[@phdirac]

@@eddieleonard6925 yo I’m excited, can’t wait to hear those tapes!! And duly noted, thanks for that insight on the Tascam.

[@bakerbakerbaker305]

bro akai s3000 is a masterpiece of equipment, the rack series kinda forces you to use a daw and focus on composition is what I find from experience. but I feel bad for you I sold my tr909 like a dumb dumb and I miss her very much, so I get it

[@eddieleonard6925]

Agreed. Those rackmount have a great sound and force you to work in a different way, which I've found really satisfying. Sorry about that 909..tough one.

[@bakerbakerbaker305]

@@eddieleonard6925 for real! ah its all good I just think someone else gets to enjoy it is how I see it, but hey I sampled it so at least ive got that😎

[@TheKd1338]

Peace, brother! What are you recording with, and could you do a video detailing how you record your videos and obtain such good audio? Thanks

[@eddieleonard6925]

Thanks for watching and glad you like the content. I use a blackmagic pocket camera. My audio is just an sm58 mic. Nothing fancy.

[@marylewis3311]

❤️‍🔥💃❤️‍🔥

[@eddieleonard6925]

much love. thanks for listening

[@TheNicoDavis]

too cool. Interested in cassette recording. When you use the 2 machines do you sync them together with MIDI?

[@eddieleonard6925]

Glad you dig it. It doesn't use midi. It's just a 3.5m cable, from one ko2 to the other. It's very easy to do. And cassette recording is very fun. I do it all the time.

[@jeejeeBlaps]

ok dope video as usual, man but what's up with the Pultecs 👀

[@eddieleonard6925]

haha...Audioscape MEQs. Love em.

[@jeejeeBlaps]

@@eddieleonard6925 They make such good stuff.

[@levelletate4551]

this might sound silly…Being the recording was multi tracked on tape, are you still able to playback the multi from tape and solo tracks? I think that’s what I seen you do and say but I don’t believe it.😂

[@eddieleonard6925]

Yes, I separated the beats into 4 tracks, so I can control the level of each of them on the Tascam. It's basically stems for my beats. :)

[@relative_vie]

Does the KO allow live effect processing on internal audio like SP404?

[@eddieleonard6925]

Yes, but only certain effects. Not the punch-in fx.

[@relative_vie]

@@eddieleonard6925 dang those punch in would be nice.

[@eddieleonard6925]

@@relative_vie would be a game changer for sure. maybe in future updates.

[@opticalman6417]

what do you use in terms of studio monitors

[@eddieleonard6925]

i don't have a real studio anymore since the robbery. i currently mix and monitor on headphones. :(

[@opticalman6417]

@@eddieleonard6925 i hope you raise enough money to get some more monitors

[@kidoctulus01]

3000 XL?

[@eddieleonard6925]

akai 3000xl rackmount sampler.

[@TannerByTheSea]

Pisses me off bro u got robbed. I prayed for you- real talk. I don’t just say it- I pray it 🙏🏼.. Thas so ughhhhh- sorry bout that buddy

[@eddieleonard6925]

I appreciate the thoughts and support. We gotta move on though...I can't stop creating. New chapters ahead...

[@sjcongo]

Bro… no 😂

[@eddieleonard6925]

lol

[@timcity]

woahhhhh ... subbed subbed subbed subbed subbed

[@eddieleonard6925]

glad you dig the sound experiments.