Old school multi tracking | The Portastudio - workflow and tutorial Pt.1

How did old school 4-track tape multi tracking work?
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The first time I was working on a Portastudio it was like the heavens opening up. Finally I could put my dreams into action in a way that for me, at the time, was the end of the rainbow.
The Portastudio I use in this video was overhauled and donated to me, so a big thanks to you Jack Z!
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The Tascam 424 I use in this video is from the early 90s and although all Portastudios have their quirks and features, the workflow I demonstrate is pretty much the same for all Portastudios so any one will do basically the same.
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Growing up I listened to so much synth-pop and it's only natural that my own music takes inspiration from many of the acts I loved back then. I still love them and listen to them!
Howard Jones, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, New Order, Erasure, Thompson Twins, Tears for Fears, The Human League, Propaganda. FGTH, Ultravox, OMD, Eurythmics, Duran Duran, Giorgio Moroder, Jean Michel Jarre, Jan Hammer, Alphaville, A-ha as well as loads of artists doing what is now called Italo Disco. And many more great acts like Nik Kershaw, Spandau Ballet, Wham, Dire Straits ++

[@cortical1]

I could almost smell that fresh cassette smell when you unwrapped the cellophane! So excited...

[@EgoShredder]

I really miss that about cassettes, plus despite the obvious shortcomings of the format its one of my favourites.

[@scottcupp8129]

Me too :)

[@scottcupp8129]

Wasn't that an AWESOME smell?? I mean I loved it. Before I put the cassette in my recorder, I used to sniff the tape for a good 30 seconds. LOL Memories, my friend. Memories!

[@scottcupp8129]

That new tape smell meant new ideas and modes of creativity

[@EgoShredder]

@@scottcupp8129 It really did!

[@BlueJavaTN]

Enjoyed this so much as it took me back to my first 424, which I now want to dig out of the back of the closet : )

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@summerlaverdure]

i actually have one of these, fun little boxes :3

[@daisukeniiyama]

I sometimes use TASCAM 424 at a recording studio. TDK cassette 'SA' was my favorite. My heart was full of pleasure while making demos, feeling there is nothing impossible with the recorder. Dubbing the sound over and over again in my room, I imagined I was working at Abbey Road Studio. Good old days... late 80s through the early 90s.

[@EspenKraft]

I know the feeling. Cheers! :D

[@gforce7four]

Sums up my experiences perfectly. Same era, same feelings.

[@SacSynths_Jack_Z]

Yes!!! Love this! Glad you could put the 424 through its paces. Can't wait for part II!

[@EspenKraft]

Many thanks Jack! You're part of this too. :)

[@allenjones3130]

I wish cassette Portastudios would come back. After all, cassettes themselves are supposed to be making a comeback.

[@3dsmaxrocks699]

You're not alone😂 I love the old cassette analog stuff

[@stevewallis661]

Back in the early 90s I experimented recording on hifi vhs tape and the sound quality just blew me away. I'm surprised no one released a 4 track hifi vhs recorder. The sound was better then even current 16 bit Adats at the time!

[@mu_zines]

I also mastered to hifi stereo video for a few years until I got a DAT machine…

[@stevewallis661]

@limelight81 it was pure analog! And the compression it naturally had just made everything punch through the track from drums to bass.. you couldn't even get better on any Dat of the times

[@EspenKraft]

I think a lot of people did it. I too mastered on VHS hifi tape in periods.

[@RecordingStudio9]

I still have my 4-head Hi-Fi VHS machine that I also used for mastering. Lucky the tape duplicating firm accepted VHS for cassette duplication.

[@mariusmitrea5462]

MARVEL AND WARM SOUND....✨💖💖💖💖🎼🎹🎼👍👍👍👍

[@lassel1644]

That 424 recorder was pretty modern in comparisation to the 244 i used....way way back in the day. Some nice features added.

[@doublestrokeroll]

lol...I remember I would take one input..put a jack in with a splitter out to two and then split each of those into two more so I could have 4 mics plugged in for my drums.

[@svenjansen2134]

Hardcore recording techniques.

[@GeorgeL909]

As someone who started on a very cheap DAW in the 2000s, I am incredibly appreciative of demonstrations like this. I never really recorded this way growing up, but I find this method endlessly appealing nowadays as an escape from the piano roll. It's actually really helpful to see how it was done step by step, and the patience that was required, and extremely inspiring.

[@EspenKraft]

Many thanks! :D

[@80too23]

I've still got my Portastudio 424. This is the tutorial I needed back in the day!!

[@AdamSpade]

Love my Portastudio 488mkii 😎🥃

[@lundsweden]

Nice walk down memory lane. Back in the day, we would record the cassette multitrack to a stereo cassette "master". If we sold cassettes at gigs for instance, we would usually dub these from the stereo cassette. So three generations of analog grime (and noise, more than three if you did some bouncing). Espen's result here are quite hifi by 80s/90s home studio standards! I might add cassette multitrack was the standard between about '80 and the late 90's. Before this, 4 track reel to reel was the only (very expensive) way to record at home. In the late 90's, digital Portastudios became available (like the Roland VS-880) and recording to PC harddisk too. I bought a Yamaha MT8X 8 track Cassette from a guy upgrading to the VS-880 in about '98. I used this until about 2005, which by that time I had moved on to PC based recording.

[@cortical1]

True, true!

[@brightstarlit]

Yes!

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@Rompler_Rocco]

Beautiful unit! Never knew these original 424's lacked Mid EQ controls like my beloved 414's. Still can't get enough of this stuff, in fact just about to delve into 8 tracks now that my 238 is ready to go :) Thanks for showing this beauty doing what it was meant to do, and for another excellent video! 🙏👍

[@tommym6248]

The 2nd and 3rd generation 424’s had mid EQ.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@tommym6248]

I have the same Portastudio! If I remember right, there were 3 generations of the 424. This is gen 1.

[@DJMarkAdamson]

Cool video, I could smell the smell of a fresh blank tape as you took off the plastic. Before anyone touches a DAW, one should work with a 4 track, it's a good experience. One thing I have learned when multi tracking is record bass kick, snare, bass line to bounce to one track since they sit in the middle (stereo field). Then record higher frequency sounds (keys, hats, etc) over tracks 1, 2,and 3 so they can be panned or ran through effects that could be stereo. But having sync is cool because you don't have to record those midi instruments, but mix them with non midi tracks

[@EspenKraft]

Next episode is dedicated to tape sync FSK. ;-)

[@Bernz66]

Love my Porta One in which I still have. I used to fill up all four tracks. 1 & 2 stereo Drums. 3 Bass. 4 Guitar. Then mix down to another cassette. This cassette will have the basic tracks on tracks 1&2… track three will have the main vocal… track four will have a guitar solo or harmony vocal… etc…

[@LittleRichard1988]

I got into tape multi-tracking from the very early age of 4. My first 4 track cassette recorder was a Tascam Porta One although it did have some problems. I did also borrow a Porta 424 from time to time. Many of the recordings I did on the Porta 242 are almost CD quality. I started recording digitally at home around 2002 using the computer and haven't really gone back since.

[@StylesLee]

I had the Tascam 8 track & it Rocks. I still have 2 Unreleased albums on Tascam 8 TRK Format on Cassette Ready To Blast! It's Still PRO If you Mix Well & have Mastering Machine & CD Recorder to Complete Your Prodigy. My Ensoniq ASR-10 has an Additional 8 Bus Output Box to Connect to the Tascam Portastidio 8TRK, Mate it was Magic! Analogue Gears Are the Best. Thanks for this Video I Need it Today

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks for sharing! :D

[@JohnBassarcticsoundstudios]

This is the best video showing people how to use a 4 trackCassette Portastudio. Great Job. Or recording on tape itself.

[@EspenKraft]

Many thanks for saying!

[@ghostttmusic]

I would like to say this. Overall sounds seems to be even better compared to 70's vinyl quality. The tape as warm and nice gently shaped analog sound. Peaks sounds very roundy, but the over all tape effect is amazing especially on snare drum, bass and pads. I just missing a compressor to get better dynamic control of the mix or just simply to glue the mix. Thank you for this video. Sending blessings.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@Ancaja123]

When you switched the DBX off for comparison, that's actually a bit misleading. The DBX NR is a two step (encoding/decoding) system. When you're recording with DBX on, you are running through a sort of unique compressor/limiter, and you are supposed to play back with it on -- thats the decoding step. It's a sort of unique expander. So something people should understand is you can't just record with it off, and then switch it on or it will sound like garbage. HOWEVER, one of my favorite techniques is to do exactly what you showed, record with DBX on, then switch off on playback, ultra compressed and dirty and pumpy, with the right EQ settings on recording and playback, you can get some amazing color and energy.

[@expansionclub]

Ahh, that's super good to know!

[@EspenKraft]

Sure, I know what you mean. I've had to be firm to get the video length down to what it is. ;-)

[@whosonedphone]

I'm so excited! I was just listening to the Lego Island CD ROM tape transfers that the Creator uploaded to the internet. I was thinking how great a type II tape with Dolby c noise reduction sounds. Also racking my brain about how tape PCM and DSD sound different, and which is most accurate.

[@moinlabs]

maxell XLII series were the way to go back then...

[@karlhoward2737]

Oh memories….my first buy was a Kong Poly 800II , an SQ-8 sequencer, RX drum machine and a fantastic Yamaha MT1X four track recorder…..I did about 10 tracks per song….sampled live sounds via mic…..and mixed onto a tape deck…..all live…….wow those were the days back in 1986……now I use Logic……nah not the same is it…..

[@maurumsynthwave618]

Uuuuuuuuu yo tenía la porta07 que recuerdos recuerdos que grabamos también el sincro de el sequencer q80 en el canal 1 o 4 y podíamos grabar los 16 canales de la sequenciar en un par de canales. Y luego borrabamos para meter las voces. Era alucinante. Y el ruido lo sacamos con dbx que traía la misma portastudio. Que buenos recuerdos Espen. Felicitaciones por este súper video... Saludos desde Argentina...

[@MaximilianoSchneider]

Jajajaja yo debo tener como 30 cassettes y en algunos hay temas donde solo se escucha ruido, pero nos divertimos mucho con esta máquina, y usamos el Q80-ex los últimos años pero al principio no teníamos sequencer, así que era todo tocado en tiempo real, con la C-64 haciendo la percusión.

[@maurumsynthwave618]

@@MaximilianoSchneider totalmente. PÍp pi pi pi Píp pi pi pi en el sequen y en la cinta ese ruido a fax jajajajajajajajajajajaja

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks man! :D

[@maurumsynthwave618]

@@EspenKraft gracias a vos por tan buenos videos y recuerdos

[@timweinheimer1]

You got to love the tape hiss. there is always surface noise.Back the day you were always trying to get rid of excessive noise from bad cables etc. I still have my Yamaha MTX 8 portistuidio I am now want to get it out of the garage.Fire it up to see if it is still working

[@timweinheimer1]

@limelight81 exactly now everyone wants to introduce tape hiss in their mix as an effect

[@adamcoe]

Damn I never knew the Mark I had that sync function. I have a Mark II I got in the late 90s and it is near identical to your machine, but doesn't have the sync option. Neat! Sounds great man.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Ah the memories. I remember the magic of first overdubbing with a Fostex four track in the 90s. I used to love playing with the speed afterwards too.

[@EspenKraft]

I started some years before, but it was pure magic being able to overdub. I can still remember how "pro" we felt during those first sessions. Later when we started syncing up to a sequencer we felt the exact same thing all over again. :P I go through sync, tape speed, reverse and all that in a couple of days. ;-)

[@AlexBallMusic]

@@EspenKraft Very much looking forward to it.

[@tonyisyourpal]

@@EspenKraft oh, the joy of flipping the tape over to do reverse recording … and half speed and varispeed too … great times ! I started in ‘89 with a vestax mr100fx with its own built in reverb - luxury !

[@YoungNino2017]

Why is it no one does a good job explaining how the machine works and is more interested in shilling their horrible music?????? Why...WHY does every track seem to be in stereo even though it's only ONE half of ONE side of the tape? Would it KILL any of these jerkoffs to explain something as simple as that?

[@EspenKraft]

Take your pills immediately.

[@MaximilianoSchneider]

I have like 30 tapes made with the 424! I was 20 or so, and I didn´t care about anything but making music and buying the best cassette for multitracking. Some tracks have instruments impossible to hear, but was so much fun and inspiration.

[@reggiejay1773]

This video took me back to my Tascam 246. I had the Alesis mmt-8 sequencer, and hr-16 drum machine. I used to dedicate track 4 to the FSK clock, and record vocals to tracks 1-3. It was a LOT of fun, and everything came out clean.

[@radrickdavis]

"Do the Bounds", sounds like the title for a funky, Hip-Hop single. This track would fit the bill with a Rap verse about living life on the edge and a smooth vocal backing for the chorus. Already has a great breakdance feel. ;)

[@cliftoncaskey5696]

I think he’s saying bounce, not bounds. It’s when you reduce several tracks onto one track, so you can free up space to add more tracks.

[@rjbush7955]

Love this way of working. In a way we’re spoilt with today’s tech. I used to have two video tapes from SOS Editor Paul White, which taught home recording using a 4 track then reel to reel. Wish I could find them. I learned a lot from them which still applies today.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@850r2]

I adore that JX-8P, I can't explain it, but there's something about it.

[@ingoodmusic]

I believe, the Sound))

[@850r2]

@@ingoodmusic yeah, the look as well I think, quite understated but charismatic.

[@TheBroDotTV]

Hey man check Jake Slazenger you may like him! Enjoyed this video by way!

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@MadeOnTape]

can't believe i just discovered your channel! KZbin clearly failed me.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@Akusound]

Nice video, I remember the time of cassette, f**k I'm old 😭😭

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@RecordingStudio9]

This video has just excited me to get my Yamaha MT3X 4-track, purchased back in 1988 out of its box again. Thanks.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@sundiverca]

Qhen I bounce track 1,2,3 to track 4. There is nothing recorded into that track? But I se the meter play when I'm recording into it?

[@EspenKraft]

Read the manual and the chapter about bouncing tracks. It's all there.

[@adkywun]

haha nice the Almighty R8

[@chloedevereaux1801]

your hum looks like input 3 isn't plugged in all the way

[@EspenKraft]

I think you're right as I used the exact same setup for part 2 and the hum was gone.

[@ProSimex84]

I do all my recording and multitracking on my TEAC 3340s reel to reel and mixer. Pretty much the same work flow. I really want a cassette 4 track since cassettes are CONSIDERABLY cheaper than 1/4 tape, but people want a fortune for them. And to think I passed up on one for $30 cus it was missing its power supply

[@jips123]

OOoo I still have sealed pack of maxell iis,,,,,

[@EspenKraft]

Nice!

[@JimijaymesProductions]

grew up on one of these, well a portastudio different model I think. I really need to find where I put my dads old one and do something like this, it seems to have a broken pitch control which likes to go off by itself, but as a cool vibe it definately could be fun.

[@LektroiD]

My early recordings were also with a 4-track (Fostex X-26). I used it with a Korg KMS-30 which would not only sync the 303 to MIDI but also sent a timecode into the 4 track for continuous synchronization after bouncing down. This was back in the late '80s and even with all the technology at hand now, I still like to use osolete/obscure ways of recording to give my productions a genuine retro feel.

[@tenminutetokyo2643]

Back in the day these little TASCAM multitrack cassettes were really awesome. Before digital recording. I used to have an even smaller 4 track TASCAM.

[@maccagrabme]

Sounds great but I quickly realised how lazy I've become since using a DAW, its the bouncing and rewinding and everything having to be recorded in realtime that put me off, I almost completely forgot about that. Looks and sounds great but I'm going to stick with emulations which do a pretty good job. The alternative would be to send your audio stems to someone who has one and have them send it back having recorded it to tape for a small fee.

[@EspenKraft]

I find doing all these tings adds to me excitement, inspiration and creativity so I do it to enhance my music. If you're the opposite, then you shouldn't do it. ;-)

[@francis8062]

*TEAC TASCAM* 😍

[@Nicolas.S]

Very fun to watch, I've never used one of these recorders, but knew how the worked. I must also say that it makes me grateful for today's DAWs...

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@jawoody9745]

I've recorded many songs/demos on our old Portastudio and bounced down numerous times to open up tracks. It was very flexible for being only a 4 track cassette recorder. Plus, I've sampled instruments from songs played back on a regular cassette player (at normal speed) from various slowed-down tracks on the Tascam. If you're just starting out, cut your teeth on one. The results can be very satisfying.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@jonglass]

I just recently got rid of my PortaStudio 144. I think the last time I used it was in 2005. I liked using it for recording voice because if I blew a line, I could back up, and punch in seamlessly. Even though I was working with computer audio and digital slides/video, recording my voice-overs was easier on the 144, because of how simple it was to punch in (and mixing in background music was simple once I had my voice laid down. Unfortunately, the pots got so noisy, and one track wouldn't work, so I gave up using it. Ironically, when the guy came to take it, the name plate fell off. I didn't notice that until he was gone. I kept that nameplate, and still have it for the fond memories.

[@stringsnare]

yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

[@PetraKann]

Brought up memories of my cassette multitrack. I still have the Yamaha MT2X. Before that I used a small Tascam unit which also used cassette tapes. Sound Quality was pretty good for that time period, provided you didnt carry out too many track bounces. Although it had DBX noise reduction, the noise can accumulate if you do too many track bounces. Compare that to the early recordings by bands such as the Beetles and Rolling Stones which were limited to 4-track reel to reel machines. (The MT2X also had a sync feature)

[@jawoody9745]

Yes, indeed. I've had decent results after carrying out 2 or 3 bounces with the DBX engaged. Old analog still sounds good. Now I have to get all of our old cassette mixes onto a hard drive and press several CDs for posterity. I never want to lose those songs! Don't they make a software 4-track for an iPhone or iPad anymore?

[@Roboprogs]

Gotta put the new belt on my Porta One. I ordered the replacement belt off eBay last year, but been too lazy to install it. To be honest, my 4 channel audio interface can do what the tape recorder does, as well as record all 4 lines, but I wanted to play with the lo fi effect.

[@carlonatali2886]

This is how I started my own set of backing tracks that I used when I performed as "Onemanband" back in 1986 started with a "Vestafire" and "upgrade" to Portaone until started with midifiles and so on.... what a period of time I had go true and "Bouncing" was a must for all the tracks that I recorded. Thanks Espen for bring me back to those memories that seems like a lifetime ago! Ciao!!!!

[@EspenKraft]

Happy you liked it Carlo. Cheers :D

[@Watts660]

Nice to see a cassette multitrack been put to good use. I still have my Tascam 464 in the loft, first multitrack recorder I ever bought.

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks!

[@EgoShredder]

I had a Yamaha MT100 Mk2 back in 1991 to 1997, which I replaced with a Fostex DMT 8 v2 (not VL). However back in 2016 I got myself a mint condition Yamaha MT3X, along with a little YMC10 MIDI FSK Sync Converter box to do what you have in this video. Great fun using all that in a sync'd setup with a Yamaha SY55 keyboard sequencer and RY30 drum machine.

[@EspenKraft]

I'll show sync in the next video and more. Cheers :)

[@maysonstorm4956]

I had that exact same Portastudio back in college (until I upgraded to digital via the Roland VS-840). I also still have that Alesis MMT-8 that I used to use with a Roland XP-10 and an Alesis QS-6. Although it's true that you don't "need" all those various pieces nowadays, hardware is just so much fun

[@jingle1161]

Oh man, I spent countless nights with that thing 30 years ago (together with a Roland sound canvas, U20 and an Atari) . Completely forgotten how a Tascam looked like. And those mechanical clicks :-)

[@Johnsormani]

still have my old tascam 244 in original box. It had a crazy good parametric EQ , that's what I remember mostly. You could fix any sound with that

[@xnonsuchx]

I used a TASCAM Porta-05 (their 'budget' model) back in the late 80's to early 2000's. I still have it (unused for 18-19 years), as well as some of the tapes I used for recording, but I'm sure all the pots at least need some contact cleaner treatment...and tape mechanism might need a new belt. I was a stickler for stereo, so mostly recorded direct to 2 tracks at a time already in stereo (so a 1+2 recording and a 3+4 recording...or bouncing 1+2 and 3+4, if needing to record more instruments than what I could fit in 2 stereo tracks).

[@scottcupp8129]

Oh yes I remember these good old days . My first 4 track recorder was the Yamaha MT100. I got a lot of years out of that and when it finally quit working, I graduated to the Yamaha MT-120. I remember the whole deal of recording on tracks 1 thru 3 (in mono mind you) and bouncing those to track 4. The mix had to be PERFECT when it was ping ponged to track 4 or it was all about starting over again :) Then I got in to DAW based recording (First DAW was Cakewalk 9 Pro Audio) and I haven't looked back since. I do, however, still have my MT-120 which still works. It's a conversation piece anymore though but I like it. That's one of the recorders where it all started for me. I've been in a studio setting though since the age of 10 though and now almost 50, I spend a lot of time in my home studio. I've done a lot of live stuff though. One of the most memorable live stuff, I played keyboards for a Journey Tribute band. THAT was some major fun!!

[@ghostttmusic]

I love this song. That vibe when it all has been started. Just add some 70's vocal and we got it.

[@blakewhittington4336]

I have a mark II and mark III Tascam recorder when I discovered setting everything as fast as it can go while recording it was a big step up in sound quality. I prefer bouncing 1,2,3 to 4 and clear 1,2,3 use 2,3 and bounce again to 1 this is how the Beatles did Sgt Peppers on 4 tracks

[@BugzKiller]

Best Video I've seen yet on the steps of recording a song. I use keyboards, Mic and pedal with chorus, Beat Buddy mini 2 (Drums). Thanks for all the Detailed steps!! I have a Tascam 424 MK 2 that I use. Bought it new years ago, stayed in the box for years. Just took it out about a year ago. Was raising my son 24/7 (stop music making. And my wife passed almost 2 years ago, also no music making as of yet. Now watching these vids to get me motivated again. I miss doing this. Yours was the BEST I cam across out of about 15-20 videos. I also bought many Cassettes at the time they were being phased out due to cd recording switching over (new recording technology). But I went to many big box stores and got many dirt cheap, high bias mostly, a few in packs of 5! Maxel, TDK, other brands......Thanks again Sir!!

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@frankcoffey]

I remember when the TASCAM 388 Studio came out. It was huge and had a reel to reel built into the mixer like a jumbo version of the portastudio. But I ended up with cassette at the time because it was all I could afford. By the time I did have enough to get a 388 the ADAT was out and I got those instead because I was afraid reel to reel tape would get hard to find.

[@MatthewHarrold]

I had to laugh at how much I forgot in my old rig. I had this exact Portastudio, my musical counterpart purchased a Fostex 8 track cassette thingy that was rack mounted. I upgraded to a disastrous Yamaha CBXD thingy that didn't have Win95 drivers and failed with Cubase Audio ... eventually got a refund ... then bought a Fostex DMT-8. Hated it. $0.02

[@koitka2037]

This was also my first approach to multitrack-recording! I got myself a PORTASTUDIO 488 mk 2. I had a sack full of Tapes I collected over the Years. Then I got my first PC, which changed a lot. I still used the 488 as a mixer for countless years and i still occasionally use it as such. I really like the sound of it, especially when recording to tape. A few years back i bought a M2600 console and I also love it. It sounds so nice and analogue and i use it on every mix i make. I was and I always will be - a TASCAM fan :)

[@timbod1975]

I’m using a 424 mkIII to record all my music currently. I’m also using a Rev7 like the one you are using here No bouncing though - I record everything “live” as a single sequenced take. Typically I’m recording a digitone and digitakt on a pair of stereo tracks, then have 2 additional mono synths on tracks 3 and 4 It’s a really fun set up

[@stringsnare]

freaking thankyouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@dudleyrathborne9849]

I was lucky to get a Tascam 488 , for a low cost . The cassette mechanism suffered large W / F then eventually it stopped moving the tape . so I think the belt has failed . But I still use it for my extensive audio system . I was able to get the original operation and maintainance manuals from TEAC Canada .

[@kayakbandits9894]

I love those sounds! But then again I am the class of 90 so theres that... I miss how simple and fun things were back then. Now we need masters degrees in Microsoft and Apple to do what we did on 4 tracks 30 years ago.

[@JorgeAlmeidadamaged]

Awesome... I still use my Fostex X-28H Multitrack recorder from time to time... learned a lot with it :)

[@Berkner80]

This is the first multi track recorder I had also. I bought mine in the early 90's sometime. I had fun with it but something wrong with channel one and can't record but other channels are fine and plays just fine. I am using mine now just as a cassette player.

[@PaulEastham]

mid 90's was my baptism into recording and this until was it :) Oh how I would love another one :) great vid.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@MrHhkrohn]

Thanx! So input 4 &5 are stereo. The others are mono. I'm having a stereo mic ( zoom) . I connect that to input 4 or 5 then to get that stereo recording? Also, the aux track for the reverb. That was hardware correct? Can you use software as well? Thanx!

[@_P_M_]

I had a Yamaha MT2X. Had a lot of fun with it, making music and recording my band. There was the Sansui 6 track with it's own mixdown deck that I used to lust after. Two more tracks opened up more possibilities. Today track count is a nonissue, but back then it was a big deal.

[@BarryWarne]

I got quite good at bouncing down while mixing in another instrument or vocal and could squeeze ten tracks out of four. Later I started mixing a stereo pair with guitars, pianos, etc then create two vocals on the 3rd track and bass on the open remaining track.

[@dovepaige]

This is what I started on it took me a long time to be willing to go digital

[@Allan-et5ig]

Espen Kraft - Sounds really great. fine job.

[@arkasonus7678]

4 tracks recorder and MMT-8... 2 machines I had back then. 😊

[@idobahalul]

We are a rock band of brothers from Tiberias & we love this mixer so much. It reminds us of The Doors

[@1976oswald]

sounds like the 80s TV shows :)

[@EspenKraft]

Espen Kraft loves 80s tv-shows.

[@wes2819]

great tutorial, thnx :)

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@rbgeluidservice1179]

Brings back a lot of memories to me. I used to have a Fostex 280 recorder. More or less the same features. My friend and me used this machine a lot to record our songs. These bounces were indeed adding a lot of noise. To avoid this as much as possible we tried to 'mix' as much as possible our midi parts before sending it to tape. We were using an Atari STe with cubase as sequencer.

[@timothy5974]

Very nice video and song. I have the same Tascam the black mmt-8 and Roland jv30. I still have a Alesis Wuadraverb and old Boss dr rhythm. 😂you’re making me want to pull it all out again

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@b-ill2195]

I have a Tascam Portastudio dp 01 and can't figure out what channel that my microphone is going into or how to get it to play back

[@heinzvoll7798]

Yes, there's 8 track cassette recorders too - and not only from Tascam, I still have my Yamaha MT-8X. Great video, as always 😀 Already back in the day i.e. the 80s and 90s most people wouldn't record the audio from synths, drum machines etc on a multitrack recorder but rather sync it to a midi device. You would sacrifice one of the few precious tracks to record the sync signal of a sequencer or drum machine capable of tape synchronization, thus saving the remaining tracks on the tape recorder for the stuff you couldn't record via MIDI (guitars, vocals ...). Oh yeah, those good old days ...

[@EspenKraft]

Yes, when we got to the late 80s syncing was easy, not so much in the early 80s, no midi to sync up. ;-)

[@heinzvoll7798]

@@EspenKraft That's true. In the early days I never owned a hardware sequencer. I started out with a software sequencer on the Commodore 128, then came an Amiga 500. Both computers needed an external Midi interface (the one I had for the C-128 was from C-Lab) and neither was equipped for syncing a tape machine. After that the Roland MV-30 workstation became my main sequencer and basically the heart of my Midi setup - and it came with sync in and out connectors.

[@xisotopex]

is that a drumulator I see?

[@EspenKraft]

It is.

[@xisotopex]

you have the dream studio when it comes to coveted gear...

[@BluesBrethrenofPolishPeoplesR]

Thank you very much for this video. Looking forward for the next parts to learn about syncing etc. to use it in my bedroom with my gear. Cheers!

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@Marcel1979K]

That was our first tape recorder having our first band :D

[@tb-cg6vd]

Huge Flashback!!! 8:09 - how I miss my JX8P!!! ooooh, you've got the programmer, lucky bugger!

[@EspenKraft]

It's actually not mine (PG-800) ;-)

[@ingoodmusic]

Very unexpected choice for a bass sound)

[@rhkavli]

Another nice trip down memory lane. As you say, the limitations of the cassette multitracks was somewhat irritating, but also you had to bring out your skills and creativity using these devices. No SMPTE, so all sync by ear and spine. All that is lost with the modern recording techniques. For good and for bad. I still have one tape machine left, but it's not multitrack. A Studer B67 MkII. Not much used, but it's a nice relic from the past. If you're into split and splice, it's a Wondermaschine, though... :-)

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@michaelroper4237]

I love the experimental creativity that the pitch control unleashes here...

[@svenjansen2134]

Ask Prince lol

[@cursesaudio]

I still have mine! The limitations made for some interesting live multitrack sessions.

[@dreamdiction]

I the 1980s these 4-track recorders were serious objects of desire.

[@oztrekgelsoft8409]

Luv how people getting back into tape I have the 424 from new still use it for national tape satch