Why I use two 4-track cassette recorders to play ambient lofi beats | How To Use Tascam 424 mk1 + FX

Well, here I talk about how and why I use two 4-track cassette recorders to play ambient lofi beats. Going quite far into the details about how I structure my cassettes and why I use the gear that I have in this setup.
Have a good one 😎
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Gear Used (with affiliate links)
‪@EventideAudio‬ Blackhole- redir.love/0qaeamZz
Eventide UltraTap- redir.love/1t983WzX
‪@empresseffects‬ Echosystem- redir.love/PivECFbZ
Empress Effects Reverb- redir.love/ai0E2Cmr
4-track recorders Tascam 424 mk1
Røde VideoMic Pro Plus
All the music in this video is Copyright Martin Yam Møller ©2023

[@iosifkalpaktsoglou2045]

I recently modified a Sony tcm 939 cassette recorder to be able to change speed and play reverse. Having fun recording random things, from lp extracts to sounds while I walk or some bass or guitar I play. Once a side is full I press play and play over it. Loads of fun

[@ibvandeurs1023]

I love that the main attraction of the 4-tracks and not synchronizing them is the element of surprise

[@MartinYamMoller]

That's the fun bit😉

[@robertbrowne7880]

I bought a Tascam dr-05x for getting phrasing ideas on my Wind synth down. Four minutes into this video I bought a Tascam DP 006. It's so much easier and quicker than booting up and getting the daw set up for recording. Huge thank you for reminding me that the old ways still have a place. Subscribed.

[@MartinYamMoller]

Glad I could help!

[@JohnBrown-pv4vl]

Great video! thanks - I got loads of creative ideas from watching this, I like the way you use the tools in unconventional ways.

[@MartinYamMoller]

Glad you liked it🙏

[@jacobthebatchbandit3092]

More demos of the 90s rack please 🙏🙏🙏

[@MartinYamMoller]

🤘 will probably do a jam/talk through on the 90 racks

[@DreamscapesMusicCinema]

Very cool 😎 Martin! Thank you for this awesome presentation. Very nicely done ✔ 👏. Mark Bensette Aux Bois 🇨🇦.

[@MartinYamMoller]

Thank you kindly!

[@MrSiwat]

Absolutely brilliant. Love it. Great run-through of your process. Thanks so much.)

[@MartinYamMoller]

You are so welcome!

[@eggycat]

Enjoyable video and nice to see real passion in your explanations.

[@MartinYamMoller]

Thanks a lot. Its kinda what I do for fun😂

[@CNTRRNDM]

Thank you so much for sharing your approach to making lofi tape stuff with us! Wow...such a great vid, mate!

[@MartinYamMoller]

🙏😉

[@liamcox9043]

Thanks so much for making this! And what a quick turnaround too, the original video when I asked how you did this was less than a week ago!

[@MartinYamMoller]

Sure thing🤘well, i should probably say that I've been thinking about this vid for a bit😉 just didn't know if it was interesting for others. It all seemed kinda obvious to me. But it's like giving someone road directions, right?

[@BishopEddie5443]

I've watched this video several times and am taking notes. Thank you Martin for a ton of techniques and resources! Greetings from Chicago. 🌌

[@MartinYamMoller]

Excellent. Glad you found it useful

[@the_washington_monument_am9714]

I’m really trying to resist the urge to jump on reverb right now and by every four track I can 😂😂😂😂 you work magic with this setup my friend!

[@MartinYamMoller]

Thanks dude 😉

[@Cosmonaut1999]

Wow, really loving this channel and the aesthetics you use to create music. Yesterday I got a 4 track (the same Tascam model i had back in the 90s but one i binned when i got a PC! D'oh!), and I'm looking for creative ways to combine it with my Make Noise semi modular Trio and you have given me some interesting ideas of making the 4 track the centre piece of a live performance combined with with a few guitar pedals. Really inspiring stuff Martin, have a sub.

[@MartinYamMoller]

They are great mashines those tascams... A trio of make noise modules would be great to pair with👌

[@Cosmonaut1999]

@@MartinYamMoller I was wondering as it appears you’re not using endless loop tapes, are you recording huge chunks of drones, beats, arp’s etc across all 4 channels and remain the same from start to finish or do they blend and bleed into different textures and other sonic palettes?

[@MartinYamMoller]

Yeah, i just record a full tape. Actual physically cut tape loops only make sense if you're recording live to tape. I used to do this with my band Klingerhult and on 30sec endless tapes used for answering machines (much longer than diy tape loops) ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/h6nLiKVtbdOWY9U

[@Cosmonaut1999]

@@MartinYamMoller I have just ordered some answer machine message tapes as well, but it occurred to me last night after seeing your videos that it might be less expensive (and painful) just to record massive chunks, a bit time consuming but I could set off a track or two before I got to work or if I go out. I’m now currently delving through my back catalogue of abandoned projects and resurrecting anything that could be useful. Plus I now have a Microcosm on the way too. It’s all very exciting. I’m so pleased to have found your channel.

[@MartinYamMoller]

Well, if you use 60min tapes and record high speed. It's only 15min recording time. The microcosm is great!

[@rogerl6220]

Thanks for the video. Very informative. The Empress Verb and Delay are interesting. I didn’t know about the multitrack onboard loopers. My bank account just shuddered…

[@MartinYamMoller]

Yeah, the 5 track looper on the Empress fx are really underrated

[@innersonicsoundsystem]

thank you so much for describing your approach - love what you do! i just got a 424. could you explain how you use the effects send and cues? 🙏

[@MartinYamMoller]

Thanks.... Well, if you need exact instructions, then you need to go download the manual. 😉But basically it's using the send output on the back of the 424, use a stereo splitter. One side is the send and the other is the cue. Connect jack cables to your fx pedals and then route them back via inputs 5-6 and 7-8 (assuming that your fx's are stereo output). Then it's just twiddling the knobs to you heart's content. Hope that makes sense?

[@innersonicsoundsystem]

@@MartinYamMoller thank you! i’ll be looking through the manual, for sure, but what i don’t understand - are you running the cue/phones to your mixer or interface, rather than the RCA outs on the back? if so, what’s the advantage?

[@MartinYamMoller]

I'm running the RCA outputs on the back to my audio interface. (Not using the headphones output on the front in this video)

[@TheCompleteGuitarist]

I never owned a tape four track though I did do a trio recording on one back in the 90s. But I miss cassette tape a lot. Used to have an Aiwa personal cassette player that was intravenously attached back in the 90s and I used it to get to know jazz repertoire. Nothing like that 'presence' and compression.

[@MartinYamMoller]

Cassettes have THAT sound right?

[@TheCompleteGuitarist]

@@MartinYamMoller it's the musical equivalent to a warm glow or aura.

[@alebenages745]

Hey great and inspiring video!!! Do you run tape loops or regular cassettes? thank you!!

[@MartinYamMoller]

I use regular cassettes mostly. Only used tape loops when I do live-looping

[@alebenages745]

@@MartinYamMoller Thank you so much! that´s really inspiring.. :D

[@StreeterElliott]

Hey Martin! Do you put any processing on the tapes beforehand or do you leave that all to the pedals

[@MartinYamMoller]

No not really... Bit of eq and as much input saturation as it can hold😂

[@Dscar1]

So do you make tape loops or just keep the tapes as they are and record full length samples on each track?

[@MartinYamMoller]

I used to make actual tape loops, but realized thatwas kinda unnecessary, since I'd never play a tape for more than 15min. I think that tape loops are useful if I'm doing live overdubbing on the 4-track... But this i only did with my duo Klinger hult, since it's really difficult to play an instrument and record yourself at the same time

[@Kurzula5150]

I think your style might be described as 'Alliterational Aleatory'.

[@MartinYamMoller]

😂🤘

[@matro951]

What app did you say koso app or coastal app?

[@MartinYamMoller]

Coso app by splice

[@matro951]

@@MartinYamMoller is the music samples we get off here royalty free can we put these loops in our own songs?

[@DeepThinkingGPU]

martin which is the make model that gorillaz used he has a video where he was making demo's on it

[@MartinYamMoller]

No idea. I've not seen that particular video

[@DeepThinkingGPU]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJrJl2ZtrLSWi5I @@MartinYamMoller

[@toten_jacoast]

thx for this video, they are too cheap right now

[@MartinYamMoller]

You mean the Tascams?

[@toten_jacoast]

@@MartinYamMoller yes :D

[@MartinYamMoller]

If you can find'em cheaply. Then I'd really recommend picking them up👍

[@jpinacchio]

capo

[@MartinYamMoller]

🤘🙏