4-track tape recorder 101?

[Devo-lution]

Just bought a second hand Tascam 424 portastudio.

I am going to be collecting recordeable tapes in second hand stores for the next few weeks .

Have an analog drumcomputer, use a DI myself (bass, synth) and will buy an SM57 soon for any extra musicians (guitars, organs, ...). Since the Tascam only has jack inputs, I 'll also have to find some cables that connect the DI and the mic to the 4-track.

So far, so good .

Are there any things I should keep in mind before tackling this thing? This 'll be my first recording experience where I'm not just 'the bass player' and I have never even recorded with tape.

P.S. I am aware this is by no means a professional set up. I will use it as a tool for song writing and to do some lo-fi recordings. I like lo-fi .

 

[BassBrass]

To get a good 4tr sound, record with led's spiking well into the red. On analog, some red gives compression, distortion happens at a very high level, like, nailing that meter to the wall. Use the DBX noise reduction. If you don't record with high enough signal, there's too much noise.
Record with some EQ boost too, like 1pm for high and low, for drums & guitar I jack the high mids too.

 

[longfinger]

Use CrO2 tape and make sure if it's second hand that it has been erased properly 1st.
If it is a regular double sided tape, then use a regular tape machine to erase both sides. The 4 track heads are not in exact same physical locations and so cannot fully erase a regular tape.

Another tip is before recording, FF the tape to the end, and then RR it back to the beginning. This evens out the tension on the tape, so it will track better.
If possible de-magnetize the recorder before recording. Clean the recorder/playback heads with the tape head cleaning kit.

You must have the very first Tascam 424, and the second and third models had 4 XLR inputs built in to the machine. Long live 1994!
;-)

Check the manual, will the 1/4" inputs take low impedance inputs from microphones? Will an XLR - 1/4" TRS cable do, or do you need an impedance converter too?

 

[throughthefire]

Most 424's can record at normal or high speed (I know the second gen onwards can).

If you have a choice, set it to high-speed - quality is better. You only get half the recording time, but (IMO) that's a reasonable trade-off.

Pete.

 

[Dave W]

I had a 424 MK-II back in the late 90's. I liked it fine back then, but I don't remember anything about it at all.