multitrack recording and archiving

[yodedude2]

i seek informed opinions regarding a low-cost method to record and archive multitrack recordings. specifically, i want to take my large collection of analog quadraphonic recordings and digitize them for storage and playback purposes. i need a minimum of four inputs and outputs to do this. what are my options?

 

[NoiseNinja]

My guess is you actually got a lot of options when it comes to soundcard interfaces.

Depending on your budget of course.

When it comes to DAW's for your purpose, one of the free scrapped down versions of known brands that usually comes with the soundcard interface will probably do.

The cheapest solution would probably be if you can find an old used internal PCI soundcard with breakout box.

Something like M-Audio Delta 44 would be an inexpensive but perfect solution to your needs, as it got 4 ins and 4 outs.

Unless you mean stereo of course, then you should go for Delta 1010, which have 10 mono in and 10 mono out.

There are other options too, but the one mentioned I think would probably be the cheapest one, not compromising on quality either.

 

[EastCoastThump]

Need more details about what you're doing, but there's a very wide range of audio interfaces that can do what you (probably) need here, from Presonus, Focusrite, and Mark of the Unicorn mid-level units at ~ $300 up, to Apogee and Avid interfaces costing $6-7K. I'd recommend browsing computer audio interfaces at Sweetwater Sound to get some sense of features and price range. Run your playback machine's outputs into the interface (you might need preamps depending on the analog machine's output levels), and digitize into digital audio software on your computer. Store in uncompressed WAV and AIFF formats, keep copies cloned on multiple drives. (Long term archiving in the digital realm is risky, but saving multiple copies in multiple formats and multiple locations offers some insurance.)

Actually, the audio interface side of this *should* be easy. Assuming your source material is analog tape, the tape and the playback machine will be the bottlenecks in quality. If you don't have studio experience with tape, it's probably worth hiring someone with experience and gear to comb through your deck—cleaning and realigning the heads, checking bias, checking the spool brakes, etc.

If you're working with older reels that are shedding, the tapes themselves are likely to need some restoration before you can play them for digitization. There are several schools of thought: baking tapes, using isopropyl, and restorative cleaning under controlled temperature and humidity. These methods are all somewhat destructive, intended to reduce shedding in order to render the tape playable for archiving. If your tapes are historically significant, consider consulting an archivist. The National Academies' reference Preservation of Historical Records is a useful starting point (jump to p. 61 for the section on magnetic recording media). But if you're holding the master tapes to Kind of Blue, please don't consider this a DIY project.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Use 24 bits depth if you can. 44.1kHz/16 bits is as good as you need really, but 24 bits will give you more leeway on level setting and then you can tweak levels cleanly in the digital domain if needed.

 

[yodedude2]

Bumping this...I am using Reaper now, but not really understanding how to get what I want. I want to digitize quadraphonic tape recordings from the 70s. I have a Dell Dimension E310 running WindowsXP SP3 offline with an MAudio Delta 44 sound card. I need to know how to record 4 separate tracks simultaneously and then output them to 4 different mixer channels through the soundcard. Can anyone let me know how to set up Reaper to do this? (I have stereo out with Reaper through the soundcard, but not quadraphonic out.)

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Bumping this...I am using Reaper now, but not really understanding how to get what I want. I want to digitize quadraphonic tape recordings from the 70s. I have a Dell Dimension E310 running WindowsXP SP3 offline with an MAudio Delta 44 sound card. I need to know how to record 4 separate tracks simultaneously and then output them to 4 different mixer channels through the soundcard. Can anyone let me know how to set up Reaper to do this? (I have stereo out with Reaper through the soundcard, but not quadraphonic out.)

I'd try Asio4All. Then go to Reaper's options and you should be able to change to an ASIO driver, and then hit configuration and (if the drivers work for this - I can't test) you should be able to select all the Delta's inputs, and then the Reaper panel will allow you to select inputs 1..4. Then create four tracks in Reaper and assign each one to input 1..4 in sequence.

You can then render out to a surround sound format or down to stereo if you wish.

 

[yodedude2]

Thanks! I have the inputs working (plus I have an alternative way to record the tracks if necessary). I made some test tracks by recording and separating wav files. I can record in Reaper or I can import the four individual tracks into Reaper.

But, once the four tracks are there, I can't get them to work as four tracks out. It all wants to go to stereo. I even tried bypassing the master mixer out, but still only stereo output. Kinda frustrating, and I'm sure it's my ignorance...I just can't find the way to get direct outs from the tracks already recorded.

 

[EastCoastThump]

For assigning Reaper's ASIO outputs, see page 13 of the Reaper Quick Start guide (Invalid Link Removed).

Use the Track Routing window to assign individual Reaper tracks to different output channels. (See the "Routing" section on the Reaper wiki here.)

edit: this wiki will be more to the point, given what you're trying to do.

 

[yodedude2]

That is super-helpful, thanks! I have some reading to do now.

EDIT: Using the guide, I quickly tracked down my initial setup error and corrected it. All four channels playback properly now. Thanks again for the help, y'all!

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Yes, I forgot to say - for outputs, you can use the output matrix to force track 1 to play on output 1 and then connect output one to mixer channel 1, etc. You are not forced to connect 1->1->1 but it makes it easier to remember. You can link tracks and channels, e.g. send channel 1 to outputs 1 and 2 and to mixer channels 1 and 2, which can make sense if you are using Reaper to provide a front of house mix from backing tracks and a monitor mix that doesn't necessarily have the same tracks. A good example would be using your laptop from the stage to providing backing tracks and having your click track come out on stage only.

Check out Invalid Link Removed page 358 which would potentially allow you to render to render the quadrophonic to modern surround. But I presume you are mixing the four existing channels out to a 4 speaker quadrophonic setup?

Years ago I did try recording, via four PZMs in quadrophonic and then playing it back. This was of a performance of a very strange John Cage piece. It was quite uncanny in many ways. Spaced PZMs for spaced stereo speaker reproduction is also impressive. Standard stereo compatibility is terrible.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Another fun Reaper feature for live work is being able to duck sound. E.g. for use with voice with acoustic musical interludes, you can use an additional mic that is not being used for FOH, and use that to duck the other mics connected to FOH when the music is playing, thus stopping the open mic from amplifying the music that you want to be entirely acoustic and does not need amplification (e.g. an orchestra).