No Love for digital Multitrackers

[RickenBoogie]

First, I'm older, (49). Loved it, back in the day, with the old 4 track cassette recorders. Every button or switch had ONE function. So, I got a fancy 12 track digital recorder last year, (Korg D1200MkII), and the menus and sub folders, and multi-function buttons have me hating it. Today, I bought a Boss Micro BR, just to lay some scratch tracks, and song ideas down, to later dump into a computer and build some music. The manual is bigger and heavier than the actual unit, and I'm still at a loss for understanding it all. I long for an old 4 track . Sorry, just frustrated with my own inability to "catch on" to this type of gear, and hoping I'm not all alone.

 

[MyUsernameHere]

I had a BR 864 and thought it was a breeze to use, go figure?

If you're getting your sound from the external gear you're using (miked cabs, effects unit run direct, etc...) all you should have to do is set the input level and hit record.

All of the extraneous stuff BOSS puts in there--like effects--aren't necessary. Ignore 'em and your recording experience should jive closely with your memories of recording on a tape four track.

 

[bassbrad]

Wading thru menus and any other complaicated user interface is always a drag and I do long for actual knobs to twist. But then I remember what all those knobs cost these days and muddle thru with the 2488/2.

 

[RickenBoogie]

I will master the Micro BR, I have no choice. I just wish it was like the old analog machines of yesteryear, but alas, I must conform to the digital age. Got a freind who's a recording engineer, and his studio is always open and free to me, but I need to do the writing and demo's on my own.

 

[durarl]

I understand perfectly about the effects. I don't touch them. I try hard to stick to basic recording. Get the sound from the amp that I like and hit record. What I hate is there is no mouse and computer screen. If you could have drop down menus like any Windows or Mac machine, that would be great, and much more familiar. My guitar player wants to mix and master the whole thing on our Yamaha recorder, but I think it would be much easier to dump the tracks into a computer. At least it is easier to see.

 

[F-Clef-Jef]

Why don't you skip the multitrack recorder and record directly into the computer? I agree, the multitrackers have so many features crammed into them, it's frustrating to figure them out. Since you're doing your mixing and song building on your pc anyway, you could skip the whole multitrack recorder part. I find using a computer interface to be pretty painless.

 

[Rickett Customs]

Why not just go back to that way, I still use one of these (I've owned both of these) for rehersals:

Or look for An Akai GX-77, had one of those too, nice sound on that one.

 

[senorblues]

Tascam digital machines are as easy to work with as their tape machines.

 

[shatterd]

If you buy the Boss BR900 or 1600, and I think it would apply to the cheaper 600 as well...they have a DVD out that shows you how to use everything. I saw it on American Musical website for like 20 bucks.

I have a Zoom HD8 and was thinking about selling it and getting the Boss BR with the instructional DVD on how to use it.

I can get by with the basics on my Zoom, but again the manual is dense, and there is a lot of things I cannot do with it. It does have an incredible drum machine built in.

I think these guys should include DVD's with the products. It wouldn't be that expensive to do, and it would provide a great service to the customer.

Kudos to Roland/Boss for doing it!!

 

[SBassman]

Wow. I'm discouraged hearing that the Boss BR is complicated.
I thought it might be on my *acquire* list.

 

[JonathanD]

You could just use a laptop.

 

[SBassman]

Use of laptops is overrated. You can be fighting with latency issues that really screw up the recording.

 

[rezin]

Use of laptops is overrated. You can be fighting with latency issues that really screw up the recording.

there are plenty of ways around that

i just don't personally see the point of these hard drive stand alone recorders.

 

[bullshark]

there are plenty of ways around that

i just don't personally see the point of these hard drive stand alone recorders.

I use a laptop myself for off-site recording, but I still see plenty of points to those hardware recorder. Setup time, boot up time, portability, stability issues, configuration and possible hardware interconnectivity problems, the need to be knowledgeable about computers, it's OS as well as audio engineering... I could go on, but I'm tired of typing. I'm pretty happy with my mobile setup, but sometime I still wish I had a stand alone recorder. In fact, like the OP, if they had one where each function has it's own button, instead of that crap menu based interface, I would have and use one.

 

[SERPENT865]

Still using my trusty Roland VS 1824 and VSR880's

 

[metalmariachi]

I'm using a Tascam 688
It's a nice 8 channel mixer with a recorder built in.

24 inputs, 8 each xlr, instrument and line.

lots of outputs and an effects loop.

can record 8 tracks simultaneously.

It has a shuttle control so mixing or over dubbing is a lot easier.

That and a GEM Sound usb interface gets me to a pc.

It is a tad heavy though.

MM

 

[bassteban]

I'm also in the 'old guys who can't figger out all this newfangled digi-crap out' club, and if you're not actually inside of my cobweb-clogged mind, don't try to tell me 'it's just as easy as tape, etc'. If I ever find some youngster who knows this stuff pretty well, I'll pay the monkey to sit me down & walk me through some basic stuff. I have a Boss digital 8-track(borrowed from a fellow oldster who also can't get through the manual )but I keep my eyes open for a Tascam or similar 8-track cassette dealio. Missed one for $80 recently.

 

[jimc]

I recommend the Korg D-888. Simple live mixer with 8 track simultaneous record. It's really designed as a live recorder, I mainly use it for recording rehearsals, but is very simple in operation with the minimum of buttons!

 

[RustyAxe]

First, I'm older, (49). Loved it, back in the day, with the old 4 track cassette recorders. Every button or switch had ONE function. So, I got a fancy 12 track digital recorder last year, (Korg D1200MkII), and the menus and sub folders, and multi-function buttons have me hating it. Today, I bought a Boss Micro BR, just to lay some scratch tracks, and song ideas down, to later dump into a computer and build some music. The manual is bigger and heavier than the actual unit, and I'm still at a loss for understanding it all. I long for an old 4 track . Sorry, just frustrated with my own inability to "catch on" to this type of gear, and hoping I'm not all alone.

Sounds like you'd prefer the Tascam units. The new one's are quite good, and have separate knobs for gain, eq, pan, etc. and the main controls work just like CD player.

 

[qtowens]

I still use my Tascam 424 mkII as opposed to hard disk recording. Partly because I was brought up on this kinda thing (I'm 42) and partly 'cause I'm too lazy to mess with any other kind of recording...!

The 424 keeps me honest. I don't like to screw around with punch ins, so it forces me to complete a song track and "eschew perfection, respect performance" (quote from a TapeOp article).

Remember... there is no "wrong" way to record!