Analog 8-track for Tracking OR Analog 2-Track for Mixing Down?

yourmomsp · 20th July 2005

I wanted to make an album that has an intentionally, intimate home-made feel to it, one that will also allow me to try to mixing on my own. Currently, my set up is a motu 828mkII running Cubase SX. I got this Akai MG1212, 12-track analog machine, for free from this guy that was leaving town. The tape machine is broken and the tapes have been discontinued, but I've still been able to use it as a 12-channel mixing board.

I'd like to start playing around with tape and use the sound qualities of tape to further capture a "home-made" feel. I guess the issue that I'm trying to decide on (given my budget) is the following, given that I want to also do my own mixing is...

1) Should I get an 8 track reel-to-reel like a TSR-8 that I could do tracking on and bounce back and forth between my motu for any editing. I would do my mixing on the akai mg1212, but when it comes to mix down, I probably would mix down to a stereo wav file on my computer, probably at 24/96 resolution.

or

2) Should I get a 2-track machine, track entirely digitally, then mix out onto the akai mg1212 and mix down onto a 2-track machine.

I guess, if you were in my situation, what would you go for?

Sonic Bloom · 21st July 2005

I have done something sort of similar to option number 1 with mixed results. Im thinking of getting a nice 2 track mastering deck in the future though. Id suggest the second option cus you can spend and get a really nice machine.

yourmomsp · 21st July 2005

What was your setup that was similar to option 1? and can you describe your mixed results?

i guess....i'm wondering if you can capture the same "tape" quality at the mix down stage verses the tracking stage....

Sonic Bloom · 21st July 2005

First let me preface this by saying Im no expert with analog gear or recording. I used a TSR 8 cus it was relatively affordable. I tracked with it, then dumped those tracks into PT (through the 001, not the best route I realize). This worked especially nicely for drums.

The problems I encountered was its hard to dial in those sweet spot levels because the LED meteres arent very accurate. This could vary depending on what deck you decide to get. I also encountered the dilemna of syncing up recorded tracks since I only had 8 tracks and couldnt dump it all in simultaneously. I ultimately decided I just need to focus on getting good at the whole recording process without regard to medium at first, then I can worry about using tape to color my sound.

It does make a difference though. Ive also had experience using a very consumer Sony R2R as a 2 track master deck. That particular set-up was noisy and inefficient but with the right machine Im guessing the effect could be more pleasant.

peeceebee · 22nd July 2005

I think you'll get much better results tracking digitally then mixing analog, mainly because most lower-end 8-tracks suck bigtime-
OTOH, if you WANT a "suck" sound, that'd do it.

Or, if you're handy technically, the cool way to go would be to score a beat-up 1" 8-track for a song, and restore it- 8 tracks to 1", or 16 to 2", is the best sound going!

nobtwiddler · 22nd July 2005

Except for the 8 track 2 inch!

r0ck1r0ck2 · 24th July 2005

Well for a while there i was Tracking Digital, Mixing Analog (An Otari MX5050) it cost $150 off The Bay...got really broke and sold it...soon there after it took a shit on the guy i sold it to....no one in Milwaukee will work on the bugger soo SCEWEd i was...and that's the problem with Tape Machines....a lot of the Tech KnowHow is Retired or Dead where i am...
Now as for the results of that method....i just don't think that your mix will benifit during that phase....Tracking seems like the place for tape....After all that's where you have room to bang the levels....
doing it on mixdown seems like an afterThought....and it won't make your recording sound like tape.....

Been trying to find info on a 1" 16Track Tascam machine that i spotted at a MusicGoRound Years ago....rackMounted not the Washing machine size ones...any info anyone has like a Model # would be a great help...as i am planning on tracking to analog...screw it

themaidsroom · 24th July 2005

buy an otari 1/2" mtr - 12 with both 4 track and 2 track heads - record to the
4 track or to 3 if you need to lock it up and then mix from your motu back
onto the mtr-12 with the changed headstack ....... you'll add a lot on both sides......

- jack

20th July 2005	#1
yourmomsp Gear interested Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 21 Thread Starter	Analog 8-track for Tracking OR Analog 2-Track for Mixing Down? I wanted to make an album that has an intentionally, intimate home-made feel to it, one that will also allow me to try to mixing on my own. Currently, my set up is a motu 828mkII running Cubase SX. I got this Akai MG1212, 12-track analog machine, for free from this guy that was leaving town. The tape machine is broken and the tapes have been discontinued, but I've still been able to use it as a 12-channel mixing board. I'd like to start playing around with tape and use the sound qualities of tape to further capture a "home-made" feel. I guess the issue that I'm trying to decide on (given my budget) is the following, given that I want to also do my own mixing is... 1) Should I get an 8 track reel-to-reel like a TSR-8 that I could do tracking on and bounce back and forth between my motu for any editing. I would do my mixing on the akai mg1212, but when it comes to mix down, I probably would mix down to a stereo wav file on my computer, probably at 24/96 resolution. or 2) Should I get a 2-track machine, track entirely digitally, then mix out onto the akai mg1212 and mix down onto a 2-track machine. I guess, if you were in my situation, what would you go for?

24th July 2005	#7
r0ck1r0ck2 Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Barcelona!! Posts: 1,618	Therein lies the dillema Well for a while there i was Tracking Digital, Mixing Analog (An Otari MX5050) it cost $150 off The Bay...got really broke and sold it...soon there after it took a shit on the guy i sold it to....no one in Milwaukee will work on the bugger soo SCEWEd i was...and that's the problem with Tape Machines....a lot of the Tech KnowHow is Retired or Dead where i am... Now as for the results of that method....i just don't think that your mix will benifit during that phase....Tracking seems like the place for tape....After all that's where you have room to bang the levels.... doing it on mixdown seems like an afterThought....and it won't make your recording sound like tape..... Been trying to find info on a 1" 16Track Tascam machine that i spotted at a MusicGoRound Years ago....rackMounted not the Washing machine size ones...any info anyone has like a Model # would be a great help...as i am planning on tracking to analog...screw it

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21st July 2005	#3
yourmomsp Gear interested Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 21 Thread Starter	What was your setup that was similar to option 1? and can you describe your mixed results? i guess....i'm wondering if you can capture the same "tape" quality at the mix down stage verses the tracking stage....

21st July 2005	#4
Sonic Bloom Gear Head Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 30	First let me preface this by saying Im no expert with analog gear or recording. I used a TSR 8 cus it was relatively affordable. I tracked with it, then dumped those tracks into PT (through the 001, not the best route I realize). This worked especially nicely for drums. The problems I encountered was its hard to dial in those sweet spot levels because the LED meteres arent very accurate. This could vary depending on what deck you decide to get. I also encountered the dilemna of syncing up recorded tracks since I only had 8 tracks and couldnt dump it all in simultaneously. I ultimately decided I just need to focus on getting good at the whole recording process without regard to medium at first, then I can worry about using tape to color my sound. It does make a difference though. Ive also had experience using a very consumer Sony R2R as a 2 track master deck. That particular set-up was noisy and inefficient but with the right machine Im guessing the effect could be more pleasant.

22nd July 2005	#5
peeceebee Gear addict Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 323	I think you'll get much better results tracking digitally then mixing analog, mainly because most lower-end 8-tracks suck bigtime- OTOH, if you WANT a "suck" sound, that'd do it. Or, if you're handy technically, the cool way to go would be to score a beat-up 1" 8-track for a song, and restore it- 8 tracks to 1", or 16 to 2", is the best sound going!

22nd July 2005	#6
nobtwiddler Lives for gear Join Date: May 2005 Location: Millbrook, NY Posts: 2,153	Except for the 8 track 2 inch!

24th July 2005	#8
themaidsroom Lives for gear Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: nyc / london Posts: 3,510	buy an otari 1/2" mtr - 12 with both 4 track and 2 track heads - record to the 4 track or to 3 if you need to lock it up and then mix from your motu back onto the mtr-12 with the changed headstack ....... you'll add a lot on both sides...... - jack