2
3
incomplete song element, and play
around with it until you come up
with the magical combination of
the other parts or lyrics that make a
great song. That’s what it’s all about.
Need help putting your
lyrics to music?
If you’re a singer or lyric writer
without a band, take heart. Today’s
tools have become so advanced and
easy to use that they’re practically
like having a songwriting partner.
You can start simply, and work your
way up in technical and musical skill,
as far as your dedication will take you.
A lot of great musicians and
songwriters have been using these
tools since they were introduced, and
agree that recording helped them to
become better artists without getting
mired down in technology. So, don’t be
afraid. You have nothing to lose.
OK, now down to the nuts and bolts.
Tracking, overdubbing, and
mixdown.
Multitrack recording is a great
tool for any musician or songwriter
because it lets you build up a
musical piece one part at a time,
without having to organize a band
or having to play and sing parts
simultaneously.
Let’s start with a 4-track example.
We’re going to represent the four
tracks like this:
Let’s say you’re playing guitar
when an idea for a new pattern of
chords comes up. You simply plug
your guitar into Track 1, hit record,
and play the pattern for a few min-
utes (represented by the notes in
track 1 of the drawing below). This is
called
laying the basic track
.
Because the TASCAM recorders
we’re talking about here are multi-
tracks, not just stereo recorders, you
can now rewind to the beginning,
plug a microphone into Track 2, and
sing along with the guitar you just
recorded.
Rewind again, and you can record
a lead guitar part on Track 3.
Ô
Simple 4-track cassette recorder
Ô
One
W
" jack mic / line input for vocals and
instruments
Ô
Four track level, four pan and one master
level control
Ô
Master fader with 4-LED level display
Ô
Headphone output
MF-P
01
PORTA
02
mkII
Ô
4-track cassette recorder with 2-track
simultaneous recording
Ô
Two
W
" jack mic / line inputs for vocals
and instruments; Hi-Z guitar input
(assignable to both mic/line inputs)
Ô
Easy-to-use 4-channel mixer section with
pan and level controls for mixing down
Ô
Headphone output with separate level
control
Ô
Dual faders with four-LED level meters
This
overdubbing
capability lets
you change or add any track at any
time, without affecting the others.
You can’t just give a multitrack
tape or disk to someone to play back,
however; you must fi rst perform the
last stage of the multitrack process, a
mixdown
. You use a mixer to adjust