6
7
Getting started
with multitrack
recording: cassette
tape Portastudios
Number of tracks: 4
Number of mixer
channels: 1 to 6
Recording medium:
analog cassette tapes
Mixdown to: external
cassette or CD recorder
Extras: none
T
ASCAM’s Portastudios® are the
T
T
easiest and least expensive
T
T
way to get started in multitrack
recording. The
MF-P
01
,
Porta
02
mkII
,
414
mkII
, and
424
mkIII
are
4-track tape decks complete with
sound mixers. They record on the
same blank cassette tapes you can
buy anywhere and connect to all
standard electronic instruments,
speaker systems, and microphones.
Because of noise reduction tech-
nology (and in some cases a faster
tape speed), the sound quality is very
good even though it’s not digital.
On these TASCAM Portastudios,
you can record up to four separate
tracks or channels on a cassette tape.
What are the differences
between the Portastudios?
The biggest differences are
the mixers. For example, on the
Porta
02
mkII, the mixer has only
two inputs, so you can’t record
more than two tracks at a time. It
also has no effect send, so you can’t
add reverb or other effects while
mixing down. The
424
mkIII lets you
record up to four tracks at once from
its six-input mixer, has two effects
sends, a sweepable midrange EQ on
each channel, and four high-quality
XLR inputs for low-impedance micro-
phones. Another difference is that
the larger Portastudios have better
sound quality because of dbx noise
reduction and faster tape speeds.
If you plan on getting together
with friends to record several
instruments at once, the
414
mkII
or
424
mkIII is probably your best
choice. If you like to work alone,
even the MF-P
01
can do the trick.
Linear or nonlinear?
Portastudios use tape which makes
editing more diffi cult than on the
other products. For example, if during
the overdubbing process you come
up with an idea for a new section
in-between two verses, you’ll have to
erase the second verse (by recording
the new bridge over it) and re-record
everything after it. By contrast, all
the other multitrack systems we’ll
talk about later are nonlinear, which
means they allow you to insert new
material in-between other sections
without having to re-record anything.
However, most people start track-
ing only after the structure of a song
is complete, so layering and punch-
ing-in is more important than cutting
up sections.
PORTA
02
mkII
Pan Controls
(four)
Output Level Controls
(four)
These knobs control the
playback levels of the tracks you’ve
already recorded during
overdubbing and mixdown.
Input Level Faders
(two) These faders
set the level of the microphone or instru-
ment as you’re recording them.
Level Indicators
(two)
424
mkIII
3-band (high, mid, low) equalization
Midrange EQ gives you more control over
the tone of each track in a mix.
The two EFFECTS knobs
on each chan-
nel determine how much signal goes to
an external effect device like a reverb, so
each track can have the right amount of
effect (a lot on a vocal,
not so much on a guitar).
Pan Controls
(six)
Level Controls
(six) adjust
both input and output levels
Level Indicators
(six)