How to Record on a 4-Track : How to Mix on a 4 Track Recorder

Learn how to record your songs for cheap on a four track recorder.

Expert: Brian Montgomery
Bio: Brian Montgomery has been playing bass in Austin, Texas bands for more than 12 years, and has been recording on 4-tracks for eight years.
Filmmaker: MAKE | MEDIA

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• music
• recording
• four
• track
• free
• video
• expertvillage
• howto

[micmoable]

@Martzoerst Thanks----I only have a digital voice recorder now but plan to get a digital recorder or a program that essentially turns my laptop into a recorder----I like the looks of the Tascam DP-008 or the DP-004-----THEY look like decent little recorders

[Martzoerst]

@micmoable Forgot one thing, you can also use your master controls during mixdown to pan, fade or control pitch for a more diverse sound. The tapes recorded on a multitrack are usually also recorded on higher speeds for a higher dynamic range. So a bounce, and a mixdown is quite needed.

[Martzoerst]

@micmoable bouncing it or dumping it basically means that you record your finished and mixed song on to another cassette, like a basic cassette deck via RCA out from your porta studio to RCA in to your tape deck. Once you press play, you can control the volume via the master controls on your porta studio, and the input volume on the other tape deck so it won't distort the sound. Am I making sense? Anyhow, this process is somewhat close of a 'mixdown'. Hope it helps.

[micmoable]

I bought a 4 track tascam cassette recorder one time and the sound was really nice in the unit but when I took tape out and tried to play it in my car it had almost no sound at all--was really weak and quiet sounding--I was told I hadn't done the mixing down of the music----what is proper steps or method of mixing down so it would sound good on a car cassette deck,etc.

[micmoable]

So you can record music/songs on a cassette recorder and mix it down and place it all on cd??? How do you mix it down on a 4 track recorder? And how would you dump it down to a cd?

[dsally23]

@sginblack record it in from the 4 tracks stereo outs

[bokkie0001]

using protools HD?

[sginblack]

how do you put the track onto a computer?

[97warlock]

Mixing is nothing. But I just got the dp004 & I cant seem to get 1 single track recorded. What am I missing? any advice ,cuz theres too many menu choices etc. Just need a step by step on recording 1 track,plz anyone?

[illchiken10]

beavis.