Premier Rock Forum

reel to reel or cassette?

reel to reel obviously sound better but you have to face with: ordinary maintenance, high tape price, spare parts and extraordinary maintenance from a tech which usually will cost the price you bought the machine used.
Don't want to scare you to stay away from reel-to-reel just let you know what the thing involves.

[quote="omaroski"]reel to reel or cassette?

Sorry i forgot to mention that. I would like it to be cassette

Kev11 wrote:Could you please recommend me good 4-tracks or even 8-tracks that could be used professionally?

for cassette, the Tascam 464 Portastudio is alright. I've made decent sounding recordings on them.

IMO a Tascam 424 MK3 is the best cassette 4 track in existence. I still use the preamps in mine for special "I want this to be distorted and crappy in a good way" sounds.

It has 2 full channels with EQ and sends that you can return your auxs to. That is good.

Kev11 wrote:I would like a 4-track with reverb and effects but I don't want anything digital or new. I know that steve is anti digital so I guess that is why i wanted to know the 4-track he used for the Lungs e.p.

Even if he was pro digital, back in the day I don't think that there were any digital recorders.

I don't know what 4 or 8 track tape machine you should buy. but here's what I think, you want to sound unique as big black's recordings? try to do something that sounds like yourself and not something that sounds like someone else's thing. I'm pretty sure steve got his sound by not trying to imitate anyone else. Every member of this forum appreciate steve's attitude towards recording and all of us like most of the records he recorded, sound wise and music-wise. If you'll try to do something that sounds like big black you'll just sound like a big black rip off.

Anyhow, if you're not a procrastinator, go for a PC, you already have one, you'll have more channels and options. If you are a procrastinator, then go with some 4track, that we'll save you the "oooh, let's see what's new on the net" which will stop you from actually making any music.

Hi! Kev

I have the tascam 464 4-track.. it's ok but i'll agree with Justin from Queens and tell you to buy a new one like the tascam 424 mk3 or the KORG CR4 witch has effects and amp models and compressor and monitors and other stuff on board. (They are both casette) the 464 has no effects whatsoever but you can bounce tracks and do a whole lot of other cool things with outboard machines it also has double tape speed witch means that you get a higher frequency response (up to 16 Khz)
on the other hand the CR4 has the effects but it has normal tape speed without that meaning that it is not a good machine (they both can record four tracks simutaneously witch is pretty important for me you may not find it necesary) you can find both at their manifacture's websites...

about casette 8-tracks i can only remember one model.. the tascam 488 mk2


buying an old casette tracker has it's risks cos you might have tech problems but a new one with the correct maintanance will leave you very satisfied.. you can do all sorts of things with 4-tracks so finding the sounds that represents you will be easy... or not.

good luck and don't try to reproduce sounds from other bands you like.. take as mutch influence as you possibly can from them.. try to copy them if you are wondering how they did it.. but allways have in mind that you're looking for your own sound that will be like none

bulldrummer wrote:Hi! Kev

I have the tascam 464 4-track.. it's ok but i'll agree with Justin from Queens and tell you to buy a new one like the tascam 424 mk3 or the KORG CR4 witch has effects and amp models and compressor and monitors and other stuff on board. (They are both casette) the 464 has no effects whatsoever but you can bounce tracks and do a whole lot of other cool things with outboard machines it also has double tape speed witch means that you get a higher frequency response (up to 16 Khz)
on the other hand the CR4 has the effects but it has normal tape speed without that meaning that it is not a good machine (they both can record four tracks simutaneously witch is pretty important for me you may not find it necesary) you can find both at their manifacture's websites...

about casette 8-tracks i can only remember one model.. the tascam 488 mk2


buying an old casette tracker has it's risks cos you might have tech problems but a new one with the correct maintanance will leave you very satisfied.. you can do all sorts of things with 4-tracks so finding the sounds that represents you will be easy... or not.

good luck and don't try to reproduce sounds from other bands you like.. take as mutch influence as you possibly can from them.. try to copy them if you are wondering how they did it.. but allways have in mind that you're looking for your own sound that will be like none

Hey thanks alot for the advice, it has helped me alot. Thanks again people

It was a TEAC 3340.

steve wrote:It was a TEAC 3340.

I actually have this machine. I don't think it's a bad piece of equipment at all.

steve wrote:It was a TEAC 3340.

What amp models were on that?