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Fostex MULTITRACKER X-28 User's Manual

1. 4 Block Diagram rennen 6 Panel Controls and Terminals 8 Basic Operation esee 13 Recording the First Track Rhythm Machine 14 Monitoring 16 Four track Simultaneous Recording eres 16 BUSS IM PIC 17 Overdubbing Recording Bass to Track 2 and Keyboard to Track we 18 Overdubbing the Final Track Vocal and eT RT 18 Mono Monitoring in Stereo Recording 18 Mixdown and Effects Processing Adding PROVO aaa 19 AUX Auxiliary Send and Return 20 INTRODUCTION Thank you for purchasing the Fostex Model X 28 Multitracker With proper use and maintenance it will provide years of excellent performance Included among the features and functions of the X 28 are An eight input mixer with four gain adjustable mic line inputs and four line inputs all of which can be used for simultaneous recording Logic controlled transport buttons for ease of use and sure transport control A large backlit LCD display that features digita tape counter meters for all four tape tracks and stereo outputs and tape transport indicators e A rehearsal function in the punch in out mode that allows you to hear and practice a punch in recording before the actual take Switchabie Dolby B noise reduction Four track simultaneous recording Punch in Recording essere 21 Special Appli
2. 33 TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE We know we re not perfect but we have excellent quality control and quality assurance procedures from engineering design to manufacture and shipping Thus pilot errors are far more common than out of the box problems So before you get mad at your X 28 Fostex or your dealer please take a few minutes to run through this chack list of the most common sources of user frustra tion Problem Initlal setup There s no sound or It won t record 1 Is the power on Is the AC adapter plugged into both the X 28 and the proper AC outlet 2 Are ali the plugs firmly connected to the proper jacks 3 Could the cable be faulty 4 Are the MASTER controls turned up 5 Are the REC SELECT INPUT SELECT MONI TOR select and MIX TAPE switches set properly 6 Isthe cassette tape properly seated inthe compart ment 7 Are the cassette record protect tabs missing Problem It used to work flne now It sounds weird or bad 1 When did you last clean amp demagnetize HOW did you last clean amp demagnetize Insufficient or haphazard cleaning is the single most common problem encountered by our service technicians 2 Are you using the right kind of tape 70 usec EQ only 3 Couidthe problem be due to tape drop outs or tape deterioration Is tha Dolby switch ON Did you turn it on only for recording and not for playback or vice versa Is the PITCH control set to th
3. DISPLAY a BAR GRAPH LEVEL METERS These six meters indicate the signal levels of the four tape tracks and the stereo buss b TAPE COUNTER TAPE COUNT This indicates the current position of the tape c TAPE INDICATOR This provides visual indication of whether the tape is stopped or not and what direction it is moving This indicator lights when a cassette tape is inserted d DOLBY NOISE REDUCTION INDICATOR DOLBY IN This indicator is lit when the noise reduction has been turned on with the DOLBY NR switch B e REHEARSAL INDICATOR REHEARSAL This indicator is lit when the rehearsal function has been engaged with the REHEARSAL switch D 1 TAPE TRANSPORT INDICATORS These indicate the current status of the tape transport fie whether it is stopped or recording or being rewound etc L R TAPE COUNT e TIM 3L3 888 Le ys gm sO Cs AT THAM x C L0 TLANSPORT Stop L R TAPE COUNT SL 10 16 scl 888 or f 4 gr amp L aC 16 A Od TRANSPORT Flashes to indlcate auto play mode L R COUNT seg 988 sC fann It I_J 2007 20 L R TAPE COUNT sac 889 aL 7 yw 7 SEES 24 3 s COK TRANSPORT p Now recording L R TAPE COUNT sees 988 oL Lo V 35 1 SCS eaeseston t a o 20007720 EE PL 1 HANSPORT Fast forward L A TAPE COUNT se 888 ome nt 4 SCLIL e Yaanbrisene
4. TRANSPORT Rewind E R TAFE COUNT eL re s 888 oL Co pte etn sMnICiss 4 6 III 0 with either the fast forward rewind indicators Indicates zero return TRANSPORT m Play L R TAPE COUNT Vea 888 amu E ul 1 0C 9L 210 Te aN TRANSPORT g RECORD TRACK INDICATOR REC TRACK These flash to indicate the track selected for recording The indicators stay lit continuously during actual re cording Flashes to Indicate record ready or record enable and input monitor 11 FRONT PANEL SECTION INPUT JACKS 1 8 1 8 These standard 1 4 phone jacks are for connecting the signal inputs to be recorded Inputs 1 4 are equipped with trim controls and can be used with virtually any kind of source including microphones and electric guitars Inputs 5 8 are designed for use only with line level instruments REMOTE PUNCH IN OUT JACK PUNCH IN OUT This standard 1 2 phone jack is for connecting an optional footswitch Fostex 8051 for remote foot control of punch in out recording See the section Punch in Recording page 21 REMOTE ZERO RETURN PLAY JACK 0 RTN PLAY This standard 1 4 phone jack is for connecting an optional footswitch Fostex 8051 for remote control cf the zero return function Pressing the footswitch auto matically returns the tape to the 000 position and starts playback HEADPHONE JACK PHONES This standard 1 4 phone jack is for
5. ON OFF Switchable TAPE SPEED 4 75 cm s 1 7 8 ips WOW AND FLUTTER 0 1 IEC ANSI FAST WIND TIME 120 seconds C 60 cassette tape PITCH CONTROL 1 10 RECORDING TIME 30 minutes C 60 FREQUENCY RESPONSE Mixer section 20 Hz 20 kHz Recorder section 40 Hz 12 5 kHz S N RATIO 58 dB or more CROSSTALK 5D dB or more at kHz ERASURE RATIO 70 dB or more at 1 kHz HEADS 4 channel Hard Permalloy POWER REQUIREMENT DIMENSIONS W x D x H WEIGHT REC PLAY 4 channel Ferrile ERASE DC 12 V 11 15V FOSTEX AD 12T AC Adaptor AC 120V 13W AC 220 240V 15W 331 x 193 x 65 mm 1 75 kg Specifications subject to change without notice Dolby noise reduction manufactured under licence from Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation Dolby and the double D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corpo ration FOSTEX FOSTEX CORPORATION 3 2 35 Musashino Akishima shi Tokyo Japan 196 FOSTEX CORPORATION OF AMERICA 15431 Blackburn Ava Norwalk CA 90650 U S A FOSTEX UK LTD Unit 1 Jackson Way Great Western Industrial Park Southall Middx UB2 45 U K PRINTED IN JAPAN MAR 1991 8288 284 DOG IM
6. Step 4 Mixtracks 1 and 2 and record them onto track 3 f Step 5 Record F and G on tracks 1 and 2 To actually execute ping pong recording mixing re corded tracks 1 2 and 3 onto track 4 1 Set the INPUT SELECT switch on the previously recorded tracks to TRK and bring up the faders for those tracks to suitable levels Using Step 2 above as an example set channels 5 6 and 7 to TRK 2 Set the MONITOR select switch to MONMIX LINE and the INPUT B switch to REMIX 3 Make sure that the INPUT SELECT switch of the destination channel for the recorded tracks is set to INPUT In this case channel 8 is set to INPUT 4 Bring up the channel 8 s fader to its optimum level 5 Settrack 4 s REC SELECT switch to R This sends the three recorded tracks to stereo buss R which corresponds to track 4 6 Set PAN controls for channels 5 7 to R This is also necessary to route the three recorded tracks to the right side of the stereo buss Note You may want to monitor the recording with the signal coming from the center of the stereo image Refer to MONO MONITORING IN STE REO RECORDING on page 18 for details 7 Press PLAY to play back the recorded parts then press the REC button once to enable monitoring of the signals from track 4 s level meter in the display Practice the track bouncing by adjusting the levels with the faders until you are satisfied with the setti
7. including Punch in Recording and Special Applicatians to familiarize yourself with the more sophisticated functions of this machine Never open the case and touch anything inside Doing so may result in electrical shock or damage to the unit Becarefulnotto spill any water or liquids or drop any metal objects inside the unit This could also result in electrical shock If water or anything should acci dentally get inside immediately disconnect the AC adaptor fram the outlet and contact your nearest Fostex dealer or service center Be sure to turn the power to this unit on first before switching on tha power to other connected equip ment in order to avoid damaging them Also when connecting or disconnecting any input or output plugs make sure that the input volume control of the appropriate channel or buss is set to O HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL 4 Also read through the various boxed subjects scattered throughout the instructions to help you master some of the important aspects of multitrack recording They include valuable information on such topics as buss monitoring and aux send 5 Finally look through the section Multitrack Re cording Tips page 31 for special tips and hints on how to make your recording sound as professional as possible For those of you who are complete novices in the field of recording we hope this manual will be more than merely a guide to the X 28 In many ways with th
8. CONTROLS EQ HI EQ LO These controls provide two band equalization high and low for the stereo mix The controls come after the input faders and before the stereo master fader STEREO MASTER FADER MASTER This ganged slide control determines the overall output level of the stereo buss the signals sent to the LINE OUT jacks O INPUT B SELECT SWITCH INPUT B This switch determines whether the stereo signal from the INPUT B channels is sent to the stereo buss or to the monitor buss The switch has two positions REMIX and MONMIX REMIX This position sends the signal to the stereo buss Normally REMIX is used in most recording situa tions including recording of input signals connected to channels 5 8 ping pong recording and mixdown MONMIX This position sends the signal to the monitor buss the monitor out and headphone jacks Since this switch comes before the MONITOR select switch in the signal path the MONITOR select switch must be set to MONMIX LINE for the signal to be heard MONITOR SELECT SWITCH MONITOR This switch determines which signals are sent to the monitor out and headphone jacks The switch has three positions MONMIX LINE AUX and AUX LINE MONMIX LINE This position sends a mix of two signals to the monitor buss 1 the stereo signal of tha INPUT B channels when MONMIX is selected with the IN PUT B select switch p and 2 the signal of the stereo buss AUX This
9. Hence the need for the terms track and channel when referring to its operation Track refers to the actual recorded portion on the cassette tape the X 28 records on four tracks Channel refers to a signa pathway through the mixer the X 28 has eight channels to accommo date up to eight inputs The difference between the two terms is shown in the diagram below 94og695a6e690 1 8 Overdubbing Overdubbing is the heart of the multitrack recording process It is the process of recording a track in synchronization to previously recorded tracks Over dubbing was invented by Les Paul in collaboration with Ampex audio engineers in the 1950 s and has had a greater effect on music than the guitar which bears his name Used with the four independent tracks of the X 28 overdubbing allows one musician to record a variety of parts on the same tape In this way you can build your songs piece by piece track by track It also lets you fix any parts that are not satisfactory as well as indepen dently apply specia effects with signal processing equipment Mixdown Mixdown is the final operation in multitrack recording This is where you combine all of the parts you have recorded on the four tracks adjust their relative levels and make other settings to prepare the final master recording Four track Cassette Format The X 28 uses standard cassette tape for recording In astandard cassette deck the tape has two
10. SEND controls for the tape track channels so that they will be sentto the AUX buss In this example turn the AUX SEND controls on INPUT B channels 5 6 and 7 all the way clockwise to their TRK settings and make sure the master AUX SEND control Q is setto a suitable level Make sure that the AUX SEND control on channel 8 is set to 0 center position 5 Connect the AUX SEND and AUX RTN jacks with a short RCA pin to RCA pin cable This routes the signal fromthe AUX buss back in to the stereo buss In this example since we are recording to track 4 connect it to the AUX RTN R jack 6 Finally set up the X 28 for ping pong recording by pressing PLAY to play back and pressing REC to monitor the levels in the meters then recording as usual see steps 7 and 8 in Ping pong Recording page 26 Helpful Hints for Ping pong Recording Be careful when attempting to ping pong to adjacent tracks For example if you are bouncing track 3 to track 4 oscillation or feedback could occur if the level of the source track track 3 is too high or the AUX SEND control on the track is set too high If this happens try lowering the send level and or turning down the high frequency tone control Better yet start over with different recording sequence Use the EQ controls to compensate for sound deterioration A characteristic of all analog cassette tape recorders is that in the ping pong recording procedure actually any repe
11. conditioners refrigerators and fluorescent and neon lights these also are sources of electronic noise and hum If you get lazy or forgetful and allow the oxide deposits to build up performance will suffer noticeably espe cially high end response and wow amp flutter If you have total disregard for these routine maintenance proce dures the heads could become magnetized and ruin every tape you try to play The simplest rule to follow is Clean and demagnetize before every session If you regularly conduct marathon recording sessions do it every 8 hours Note For demagnetizing use either a hand demag netizer to demagnetize the heads of the X 28 Demagnetizing is vital to preserving the quality of the recording heads yet itis also a potentially dangerous operation that can destroy circuits and ruin the heads if used improperly Follow the instructions included with your device to the fetter Also keep your recorded tapes away from the demagnetizer when it is in use since they can be erased by it Also avoid cassette tapes with built in or applied cleaners as they often contain abrasives that will wear out the heads of your X 28 prematurely Final cautlon Don t smoke Large studios forbid smoking in the control room and for a very good reason the particles of dust produced by cigarettes cigars and pipes may be invisible to you but are like rocks and boulders to your sensitive electronic equipment __
12. connected to channel 1 the leftmost REC SE LECT switch must be set to 1 5 Now adjust the level of the input signal Bring the MASTER fader up to around 7 Do the same with the INPUT 1 fader This is the optimum position of the faders The word optimum does not mean maximum but indicates the best position this case the highest level with the least distortion c Hn UN I1 E E11 111 mL tT b lt 6 Start the rhythm machine and increase its volume control slowly to an optimum level Gradually in crease the TRIM control toward the 60 position so that the meter indication for track 1 in the display peaks around 0 or 3 Make sure that the loudest signals do not consistently push the meter into the 3 ta 6 range If you are recording something other than a rhythm machine to this track such as a vocal or an acoustic instrument the TRIM control may need to be set near the 60 position Gradually Increase TRIM 2 y L 7B TAPE COUNT gs 88 11 30 L 9 2 et Pa rs ab af PE 9 TRACK m THARSPCET gt Meter should paak around 0 3 At this stage you are setting levels so you needn t worry about cantent If your level readings are con stantly in the 10 ta 20 range increase the level by bringing up the faders or thera will be excess
13. connected to the INPUT channels then set the levels of the signals with the fader and TRIM controls 13 Play back the sequencer and X 28 in synchraniza tion Fallow the normal mixdown procedure see page 19 Adjust the level PAN and AUX SEND controls of allchannels Then rehearse the mixdown as necessary and record the mix to a master recorger Note Do not allow the tape sync signal recorded on track 4tobe mixed withthe other signals During this entire operation after the tape sync signal has been recorded make sure that the INPUT SELECT switch for channel 8 is set to INPUT and that its fader and AUX SEND control are set to 0 Tape Sync Combining Ten MIDI Inputs With Three Tape Tracks The following example demonstrates a creative appli cation of the AUX buss in making a recording with thirteen independent parts ten fram MIDI instruments and three recorded tracks This application splits the FSK duties of the AUX SEND control and the AUX RTN inputs to accommodate the additional inputs and uses the monitor buss for mastering the final recording MIDVFSK converter REM 7 Ilii TEXT 66660000066 8666009996 Ke 0 3 RiP 3 Racord tape sync t track 4 then disconnect 30 MIDI OUT MIDI Sound sourco Synthesizer sampler In this example a multi timbral synthesizer or sampler with eight individual output
14. connecting a set of stereo headphones PITCH CONTROL PITCH The pitch control lets you finely adjust the pitch or speed of playback within a range of 10 12 REAR PANEL SECTION TAPE OUT JACKS 1 4 SYNC TAPE OUT 1 4 SYNC The signals of the four recorded tracks are output via these standard RCA pin jacks These are used to send the individual outputs to an external mixer for greater flexibility in monitoring or for putting different effects on each of the tracks LINE OUT JACKS LEFT RIGHT LINE OUT L R The signals of the stereo buss are output via these standard RCA pin jacks These are used to send the stereo output to a second tape recorder for making a stereo master tape 9 AUX SEND JACK AUX SEND The mixed signals of AUX SEND and Q are output via this standard RCA pin jack A signal processor such as reverb unit or multi effect device may be con nected here AUX RETURN JACKS LEFT RIGHT AUX RTN L R These standard RCA pin jacks are inputs for the returning effects processed AUX SEND signal the signal is then sent to the stereo buss Two jacks are provided since many effect devices have stereo out puts The jacks can also be used as auxiliary inputs effectively giving the X 28 ten inputs MONITOR OUT JACKS LEFT RIGHT MON OUT L R The signals selected with the MONITOR select switch the same as those heard in the headphones is output via these standard RCA pin jack
15. for running the X 28 and the sequencer in synchronization differs depending on the sequencer used Generally though these are the steps you should follow 1 set your sequencer to external sync sometimes called MIDI slave mode and start the sequencer 2 press PLAY on the X 28 Once the sync tone has been received by the sequencer it will begin running and the two devices will play in pertect synchronization Note You cannot start synchronized playback with FSK inthe middle of a sequenced song Always rewind to well before the beginning of the sync tone and play back from that point Once you have recorded the basic parts of the song to the sequencer and synchronized the sequencer to the X 28 in the above steps you will need to listen to the sequencer tracks as you record additional parts to the X 28 To do this temporarily connect the four signals from the rhythm machine and synthesizer to the INPUT B inputs 5 8 Set the MONITOR select switch to MONMIX LINE and the INPUT B switch to REMIX Set the INPUT B channel PAN controls to center _ Set up track 1 for direct recording Connect the sound source to input channel 1 set the REC SELECT switch for the channel to 1 and bring up the fader and TRIM to appropriate levels Setthe sequencer to external sync and start it then press PLAY on the X 28 as you did in step 4 above to play back the two devices in synchroniza tion Press the REC button an
16. original recording and play the bass part 3 Select 2 with the REC SELECT switch for tape track as you listen to the mix of the two signals 2 The flashing number 2 in the display indicates that track 2 is now set up for recording Also press 7 Now record the new part by pressing the PLAY and the REC button to enable input monitoring with the REC button simultaneously track 2 s level meter 17 8 To hear playback of the two tracks together switch the REC SELECT switch of track 2 back to the center off position then switch the INPUT SE LECT button of INPUT B channel 6 to TAK 2 and bring up fader 6 to a suitable level Check the recording by listening to it through monitor speak m rt d CD ED HN SSE TS OMT OT INPUT amp 9 0 000000 0 0000009000 P m mr 1 I Press to select TRK 2 ers Use the faders on the corresponding INPUT B channels faders 5 and 6 to adjust the relative balance of the two tracks 9 Overdub the backing keyboard parts on track 3 following the same procedure given above using INPUT 3 this time Overdubbing the Final Track Vocal and Guitar Now that you have recorded the basic parts of a backing band drums bass and keyboards to on the first three tape tracks you can use track 4 to record the lead parts of the song the vocals and a guitar solo 1 in this example since you will be reco
17. to playback at high volume for even short periods of time reduces your ability to hear high frequencies The less high frequencies you hear the more you tend to boost them until you have a recording that is ail highs If you work marathon sessions try to give your ears a five or ten minute rest every two hours Ask others for advice If you know someone whose sound you admire ask them what they did to getthat sound If you know someone who has been down this road just a little longer than you have ask them what they ve learned By the same token share your experiences with others No one has a monopoly on creativity ar knowledge in fact the more you share with others the more they ll share with you 31 Tape Keep your cassette tapes at least three feet away from any magnetic fields especially those of computer manitors speakers TVs and telephones they can damage or even erase what you ve recorded Clearly and logically label your tapes If your cre ative juices are flowing at all you ll soon amass a whole box worth of cassette recordings If your tapes are not labeled you ll waste a lot of time trying to find the one you need After finishing a recording on cassette you should punch out the two record protect tabs so as not to inadvertently erase your newly created masterpiece Be sure to take BOTH tabs out since you ve recorded to all four tracks Settings Startall your rec
18. to the INPUT B faders for channels 5 8 When INPUT SELECT is set to INPUT the faders control channel inputs 5 8 when set to TRK the faders contro the recorded tape tracks 1 4 Fader 5 controls tape track 1 fader 6 controls track 2 etc CHANNEL PAN CONTROLS 1 8 PAN The channel pan controls determine the left and right balance of the respective input signals 1 8 as they are sent to tha stereo buss For more details see Buss page 17 They also determine the stereo balance of the tape tracks when the INPUT SELECT switches are set to TRK G AUX SEND CONTROLS 1 8 AUX The AUX SEND controls are used to send the respec tive input signals or tape tracks if selected to the AUX SEND jack Generally these are for sending the signals to signal processors such as digital reverb units or multi effect devices The AUX SEND controls are independent for each channel and are used to provide a mono mix signal which is sent to the AUX SEND master control 9 For more details see the section AUX Auxiliary Send and Return page 20 The AUX SEND controls for channels 1 4 differ slightly from those for channels 5 8 as described below AUX SEND CONTROLS 1 4 The controls for input channels 1 4 are post fader they determine the amount of signal that is sent after the input fader i AUX SEND CONTROLS 5 8 The AUX SEND controls for input channels 5 8 are pre fader th
19. OW XIA3H 1 Y LOdN 3 LONI T anas xnv Z xnv j m m WIL iO lt 2 h 1 ort Am 2 agpo 09 E 34nag A H lt L 1NdNI 16 A Coch D inon lt Ts 03 LA O3 TS XN PANEL CONTROLS AND TERMINALS Bold words in parentheses are the names of the controls as they appear on the panel PANEL CONTROLS Q INPUT TRIM 1 4 TRIM The Trim controls are coarse controls for determining the signal levels for inputs 1 4 The higher settings toward 60 are for low level sources such as micro phones The lower settings toward 10 are for line level sources such as drum machines keyboards and line signals from other audio equipment These con trols should be adjusted to a suitable level before adjusting the input faders of channels 1 4 in the INPUT A section INPUT FADERS 1 8 INPUT A INPUT B The input faders are used to adjust the signal levels for the input channels The INPUT A faders control the levels of input channels 1 4 The INPUT B faders can be switched to control the levels of either input chan nels 5 8 or recorded tracks 1 4 switching between the two functions is done with the INPUT SELECT buttons INPUT SELECT SWITCHES 5 8 INPUT SELECT These two position switches determine the signal source to be sent
20. Owners Manual MULTITRACKER FOSTEX CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN CAUTION TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT REMOVE COVER OR BACK NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage within the product s en ciosure that may be of sufficient magnitude constitute a risk of electric shock to persons WARNING REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOIS TURE SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS 1 2 Read Instructions All the safety and operating instruc tions should be read before the appliance is operaled Retain Instruclions The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference Heed Warnings All warnings on the appliance and in the operating instructions should be adhered lo Follow Instructions All operating and use instructions should be followed Water and Moisture The appliance should not be used near waler for example near a balhtub washbowl Kit Chen sink laundry tub in a wet basement or near a swim ming pool and tha like Carts and Stands The appliance should be used only with a cart or stand that is recommended by the manu facturer An appliance and cart comb
21. Use the stereo meter indications on the X 28 s display and the MASTER faderto set up the proper signal level that will be sent to the master recorder 10 Set the record level controls on the master recorder so that a 0 meter reading on the X 28 will produce a corresponding 0 reading on the master recorder Punch in Recording Punch in recording is the process of re recording over a specific portion of a recorded track Normally this is used to fix a bad note in an otherwise acceptable performance Rather than record the entire track all over again and take the chance that the performance as a whole will suffer it s often easier and better to fix only the mistake s Other uses of this technique are to erase minor timing errors for example someone starts a part too soon or continues it too long or to eliminate unwanted sounds from an open mic loud coughing or inhaling This technique is also used to take advantage of non recorded portions of a track To illustrate let s say you ve recorded a guitar solo in the middle of a song Except for that part the track with the solo is silent You might want to add some percussion parts to those sections where the guitar is not playing Punch in recording is the perfect way to do this You can use the panel controls to execute punch in recording during playback To do this while the X 28 is running hold down the REC button and simultaneously press PLAY at the point you wish to sta
22. atrecording the highs are attenuated and the lows are accentuated Judicious use of the EQ con trols such as boosting the highs during mixdown will help alleviate the problem Pian your recordings carefully Once the ping pong recording is made and the original tracks have been mixed together the relative balance cannot be changed In our example the signal on track 4 A B C and track 3 D E is each a single composite entity Hence the importance of rehearsal and planning Always save the most Important parts for the final overdubs Normally these would include lead vocals and lead instrumental parts Record these last so that you have individual control over them during mixdown F and G in the above example Example 3 Tape Sync Tape sync is the process of using one of the tracks on the X 28 to synchronize operation with a MIDI se quencer which in turn is used to control several in struments simultaneously A MIDI sequencer is basi cally multitrack performance recorder that allows you to record and play back MIDI compatible instru ments Using tape sync with a MIDI sequencer offers many advantages MIDI controlled instruments need not be recorded on tape thus freeing up track space for acoustic instruments and vocals Better overall sound quality is achieved when the MIDI controlled instruments are mixed directly to the master recarder during mixdown Connection Example for Ta
23. begins This makes overdubbing a lot easier Note Make sure that the noise reduction DOLBY NR switch has been turned on both for recording and playback This will make your recording sound as clean and clear as possible 15 Monitoring Understanding the concept of monitoring is essen tia to mastering the multitrack record process To monitor a recording means 1o listen to it It also means to check sound levels aurally over the headphones or speaker system or visually by means of the level meters One important thing you should understand about monitoring is that you can be recording a signal at one level and yet be hearing it through the monitor at a different level This is particularly crucial for example if the MONITOR control is set near 0 You may find yourself cranking up the input faders and TRIM controls just to be able to hear the signal which could result in a horribly distorted recording and even possible damage to the recorder For this reason always set the monitor controls to their optimum positions first then adjust the input levels Another thing to remember is that there are two different types of signals that are monitored during 8 Now you re ready to record Press the PLAY and the REC button simultaneously The REC TRACK indicator for track 1 will be lit continuously as will the record and play TRANSPORT indicators Thesa indicators will be lit continuously Pres
24. cations 24 Example 1 Simultaneous Stereo Recording of Eight Sound Sources 24 Overdubbing Tracks to the Live Stereo Recording eee 25 Example 2 Ping pong Recording Recording Seven Parts on Four Tracks 25 Adding Live Parts to Ping pong Recording 26 Helpful Hints for Ping pong Recording 27 Example 3 Tape Sync 28 Tape Sync Combining Ten MIDI Inputs With Three Tape 30 Multitrack Recording Tips 31 Routine Maintenance 33 Troubleshooting Guide 34 Specifications 34 The X 28 will perform all of the standard multitrack recording techniques such as overdubbing punch in recording and ping pong recording In addition effects processing is available with the AUX send and stereo AUX return functions When used with an optional MIDI to FSK converter the operation of the X 28 can be synchronized with MIDI sequencers and rhythm machines allowing you to simultaneously run multiple musical instruments and signal sources Please read this manuai carefully so that you are thoroughly acquainted with the proper operation and maintenance procedures SAFETY PRECAUTIONS Connect the supplied AC adap
25. ce ta check the input level of the new signal before you actually record Once everything is set to your satisfaction set the sequencer and X 28 running in synchronization again thistime pressing the REC and PLAY buttons simultaneously to begin recording Listen to the rhythm machine and synthesizer as a guide as you record the new track Now that track 1 has been recorded you will nead to monitor it with tha sequencer tracks First turn the REC SELECT switch for track 1 to off center Then disconnect the input at channel 1 and replace it with the input from the currently at channel 5 Set the fader and TRIM control appropriately 790 3 o ML 2a Disconnect input Remaining inputs from channel 5 and from rhythm machine connect it lo channel 1 and synthesizer 10 Set the INPUT SELECT switch on channel5 to TRK 1 and bring up the fader to the optimum level 11 Overdub additional parts to tracks 2 and 3 following the same procedure as in steps 9 and 10 What you are doing here is changing the inputs one by one moving a sequencer controlled signal input from INPUT B to INPUT A freeing the INPUT B channels one by one so that you can monitor the tape tracks 29 12 Now that you have recorded three tape tracks to augment your sequencer tracks you can mixdown all the parts with reverb on a master recorder To do this make sure that the rhythm machine and syn thesizer outputs are
26. d settings that bypass the PAN and EQ controls Setting the switch to the center position dis ables recording Setting it to L left or R right selects the respective signal of the stereo buss for recording The signal is recorded to the track number indicated on the switch For example if the first REC SELECT switch is set to L the left signal of the stereo buss will be recorded to track 1 This setting is particularly useful for recording multiple inputs sent an the stereo buss to a single track REHEARSAL SWITCH REHEARSAL This switch is used for disabling enabling recording during punch in recording It also lets you hear the punch in and punch out as you rehearse without erasing the original track Normally pressing the footswitch automatically acti vates punch in out recording and could result in the inadvertent erasing of a track To avoid this the RE HEARSAL switch provides a safety function that allows you to set up and practice a punch in recording before actually executing it The REHEARSAL switch effec tively simulates the actual punch in recording process by switching the monitor between the original track and the part to be punched in each time the footswitch is pressed See Punch in Recording page 21 for de tails 9 NOISE REDUCTION SWITCH DOLBY NR This switch turns the Dolby B noise reduction system on and off For best sonic results you should keep this switch on The off position is for perf
27. d sources play together 4 Select the recording tracks with the REC SELECT Switches Tracks 1 and 3 are dedicated to recording the left side of the stereo signal and tracks 2 and 4 are dedicated to the right side Choose one track for each stereo side e g 1 and 2 or 3 and 4 To select a track for recording set the appropriate switch to the L or R position For this example switch REC SELECT for track 1 to L and track 2 to R 5 Now you re ready to record Press tha PLAY and REC buttons simultaneously to begin recording The L and R meters in the display show the output signal of the stereo buss and the meters for tracks 1 and 2 indicate the respective recording levels Overdubbing Tracks to the Live Stereo Re cording Since the recording above is made using just two of the X 28 s tracks the remaining tracks can be used for overdubbing two additional sources This procedure is the same as that of normal overdub bing covered in the Basic Operation section pages 13 19 First set the REC SELECT switches to off center position then set the INPUT SELECT for the recorded tracks 1 and 2 in the above example to TRK and boost the faders so that you can monitor the playback Finally set up track 3 for recording and overdub the new part Follow the same steps in record ing another part to track 4 Note If you are using the synthesizer plugged into channel 8 in the last example you can record that instrument to track 3
28. dings so that each successive track moves up in frequency range In other words record bass parts first and guitar solos and vocals last 32 Try to keep similar frequencies together if you are combining tracks Put bass and drums together rhythm guitar parts with keyboards etc If you use microphones to record instruments try positioning them in different ways With electric guitar bass amplifiers try putting the microphone closer to the speaker or pointed slightly away from the center of the speaker cone Small changes can have big effects on the recorded sound Try different microphones use two or even more microphones in different parts of the room In other words experi ment Remember cassette tape is inexpensive Always rehearse before you record You may be tempted to speed up the process by recording immediately ar you may want to make a trial record ing just to check out the basic sound Even so you should take time to practice both the performance and the operation steps before each take Bepersistent Re record as many times as you need to to came up with the perfect take Ping pong Recording Record your bass parts first if you intend to bounce tracks High frequency sounds arethe first to disap pear when bouncing External Effects Proper reverb is essential to making a polished professional sounding recording but be careful to not overdo it If you record each track with r
29. e information provided on basic recording concepts and advanced applications this manual may be used as a textbook for multitrack recarding BEFORE USING YOUR X 28 MULTITRACKER Undoubtedly you are eager to start recording with your X 28 Multitracker However unless you ve had some experience with multitrack recording we recommend you take some time to read this section and familiarize yourself with multitrack recording basics WHAT IS MULTITRACK RECORDING i Multitrack recording is the process of recording indi vidual parts of a performance separately an indepen dent tracks and then mixing them together to create final recording There are several advantages to this process You can record each musician separately without having to assemble them all together at the same place and time you are able to concentrate on the individual elements so that each part is the best it can be you can also try several different mixes of the recorded material until you are satisfied with the final production Best of all if you wish you can do every thing yourself There is nothing wrong with recording a good tightband with two well placed microphones but with the sophisticated technology available today in cluding MIDI multitrack recording allows you to make highly professional recordings on your own Tracks and Channels The X 28 Multitracker combines sophisticated record ing and mixing functions in the same unit
30. e center position Are the TRIM controls and faders properly set Are the PAN and EQ controls properly set Are the input output levels to a connected external device properly set 9 Is there an input output impedance mis match 10 Are the sequencer and or MIDI controlled instru ments properly programmed gt ONDA If the problem persists contact your local dealer or Fostex for the name of your nearest service facility SPECIFICATIONS INPUTS 1 8 Inputs 1 4 Microphone Impedance Less than 10 Input impedance 20 MIC 60 dBv 1mV Normal input level LINE 10 dBv 0 3V Inputs 5 8 Input impedance 10 kQ Normal input level 10 dBv 0 3V AUX RTN L Input impedance 20 k Normal input level 20 dBv 0 1V LINE OUT L R Outpul load impedance Normal ouiput level AUX SEND Outpul load impedance Normal output level MONITOR OUT L R Output load impedance Normal ouiput level TAPE OUT 1 2 3 4 Output load impedance 10 kG or more 10 dBy 0 3V 10 or more 10 dBv 0 3V 10 ki or more 10 dBv 0 3V 10 ki or more Normal output level 10 dBv 0 3V HEADPHONE OUT STEREO Load Impedance 40 2 EQUALIZER HI LO L R 12 dB at 100 Hz 10 kHz RECORDING TAPE Compact cassette C 50 C 90 IEC TYPE Il for use at high bias position TOK SA MAXELL LID XLII 34 RECORD TRACKS 4 tracks one direction Simultaneaus recarding of up to 4 tracks NOISE REDUCTION Dolby B
31. ed and replaced by the current pari Press the footswitch again to stop recording or punch out USING THE REHEARSAL FUNCTION The rehearsal function is also an important part of footswitch controlled punch in recording When the rehearsal function is engaged its indicator in the display will be lit pressing the footswitch does not tum the recording function on and off Instead it allows you to practice the punch in recording without erasing the original track and to hear the new part replacing the PUNCH IN original in tha monitor just as if you were actually recording When the REHEARSAL switch is turned on the X 28 mimics the punch in recording process by switching the monitor between original track and the part to be punched in with each press of the footswitch PUNCH QUT Rehearsal New pari is not recorded Take a New pan is recorded over original pari When _ cl rehearsal Pravious take New part is heard Previous take tunction is heard is haard is on The TRANSPORT and REC TRACK indicators in the display change as shawn in the following diagram during the rahearsal and punch in out processes Rehearsal Take both are bit continuously Record track indicator Input monitorirecord indicator 23 SPECIAL APPLICATIONS In the previous section the examples were kept as simple as possible e g one instrument per track input 1 recorded t
32. er or keyboard 3 Press the REC button to enable input monitoring Listening to each sound source carefully make the various settings level pan and effects balance for each input channel Begin with channel 1 First bring all of the faders on the other channels down to 0 set the MASTER fader and the fader on channel 1 to their optimum levels then use the TRIM control to adjust the level on channel 1 Do the same for the rest of the input channels using only the faders on channels 5 8 of course since they have no TRIM controls Next starting again with channel 1 determine the stereo position of each source by adjusting each channel s PAN control Finally go through each of the channels and set the amount of reverb that is applied to each source Follow the same procedure as you did in steps 47 and 8 in the section Mixdown and Effects Process ing Adding Reverb page 19 When the AUX SEND controls for channels 5 through 8 is set to the center no signal is sent to AUX SEND Adjust the control to the left to send the signal to the effects unit Turning the controls to the right will have no affect in this situation Note Itis a good idea to rehearse the mix as much as possible taking special care to keep the leveis in the optimum range Keeping noise and distor tion at minimum levels is a tricky business You ll no doubt need to make further adjust ments to the levels and the other controls as all soun
33. er to the box MONO MONITORING IN STEHEO RECORDING below Note The following instructions step 4 in particular assume that you are using this technique of monitoring the signal from the center Even if you don t though they will still be relevant to the recording of your vocal and guitar parts 4 Make sure that the MONITOR switch is set to AUX LINE and that the INPUT B switch is set to REMIX Keep them at these settings throughout this section To do this 1 Setthe MONITOR select switch to AUX or AUX LINE and make sure the INPUT B switch is set to REMIX 2 Turnup the AUX SEND controls on the appropri ate channels For INPUT B channels they should be set most or all the way clockwise to their TRK settings Also make sure that the master AUX SEND control is set to a suitable level 3 Withthe MONITOR controlata suitable level you can now hear the recorded tracks from both the left and right channels of your headphones or speaker system even though the signal is being recorded over just one side of the stereo buss 5 Press the REC button to enable input monitoring with track 4 s level meter and adjust the levels of the signals The MASTER fader should be at its optimum level around 7 as should the INPUT 1 and 2 faders Also adjust the TRIM controls for the inputs to suitable levels 6 Monitor the previously recorded tracks Make sure that the INPUT SELECT switches of the three recorded trac
34. essary because the AUX SEND signals of tape tracks 1 3 cannot be returned to the X 28 via any of the input channels or AUX RTN jacks since all are occupied The AUX SEND signal is instead directed to the monitor buss along with the other line signals and output via the MON OUT jacks Since the AUX SEND signal is mono the tape tracks will all be heard in the center of the stereo image Recording engineering is a combination of artistic sense and technological expertise Many schools offer programs forthose wishingto be professional recording engineers In this manual it would be impossible to list every technique to make perfect recordings but we can give you a few rules and suggestions that will get you started in creating your own multitrack master pieces Sometimes an hour of rehearsal will do more to improve a recording than the use of some fancy record ing technique or expensive outboard equipment Gui tar superstar Steve Vai recorded his first album on a Fostex 8 track in his garage Many of the great albums bythe Beatles Rolling Stones Otis Redding B B King and other legends were recorded on equipment whose specifications and ease of use were inferior in every way to the X 28 In other words do your best the X 28 wont let you down General Suggestions Record and mix at relatively low sound levels The longer your recording or mixdown session the less accurate your hearing will be Listening
35. everb the effect is cumulative and could make your re cording sound excessively muddy Moreover once you put it there you can t get rid of it Exception to the rule Creating a big richly textured reverb sound for unison musical passages by giving each track sightly different reverb time amount and EQ in general use signal processors such as reverb echo compression distortion etc sparingly A little can go a long way but too much can clutter the recording Connections and Other Equipment Use the best microphones that you can afford At Fostex we are partial to our own brand of micro phones If you don t use ours at least use the best that you can find Tip Use condenser type micro phones for recording acoustic instruments guitar banjo piano mandolin accordion drums etc This will give these instruments a light airy sound Use ribbon and tube microphones for a warm vocal sound Pop covers are sometimes necessary for vocals but they can dull the high frequencies If possible use two pair of speakers for monitoring Get a pair of accurate mixdown speakers for refer ence In addition listen to your mix with a pair of speakers that are similar to the ones on which the music will normally be heard Pro engineers call this monitor real lite comparison mixing Switch back and forth between the two sets of speakers as you rehearse your mixdown This will help eliminate dead spots in the freque
36. ey determine the amount of signal that is sent before the input fader They are dual function controis that send either the signals of the input channels or the tape tracks depending on which direction they are set When set toward INPUT they can be used to send the selected input signal 5 8 to signal proces sors such as digital reverb units or multi effect devices TAK When set toward TRK TRK 1 TRK 4 they can be used to send the selected tape tracks to a signal processor or can be used as level controls for monitoring Turning the control all the way to the left sends the selected input channel at full volume while turning the control to the far right sends the selected tape track at full volume The center position is 0 or no signal sent For more details see the section AUX Auxiliary Send and Return page 20 AUX SEND MASTER CONTROL SEND This control determines the overall level of the mixed signal output of the individual AUX SEND controls via the AUX SEND jack AUX RETURN CONTROL RTN The AUX RETURN control determines the level of the signalthatis received atthe AUX RETURN jacks This is normally used to control the amount of effect pro cessing sent via AUX SEND and that is re turned to the X 28 00000000 5 2 a 5 o L R AUX FTN Yy gt ATM I to stereo buss R AUX on 10 stereo buss L EQUALIZER
37. iliary Send and Return page 20 e p Ir CE LEE mim cx SELECT rn mm m Increase fader 5 Press to select TRK 1 Listen to your newly recorded track carefully If there is too much hiss or noise the recording level might have been too low If there is too much distortion the recording level might have been too high Record the track again readjusting the settings as necessary to get the sound you want FOUR TRACK SIMULTANEOUS RECORDING The direct recording method used to record the rhythm machine in the above example can also be used to record four instruments at the same time to different tracks To do this simply follow the above steps setting up tracks 2 3 and 4 for recording just as you did for track 1 If f r example you are recording a four piece band record each ofthe musicians on a separate track and set the levels appropriately before record ing Once you have recorded the performance follow the instructions mixdown in the section Mixdown and Effects Processing Adding Reverb page 19 Buss The term buss refers to a signal path in the mixing overall level of the mixed signals sent on the stereo network of the X 28 The stereo buss left and right buss to the LINE OUT jacks is determined by the is the main signal path of the X 28 the PAN c
38. in the recording such as in the middle of a instrumental or vocal phrase For example if there s a mistake in the second chorus re record the entire second chorus It s also very important that you match the level and fee of the punch in out recording to the pre recorded per formance otherwise it will be obvious that the final recording was not made continuously This example assumes that all four tracks have been recorded like the example in the Basic Operation section on page 13 All four tracks will be monitored and the punch in wil be made to track 4 WIL Connect input Connect footswitch tnotswitch far for Punch in Zero Return recording Play function 21 Connect second To use punch in punch out recording with the footswitch 1 22 Make the connections shown in the illustration above In this example we will be recording direct to the track so the input is connected to channel 4 The second footswitch connected to the 0 RTN PLAY jack is optional Make the settings necessary for monitoring the previously recorded tracks as shown above Set all the INPUT SELECT switches to TRK and turn the AUX SEND controls for the tape tracks to their TRK settings Also make sure that the MONITOR switch is set to AUX the INPUT B switch is at MONMIX and the master AUX SEND and MONITOR controls are set to suitable levels Since we are using the AUX SEND to monitor the tape signals the fade
39. ination should be moved with care Quick stops excessive force and uneven Surfaces may cause the appliance and cart combination fo overtum Wal ar Ceiling Maunt ng The appliance should be mount ed to a wall or ceiling only as recommended by the rnanu facturer Ventilation The appliance should be situated so thal is location or position does not interfere with its proper venti lation For example the appliance should not oe siluated on a bed sofa rug or similar surface that may black the ventilalion openings or placed in a built in instalation such as a bookcase or cabinet that may impede the flow of air through the ventilation openings 11 12 13 14 The exclamation point within an equiateral triangle is intended to alert the user to ihe presence of important operating and mainte nance servicing instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance Heat The appliance should be situated away trom heat sources such as radiators heat registers sloves or other appliances including amplifiers that produce heal Power Sources The appliance should be connectedto a power supply only of the type described in the operaling instructions or as marked on the appliance Grounding or Palarization The precautions that should be taken so that the grounding or polarization means ol an appliance rs not defeatea Power Cord Proteclion Power supply cords should be rouled so that they are not li
40. ive back ground noise If your level readings are constantly in the 3 to 6 range bring the level down or there will be distortion When recording instruments with very sharp initial attacks such as bass and snare drums you may find it necessary to set the levels at a relatively low range for example around 6 ta 10 just to keep the signal trom distorting A compressor such as the Fostex MN 50 will help solve this problem Note The lett and or right meters of the stereo buss will tight to indicate the level of the signal Whether ona or both of the meters lights de pends on the setting of the PAN control on the input track for example if the PAN control is set to the left the left meter will be active The PAN setting here does not affect the recording How ever for monitoring purposes it is best to set this at the center position 7 Next make the necessary settings on the X 28 for monitoring Whether you are using headphones or anamplifier speaker system simply turnthe MONI TOR control up to around 5 or to a comfortable listening level Notethat you may also have to make adjustments on all of the level controis in the re cording and monitor circuits ifthe volume is too loud or soft Note Since this first recording basic track will be used asareference for all additional recordings it s a good idea to begin with a rhythmic count off with tne snare drum before the actual downbeat or upbeat of the performance
41. kely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them paying particular attention to cords al plugs convenience recep lacles and tha point where they exit from the appliance Cleaning The appliance should be cleaned only as recommended by the manufacturer Nonuse Periods The power cord of the appliance should be unplugged fram the outlet when left unused for a long period of tme Object and Liquid Entry Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enc losure through openings Damage Requiring Service The appliance should be serviced by qualified service personnel when A The power supply cord or the plug has been damaged or B Objects have fallen or liquid has been spilled into the appliance or C The appliance has been exposed to rain or D The appliance does nol appear to operate normally or exhibits marked change in performance or E The appliance has been dropped or the enclosure damaged Servicing The user should nol attempt to service the appliance beyond that described in the operating instruc lions All other servicing should be referred qualified service personnel TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 2 Safety Precautions seed How to Use This Manual 3 Before Using Your X 28 Multitracker 4 What is Multitrack Recording
42. ks are set to TRK Set the faders for the channels to suitable levels 7 Press to select TRK3 Practice the vocal and guitar parts before record ing checking the level of the signals with the level meters Press the REC and PLAY buttons simulta neously and record the track as usual Mixdown and Effects Processing Adding Reverb Mixdawn is the process of playing several previously Note This example assumes that you have a reverb recorded tracks up to four in the case of the X 28 and mixing them into a composite signal stereo in this case It involves adjusting the balance of the individual tracks in terms of level gain stereo placement pan and depth reverb The resulting signal the finished recording is normally in stereo and is copied to a master recorder usually a stereo cassette deck Master recorder IN AUS cra odios est pru emo 5 CD CL QR 60660090 00 PATE amer E 0 0 000000 eut So ECT 0000 2999 unit preferably one with stereo outputs anda master recording deck cassette reel to reel or DAT 1 19 7 Now that you ve made the basic mixdown adjust ments try adding some reverb to the recording First make sure that all AUX SEND controls for the tape tracks are set to 0 center position Also set the AUX RTN and AUX SEND master cont
43. l input sources See the section USING THE AUX BUSS IN PING PONG RECORDING below 2 Bring up all faders to their optimum level Also adjust the TRIM control for channels 1 through 4 3 Select the destination track for the bounce by setting track 4 s REC SELECT switch to H This sends the five live tracks and the three recorded tracks to stereo buss R which corresponds to track 4 Note Be careful when setting the levels of the indi vidual channels You should remember that the live tracks will be clearer and less noisy than the bounced tracks so take care not to have them dominate the mix USING THE AUX BUSS IN PING PONG RECORD ING The AUX buss can be used with the INPUT B channels to record both the input signal and the tape track signal atthe same time This lets you bounce upto 11 sources asingle track at one time Here is an example in which tape tracks t 2 and 3 are to be bounced to track 4 with eight live sources 1 Set up all eight input channels for simultaneous recording Bring upthe faders and TRIM controls on INPUT channels 4 and set the INPUT SELECT switches on the INPUT B channels to INPUT bringing those faders up to suitable levels as well 2 Turn the PAN controls of all channels to R corre sponding to track 4 3 Set the MONITOR select switch to AUX LINE so that both the AUX buss and stereo buss can be heard in the monitor Also set the INPUT B switch to REMIX 4 Now set the AUX
44. n re sult in a loss of volume and or frequency response In general microphones are low level signals and should be used on inputs 1 through 4 Rhythm machines synthesizers and other electronic instruments are line level devices and can be used on all of the X 28 inputs Electric guitars are so often customized electronically and used with such a wide variety of effects boxes that it s impossible to state even a general rule The best advice is always turn the controls on all equipment down to the minimum then gradually increase the level controls to determine whether you ve made the right connections The Specifications section lists the input and output impedances of the unit Never plug any thing rated in watts W directly to an X 28 input Always use the best quality cable that you can afford This is one simple way to dramatically improve your sound both live and recorded Inexpensive cables often have poor shielding unusual impedance and poor signal to distortion characteristics BLOCK DIAGRAM Bc X HIMOVWHLIITNIN MOTEL 1 ONAS v a 3 SUSE OR TUS 534 gt z a H i 5 i 8 LNdNI 3 seede sb cu EE T b 4 ER 135 534 100 3dwL 1 v d dani ES M PT SSNOHd EN INN XIANOIA 9 LNdNI BEN NY pM NN Poter E Lo 135 938 970 DL S XIANOW PNY LNdN xnv no N
45. ncy response of your final mix How are your cables guitar strings amplifier speakers etc Are they new and or in top shape If any of your equipment uses batteries make sure they are fresh Also if your equipment is not at its best can you borrow or rent better equipment It s really worth it Keep track of all your equipment and settings by marking them This is especially important for your cables Fold stickers around the ends of your cables 0 that you know what they are and where they go ROUTINE MAINTENANCE In addition to the normal care required of all electronic equipment namely keeping it dry clean and free of dust and avoiding temperature humidity extremes the recorder section of your X 28 requires regular cleaning and demagnetizing to keep it in top operating condition As the tape passes over the heads and guides and between the pinch roller capstan mechanism a smail amount of oxide residue is left behind This happens with all tapes and all tape recorders After a short time you can see the tape residue accumulating on the heads but you cannot see the magnetism Each re quires its own cleaning procedure For cleaning tape residue always keep an ample supply of cotton swabs and proper cleaning solutions The heads guides and capstan shaft should be cleaned only with regular isopropyl alcohol solutions the pinch roller with special ruober cleaning solutions Be very careful notto ge
46. ngs 8 Executethe track bounce by simultaneously press ing PLAY and REC 9 Finally check the ping pong recording you have just made Set track 4 s REC SELECT switch back to off and reverse the INPUT SELECT switches setting tracks 1 2 and 3 to INPUT and track 4 to TAK Play back the recording and check that the balance af all tracks is satisfactory Adding Live Parts to Ping pong Recording As we mentioned at the beginning of this section additional live instrumental and vocal parts can be mixed in with the tape tracks you are bouncing This example shows you how to add five sound sources to the three tape tracks ping pong recording a total of eight separate parts to a single track The technique can of course be used with several musicians supplying the liva parts However it is even more effective and easy to control when coupled with a MIDI sequencer and several MIDI sound sources See the section Tape Sync page 28 for more an using a MIDI se quencer 4 4 3 enw 1 zt 1 DEFGH Live padormance parts To add live parts to the previous ping pong recording example substitute the following instructions for steps 4 and 5 above 1 Connect the additional sources to be recorded to the available input channels 1 2 3 4 and 8 Note Input channels 5 6 and 7 cannot be used in this example since they control the previously re corded tape tracks However the AUX buss can be used to mix in additiona
47. o track 1 etc to acquaint you with the basics of multitrack recording However as you ll see in this sectian your X 28 has a great degree of flexibility and sophistication and can be used in a wide variety of recording and mixing situations Example 1 Simultaneous Stereo Recording of Eight Sound Sources The flexible mixing controls of the X 28 allow you to make live stereo recordings using up to eight of the inputs simultaneously This is useful in a variety of situations from recording a live band to simultaneous mixdown recording of multiple sound sources con MONITOR WAIT Mauw AUK FELIS ert sara AK iem s 249r ay Cm CE mm CI AUD trolled from a MIDI sequencer The sound saurces can be mixed as to level and stereo position and can also be processed through an effects device Here s how it s done MONITOR 00060000000 Trama me 200000000 6 mini H 6660992000 Mn gt Guitars Bass 1 Connect the microphones and instruments to the input jacks as shown in the illustration If you are using microphones in your setup they should only be connected to channels 1 through 4 2 Set the INPUT SELECT switches of channels 5 through 8 to INPUT Also make sure that the MONI TOR switch is set to MONMIX LINE and the INPUT B switch is set to REMIX Synthesiz
48. ontrols MASTER fader are used to direct the signals on this path The LINE OUT am Stereo bus ind ad MASTER Other busses on the X 28 include the AUX buss TURN jacks andthe monitor buss which carries the which sends the mixed signals to the AUX SEND input and or tape signals to the MONITOR OUT and jack and receives a stereo input via the AUX RE PHONES jacks Overdubbing Recording Bass to Track 2 and Keyboard to Track 3 Overdubbing as mentioned in the introduction to mul 4 Now adjust the level of the signal as you did in titrack recording at the beginning of this manual is the steps 5 and 6 in the previous section The MAS process of recording one part track while listening to TER fader should be at its optimum level around a previously recorded part in perfect synchronization 7 as should the INPUT 2 fader Also adjust the In this example we ll first overdub an electric bass on TRIM control for INPUT 2 to a suitable level track 2 Once that is accomplished we ll overdub a backing keyboard part to track 3 5 To monitor the previously recorded track make sure that the settings you made in steps 7 and 9 1 Plug the instrument into INPUT 2 in the previous section are still intact 2 Setthe MONITOR switch to MONMIX LINE and 6 You llprobably wantto practice the bass part before the INPUT B switch to MONMIX you actually record it To do this press PLAY to play back the
49. ordings by zero ing the controls that is setting them all to their 0 OFF or minimum position Adjust only those controls which pertain to the operation at hand When using the EQ controls to brighten the sound the first impulse is to turn the HI control up Keep in mind however that you can get a similar effect by turning the LO control down instead Ifyou haven t already done so we suggest you take time to read through one of the least readable parts of the manual the Panel Controls and Terminals section Much of the information in the section will be obvious but if there are some functions and settings of the X 28 that have you baffled or just plain curious there s no better place to get more infor mation You should also familiarize yourself with the signal paths of the X 28 by referring often to the signal flow and block diagrams in this manual These too are undoubtedly difficult to understand at first glance but the effort you make in following the signal paths as you read through the instructions will pay off in greater understanding of the entire multitrack record process Recording Make a blank track chart for your recordings and photocopy several of them Write down what instru ment or part was recorded to which track and keep notes as to what pan level and effects settings are needed Each track sheet should refer to a different tape or even a different song Plan your recor
50. orming calibration and alignment operations 9 COUNTER RESET SWITCH COUNT RESET Pressing this button resets the tape counter b to 000 10 RECORD BUTTON REC Pressing this button after the REC SELECT switches P have been properly set allows you to monitor the level of the input with the bar graph level meters a Pressing the REC button alone does not actually start recording however To record hold down the REC button and simultaneously press PLAY Note Recording can also be started During play back hold down the REC button and simulta neously press PLAY if the REC SELECT Switches have been properly set recording will start PLAY BUTTON PLAY p REWIND BUTTON REWIND FAST FORWARD BUTTON F FWD STOP BUTTON STOP ZERO RETURN BUTTON 0 RTN Pressing this button rewinds or fast forwards the tape to the 000 position The zero return indicator in the display O or 04 will light This function used with the COUNT RESET switch makes it easy to mark a specific point in the recording and return to it auto matically Pressing the PLAY button after pressing the ZERO RETURN button activates auto play playback auto matically begins once the tape transport reaches the 000 position The play indicator in the display will flash The PLAY button can be pressed at any time while the tape is being rewound or fast forwarded to activate the function DECK TRANSPORT
51. ou ultimately use for mixdown but they provide a good reference point to work from whila setting initial levels Note The reverb unit itself will probably have input and output level controls which should be ad justed in conjunction with the send and return controls on the X 28 6 Stan playback by pressing PLAY and adjust the overall stereo output level with the MASTER fader You can also use the EQ controls to adjust the overall tone of the stereo signals Adjust the levels of the individual tracks with the INPUT B faders and the stereo position with the PAN controls AUX Auxiliary Send and ke The AUX buss is an additional signal path that lets channel is set to 0 and that the fader and TRIM you connect external signal processing devices to control are set to suitable levels the X 28 The most common use for AUX send and return would be for applying varying degrees of USING THE AUX SEND FOR STEREO MONITOR reverb or any other effect to the individual tape ING tracks during mixdown Another use would be te You can also use the AUX SEND controls to send apply an effect to the input channel signal during signals to the monitor buss This is useful tor keep recording ing the monitor signals in the center when using stereo recording Make sure the master AUX SEND lende ret se el control and the individual AUX SEND controls on the _ appropriate channels are turned up Monitor the AUX SEND jack The
52. pe Sync FSK TAPE OUT 6666669906 000000000 Greater production flexibility is achieved through tape sync since you can change the MIDI recorded musical parts and even the sounds with the ex ception of tempo right up until the final mix Note Since MIDI signals cannot be recorded directly onto tape an FSK to MIDI converter is required This device converts the MIDI clock data fram the MIDI sequencer into an FSK Frequency Shift Keying signal which is then recorded to tape In playback the FSK signal is converted back into MIDI data for synchronization with the sequencer Most modem sequencers rhythm machines and MIDI control devices have these FSK circuits built in in some cases you may need to purchase an external converter MID OUT MIDIFSK converter MIDI IN MIDI IN E Sequencer mem s SFOS us EHS E Sy MIDI OUT KIT mi Bass Guitar Record tape Sync 10 track 4 then disconnect Audio outputs MIUI MIDI sound source Synthesizer sampler MIDI IN Rhythm machine The following is a basic example of tape sync operation in which a rhythm machine and synthesizer are con trolled by a MIDI sequencer synchronized to the X 28 via tape track 4 Signals recorded to the other three tape tracks are mixed with signals from the rhythm machine and synthesizer and processed with re
53. position sends a mono mix of the AUX SEND signal to the monitor buss AUX LINE This position sends a mix of the mono AUX SEND signal and the signal af the stereo buss The following chart lists the settings for the INPUT 8 and MONITOR switches as used in the various record ing operations ot the X 28 INPUT B Suiten MONITOR Switch AUX fixed center positian or MONMIX LINE stereo monitor ing AUX or in the case ol stereo recording MONMIX LINE AUX LINE Recording to channels 1 4 only MONMIX Recording to channels 5 8 REMIX Rehearsal MONMIX Take recording For monitoring recorder output in stereo Rehearsal REMIX MONMIX LINE Take recording REMIX AUX For sending stereo signal via LINE OUT jacks to master recorder For sending stereo signal via MON OUT jacks to master recorder especially in tape sync applications Overdubbing MONMIX MONMIX LINE Ping pong Recording REMIX MONMIX LINE 9 REMIX AUX LINE MONITOR LEVEL CONTROL MONITOR Determines the overall output level sent to the MON OUT jacks and PHONES jack RECORD TRACK SELECT SWITCHES REC SELECT These three position switches select the track s to be recorded Setting the switch to the numbered position 1 2 3and 4 selects the respective tape tracks these are direct recor
54. rding two parts at one time you ll need to use two input channels Connect the vocal microphone to INPUT 1 and the guitar ta INPUT 2 2 Since these inputs will be recorded on a single track you must use the stereo buss instead of the direct recording funct on To do this set track 4 s REC SELECT switch to R Also make sure the PAN controls of channels 1 and 2 are set all the way to R This directs both input signals to the right side of the stereo buss and records them on track 4 MONO MONITORING IN STEREO RECORDING When recording signals over the stereo buss set ting REC SELECT switches to L or R the PAN controls for the relevant channels must be set to the appropriate side of the stereo buss This means for example that if you are recording to the right side of the stereo buss you will hear the signals coming from only the right side of the monitor This is fine as far as the recording is concerned but it can be irritating to listen to especially if you are using a set of headphones You can eliminate this by send ing the monitor signal over the AUX buss The AUX signal is a mix that is sent in mono to both the left and right channels of the monitor 18 3 Make sure to use headphones for monitoring to avoid feedback when recording the vocal part The signal will be coming from the right side of your headphones so you may want to monitor the signal from the center of the stereo image To do this ref
55. re the mixed signal is pro tape tracks by turning the AUX SEND controls on the cessed and returned to the X 28 s stereo buss INPUT B channels toward where they are mixed with the original dry sound The level of each individual channel s AUX SEND is the first control that determines how much effect is applied The next control is the master AUX SEND control Finally the AUX RETURN control deter mines the level of the processed signal that is received by the X 28 USING A MONO AUX RETURN If the reverb unit you re using has only a mono output connect it to one of the INPUT A channels and set the PAN control of the channel to the center position Also make sure that the AUX control of that USING THE AUX RETURN JACKS AS ADDI TIONAL INPUTS The two AUX RETURN jacks can be used to expand the number of available inputs on the X 28 to ten This allows you to simultaneously record up to ten sources However doing this forces you to sacrifice control over the panning of the two additional inputs will be sent to the left the other to the right of the stereo buss It also eliminates the use of the AUX buss for effects processing at least at the time those sources are being recorded You can of course use the AUX buss for effects at mixdown You will probably want to repeat playback several times to get the best mix for recording Once you ara ready to record the results follow these basic steps 9
56. rols to around 5 These are merely temporary reference settings until you start playback again and begin experimenting with various reverb levels 1 Patch the LINE OUT jacks to the line inputs of the master recorder standard cassette deck making sure that the L and R designations on both ma chines match 2 Foreffects processing patch the mono AUX SEND jack to the input of the reverb and patch the stereo output of the reverb to the AUX RTN jacks 3 Make sure that all four REC SELECT switches are 8 Play the recording again and adjust each of the set to off center position and set the INPUT B individual AUX SEND controls of the tape tracks in switch to REMIX succession to achieve the right reverb balance Keep in mind that the center position of the AUX SEND controls for the tape tracks is 0 and the maximum setting is all the way to the right Turning the controls to the left will have no effect in this situation The AUX SEND signals of each track are mixed to a mono signal and sent to the reverb unit They are processed there and returned to the X 28 s stereo buss where they are mixed with the original dry sound 4 Switch allthe INPUT SELECT buttons to TRK and set the MASTER fader to its optimum position around 7 5 Temporarily set all the INPUT B faders to their optimum positions as well Also set ali PAN and EQ controls to the center The fader pan and EQ settings you make here may not be the ones y
57. rs on the channels can be set to 0 Select the track for recording with the REC SE LECT switch Either direct or stereo buss record ing can be used The appropriate REC TRACK indicator will flash 5 Track 4 indicator flashes Press the REC button to enable input monitoring then set the level of the input track Set the AUX SEND control for the channei to a suitable level so that you can hearthe input signal Once you ve set the level be sure to press REC again to turn input monitoring off If you don t pressing the footswitch once will not execute the punch in For this reason ALWAYS make sure the REC indicator in the TRANSPORT display is off before attempting a punch in This flashes to indicate input monitonng press REC to turn off before punch in recording Use the rehearsal function described below to practice the punch in and punch out Listen care fully to the levels of the tape signal and the signal to be recorded as you practice and adjust them as necessary The rehearsal function lets you switch monitoring between the tape track and the new part making it easy to compare levels When you re ready to record press the rehearsal Switch to turn off the rehearsal function then press PLAY s you listen to the previously recorded part press the footswitch atthe point you wish to start recording or punch in The previously recorded part will be eras
58. rt recording if the REC SELECT switches have been properly set recording will begin Press the STOP button to stop recording However if you are playing an instrument or for some reason need to be a distance away from the recorder you may find it difficult to use the panel controls for punch in recording For this reason the X 28 features a special PUNCH IN OUT jack that allows you to control punch in recording with a footswitch so that you can turn the recording function on and off without having to take your hands from your instru ment By also connecting a second footswitch to the 0 RTN PLAY jack you can punch in automatically re wind and playback and even re record a passage without touching the panel controls 11 Place the master recorder in record mode press PLAY on the X 28 and record your mixdown Note You may have to consult the owner s manuai of your master recorder for more detailed informa tion about setting levels and making recordings on that deck Note If you want the master recording to fade in or fade out you should execute these from the MASTER fader on the X 28 not the master recorder Timingis all important with punch inrecording and you must be very careful to punch in and punch out at precisely the right places If you punch in too early or punch aut too tate you could ruin the very thing that you re trying to fix s a rule of thumb try not to punch in and punch out atcrucial points
59. s These jacks are for connecting to an amplifier speaker system for moni toring POWER SWITCH STANDBY OFF The STANDBY position is equivalent to ON AC ADAPTER CONNECTOR DC IN 12V For connecting to the included AC adapter BASIC OPERATION In this section we will describe the most basic muiti track recording procedures We ve provided a specific recording example for you to follow one that shows you how to record an initial track then separately record additional tracks over the first track After the tracks have been recorded you ll learn how ta add effects to them and mix them down to stereo for the finished product Because ihe X 28 is so versatile a single manual cannot cover all of the possible applications The instructions and examples that follow demonstrate the fundamentals of recording basic tracks overdubbing and mixdown They are intended primarily as a guide once you know how to operate the X 28 you should try out your own ideas and adapt the unit to your own recording situations each of which may require its own specific procedure Briefly here is an overview of basic recording Step 1 Record a rhythm machine on track 1 Nor mally rhythm parts are recorded first tc serve as a guide to ensure that subsequent parts are performed in the correct tempo 4 1 out Rhythm machine NE N RECORDING MODE HE FINISHED RECORDING Step 2 Overd
60. s and a rhythm machine are connected to the X 28 Bass guitar and vocal parts are recorded to the tape tracks 1 Set up the sequencer and X 28 for synchronized operation Follow steps 1 through 4 in the pre vious example 2 Connect all of the input signals the eight synthe sizer outputs to the input channels and the stereo output of the rhythm machine to the AUX RTN jacks 3 Set the MONITOR switch to AUX LINE and the INPUT B switch to REMIX 4 Record the basic parts of the song on the se quencer At least one of the sequencer parts should remain unrecorded or disconnected from the input section so that the tape tracks can be recorded 5 If you are using direct recording record the tape tracks plugging each input in turn to channels 1 2 and 3 Follow steps 7 and 8 in the previous example Monitor the tape tracks by using the AUX SEND controls on the corresponding INPUT B channels MULTITRACK RECORDING TIPS Note Depending on the requirements of the recording and your willingness to repeatedly change the input connections you need not strictly follow the above recording order For example you can program a couple of tracks for the basis of the song record an instrument to the X 28 program some more sequencer tracks etc and mix things up in this way until you have compiete song 6 For mixdown connect the master recorder to the MON OUT jacks instead of the LINE OUT jacks This is nec
61. s for listening to or monitoring your recording IH you are using a set of stereo headphones plug them into the PHONES jack If you are using an amplifier speaker system connect it to the MON OUT jacks on the X 28 Headphone monitoring is convenient and some times even necessary when recording vocals and acoustic instruments in order to avoid feed back from microphones However a good ampli fier speaker system provides the best and most accurate listening source and should be used whenever possible Plug the output of the rhythm machine into the INPUT 1 jack Haadphones 4 Switch the leftmost REC SELECT switch to 1 and press the REC button In the display the number 1 REC TRACK indicator and the REC indicator flash together indicating that track 1 is set up for record ing and that the signal can be monitored on the level meter for track 1 q Gare Jure anera TET ADD GI mm Press REG button REC SELECT SWITCH AND DIRECT RECORDING Setting the REC SELECT switches to the numbered positions 1 2 3 and 4 enables direct recording This means that the signal on the selected input channel is recorded directly to the corresponding track bypassing the PAN and AUX SEND controls of the channel as well as the EQ controls and MASTER tader The REC SELECT switch must be set to the same number as the channel to which the input signal is connected For example if the signal is
62. s these buttons simultaneously 9 After stopping the recording you ll want to listen to it and check that everything has been recorded satisfactorily First switch the leftmost REC SE LECT switch back to the center position to disable recording Then press the INPUT SELECT switch of INPUT B channel 5 to select TRK 1 and bring up fader 5 to a suitable level around 7 Doing this selects tape track 1 for playback Set the PAN control to the center position for optimum monitor ing Also make sure thatthe MONITOR switchis set to MONMIX LINE and INPUT Bis set ta MONMIX 16 the recording process those currently being re corded live or input signals and those that have already been recorded tape signals This differ ence is important in overdubbing You must adjust the levels of the individual tape signals with the faders to get the proper balance of the recorded tracks when overdubbing a new part The X 28 always gives you a visual monitor of the tape signals with the level meters in the display regardless of the monitor settings However with direct recording setting REC SELECT to track numbers the input bypasses the stereo buss and the level shown in the stereo buss meter is NOT a true indication of the level that is to be recorded to the track Always be sure to press the REC button to enable input monitoring with the REC TRACK level meters For more information on monitoring see the boxed section AUX Aux
63. sides each side with a pair of stereo tracks As shown in the illustration below the two tracks on side A of the tape are recorded in one direction and the tracks on side B in the opposite direction However the four track cassette format records ali four tracks in the same direction Because of this there is only one side to the four track cassette tape if you turn it over and play it all you ll hear is a recording played in reverse Because it is recorded on just one side a 90 minute cassette tape will hold 45 minutes offour track audio Remember to remove the tabs for both side and side B to protect against inadvertent recording X 2B deck Standard Cassette Deck The Proper Tape The X 28 is designed to be used with High Bias 70 psec EQ tape CrO2 and Type II designations are commen but always look for the 70 usec EQ identification Maxell UD XL II and TDK SA arerecommended as are other tapes of comparable quality Metal tape should not be used Never use 120 minute cassettes the backing is too thin and will quickly stretch and may break Because of their strength tapes of 60 minutes are recommended for withstanding the physical strains ot recording The Right Connections Please exercise caution when connecting other equip ment to the X 28 Never connect the output of an amplifier to an X 28 input for example because you could seriously damage the recorder Less severe problems caused by impedance mismatching ca
64. t any of the alcohol cleaner on the pinch roller since it eats away at the rubber These cleaning agents are available at most audio equipment and musical instrument stores You should only use cotton swabs designed for cleaning audio equipment swabs with too little cotton can scratch the heads while swabs that are packed too loosely can leave damaging cotton fibers in the mechanism Note No organic solvents such as lacquer thinners should ever be used on the heads capstan shaft and guides Do not use silicone lubricants on the pinch roller This will increase wow and flutter Be sure to use tape that doesn t leave a sticky mess such as drafting tape avoid masking tape and duct tape Ifyou have alot of other equipment such as synthe sizers and signal processors you would do well to invest in a patch bay or two Patch bays are like telephone switchboards they provide a control center that lets you easily connect the inputs and outputs of all your equipment They are especially convenient if you re constantly reaching in back of bulky equipment to unplug and plug cords Beware of rheostats the electric switches that let you gradually dim or brighten your lights They may lock pleasant enough but they can add a horrible hum to your recording Never under any circum stances plug your recorder or other related electronic equipment into an AC circuit controlled by a rheostat By the same token beware of air
65. tor to a standard AC outlet and the AC adaptor connector of the X 28 In nocase should you use an AC adaptor of another manufacturer If this adaptor is to be used with a voltage other than that specified consult your near est Fostex dealer or service center before using it Never pull the cord of the AC adaptor to unplug it from the AC outlet always grasp the AC plug itself when disconnecting The cord can be broken it it is pulled directly Never connect or disconnect the AC adaptor when your hands are wet Neither should you use this product if the cord s insulation is damaged or worn In either case doing so may result in electrical shock If you are using a multitrack recorder for the first time we recommend that you read through this manual in the following order In this way you can get the most out of your X 28 1 2 3 Please read the section Before Using Your X 28 Multtitracker on page 4 This introduces you to the basic concepts of multitrack recording Go directly to the Basic Operatian section page 13 and follow the instructions there carefully They will show yau step by step how to make and mixdown your firstrecording When you read through this section you may wish to refer back to the section Panel Controls and Terminals page 7 This will help you to understand the functions of the X 28 As you continue to use the X 28 for other recordings read through the successive sections
66. ub an electric bass on track 2 while listening to the rhythm machine on track 1 Bass guitar NO Step 3 Overdub a keyboard part on track 3 and the lead vocal and guitar solo together on track 4 Normally the lead parts are the last to be recorded so that the musicians can perform those parts over a nearly complete backing band BE lim Guitar Keyboard Step 4 Adjust the relative balance of the four indi vidual parts and combine them into a stereo signal to make the final recording which is recorded on a standard cassette deck mas ter recorder A reverb effectis applied to the final recording to add depth and ambience You can of course add reverb and other effects during the original recording and or overdubs zc E o X Master recorder Lae 13 Recording the First Track Rhythm Machine 1 14 aar 4 Cmm m d LE Li iun HORO HOYT E 299088980 9 990 9 Rhythm machine First make sure that all controls on the X 28 are at their minimum or OFF settings Most importantly this means that all faders should be down the MONITOR control should be at 0 the REC SE LECT switches should be at the center OFF position and the TRIM controls should be set to 10 Also make sure that the MONITOR select switch is setto one of the LINE settings MONMIX LINE or AUX LINE Make the necessary connection
67. verb during mixdown 1 Generally itis a good ideato record the basic parts of the song on your sequencer first Save the tracks ofthe X 28 for lead parts such as vocals and guitar solos that cannot be recorded on the sequencer Also take care to program the proper tempo and song length for the sequencer since this cannot be changed once the tape sync track is recorded Connect the sync out jack from the FSK to MIDI converter to INPUT channel 4 and record the tape sync signal on track 4 using the normai recording procedure Record the signal all the way to the end of the song Once you have recorded it you can remove the tape sync input from the jack Note The synctone should be recorded on one of the outside tape tracks either 1 or 4 to minimize possible crosstalk with the other tracks Crosstalk is when the signal from one track bleeds through to an adjacent track Track 4 has been chosen since track 1 is normally regarded as the first track of the recording Note For detailed information concerning proper re cording level for the FSK signal and the required length ofthe pilot tone that precedes the start of the song refer to the owner s manual of your MID device 3 Tocontrol the sequencer the newly recorded sync tone must be sent back to the converter Connect the TAPE OUT 4 jack to the sync in jack on the converter This tape output is direct and bypasses the mixing network The exact procedure
68. without having to connect it to INPUT jack 3 Instead of setting track 3 s REC SELECT switch to 3 set it to L This directs channel 8 s signal to stereo buss L which carresponds to track 3 Example 2 Ping pong Recording Recording Seven Parts on Four Tracks Ping pong recording is the process of mixing two or more recorded tracks onto an unrecorded track so that additional parts may be overdubbed Track bouncing is another term for this technique With the ping pong technique seven different parts can be recorded to four tracks You can even add live parts while bounc ing tracks effectively letting you record ten or even more separate instrumental or vocal parts by yourself Ping pong recording however requires very careful planning as to the sequence of the recording It also requires strict attention to the sonic quality since this technique creates second generation copies of the original recordings In this process some of the fre quencies especially at the upper end tend to be diminished There is also a slight degradation of the overall signal quality This is a characteristic of all analog recorders The procedure is outlined with the following instruc tions and illustrations Step 1 Record the basic track A and two overdubs B and C on tracks 1 2 and 3 Step 2 Mix tracks 1 2 and 3 and record them onto track 4 NwO 25 Step 3 Overdub D and E on tracks 1 and 2

Fostex MULTITRACKER X-28 User's Manual

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