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Tascam 424MKIII Recording Equipment User Manual

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Contents

1. MASTER FADER MICILINE 1 F BALANCE INPUT INPUT 8010 20881 FADER PAN 4 GND L 2 MIC LINE 1 S o L 3 cOLD 1 OFF LINE OUT Ost EQ j 10dBV P 1 9 R E50 to todBV e R UNBLANCE TAM EFFT A LOW MD HIGH EFF 1 SEND e v MICIUNE 2 BALANCE EFF 2 MICILINE 2 TAPE CUE EFF 2 SEND EFF2 TAPE CUE UNBLANCE OFF t0dBV T est 2 2 9 TAPECUE DIRECT 1 MONITOR MICIUNES BALANCE SELECT MICILINE 3 5 DIRECT 2 UNEOUT MONITOR UNBLANCE OFF O o DIRECT 3 LR o PHONES TO CH3 DIRECT 4 60mW 60mW MONO lt 4x OFF Fg MICIUNE 4 BALANCE 1 E MICILINE 4 TAPE 2 OFF UNBLANCE Em 4 TO CH4 TAPES o v v oe MONTOR OUT o 10 CH1 CH4 gt EFEICUE EFF E O lt EFF1 moo i n EFFAICUE O lt I 9 lt PAN OF 06 MICILINE 1 RIGHT MIIUNES 9 T
2. D 1 ee cC E E 4 8 L CUE 3 a R 3 6 R 2 2 R R 5 AUDIO L 1 L L EJ ICE CE ANSI 4Tr 3Ch 4Ti 4Ch 8Tr 8Ch Philips Philips Philips 4Tr 4Ch 4Tr 2Ch 2Tr 2Ch A 5 j ij nmi n HEC j J 39 Unit mm Playing back standard stereo prerecorded tapes Tapes recorded on stereo cassette recorders can play back properly on the 424 MKIII if you set the track playback tape speed and noise reduction type correctly Tracks 1 and 2 roughly follow the standard stereo format but tracks 3 and 4 use the Side B reverse side tracks So you must turn off Track 3 4 playback to avoid hearing the flip side playing backwards If the cassette was recorded with Dolby B type noise reduction the DBX NR switch should be set to OFF For the same reasons tapes recorded on the Portastudio 424 will not play back properly on stereo cassette recorders Material recorded the 424 must be mixed down to stereo for final distribution The 424 needs the entire width of the tape to record its four tracks eliminating the option of recording on both sides actually it s both directions Therefore you should decide which 4 0 25 side side A side you want to use and use that side exclusively It s a good idea to get into habit of consistently using the same
3. rt TAPE CUE v d 424 MKIII MIXER 1 POWER switch on the rear panel Turns the 424 MKIII on and off Power connector Connect the power adaptor for the 424 MKIII to this connector It is important that you use only a power adaptor specially designed for the 424 MKIII which is designed for use with the voltage in your area Input Section 3 MIC LINE INPUTS jacks Balanced Channels 1 4 The 3 contact XLR type connector accepts balanced microphone signals ranging from 60 dBV 1 mV to 20 dBV 100 mV depending on the setting of the TRIM control 6 MIC LINE INPUTS jacks Unbalanced Channels 1 4 This 1 4 jack accepts unbalanced signals ranging from 50 dBV 3 mV to 10 dBV 0 3 V depending on the setting of the TRIM control 6 NOTE DO NOT use both the XLR type and 1 4 phone jacks on the same channel at the same time 40 SUB INPUT L and R jacks These jacks are for cascade connection of an outboard mixer etc The signal input to these jacks is sent to the MASTER fader Nominal input level is 10 dBV 0 3 The SUB IN R jack is also used to accept FSK converted MI
4. TEAC Professional D 424 PORTASTUDIO 3 4 7 8 EFFECT 1 EFFECT 2 SEND SEND TAPE CUE OUT MIC LINE INPUTS STEREO INPUT 7 8 o E E 5 0 iei Wc UNE me me UNE Mc INPUT INPUT INPUT INPUT INPUT ASSIGN 3 1 rmon F wiczumE S I meane f B B vn dbx noise system PORTASTUDIO 424 m ill EFFECT CUE EFFECT EFFECT Im GG Gu EFFECT 1y EFFECT 1 1 EFFECT 2 EFFECT 2 EFFECT 2 EFFECT 2 EFFECT 2 5 ES Q Q eel uss ul oer suss al ower uss Uf TKS ser suss wl RECORD FUNCTION SPEED TAPE lt 4 X 4 o TAPE EFFECT 24 CUE PAN i PHONES AUTO REHEARSAL PUNCH
5. Loc 2 CLEAR MEMO IN COUNTER RESET REPEAT RTZ REW OWNER S MANUAL FFWD ES NEN EC RC O PLAY PITCH CONTROL ORECORD 3D0023100A Table Of Contents Safety Instructions 3 Introduction 4 The Recording System 5 The three steps to multitrack 5 Understanding the Mixer 6 7 Signal flow in the 424 MKIII mixer 6 Tape cue monitor system 7 Multitrack Cassette Recorder 8 Track Format and Tape Recommendations 9 10 PORTASTUDIO 424 Brief Guide 11 14 Step By Step Operations Guide 15 24 Let s try the 424 MKIII mixer 15 How to record on track 1 16 Track 1 playback through TAPE CUE 18 How to make an overdub on track 2 19 How to record tracks 3 and 4 20 How to record many sources onto a single track 20 How to record a mix onto two tracks simultaneously 21 Recording on more than two tracks simultaneously DIRECT 22 How to mix down 23 Using Memory Location Points 25 26 Loading MEMO points 25 Locating the tape 26 Repeat Play 27 PUNCH N or INSERT Recording 28 32 Preliminary 28 Rehearsal and auto in out procedures 29 Manual punch in 31 Bouncing Tracks Ping Pong 33 34 Ping pong procedure 33 Copyright 1998 TEAC Corporation Using Effects with the PORTASTUDIO 424 MKIII 35 36 Setting effect send levels 35 Setting the output level of effect devices 35 Setting the mix balance control on effect devices 35 How to connect your effects devices 36 Sy
6. HHEH 000 o 00000 The Three Steps to Multitrack In TRACKING and Overdubbing the mixer inputs are usually microphones or instruments going to different tracks of the recorder In OVERDUBBING the MONITOR section and TAPE CUE of the mixer must be used to listen to previous tracks while you record new ones so there is a two way flow through the console PHONES In MIXDOWN signal comes from the multitrack and is sent to an external 2 track recorder Understanding the Mixer Signal Flow in the 424 Mixer The illustration below shows how input signals jacks This is the most important signal route in pass through the 424 Mixer section After the mixer and is called Main Mix the MASTER fader they go to the L R LINE OUT amp EFFECT1 EFFECT 2 SEND SEND TAPE CUE OUT ub MIC LINE 4T r TAPE Lum SEND N LINE OUT Ln MONO opp RECORD FUNCTION TAPE EFFECT 24 r EFFECT 2 TAPE CUE y T
7. If nonetheless the mains plug is cut off remove the fuse and dispose of the plug immediately to avoid a possible shock hazard by inadvertent connection to the mains supply If this product is not provided with a mains plug or one has to be fitted then follow the instructions given below IMPORTANT DO NOT make any connection to the larger terminal which is marked with the letter E or by the safety earth symbol or coloured GREEN or GREEN and Y ELLOW The wires in the mains lead on this product are coloured in accordance with the following code BLUE NEUTRAL BROWN LIVE Using this manual To get the most out of your 424 MKIII please take the time to read through this manual Some time spent now will keep you from overlooking some of the features that make the 424 MKIII a more creative tool You may discover some new tricks you haven t tried before Use of capital letters In general we use all upper case type to designate a particular switch control jack name or label like PAN Transport modes and some features are described with an upper case first letter like Record mode About the weld line There is a patterned stripe like effect on the bottom surface of the 424 unit This effect is called a weld line and is a natural result of the resin molding process employed in the manufacture of the 424 unit It is not a crack or scratch and will cause no problems with the operation of the 424 unit
8. As these colours may not correspond with the coloured markings identifying the terminals in your plug proceed as follows The wire which is coloured BLUE must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the letter N or coloured BLACK The wire which is coloured BROWN must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the letter L or coloured RED When replacing the fuse only a correctly rated approved type should be used and be sure to re fit the fuse cover IF IN DOUBT CONSULT A COMPETENT ELECTRICIAN The Recording System The PORTASTUDIO 424 MKIII is a complete audio production facility in a single box It is divided into two major sections a full function mixer and an 4 channel multitrack cassette recorder sen SUB INPUT gt BS TAPE OUTPUTS MIC LINE INPUTS Mixing Mixing Console Console lt MIDI Tape To complete the recording system you ll additionally need these Input devices microphones instruments Output devices headphones 2 track recorder Effects processors etc MIDI Sequencer 2 track Recorder a Amplifier a Synchronizer MTS 30 LINE OUTPUT MONITOR OUTPUT REMOTE PUNCH IN OUT MIC LINE INPUTS EFFECT 1 SEND ASCAM UW PORTASTUOIO
9. EFFECT 2 SEND TAPE CUE OUT jack This jack is for connection to an additional effects device or to a studio speaker amplifier The signal source is determined by the EFFECT 2 TAPE CUE select switch 20 Nominal output level is 10 dBV 0 3 V TAPE OUTPUTS 1 4 These jacks get signal directly from the tape jack 1 from track 1 jack 2 from track 2 and so on Use them if you want to mix the tape down with an external mixer or to make a backup copy of your master 4 track onto another tape recorder Sync tones recorded on track 4 are sent out of jack 4 for MIDI instruments to play synced up to the tape PHONES jack on the front panel Connect any stereo headphones with a 1 4 stereo TRS 3 conductor plug to this jack REMOTE PUNCH IN OUT jack For connection to an optional RC 30P remote footswitch 424 MKIII RECORDER Cassette Loading and dbx System 29 Cassette compartment door To access the cassette compartment for inserting or removing a cassette or cleaning the heads etc lift the door using the tab at the lower right corner of the door Once a cassette is inserted be sure to close the door to prevent objects dust or liquids from falling into the tape path Tape path components er jo D G Erase head zu Record Play head Pinch roller 30 DBX NR switch When this switch is set to its ON position the built in dbx noise reduction system for all 4 trac
10. REPEAT switch This provides a playback loop or block repeat between MEMO 1 and MEMO 2 points 49 51 52 CLEAR key Turns off the REHEARSAL and AUTO PUNCH IN OUT functions pp 30 31 COUNTER RESET switch This resets the COUNTER to 0000 so you can assign any point on the tape as a Starting location Pressing RTZ 44 gets you back to that location REHEARSAL switch Helps you rehearse a punch in without erasing anything until you are ready to actually record 29 AUTO PUNCH switch Automates the punch in out sequence Preroll Punch in Punch out and Postroll you programmed REHEARSAL mode p 31 45 40 TASCAM 5 424 ONLY 41 POWER PUNCH IN OUT 28 43 RHSL AUTO START IN OUT REPEAT MEMO 1 2 39 42 49 52 51 50 45 46 47 MONITOR OUTPUT LINE OUTPUT 30 TASCAM TAPE OUTPUTS 4 1 RECORD FUNCTION HIGH AUTO REHEARSAL PUNCH LOC 1 LOC 2 COUNTER RESET MEMO REPEAT RTZ 9 Q Q REW S 31 F FWD STOP O PLAY PITCH CONTROL o ORECORD
11. EX GIG 32 33 34 35 29 38 37 46 Optional Accessories RC 30P Remote Footswitch Head Demagnetizer TZ 261 Cleaning Kit Except U S 47 MIDI Tape Synchronizer HC 1 Head Cleaner amp RC 1 Rubber Cleaner U S only Care and Maintenance Even though the heads used in your 424 have high wear resistance and are rigidly constructed performance degradation or electro mechanical failure can be prevented if maintenance is performed regularly CLEANING The first things you will need for maintenance are not expensive The whole kit with the swabs and fluids you will need for months will cost less than a couple of high quality cassettes We cannot stress the importance of cleaning too much Clean up before each session Clean up after every session Clean up every time you take a break in the middle of a session DEGAUSSING DEMAGNETIZING A little stray magnetism can become quite a big nuisance in tape recording It only takes a small amount 0 2 Gauss to cause trouble on the record head Playing 10 cassettes will put about that much charge on the heads A little more than that 0 7 Gauss will start to erase high frequency signals on previously recorded tapes You can see that it s worth taking the trouble to degauss regularly A clean and properly demagnetized tape recorder will maintain its performance without any other attention for quite a while It won t r
12. MIDI IN Audio Signal LINE OUT Synthesizer 37 Troubleshooting Problem Possible Cause Playback sounds dull Dirty heads Playback level is low Dirty heads Transport keys not effective Power turned off or tape not loaded No tape motion No recording PAUSE pressed RECORD FUNCTION set to SAFE cassette tab broken or REHEARSAL engaged Wrong tracks recorded PAN improperly set Incorrect playback pitch PITCH CONTROL set to a different position than during recording Feedback occurs during ping pong recording Level is too high or EQ HIGH is excessively boosted Problem Solution Old tracks are always recorded along with new material Use the TAPE CUE section instead of the main mixer for monitoring previous tracks Recording is noisy Incorrect tape sync Make sure all mixer channel INPUT switches are in the OFF position except ones you are using Also increase the volume faders of the instruments themselves the 424 MKIII channel and master faders should not have to be full up at any time Try re recording sync tones by adjusting the MASTER fader between 10 to 0 dB on the track 4 meter 38 Features and Controls 39 ee 7 8 STEREO INPUT EFFECT 1 EFFECT 2 SEND SEND CUE OUT
13. Record level adjustment 8 Speak into the mic to check to see meter 2 move If no level or TRIM too low a level is shown continue to speak into the mic and slowly turn the channel 1 TRIM control to the right until the meter peaks at no more than 6 TL gt A N 19 Begin to record Monitoring input tape Stop recording STOP Putting track into Safe DIRECT sare t D 02 Buss al TRK 2 How to record tracks 3 and 4 9 Hold RECORD and press PLAY to initiate recording The REC 2 indicator that was blinking will turn on solid indicating track 2 is now being recorded 10 You will hear track 1 play together with the new signal going to track 2 in the headphones NOTE Adjust only the TAPE CUE control of channel 1 if you need to change the balance between the old and new tracks in your headphones Leave the channel fader and TRIM and the MASTER fader alone because they control the level being recorded 11 Press STOP to stop recording 12 The REC 2 indicator in the meter should now be blinking as before Set TRK 2 RECORD FUNCTION switch back to its SAFE position and the indicator will turn off Tracks 3 and 4 can be recorded using almost the same procedure just shown for tracks 1 and 2 J ust use the applicable RECORD FUNCTION switches and the PAN controls should be rotated to the LEFT for recording on Track 3 and to the RIGHT for Tr
14. 3 a TRIM MIC LINE 27 gt E D f 5 2 Ay TUA 5 5 5 Sel lt ri 5 2 lt 5 lt TUA vL iC HIGH MID b vL 2 ply FFECT 2 A amp vL EFFECT 2 5 2 ul f e PL Ch 5 6 1 4 STEREO INPUTS Primarily used for connecting line level sources However you can also connect lower level signals down to 50 dBV to these 1 4 jacks and use the TRIM level to amplify them TRIM Sets how much preamplification will be added to the MIC LINE IN jack Turn to the right if the signal needs amplification to the left if the signal is so loud it is causing distortion in the mixer electronics INPUT Determines the source of the channel signals MIC LINE 1 3 5 channel 5 Allows you to choose whether the signal handled by channel 5 comes from either of the MIC LINE inputs of channel 1 either of the MIC LINE inputs of channel 3 or the MIC LINE input of channel 5 MIC LINE 2 4 6 channel 6 Allows you to choose whether the signal handled by channel 6 comes from either of the MIC LINE inputs of channel 2 either of the MIC LINE inputs of channel 4 or the MIC LINE input of channel 6 EQ HIGH Cuts or boosts
15. and serious damage to the product Use only with a cart stand tripod bracket or table recommended by the manufacturer or sold with the product Any mounting of the product should follow the manufacturer s instructions and should use a mounting accessory recommended by the manufacturer 9 A product and cart combination should be moved with care Quick stops excessive force and uneven surfaces may cause the product and cart combination to overturn _ 10 Ventilation Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided for ventilation and to ensure reliable operation of the product and to protect it from overheating and these openings must not be blocked or covered The openings should never be blocked by placing the product on a bed sofa rug or other similar surface This product should not be placed in a built in installation such as a bookcase or rack unless proper ventilation is provided or the manufacturer s instructions have been adhered to 11 Power Sources This product should be operated only from the type of power source indicated on the marking label If you are not sure of the type of power supply to your home consult your product dealer or local power company For products intended to operate from battery power or other sources refer to the operating instructions 12 Grounding or Polarization This procuct may be equipped with a polarized alternating current line plug a plug having
16. the tape is autolocated to the corresponding MEMO point Both MEMO points are erased when the cassette is taken out from the compartment or the power is turned off 25 Locating the tape To zero To MEMO 1 LOC 1 To MEMO 2 LOC 2 Auto play 26 1 ZO PL RTZ 4 amp Press the RTZ key to fast wind the tape to the counter zero point If you press COUNTER RESET during the RTZ process the tape counter is reset to 0000 and the tape stops Hit the LOC 1 key to fast wind the tape to the MEMO 1 point Note Only touch the LOC key If you hold it down for 0 5 second or more autolocation does not start and only the tape counter shows the location point Hit the LOC 2 key to fast wind the tape to the MEMO 2 point Note For the deck to autolocate the current point must be 0003 or more higher or lower than the memo point A shorter distance only causes the MEMO 1 or 2 indicator to flash upon hitting the LOC 1 or 2 key If PLAY is pressed after RTZ LOC 1 or LOC 2 the tape will auto matically start playing when the location point is reached Repeat Play REW PLAY MEMO 1 MEMO 2 1 Playback loop Operating procedure REPEAT To interrupt REPEAT sequence REPEAT Q Note 1 Note 2 The REPEAT function provides a Playback Loop or Block Repeat between the two programmed MEMO points The 424 MKIII understands the lower MEMO point as the start point of the loop
17. The MTS 30 is not a mere MIDI FSK converter but translates MIDI clocks into an FSK sync signal containing score bar information or Song Position Pointer allowing the associated MIDI equipment to stay in sync and follow the tape no matter where you move the tape within a given song The maximum stability or resolution of the synchronization is ensured by a TASCAM exclusive error correction circuit in the MTS 30 1 Connect the TAPE OUT of the MTS 30 to the SUB IN R of the 424 and the TAPE OUT 4 of the 424 to the TAPE IN of the MTS 30 2 Set the 4 RECORD FUNCTION switch to BUSS 3 Locate the DBX NR switch on the back panel and set it to the SYNC position This defeats the dbx encode decode for track 4 only e When recording FSK signal adjust the MASTER fader of the 424 to get a reading on the track 4 meter of from 10 to 0 dB We suggest that you input the virtual tracks from the MIDI system to STEREO INPUTS 7 and 8 Set the ASSIGN switch of these inputs to MON while recording and to L R position on mixdown 424MKII oLJo MTS 30 522252 MIDVE K MIDI OUT MIDI IN 3353335 Converter g MIDI Signals Sequencer 91 MIDI OUT DO SN MIDI OUT E S B B B B E B E eae MIDI IN LINE OUT LINE IN Drum Machine Audio Signal MIDI THRU
18. in a fire or electric shock Never spill liquid of any kind on the product 19 Servicing Do not attempt to service this product yourself as opening or removing covers may expose you to dangerous voltage or other hazards Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel 20 Damage Requiring Service Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions a when the power supply cord or plug is damaged b ifliquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the product C ifthe product has been exposed to rain or water d if the product does not operate normally by following the operating instructions Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions as an improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the product to its normal operation e ifthe product has been dropped or damaged in any way f when the product exhibits a distinct change in performance this indicates a need for service 21 Replacement Parts When replacement parts are required be sure the service technician has used replacement parts specified by the manufacturer or have the same characteristics as the original part Unauthorized substitutions may result in fire electric shock or other hazards 22 Safety Check Upon completion of any service or repairs to this prod
19. intact The mixer settings should be exactly the same as they were during the original recording In the following we ll use track 2 as the punch in track as an example 1 As the punch in track is track 2 in our example your input must be sent to the stereo right bus To do so rotate the PAN control of the channel into which your source instrument is plugged all the way to the right 2 TAPE CUE signal path is used to hear the tape so set the EFFECT 2 TAPE CUE select switch located below the MONITOR LEVEL control to the TAPE CUE position and set the EFFECT CUE monitor switch to EFFECT 2 CUE 3 To hear the instrument set the MONITOR SELECT LINE OUT switch to the MONO position 4 Press PLAY to play the tape adjust the TAPE CUE control channel 2 until the MONITOR level meters read a maximum of from 0 to 43 and adjust the MONITOR LEVEL control for the desired headphone listening level 5 Play the instrument You ll hear it together with the tape signals through the headphones Stop the tape and you hear only the instrument being played 6 Set the 2 RECORD FUNCTION switch to BUSS The REC 2 indicator will start blinking in the display window and meter 2 will show your instrument s output level Adjust the channel and MASTER faders for the proper recording level For both musical and technical reasons when punching in or out of a track you must select points that are in the points clear i e in pauses b
20. overdubbing it can cause previous tracks to be mixed together with new tracks instead of each part remaining separate Use the TAPE CUE to avoid this The MONITOR SELECT LINE OUT switch affects whether you will hear the off tape signal OFF or the LINE OUT signals in MONO or stereo L R When you are recording you should set this switch to OFF the EFFECT CUE switch to EFFECT 2 CUE and the EFFECT 2 TAPE CUE switch to TAPE CUE Multitrack Cassette Recorder The 424 records on readily available standard Philips Compact Cassette tape high bias Type The recorder has 4 tracks while the mixer has a stereo output however using the DIRECT feature you can record on any or all of the 4 tracks at one time For more details see Recording on More Than Two Tracks Simultaneously page 22 The 424 MKIII s dbx Noise Reduction virtually eliminates unwanted tape noise A special SYNC feature tuns off the dbx on track 4 separately making it possible to record and play back the MIDI sync tones or SMPTE EBU time code without being affected by the dbx encode decode This ensures that the sync tones code are recorded and played back without unnecessary processing With proper operating techniques it is not necessary to leave a guard band between music and sync tone tracks because of the low crosstalk of the TASCAM heads The transport controls of the 424 are micro processor operated allowing highly reliable function
21. side on all multitrack tapes Tape Type The Portastudio 424 is internally adjusted for HIGH BIAS Type II tape This means that for best results you should only use tapes of this type TDK SA Maxell or equivalent formulations are recommended We strongly suggest that you select one good quality brand and use it exclusively The time you spend creating your multitrack master is much more valuable than the money you save by buying inferior tape The cassette shell essentially becomes a part of the 424 MKIII s transport Poor quality shells can cause wrinkles snarls and shredding of the edges of the tape with use Even small scratches on the tape oxide can cause dropouts temporary loss of signal on one or more tracks High quality tapes are less likely to cause problems in the long run Accidental Erase Record Protection To protect a finished master tape it is necessary to punch out both record protect tabs Even though you are recording in only one direction the 424 uses the entire width of the tape as mentioned above If for example you remove only one of the tabs you could accidentally insert the cassette into the 424 backwards and erase all four tracks of the master Side B safety tab safety tab Tape Length Use the shortest possible tape for a given work It is not unusual to play a tape 100 times before you are finished so select a cassette length that is as close as possible to
22. the length of the program you plan to record Cassettes C 60 length and shorter are often made from thicker stock than longer cassettes The tape used in C 120 cassettes is extremely thin and can cause winding problems crimping wrinkling and other damage to the oxide coating of the tape which will destroy your work Don t use C 120s in the 424 Remember that at 2X normal speed and the one side only 4 track single direction format means that you have only one quarter of the normal play time approx Tape Speed 9 5 cm sec 4 8 cm sec Cassette 46 11 5 min 23 min 60 15 min 30 min C 90 22 5 min 45 min 10 PORTASTUDIO 424 Brief Guide MIC LINE INPUT IC LINE INPUT LINE INPUT MIC LINE 45 EFFECT ty 1 B EFFECT 2 94 MIC TAPE CUE y 1 For detailed information on each feature see Features and Controls pp 39 45 of the supplied manual Input Selection and Adjustment Ch 1 4 MIC LINE INPUTS These are the input jacks for the mixer channels Primarily the 3 contact XLR type connectors are for connection to balanced microphones and the 1 4 jacks are for line level unbalanced signal sources such as electronic instruments But you can also connect lower level signals down to 50 dBV to these 1 4 jacks and use the TRIM control to amplify them NOTE DO NOT use b
23. 12 to 2 o clock range you re in the ballpark If on the other hand very small settings of the Effects Return still give you a mix drowning in effects turn down the output level of your effect device Some effect units have rear panel switches setting input and output level ranges between 44 and 20 dB In this case try setting the input to 20 high sensitivity and the output to 4 full output level Setting the mix balance control on effect devices When it s being used in a send return mix set the mix balance of your effect device all the way to wet or full processing with no direct original signal In send receive processing the dry signal goes down the 424 MKIII s channel fader to be mixed with the effect return signal on the stereo mix Therefore you don t need any dry signal coming to the effects return The mix balance control is set toward dry only when you re using the effects device as an in line processor 35 How to Connect Your Effects Devices There is no absolute right or wrong way to do this there are several ways each with its own consequences CHORUS O LEFT MONO RIGHT LEFT INPUTS OUTPUT ti MIC LINE Mono retums A special feature of the STEREO INPUT allows continuously variable control between left and right if desired a mono effect connected to 7 will go to 7 8 LEVEL control if nothing is plugged into jack 8 Patching effe
24. 9 UNBLANCE MICILINE 3 SAFE 50 1080 idi EQ os om y INPUTS 4 DR o 2 TO R LOW MD HGH LEFT os Y fr TRM oe DR o MICILINE 2 8 6 TNBLANCE MICILINE 4 5010 10881 INPUT 6 RIGHT t rec CH 5 6 DIR o v LEVEL ASSIGN o UR RECORD FUNCTION STEREO INPUT po OF TRKI TRO MONITOR 7 S o MON 6 REPEAT 1 2 E 4 o REHSL AUTO o 85 j 3 START N our bx 4 40 SUBIN 10881 9 mc 1 2 3 4 L R SE v lt 4CH RIP DBX TYPE 2 NR TRK2 lt RIP HEAD lt INPUTSEL mic TRK 4 TAPE OUT LINE 1 4 OFF TAPE 1 4 10481 2 2 TAPES 3 TRK2 TAPEA CH amp 6 mom ERASE HEAD INPUTSEL TRK3 REC 1 mic mic REC 2 INPUTS RECS DEX SYNC SYNC EFFRIN REMOTE PUNCH 1 0 DBX ON RC 30P used OFF 53 54 Level Diagram OdBY 10 Vrms EFFECT 1 2 TAPE CUE TASCAM TEAC Professional Division 424mxkill PORTASTUDIO 4248 INPUT FADER MIC BAL 60 9 lt a OUT E 5 zc z o o Be E TEAC CORPORATION 3 7 3 Nakacho Musashino shi Tokyo 180 8550 Japan Phone 0422 52 5082 TEAC AMERICA INC 7733 Telegraph Road Montebello California 90640 Phone 323 726 0303 TEAC CA
25. DI sync signals from devices such as the optional TASCAM MIDI Tape Synchronizer MTS 30 TRIM controls This is used to set preamplification level on the MIC LINE INPUTS When TRIM is turned all the way to the left LINE position the preamplifier gain is low allowing the jack to accept line level sources such as electronic instruments As you turn TRIM up the preamplifier gain increases and when you turn TRIM full clockwise MIC position the nominal input sensitivity increases to 50 dBV 3 mV for 1 4 phone jack and to 60 dBV 1 mV for XLR type jack 10 INPUT select switches channels 1 4 This is used to control what the source of the channel is The left position MIC LINE is used when recording microphones instruments in tracking or overdubbing The center position OFF is used to shut off the channel The right position TAPE is used during mixdown or bouncing tracks channels 5 and 6 This is used to control the source of these channels Channel 5 can accept the signals from equipment connected to odd numbered inputs 1 3 and 5 and channel 6 uses the even numbered inputs in the same way Slide the switch to the appropriate number to send the signal from the appropriately numbered input to the channel Note that if signals are sent through more than one channel at the same time e g through channel 1 and 5 the level of these signals will be doubled You should allow for this when mixing
26. EQ HIGH This controls the tonality of the high or treble frequencies Turn it to the right to boost the signal s high frequency content emphasizing brilliance or brightness Turn it to the left to cut the high frequency content if the signal sounds too harsh or shrill The EQ shelving point is 10 kHz EQ MID The upper knob changes the center frequency of the MID equalizer from 250 Hz to 5 kHz The lower knob controls how much cut or boost is applied to the band chosen by the upper knob Turning the lower knob to the right amplifies the band up to 12 dB Turning it to the left cuts the band down to 12 dB At center there is no effect flat response EQ LOW Turn the control to the right to boost bass frequencies and make the sound relatively heavy Turn the control to the left to cut bass and make the sound thinner The EQ shelving point is 100 Hz 11 EFFECT 1 send controls These controls get their signal from a point just after the channel fader i e post fader send and route the corresponding channel signal to the EFFECT 1 SEND jack Turn the control to the right to increase volume to the EFFECT 1 SEND jack EFFECT 2 TAPE CUE controls These controls get their signal after the channel fader and route the signal to the EFFECT 2 SEND jack or are used to adjust the tape playback level sent to the monitor section as determined by the MONITOR EFFECT 2 TAPE CUE select switch PAN controls This control allows y
27. INE OUT switch to the MONO position 4 Set the RECORD FUNCTION switch for track 4 to BUSS R The REC 4 indicator will start blinking in the meter window indicating the track is in Rec Ready mode 5 Press PLAY The tape will start playing 33 34 10 11 Use channel faders 1 through 3 to make any necessary level adjustments You may want to repeat this step several times to get the balance correct When the balance is right and the level is peaking at no more than 6 on the track 4 meter stop and rewind the tape to the beginning of the track Hold RECORD and press PLAY The REC 4 indicator that was blinking will turn on solid and track 4 will record a copy of what is on tracks 1 3 You ll hear the mix being recorded on track 4 in the headphones Once the recording is done press STOP The REC 4 indicator will now be blinking as before Turn that off by setting the RECORD FUNCTION switch for track 4 to SAFE When bouncing tracks remember that live material can be added from channels 5 and 6 as well as from 7 8 Channels 5 and 6 can use the signal sources connected to inputs 1 through 4 using the INPUT switches for channels 5 and 6 Using Effects With the PORTASTUDIO 424 MKIII Effects and signal processing are areas where you can really start to have fun customizing your sound and develop your own unique recording style Because there are so many possibilities it also can be confusing There are many diffe
28. INE OUTPUT Crosstalk Recorder Section Record Play channels Noise Reduction Frequency Response overall Signal to Noise Ratio overall HIGH NORMAL Total Harmonic Distortion Crosstalk Channel Separation Erasure 100 ohms 10 dBV 0 3 V 2k ohms 100 ohms 10 dBV 0 3 V 2k ohms 690 ohms 10 dBV 0 3 V 30 ohms 60 mW approx 10 kHz 10 dB 250 Hz to 5 kHz 12 dB 100 Hz 10 dB 20 Hz to 20 kHz 3 dB 20 Hz to 20 kHz 2 dB 20 Hz to 20 kHz 2 dB 40 Hz to 20 kHz 3 dB 65 dB 60 dB 76 dB 70 dB at a nominal input level of 60 dBV at a nominal input level of 60 dBV at a nominal input level of 10 dBV at a nominal input level of 10 dBV gt gt gt 0 05 at 1 kHz 15 dB above nominal input level with 30 kHz low pass filter inserted 0 0496 at 1 kHz nominal input level with 30 kHz low pass filter inserted 55 dB at 1 kHz nominal input level with 30 kHz low pass filter inserted 4 4 dbx TYPE II 40 Hz to 16 kHz 3 dB at 9 5 cm sec 40 Hz to 10 kHz 3 dB at 4 8 cm sec UNWTD 20 Hz to 20 kHz IHF WTD 55 dB 58 dB without dbx 90 95 dB with dbx 54 dB 56 dB without dbx 88 93 dB with dbx 1 096 1 kHz 55 dB or better 65 dB or better at 1 kHz B P F inserted 51 Others Power Requirements USA CANADA 120 V AC 60 Hz U K EUROPE 230 V AC 50 Hz AUSTRALIA 240 V AC 50 Hz Power Consumption 22 W In these specifications 0 dBV
29. NADA LTD 5939 Wallace Street Mississauga Ontario 1427 178 Canada Phone 905 890 8008 Facsimile 905 890 9888 TEAC MEXICO S A De C V Privada De Corina No 18 Colonia Del Carmen Coyoacon Mexico DF 04100 Phone 5 658 1943 TAPE OUT TEAC UK LIMITED 5 Marlin House Marlins Meadow The Croxley Centre Watford Herts WD1 8YA U K Phone 01923 819699 9 B5kHz OSC TEAC DEUTSCHLAND GmbH Bahnstrasse 12 65205 Wiesbaden Erbenheim Germany Phone 0611 71580 TEAC FRANCE S A 17 Rue Alexis de Tocqueville CE 005 92182 Antony Cedex France Phone 01 42 37 01 02 REPRO EQ LPF TEAC BELGIUM NV SA TEAC Nederland BV Perkinsbaan 11 3439 ND Nieuwegein Netherlands Phone 0031 30 6048115 OH 8 TEAC NEDERLAND BV Perkinsbaan 11a 3439 ND Nieuwegein Netherlands Phone 030 6030229 E i g E M TEAC AUSTRALIA PTY LTD ator i b 2 2 8 ei 005 408 462 106 Bay Street Port Melbourne Victoria 3207 Australia Phone 03 9644 2442 E E m aC 8 8 8 89 9 9 9 g TEAC ITALIANA S p A Via C Cant 11 20092 Cinisello Balsamo Milano Italy Phone 02 66010500 55 PRINTED IN CHINA M 1463
30. RECORD to start recording punch in The IN indicator will glow on the display and an LED will start flashing above the RECORD button The counter readout at which the key was pressed is stored as the PUNCH IN point 5 When the tape reaches the expected punch out point press PLAY The OUT indicator will turn on and the IN indicator and the LED above the RECORD button will turn off The counter readout at which the key was pressed is stored as the PUNCH OUT point 6 The tape will play for about 3 seconds postroll then will automatically rewind stopping at the START point The RHSL indicator that was blinking will glow solid in the display 7 Press PLAY or REPEAT if you want to practice the performance over and over again continuously When the tape reaches the preset punch in point the monitor will switch from tape to live instrument on the punch in track in our example on track 2 The RECORD LED will blink to indicate that you are rehearsing punch in recording not actually recording 29 gt 2 lt Actual Auto Punch In Out 30 When the tape reaches the preset punch out point you will be able to hear the old material existing on track 2 letting you check that the new material is smoothly followed by the old one The RECORD LED will turn off indicating that the dry run record is over After 3 seconds of play postroll the tape will automatically rewind stopping at th
31. RTZ Return To Zero function to get back to this point Set the RECORD FUNCTION switch for TRK 1 to its BUSS L position The REC 1 indicator will start blinking in the display window indicating track 1 is in Record Ready mode Speak into the mic You will see meter 1 move If no level or too low a level is shown continue to speak into the mic and slowly turn the channel 1 TRIM control to the right MIC until the meter peaks at no more than 6 Hold RECORD and press PLAY to initiate recording The REC 1 indicator that was blinking in the meter will turn on solid indicating track 1 is in Record mode Speak into the mic Press STOP to stop the tape and finish recording The REC 1 indicator in the meter should now be blinking as before Set the RECORD FUNCTION switch for TRK1 to its SAFE position 17 Track 1 playback through TAPE CUE Switching TAPE CUE on TAPE EFFECT 24 r CUE Com Monitor selection LINE OUT LR AONO ore Locating tape to zero RTZ Q Begin to play Ke E Listening level adjustment LEVEL Routing tape signals to TAPE CUE EFFECT 4 A A Stop play STOP 18 Set the EFFECT 2 TAPE CUE selection switch located below the LEVEL control to the right TAPE CUE position Slide the MONITOR SELECT LINE OUT switch to the center position Press the RTZ key The tape will rewind automat
32. ack 4 How to record many sources onto a single track 20 In the first example we recorded one source onto one track at a time for simplicity But the mixer of the Portastudio 424 MKIII take multiple channels and mix them onto a single track To do this Set the PAN control of each channel to the same setting for example yhy TRM e INPUT INPUT INPUT INPUT MIC LINE 7077 MIC LINE PT MIC LINE ST MIC LINE ST yl Q HIGH ON HIGH VERY HIGH AN PAN Ly PAN Ly PAN Xx FO In this example all instruments plugged into channels 1 4 will be recorded onto Track 1 or 3 Lower the MASTER fader to make overall level adjustments once you have each channel s TRIM and fader level set Make sure the INPUT switch of every channel you want to record is set to MIC LINE You can trecord channels 7 and 8 onto a single track How to record a mix onto two tracks simultaneously If you want to record multiple sources onto two tracks you use the channel PAN controls to send them to LEFT or RIGHT or anywhere in between if you re making a stereo mix The track RECORD FUNCTION switches choose what track the Left and Right mixes will be recorded on Note that i
33. and the higher point as the end 1 Use MEMO IN and LOC 1 and LOC 2 as explained above to establish the beginning and the end of loop 2 Press the REPEAT key The tape will fast wind to the lower MEMO point 3 As soon as that location is reached the tape will automatically start playing to the higher MEMO location 4 When the tape reaches the end of the loop it will automatically rewind to the lower M EMO location and start over Press any transport keys except Play The function pressed will be activated If the tape is wound outside the repeat loop points the REPEAT LED that was on solid will start blinking To resume the REPEAT sequence B Press the LOC 1 or LOC 2 key OR f you are now within the loop or shortly behind the lower MEMO point press PLAY Repeat Play does not work while the 424 MKIII is in Record mode REC LED is blinking or lights on solid A space of 0003 or more as controlled on the tape counter is required between two memo points If you create a smaller loop and press REPEAT the REPEAT indicator does not light up in the display and both the MEMO 1 and MEMO 2 indicators flash showing that the loop cannot be played 27 PUNCH IN or INSERT Recording Preliminary Selecting in and out points 28 Punching in or insert recording is recording over a small section of previously recorded track to correct or improve a performance while keeping the rest of the track
34. ape Cue Monitor System The TAPE CUE mix and MONITOR switches are also crucial for successful multitrack recording because they control what you hear in the headpnones This CUE mix is totally independent from the Main Mix going to tape If you don t use the CUE mix you run the risk of accidentally bouncing tracks every time you record new material EFFECT 2 SEND TAPE CUE OUT TAPE EFFECT 24 EFFECT 2 TAPE CUE MONITOR SELECT EFFECT CUE EFFECT 2 CUE EFFECT 14 OFF LEVEL y Ly y The 4 TAPE CUE controls act like a separate 4x1 mixer dedicated solely to enabling you to hear playback from the multitrack recorder in your headphones The settings of these controls don t affect the mix going to tape When the EFFECT CUE switch is set to the center position EFFECT 2 CUE the EFFECT 2 TAPE CUE switch is set to TAPE CUE the TAPE CUE of the tracks you want to hear are turned clockwise and the MONITOR LEVEL is turned up you can hear the tape playback in the headphones and MONITOR outputs You can adjust the monitor level of each track by adjusting its TAPE CUE control The channels of the Main Mix remain free to handle external inputs for recording If you can hear tape playback in your headphones when TAPE CUE is off in the left position it means you re hearing tape through the Main Mix This is correct for mixdown and bouncing tracks but during
35. ast the leader tape OLAY STOP Is s 16 10 11 Turn the channel 1 PAN control all the way to the left Raise the channel fader to 7 on the scale Raise the MASTER fader to 7 Set the MONITOR SELECT LINE OUT switch to the left L R position While speaking into the microphone turn the TRIM control in channel 1 to the right MIC until the monitor level meter reads around 0 in average Slowly turn the MONITOR LEVEL control to the right You will hear your voice in the left side of the headphones When using a line level source such as electronic instruments instead of the mic the TRIM does not need to be turned up very far if at all As a trial let s record your voice on tape 1 Have in hand a new cassette tape Type II C 90 length or shorter 2 Open the cassette door using the tab on the right of the door Insert the cassette tape and close the cassette door 3 Press PLAY and allow the tape to run for about 5 seconds This will run the tape leader onto the takeup reel and put the beginning of the tape in front of the heads Resetting the counter COUNTER RESET Q Selecting tracks DIRECT BUSS TRK 1 Mic level adjustment 6 2 a Beginning to record Stopping recording STOP E Putting track into Safe DIRECT E 410 Buss TRK 1 10 Press the COUNTER RESET switch so you can use the
36. binecr TAPE SPEED sare sare sare sare suss LT suss rl suss iT uss rl TRK 1 TRK 2 TRK 3 TRK 4 f 1 1 RECORD FUNCTION 1 memo 2 AUTO OOO LOC 1 Loc 2 MEMO IN REPEAT RTZ STOP PLAY ORECORD MEMO IN Hold this key down and press LOC 1 or 2 to load the current counter location into the MEMO 1 or 2 register LOC 1 and 2 When used together with MEMO IN these keys let you load the current counter location into memory If only LOC 1 or 2 is hit the tape will be located to the MEMO 1 or 2 point Pressing LOC for half a second or more allows you to check the memo point on the display 13 RECORD FUNCTION 1 4 These control which track s will be recorded when the master RECORD and the PLAY key is pressed and choose where the signal to be recorded is coming from e Setting to DIRECT routes the channel signal directly to the tape channel 1 is recorded on track 1 channel 2 on track 2 and so on Recording level is adjusted by the channel fader only e When recording the stereo mix As the labels indicate tracks 1 and 3 are recorded with the mix in BUSS L and tracks 2 and 4 are recorded with the mix in BUSS R TAPE SPEED HIGH is 3 3 4 ips 9 5 cm sec double the standard NORMAL cassette tape speed of 1 7 8 ips 4 8 cm sec Meters The meters numbered 1 4 show the playback or
37. c If the 1 RECORD FUNCTION switches are set to BUSS the two tracks will both record the same mix Recording the stereo channels 5 6 and 7 8 Channels 5 and 6 can be used to add additional signals to the L and R mixes The input for these channels can be odd numbered inputs 1 through 5 channel 5 and even numbered inputs 2 through 6 channel 6 Note that if one of the inputs 1 through 4 is selected for use with its appropriately numbered channel as well as with channel 5 or 6 the signal level will be doubled as it is being mixed through two channels together Use the stereo channels 7 and 8 to add additional signal sources to the mix These channels are automatically panned left and right respectively so you may want to use them with a pre panned source such as the stereo outputs of a multi timbral synthesizer or a stereo effects unit Recording on more than two tracks simultaneously DIRECT 22 It is possible to record on three or four tracks at the same time by using the DIRECT position of the RECORD FUNCTION switches In Direct recording each track gets its signal from a single mixer channel only Track 3 from channel 3 etc B When using DIRECT the MASTER fader has no effect on the record level It only affects the level going to the headphones monitor speakers Use the CHANNEL FADER only to set record levels Even when using DIRECT a channel still goes to the Left Righ
38. cts to an input channel There s no 36 law that says the output of an effects device must be plugged into a STEREO INPUT either They can also be plugged into LINE INPUTS just like any other source if you are cautious about one thing make sure the EFFECT controls of those channels are set to the off position turned all the way to the left Otherwise you will be sending the output of the effect device back to itself which is a kind of feedback If the effect device is a digital delay feedback has the same effect as a regeneration number of echoes control An advantage of returning effects to a main channel is that you can EQ the effect return 7 8 EFFECT 1 EFFECT 2 SEND SEND TAPE CUE OUT STEREO INPUT To record reverb onto a track Switch the ASSIGN switch to L R and adjust the controls for the sound you want Remember that stereo signals must be recorded onto two tracks to keep their stereo effect To hear reverb in the headphones but not record the reverb Set the ASSIGN switch on the stereo channel being used for returning effects to the right MON position turning up the LEVEL control on the stereo channel in use Syncing MIDI Tape Using the TASCAM MTS 30 MIDI clocks are themselves a computer type digital language and cannot be recorded on analog tape it is necessary to convert them to recordable FSK Frequency Shift Keying signals using an appropriate converter such as the MTS 30
39. d the track indicators blink in the meter window B Recording can also be initiated by pressing RECORD during PLAY See PUNCH IN or INSERT Recording page 28 2 If all RECORD FUNCTION switches 988 are in the SAFE position the recorder will enter Record standby mode as indicated by a blinking RECORD LED PITCH CONTROL dial Varies tape speed in record and play modes by up to approximately 1296 Turn the dial to the left to lower the speed or to the right to increase the speed Set the dial to the center O position to run tape at a standard speed of 9 5 or 4 8 cm sec as selected by the TAPE SPEED switch 37 This can be used to save slightly out of tune parts or to create sound effects such as flanging Note that if you record with the dial at its maximum or minimum setting you will NOT be able to make further adjustment in that direction upon playback CAUTION The PITCH CONTROL dial affects recording speed also Check to make sure that the dial is at its center position unless you are using the function intentionally TAPE SPEED select switch Controls the speed of the transport in both record and playback HIGH 3 3 4 i p s 9 5 cm sec is the position you should use for master recording since it offers slightly better frequency response and signal to noise ratio than standard speed In high speed a C 60 offers 15 minutes of 4 track recording NORMAL is standard cassette speed of 1 7 8 i p
40. e START point so you can again go through the rehearsal procedure e To change the punch in and out points press CLEAR and restart from the beginning elf you want to quit Rehearsal mode for any reason press CLEAR RHSL goes out and the start punch in and out points are cleared from memory m Practice the performance until you are sure that you will get it right when actually recording Remember punching in over existing material erases the original signal m When the REHEARSAL key is pressed during playback the counter readout at which the key is pressed is stored as the START point m You can store the Punch In Out or Rehearsal point also using the optional remote footswitch RC 30P Suggestion During the punch in setting or the rehearsal process if you press the footswitch after STOP the tape will rewind to your START point B Rehearsal function is not available while the 424 is in the locate repeat or record mode B Locate or repeat function is not available while storing Punch In Out points in memory W After the Punch In Out points have been stored in memory the 424 MKIII cannot enter the record mode whereby RECORD LED blinks or glows B f you press any of the transport keys during storage of the Rehearsal Punch In Out points the 424 MKIII will start operation corresponding to the key pressed However only when the REW key is pressed the tape will rewind stopping at that Start point Once
41. eadphone connection PHONES 2o op Routing inputs lt OFF TAPE LIT lt learn how the mixer works first you need to plug a signal source into one of the 1 8 jacks located at upper top of the unit in your easy reach As an example we ll use a microphone as the source Notes to be read prior to making connections Although both XLR type and 1 4 phone jacks are provided for connection to each of channels 1 4 don t use both jacks on the same channel at the same time Turn all the TRIM and other level controls all the way to the left Turn the EQ controls to their center flat position bring all the faders down and set all the switches to OFF 1 Have to hand a dynamic microphone and a set of stereo headphones 2 Plug the 1 4 plug on your microphone cable into the leftmost MIC LINE IN jack for channel 1 3 Turn the 424 The TASCAM logo appears in the display The POWER switch is located on the back beside the power cable 4 Plug your headphones into the front PHONES jack so you can hear the input signal going to the mixer section of the 424 5 Set the channel 1 INPUT select switch to the left MIC LINE position 15 Panning Channel level Master level Monitor selection LINE OUT LR MONO org TRIM adjustment Listening level LEVEL x 3 How to record on track 1 Loading a cassette Getting p
42. ers register the level from the right buss If a track or tracks are in Safe mode the corresponding meters show the playback level 41 Monitor level meters These show the level in the monitor mix selected by the MONITOR switches 18 The meters are Pre before the rotary MONITOR LEVEL control so this control does not affect the meter readings 42 Tape counter Displays the distance the tape has moved from a zero reference point selected by pressing the COUNTER RESET key beneath Other indicators Light up or blink depending on the selected mode and condition of your 424 MKIII Autolocators 44 RTZ Retum To Zero key When this key is 47 pressed in any transport mode the tape will fast wind to the counter s zero 0000 point LOC 1 key If pressed while the MEMO IN key 47 is held down it loads the current tape location into MEMO 1 register If pressed alone it causes the tape to fast wind in either direction to the MEMO 1 point if this point has been memorized This key is also used to check the memo point NOTE To initiate autolocation HIT the LOC key To check the memo point PRESS the key for 0 5 second or more LOC 2 key Similar to the LOC 1 key this key is used to establish a MEMO 2 point and to locate tape with that memory point MEMO IN key Used together with the LOC 1 and LOC 2 keys to load the current tape location into memory See 45 and 46 above
43. etween phrases or notes Sound seems unnatural and inserts are noticeable if a new note is recorded before the old one has ended or a note is held as you punch in or out Making smooth inserts requires practice Spacing between the erase and record heads requires that you anticipate in out points by a fraction of a second for extremely tight cues Use the following procedures with the REHEARSAL switch on Rehearsal and Auto In Out Procedures Rehearsing Punch in Insert recording Storing the punch in and out points into memory STOP REHEARSAL D RHSL VRTUN NL 2 D out RHsL START Rehearsal Nu 27 You can rehearse your punch in as many times needed without affecting the existing recording During rehearsal what you hear in the monitor mix and read on the level meters will be the same as during recording but signal won t be recorded on tape 1 the tape up few seconds before you reach the expected punch in point 2 Press the REHEARSAL switch The RHSL indicator will start blinking in the display 3 Press PLAY to start playing preroll The START indicator will glow on the display The counter readout at which the key was pressed is stored as the START point The MEMO 1 or 2 indicator turns off if it was lit 4 When you reach J UST BEFORE the error press
44. ically stopping at the zero counter point Press PLAY Turn the MONITOR LEVEL control up or down to the desired listening level Locate the EFFECT 2 TAPE CUE level control on channel 1 and slowly turn it to the right You ll hear in center mono what you have recorded on track 1 Press STOP to stop play How to make overdub on track 2 Overdubbing entails recording one or more additional tracks on the same tape while listening to previously recorded tracks using TAPE CUE Leave the microphone connected to the channel 1 input There is no need to repatch it to channel 2 to record on track 2 You can send any mixer input to any track of the recorder through the combination use of PAN and RECORD FUNCTION Routing input 1 Set the channel 1 INPUT selection switch to the left MIC LINE position INPUT MIC LINE 404 r TAPE lt Panning 2 Turn the channel 1 PAN control all the way to the right R position Channel 1 level 3 Bring the channel 1 fader to 7 Master level 4 Bring the MASTER fader to 7 Monitor selection 5 Make sure the MONITOR SELECT LINE OUT switch is still in the position LNE OUT e Locating tape to zero 6 Press the RTZ key so the tape will rewind to the beginning of the track 1 recording RTZ Track selection 7 Set the TRK 2 RECORD FUNCTION switch to its BUSS R position The REC 2 indicator will start blinking in the meter DIRECT D 2 Buss al TRK 2
45. ing recording permits a net gain in tape headroom of about 10 dB A compression factor of 2 1 is used before recording then 1 2 expansion on reproduce These compression and expansion factors are linear in decibels and allow the system to produce tape recordings with over a 90 dB dynamic range an important feature especially when you re making live recordings The dbx employs RMS level sensors to eliminate compressor expander tracking errors due to phase shifts in the tape recorder and provides excellent transient tracking capabilities To achieve a large reduction in audible tape hiss without danger of overload or high frequency self erasure on the tape frequency pre emphasis and de emphasis are added to the signal and RMS level sensors Input o gt Encoder gt Tapedeck gt Decoder Output pynamie range Encode Decode input signal 80dB 9 P S9 40dB E Pah 80dp Saturation 2598 level i 20dB eS 2 222224 0dB Dynamic range of tape 65dB 30dB TBT T gt 60dB 2098 600 7777 dbx encoding decoding level diagram 800B Noise level SUBSONICS AND INTERFERENCE The dbx incorporates an effective bandpass filter This filter suppresses undesirable subsonic frequencies to keep them from introducing errors into the encode or decode p
46. inking will glow steadily to indicate track 2 is in Record mode To punch out of record press the footswitch again It has the same effect as pressing PLAY The REC 2 indicator will start blinking again To stop the tape press STOP Bouncing Tracks Ping Pong Ping pong procedure The recording capability of the PORTASTUDIO 424 is not limited to four tracks You can bounce or combine tracks you have recorded to an empty track and then replace the original tracks with new material A bounce is like a mixdown except you are recording to one of the tracks of the 424 MKIII instead of to an external recorder The following diagrams depict the process 1 A D B F 2 zu M 4 Bouncing tracks 1 3 Tracks 1 3 available for onto track 4 recording new parts During a bounce you can add live sources along with the prerecorded tracks using the empty mixer channels not being used for tape playback This gives you even more ways to add layers to a composition For example you can bounce tracks 1 3 along with another live part onto track 4 for a total of four parts on one track In this example we will combine material from tracks 1 3 onto track 4 1 On channels 1 3 make the following settings e INPUT to TAPE PAN all the way to and e Input fader to the shaded zone 7 8 on the scale 2 Push the MASTER fader to the shaded zone 3 Set the MONITOR SELECT L
47. is referenced to 1 Volt Actual voltage levels are also given in parentheses 0 316 V for 10 dBV rounded off to 0 3 V dbx is a registered trademark of dbx Incorporated m Changes in specifications and features may be made without notice or obligation 419mm TASCAM V OUT 351mm I5 1 6 6 0 0060B O LIp5 i6 6 0 0060B O LIp5 i6 6 0 00606B O m O COCCO O Lr i6 660 0060B0 Ir i6 6 o0 o0060B O 52 Block Diagram
48. ks is turned on This is the normal position for all recording and playback When itis set to the SYNC position Track 4 is disconnected from the dbx system so the process does not affect the sync signals going to and from track 4 but tracks 1 3 still go through the dbx encode decode process Use the SYNC position for recording and playback of FSK sync or SMPTE time code The OFF position turns off the dbx noise reduction completely Use this position when playing back tapes made with no noise reduction or with Dolby B type NR The dbx NR system provides a net noise reduction broadband not just hiss of about 30 dB and also permits a net gain in tape headroom of about 10 dB allowing recordings over a 90 dB dynamic range Transport Controls 31 32 35 REW key Winds tape at high speed in reverse direction F FWD key Winds tape at high speed in the forward direction STOP key Stops any tape motion and disables all transport modes PLAY key a Press this key alone to start playback b If pressed together with RECORD recording punch in starts c Press this key during recording to stop recording punch out without stopping tape motion RECORD key Pressing this key alone has no effect Pressing it together with PLAY activates either of two functions 1 Recording begins if one or more RECORD FUNCTION switches 88 are previously set to a different position from SAFE an
49. l prevent the swab from becoming tangled in the mechanism 2 Clean it until there is no visible residue coming off onto the swab 3 Using a clean cotton swab wipe off all the excess rubber cleaner from the pinch roller Make certain that there is no foreign matter remaining on either the pinch roller or the capstan shaft Cleaning the Capstan Shaft 1 Clean the capstan shaft by lightly pressing a cotton swab moistened with head cleaning fluid onto the shaft Clean thoroughly and wipe off excess fluid Degaussing the Tape Path 1 Hold the degausser about 1 m 3 feet away from the recorder Turn it on slowly move in to the tape path Move the degausser slowly back and forth touching lightly all metal parts in the tape path Slowly move it away again to at least 1 m 3 feet from the recorder before turning it off complete the cleaning and demagnetizing procedure press STOP The head block will retract Then hold STOP and press COUNTER RESET to cancel the cleaning mode CAUTION If the surface of the unit gets dirty wipe the surface with a soft cloth or use a diluted neutral cleaning fluid Clean off thoroughly Do not use thinner benzine or alcohol as they may damage the surface of the unit How the dbx Works The dbx is a wide band compression expansion system which provides a net noise reduction broadband not just hiss of a little more than 30 dB In addition the compression dur
50. leared and AUTO will turn off in the display The 424 MKIII lets you manually punch in too There 2 ways to initiate the punch in recording The first is with the transport RECORD button and the second is with the optional footswitch We always use track 2 as the punch in track in the following example Perform the Preliminary on page 28 if you haven t yet done so 1 Check to see that the REC 2 indicator is blinking showing track 2 is in Rec Ready mode Locate the tape a little behind the expected punch in point Then press PLAY 2 When you reach J UST BEFORE the error press RECORD The REC 2 indicator that was blinking will be solidly displayed and track 2 enters Record mode 3 To punch out of record press PLAY The REC 2 indicator that was solidly displayed again blinks to indicate that recording is over 4 To stop the tape press STOP 31 Using the remote footswitch RC 30P REMOTE PUNCH IN OUT 32 If you are recording alone and are too busy playing an instrument to push the switches the optional remote footswitch really comes in handy 1 Plug the RC 30P into the REMOTE PUNCH IN OUT jack the rear panel of the 424 MKIII Check that the REC 2 indicator is blinking and locate the tape to a point a little before the error then press PLAY When you reach J UST BEFORE the error press the footswitch This has the same effect as pressing RECORD and the REC 2 indicator that was bl
51. n this method the mixer channel number has nothing to do with what track the instrument winds up on Any mixer channel can be panned to any track These mixer channels are being sent to the LEFT for recording on either Track 1 or Track 3 1 2 3 4 yt yt si UNE Mic LINE 9 LINE e INPUT INPUT INPUT INPUT MIC LINE OT TaPE MIC LINE 521 MIC LINE TAPE MIC LINE F EQ yh EQ yh EQ yh EQ vA HIGH VOX HIGH OX HIGH YON HIGH J v These mixer channels are being sent to the RIGHT for recording on either Track 2 or Track 4 21 Set the MONITOR SELECT LINE OUT switch to L R or MONO and set the EFFECT 2 TAPE CUE switch to TAPE CUE if you need to hear tape tracks or MIDI virtual tracks Recording is the same procedure as for one track In the example above set both the TRK 3 and TRK 4 RECORD FUNCTION switches to BUSS to record on tracks 3 and 4 simultaneously Restrictions The 424 MKIII mixer section has only two main mixes Left and Right For this reason you can record only two tracks at once while you re recording a mix of instruments for example two instruments on track 1 three instruments on track 2 Also you can record a mix only on combinations or even odd numbered tracks 1 amp 2 1 amp 4 2 amp 3 et
52. ncing MIDI Tape Using the TASCAM MTS 30 37 Troubleshooting 38 Features and Controls 39 45 424 MKIII Mixer Input section 40 Stereo input section 41 Monitor section 41 Master section 41 Output section 41 424 Recorder Cassette loading and dbx system 42 Transport controls 43 Track controls 44 Displays 44 Autolocators 44 Optional Accessories 47 Care and Maintenance 48 49 How the dbx Works 49 Specifications 50 52 Block Diagram 53 54 Level Diagram 55 All rights reserved under international and Pan American copyright conventions This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part by mimeograph or any other means without permission The following marking is located on the bottom of the unit RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK REMOVE COVER OR BACK NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS 4 CAUTION TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT DO NOT OPEN INSIDE REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL the user to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage within the products enclosure The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within equilateral triangle is intended to alert that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to person The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the A presence of important operating and maintenance servicing instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance This appliance has a serial number loca
53. nnected The signal is automatically taken to both the 7 and 8 channels LEVEL Controls the volume of both of the inputs simultaneously The signal is sent to the destination selected by the ASSIGN switch ASSIGN This sends the signal s at the STEREO INPUT to the stereo mix for recording L R or to the monitor mix MON or turns the signals OFF center Monitor Section LINE OUT switch Controls whether the LINE OUT stereo mix will be output to the monitor mix in stereo L R in mono MONO or not at all OFF EFFECT CUE switch Controls whether the signals sent to EFFECT 1 or EFFECT 2 CUE or neither OFF will be output to the monitor mix or you may select neither of these for monitoring OFF LEVEL Controls the level of the monitor mix feeding the MONITOR OUT jacks and headphones Master Section EFFECT 2 TAPE CUE switch This alters the function of the four level controls immediately above the pan controls of channels 1 through 4 MASTER fader This sets the total output level of the stereo mix 12 PORTASTUDIO 424 Brief Guide Recorder Controls REHEARSAL Lets you program a punch in out sequence to be used for rehearsals and for AUTO IN OUT AUTO PUNCH Executes the punch in recording actually on tape as you practiced in REHEARSAL CLEAR Disables the REHEARSAL and AUTO IN OUT functions meer omecr
54. nnel 5 to 1 or 3 or 5 and the INPUT switch for channel 6 to 2 or 4 or 6 These signals will appear in the final stereo mix Use the PAN control to position them in the desired stereo position Using Memory Location Points Loading MEMO points MEMO 1 Loc 1 MEMO IN Q Q enda MEMO 2 LOC 2 MEMO IN Q Q D Establishing new MEMOs Recalculation of MEMOs Checking MEMO points LOC 1 9 Erasing Two autolocation points can be established in 424 MKIIl s memory system At the desired moment hold the MEMO IN key and press the LOC 1 key The MEMO 1 indicator will turn on showing that the current tape location is loaded into that register Similarly if you hold MEMO IN and press LOC 2 the current tape location is loaded as memory point 2 into that register Each time LOC 1 or 2 is pressed while MEMO IN is held down a new memory point is established and the previous memory point is erased MEMO points can t be entered while the tape is locating to either MEMO point or during REPEAT If the COUNTER RESET button is pressed both MEMO points are automatically recalculated so they stay the same relative to their original tape positions When the tape is stopped hold down the desired LOC key for 0 5 second or more The content of the corresponding MEMO register will be displayed in the counter window Remember If you don t hold down but just hit the LOC key
55. o the grounding system of the building as close to the point of cable entry as practical Example of Antenna Grounding as per National Electrical Code ANSI NFPA 70 ANTENNA LEAD IN WIRE GROUND CLAMP ANTENNA DISCHARGE UNIT NEC SECTION 810 20 ELECTRIC SERVICE EQUIPMENT GROUNDING CONDUCTORS NEC SECTION 810 21 GROUND CLAMPS POWER SERVICE GROUNDING ELECTRODE SYSTEM NEC ART 250 PART H NEC NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE 15 Lightning For added protection for this product during a lightning storm or when it is left unattended and unused for long periods of time unplug it from the wall outlet and disconnect the antenna or cable system This will prevent damage to the product due to lightning and power line surges 16 Power Lines An outside antenna system should not be located in the vicinity of overhead power lines or other electric light or power circuits or where it can fall into such power lines or circuits When installing an outside antenna system extreme care should be taken to keep from touching such power lines or circuits as contact with them might be fatal 17 Overloading Do not overload wall outlets extension cords or integral convenience receptacles as this can result in risk of fire or electric shock 18 Object and Liquid Entry Never push objects of any kind into this product through openings as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that could result
56. one blade wider than the other This plug will fit into the power outlet only one way This is a safety feature If you are unable to insert the plug fully into the outlet try reversing the plug If the plug should still fail to fit contact your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized plug 13 Power Cord Protection Power supply cords shoud be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them paying particular attention to cords at plugs convenience receptacles and the point where they exit from the product 14 Outdoor Antenna Grounding If an outside antenna or cable system is connected to the product be sure the antenna or cable system is grounded so as to provide some protection against voltage surges and built up static charges Article 810 of the National Electrical Code ANSI NFPA 70 provides information with regard to proper grounding of the mast and supporting structure grounding of the lead in wire to an antenna discharge unit size of grounding conductors location of antenna discharge unit connection to grounding electrodes and requirements for the grounding electrode Note to CATV system installer This reminder is provided to call the CATV system installer s attention to Section 820 40 of the NEC which provides guidelines for proper grounding and in particular specifies that the cable ground shall be connected t
57. oth the XLR and 1 4 jacks in the same channel at one time Disconnect one when the other is used TRIM Sets how much preamplification will be added to the MIC LINE IN jack Turn to the right if the signal needs amplification to the left if the signal is so loud it is distorting the mixer electronics INPUT Detemines where the channel signal comes from MIC LINE left brings the mic line input into the channel OFF center shuts off the channel TAPE right makes tape play back the channel source EQ HIGH Cuts or boosts treble frequencies Shelving point is at 10 kHz EQ MID sweep The upper control sets the frequency range centered from 250 Hz to 5 kHz The lower control cuts or boosts this frequency range EQ LOW Cuts or boosts bass frequencies Shelving point is at 100 Hz EFFECT 1 and 2 These control how much signal will go to the corresponding EFFECT send jacks They get their signal from a point just after the channel fader TAPE CUE The EFFECT 2 controls can be switched to act as the TAPE CUE level controls by means of the correspondingly labeled switch and adjust the playback level for the musicians in the studio PAN Sets the pan position left right balance of the channel Note that the Left Mix can be recorded on tracks 1 and 3 and the Right Mix onto tracks 2 and 4 Channel fader Sets the volume of the channel feeding the MASTER fader MIC LINE 1 4 3 R 7
58. ou to create stereo mixes by sending the signal from the channel fader in continuously variable degrees to the left or right sides of the stereo mix at mixdown time Channel Faders This linear control varies the level feeding the Master section The nominal setting position is between 7 and 8 shaded area Stereo Input Section 15 16 17 STEREO INPUT jacks Connect the outputs of your effects devices to these 1 4 jacks These jacks can also be used as additional line inputs Nominal input level is 10 dBV 0 3 V Mono Feature you connect mono signal to the 7 jack the signal is sent to both the stereo left and right busses LEVEL control This rotary control varies the level feeding the Master section The nominal setting position is about 2 o clock ASSIGN switch This send the signal from the LEVEL control to the MASTER L R switches it off entirely OFF or to the MONITOR LEVEL control MON If you are using these inputs for MIDI virtual tracks you should probably set this switch to MON while recording tape tracks and L R on mixdown Monitor Section 18 19 MONITOR SELECT switches These switches determine what you will hear when monitoring The LINE OUT switch allows you to monitor in stereo L R in mono MONO or turn off the L R signals completely from the monitoring mix OFF The EFFECT CUE switch allows you to choose whether you will hea
59. oy x 1 4 channel erase ferrite x 1 DC servo motor x 1 Switchable two speeds 9 5 cm sec 3 3 4 ips and 4 8 cm sec 1 7 8 ips 196 12 96 approx 0 06 WRMS at 4 8 cm sec 0 05 WRMS at 9 5 cm sec 120 sec approx with C 60 419 x 115 x 357 mm 16 1 2 x 4 1 2 x 14 1 16 4 9 kg 10 8 Ibs 3 6k ohms 60 dBV 1mV MIC position 20 dBV 0 1 V LINE position 43 dBV 1 4 V at Trim Min 5 6k ohms 50 dBV 3mV MIC position 10 dBV 0 3 V LINE position 10 dBV 3 V at Trim Min 10k ohms 10 dBV 0 3 V 10 dBV 3 V 10k ohms 10 dBV 0 3 V 10 dBV 3 V 100 ohms 10 dBV 0 3 V 2k ohms 100 ohms 10 dBV 0 3 V 2k ohms EFFECT 2 SEND TAPE CUE OUT 1 4 phone jack Output Impedance Nominal Output Level Minimum Load Impedance TAPE OUTPUT RCA jack x 4 Output Impedance Nominal Output Level Minimum Load Impedance MONITOR OUTPUT RCA jack x 2 Output Impedance Nominal Output Level PHONES 1 4 stereo phone jack x 1 Nominal Load Impedance Maximum Output Level Equalizer HIGH Shelving MID Parametric LOW Shelving Frequency Response MIC INPUT to LINE OUTPUT LINE INPUT to LINE OUTPUT LINE INPUT to EFFECT OUTPUT LINE INPUT to PHONES Signal to Noise Ratio 20 Hz to 20 kHz B PF inserted 1 MIC INPUT to LINE OUTPUT 4 MIC INPUTS to LINE OUTPUT 1 LINE INPUT to LINE OUTPUT 4 LINE INPUTS to LINE OUTPUT Distortion 1 MIC INPUT to LINE OUTPUT 1 LINE INPUT to L
60. r the EFFECT 1 send the EFFECT 2 or TAPE CUE send as determined by the position of the EFFECT 2 TAPE CUE switch or neither of these OFF MONITOR LEVEL control This affects signal from the MONITOR select switch and sets the level you ll hear the headphones monitor speakers Master Section 20 21 EFFECT 2 CUE select switch Depend ing on the setting of this switch each channel s EFFECT 2 TAPE CUE control is switched to send the mic line input to effects devices or the signal coming back from the recorder to the musicians in studio MASTER fader Used to adjust the stereo mix level The signal fed to this fader comes from each channel s PAN control The safe operating zone is between 7 8 on the scale Output Section 22 LINE OUTPUT L and R jacks These jacks are the line level outputs from the MASTER fader The L and R jacks are typically connected to your 2 track master recorder at MIXDOWN The LINE OUTPUT jacks can also be used to send the mixer outputs of the 424 MKIII to the sub inputs of a larger mixer MONITOR OUTPUT L and R jacks These provide a line level version of the same signal that feeds the PHONES jack and may be connected to your control room speaker amplifier 41 24 EFFECT 1 SEND jack The signal available at 25 26 27 28 42 this jack comes from post fader for connection to effects devices Nominal level is 10 0 3 V
61. rent effect units on the market all with different controls types of inputs and outputs and other characteristics Read the manual of your effects device and the following sections to get the complete story of what s possible for your particular situation 1 In line processing The processing that s easiest to understand doesn t involve the 424 MKIII directly at all You can plug your instrument directly into the input of the effect device and plug the output of the device directly into a line input of the 424 MKIII The whole signal gets processed flanged doubled limited delayed etc and only one instrument can use that processor Effect pedals for guitar are typically used this way To get a mix of processed wet and original dry signal the unit must have its own MIX or BALANCE control 2 Send retum mix processing This is the most common method of effect processing especially for reverb and delay It allows a number of different channels to use the same effect while allowing you to control how much effect is mixed with each channel Each of the 4 mixer channels can send signals to the EFFECT SEND 1 or 2 outputs on the upper top panel These outputs can then be connected to the input of effect devices The processed signals from the devices come back into the mix via the STEREO INPUTS Finally the effect is mixed onto the stereo left or right buss with the ASSIGN switch on the stereo channels 7 8 This whole pa
62. rocess However if rumble from trains or trucks is picked up by your microphone and fed to the dbx modulation of the program material during low level passages may occur This low frequency component will not itself be passed through the recorder and so will not be present at reproduce for proper decoding It this low level decoding error is encountered and subsonics are suspected we suggest the addition of a suitable high pass filter in the microphone line 49 Specifications Mechanical Characteristics Tape Track Format Head Configuration Motor Tape Speed Pitch Control Wow and Flutter Fast Winding Time Dimensions W x H x D Weight Electrical Characteristics Mixer Section MIC LINE INPUT Ch 1 4 XLR type connector x 4 Input Impedance Nominal Input Level Maximum Input Level MIC LINE INPUT Ch 1 6 1 4 phone jack x 6 Input Impedance Nominal Input Level Maximum Input Level STEREO INPUT Ch 7 8 1 4 phone jack x 2 Input Impedance Nominal Input Level Maximum Input Level SUB INPUT RCA jack x 2 Input Impedance Nominal Input Level Maximum Input Level LINE OUTPUT RCA jack x 2 Output Impedance Nominal Output Level Minimum Load Impedance EFFECT 1 SEND 1 4 phone jack Output Impedance Nominal Output Level Minimum Load Impedance 50 Compact Cassette C 30 to 90 High Bias 4 track 4 channel 4 channel record play permall
63. s 4 8 cm sec It offers compatibility with other cassettes acceptable sound quality for less critical work and 30 minutes of recording on a C 60 43 Track Controls 38 RECORD FUNCTION switches 1 4 These switches put the respective tracks into Record Ready Recording starts when RECORD is pressed after or together with PLAY In the center position SAFE no recording takes place NOTE Don t operate the RECORD FUNCTION switches to punch in and out Otherwise clicks will remain on tape The RECORD FUNCTION switches also select what source will be recorded For example Track 1 can record either the single source plugged into Channel 1 of the mixer DIRECT or the entire BUSS L mix which may have as many as six sources The other RECORD FUNCTION switches work in the same way either DIRECT from the same numbered mixer channel or from the MASTER stereo mix Tracks 1 amp 3 from BUSS Tracks 2 amp 4 from BUSS Displays 39 Track REC indicators They show the individual track s status as selected by the RECORD FUNCTION switches 88 hee Lt Track status Off Safe Blinking Record Stand by Steady indication Record 40 Track level meters 1 4 These meters show 44 the record level coming either from each channel s fader or from the MASTER fader the first and the third meters register the level from the left buss the second and the fourth met
64. s that make the unit easier to use A three point autolocator MEMO LOC 1 and 2 and RTZ lets the tape STOP at or PLAY from preset points REPEAT allows a section to be played over and over between the MEMO 1 and MEMO 2 points REHEARSAL programs the 424 MKIII to repeat a punch in out sequence as many times as you wish and AUTO PUNCH actually executes it on tape exactly as you previewed in REHEARSAL Two tape speeds offer HIGH for greater fidelity and NORMAL for compatibility with standard cassette tapes The tape speed can be increased or decreased with the PITCH CONTROL dial in both playback and record to match pitch or for special effects Track Format and Tape Recommendations Tape Speed and Track Format The Portastudio 424 MKIII uses a HIGH speed of 9 5 cm sec 3 3 4 inches per second which is two times 2X the normal speed of a standard audio cassette Its NORMAL speed is 4 8 cm sec 1 7 8 i p s the same as that used by conventional recorders It also employs a discrete 4 channel format head developed especially by TEAC for TASCAM multitrack cassette recorders Here is a comparison of various cassette formats
65. st the PAN controls to set each track s left to right position for the desired stereo image You may also want to use the EQ controls to adjust the individual tracks for the desired tonality For using effects see page 35 7 Using the MASTER fader adjust the overall playback level so the monitor level meter averages around 0 and peaks below 6 23 Record level 24 10 11 12 13 14 When the signal balance level and tonality sound right rewind the tape and press PLAY again to check the result Rewind the multitrack tape again Put a blank tape in the mixdown deck and let it play for 5 seconds then stop it and reset the mixdown deck s counter to zero Press PLAY on the 424 Put the mixdown deck into its Record Ready mode and adjust its input level controls for the desired record level Rewind the multitrack tape to the beginning of the recording Put the mixdown deck into Record mode then press PLAY on the 424 When recording is done stop both machines rewind the mixdown tape and listen to it If the mixdown tape does not sound right make the necessary corrections and re do from the beginning Using channels 5 and 6 with altemative inputs at mixdown When channels 1 through 4 are being used to replay previously recorded tape tracks channels 5 and 6 can be used to add signals received at the MIC LINE INPUTS of channels 1 4 Set the INPUT switch for cha
66. t mix If you record another track with BUSS L or BUSS R at the same time you must check your PAN settings For example you can record a vocal DIRECT onto Track 3 and record multiple instruments on Track 1 via BUSS L at the same time But Channel 3 s PAN control must be turned hard right otherwise you ll wind up with vocals bleeding through onto Track 1 s instruments W DIRECT can be used anytime you want to record a single channel to a single track How to mix down Connections LINE OUTPUT R L Master level Monitor source LINE OUT 1 oFF lt Routing inputs INPUT MIC LINE 495 Playback level When the 4 tracks are all recorded the final step is mixing them into a standard stereo format This procedure is known as Remixing or Mixing down During this procedure the tracks are blended together and balanced to create the desired sound 1 Connect the LINE OUTPUT L jack of the 424 MKIII to the left line input of the mixdown deck and the LINE OUTPUT R jack to the right line input 2 Raise the MASTER fader to the shaded area between 7 and 8 3 Set the MONITOR SELECT LINE OUT switch to the L R position 4 Set all the INPUT select switches on the input channels to the right TAPE position 5 Press PLAY and while listening to the tape play tentatively set the channel faders 6 Adju
67. ted on the rear panel Please record the model number and serial number and retain them for your records number Serial number WARNING TO PRIVENT FIRE OR SHOCK HAZARD DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE Safety Instructions CAUTION Read all of these Instructions Save these Instructions for later use Follow all Warnings and Instructions marked on the audio equipment 1 Read instructions AII the safety and operating instructions should be read before the product is operated 2 Retain instructions The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference 3 Heed Warnings warnings on the product and in the operating instructions should be adhered to 4 Follow instructions operating and use instructions shoud be followed 5 Cleaning Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners Use a damp cloth for cleaning 6 Attachments Do not use attachments not recommended by the product manufacturer as they may cause hazards 7 Water and Moisture Do not use this product near water for example near a bath tub wash bowl kitchen sink or laundry tub in a wet basement or near a swimming pool and the like 8 Accessories Do not place this product on an unstable cart stand tripod bracket or table The product may fall causing serious injury to a child or adult
68. th from the EFFECT SENDS to the reverb and back into STEREO INPUTS is called an effects loop The EFFECT 1 and 2 controls determine how much signal goes to the reverb unit the LEVEL control on the stereo channels determine how much returns from the reverb unit In this method the stereo inputs function as effect returns Setting effect send levels The goal is not to distort the device while staying above the noise that effect units generate To get the best signal to noise from most effects units you should send it as strong a signal as you can With a properly set input signal the 424 the channel EFFECT send set to about 2 o clock position for EFFECT 1 or EFFECT 2 feed you should get a fairly loud signal from the EFFECT SEND jacks If your effects device has an input level control of its own it should be set so the meter or signal light of the effects device is just under the overload point on peak signals When you want to hear less effect overall turn down the return LEVEL control on the stereo channels Setting the output level of effect devices If the effect send level has been set properly in most cases the output level of the effect unit should be set as high as possible without clipping distorting the STEREO INPUTS of the 424 MKIII but low enough so that you have a reasonable range of control If you can get the effect sound you want with the return LEVEL control in the
69. the record level of the respective tape tracks The average record level should be in the center 0 but occasional peaks up to 46 scale are acceptable The MONITOR meters show the level of mixes selected by the MONITOR switches Tape counter A four digit display that shows the distance the tape has moved from a zero reference point REC indicators They blink to show the corresponding tracks are in record ready and glow solid when recording starts COUNTER RESET Press to change the counter to 0000 PITCH CONTROL Increases or decreases the speed of the transport in play and also in Record over 12 range approx RTZ Return To Zero Lets the tape fast wind to the counter zero point The tape will automatically start playing from the zero point if PLAY is pressed after RTZ REPEAT Lets the tape play over and over between two memo points Transport keys Principally these work the same as on any cassette recorder Rear Panel Connections 14 EFFECT 2 SEND TAPE CUE OUT The signal available at this jack comes from either post channel fader for connection to an additional effects device or from the tape for connection to a studio speaker system as selected by means of the EFFECT 2 TAPE CUE switch EFFECT 1 SEND For sending post fader signals to effects devices The returns may be plugged into the stereo inputs SUB INPUT L and R Provide a direct route to the MASTER fader You ma
70. treble frequencies Shelving point is at 10 kHz EQ MID sweep The upper control sets the frequency range centered from 250 Hz to 5 kHz The lower control cuts or boosts this frequency range EQ LOW Cuts or boosts bass frequencies Shelving point is at 100 Hz EFFECT 1 and 2 These control how much signal will go to the corresponding EFFECT SEND jacks They get their signal from a point just after the channel fader TAPE CUE The EFFECT 2 controls can be switched to act as the TAPE CUE level controls by means of the correspondingly labeled switch and adjust the playback level for the musicians in the studio PAN Sets the pan position left right balance of the channel Note that the Left Mix can be recorded on tracks 1 and 3 and the Right Mix onto tracks 2 and 4 Channel fader Sets the volume of the channel feeding the MASTER fader MONO 8 STEREO INPUT 7 8 LEVEL y Ly y 2 ASSIGN LR MONITOR SELECT LINE OUT LR MON ofr EFFECT CUE EFFECT 2 CUE EFFECT 14 LEVEL y Ly y 2 TAPE EFFECT 2 4 CUE MASTER Ch 7 8 STEREO INPUT Connect any stereo line level signal such an effect return or electronic instrument here Alternatively you can connect two mono line level signals MONO feature If only one mono signal is to be connected connect it to the L jack and leave the R jack unco
71. uct ask the service technician to perform safety checks to determine that the product is in proper operating condition 23 Wall or Ceiling Mouting The product shoud be mounted to a wall or ceiling only as recommended by the manufacturer 24 Heat The product should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators heat registers stoves or other products including amplifiers that produce heat 3 Introduction The PORTASTUDIO 424 MKIll is PORTASTUDIO 424 MKIII is a 4 track Multitrack Master cassette tape recorder and a full function mixer with 8 inputs stereo outputs combined into a single workstation Its high audio quality and creative flexibility reflect the experience and innovation that have allowed TASCAM to earn its reputation in professional audio production fields and its user friendly design makes the 424 MKIII suitable for anyone from expert to novice CAUTION TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK MATCH WIDE BLADE OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT FULLY INSERT ATTENTION POUR VITER LES CHOCS ELECTRIQUES INTRODUIRE LA LAME LA PLUS LARGE DE LA FICHE DANS LA BORNE CORRESPONDANTE DE LA PRISE ET POUSSER J USQU AU FOND NOTE FOR U K CUSTOMERS DO NOT cut off the mains plug from this equipment If the plug fitted is not suitable for the power points in your home or the cable is too short to reach a power point then obtain an appropriate safety approved extension lead or consult your dealer
72. uin previously recorded material nor will getting it back to original specifications be difficult Cleaning the Heads and Tape Guides heads and metal parts in the tape path must be cleaned after every 6 hours of operation or before starting and after ending a recording session 1 Open the cassette compartment door Tape should not be loaded 2 Hold STOP and REHEARSAL and press POWER to activate a Cleaning mode Cleaning will show on the display CLEANING MODE While in this mode PLAY F FWD REW and STOP are effective letting you get access to the head block and rotate the capstan shaft and the pinch roller at high speed in either direction or at normal play speed making it easy to clean them as you perform the following steps 3 Press PLAY needless to hold it this time so the head blocks move out you leave the unit in Cleaning mode for 3 minutes after you have pressed PLAY it will automatically go to STOP the head block moving back 4 Using a good head cleaning fluid and a cotton swab clean the heads and tape guides until the swab comes off clean Wipe off any excess cleaning fluid with a dry swab eV Jo Erase head Capstan Record Play head 48 D Pinch roller Cleaning the Pinch Roller 1 Press a cotton swab that has been moistened with rubber cleaner to the pinch roller on the right hand side of the capstan shaft or on the left hand side if REW is pressed This wil
73. y connect an outboard mixer here The SUB IN R jack is also used to record sync tones on track 4 REMOTE PUNCH IN OUT REMOTE PUNCH IN OUT Connect an optional RC 30P footswitch to this jack POWER switch Push in to turn on the 424 MKIII and push again to turn it off POWER connector Connect the power cable of the PS 424MKIII power supply to this connector Never use any power supply with the 424 MKIII except the PS 424MKIII power supply which is appropriate for your area s voltage On the front PHONES not shown This carries the same mix as the MONITOR OUTPUT jacks as selected by the MONITOR switches TAPE OUTPUTS 3 2 1 TAPE OUTPUTS These jacks receive signals directly from tape tracks 1 4 and are connected to the inputs of an external mixer or of another multitrack recorder for making a backup copy of your 4 track master as required DBX NR switch Normally leave this switch in the ON position When you use track 4 for recording and playing back MIDI sync tones or timecode set to SYNC to set the dbx NR on for tracks 1 through 3 and off for track 4 LINE OUTPUT L and R Normally connect these jacks to the left and right inputs of your mixdown deck MONITOR OUTPUT L and R These are connected to an amplifier powering the control room speakers Step By Step Operations Guide Let s try the 424 mixer Input connections O Powering H
74. you re sure your performance and the in out points selected are correct you re ready to actually record the insert using the Auto Punch In Out feature Before proceeding to the next step 8 check to see that the RHSL indicator is on solid in the display showing that your punch in and out points are in memory and that all REC indicators beneath the meters are off except the one for the punch in track showing that all non punch in tracks are in Safe mode cy s 2 AUTO START 1 2 gt gt AuTO q Manual Punch in Punching in out with RECORD CORD 1 29 8 Press the AUTO PUNCH switch RHSL will turn off and AUTO will start blinking in the display 9 Press PLAY What you have anticipated in REHEARSAL will automatically occur in sequence preroll punch in punch out postroll rewind and stop AUTO will be solidly displayed when the 424 MKIII punches out of record 10 Press PLAY or the optional footswitch The tape will play the entire length of insert and rewind to the START point After completing auto review if you want to re do the auto punch in and out using the same settings press the AUTO PUNCH switch once more and AUTO which was lit steadily starts flashing as before showing that the auto punch in process will restart when pressing PLAY e To Disable AUTO PUNCH Mode press CLEAR The memory points will be c

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