FUQ (eff -yu - cue) - FAQ's with an EDGE

Tagged As: Track Recorders

Question:
Please tell me how fda four track recorders works. Can you record one track and layer others over it like- Record guitar, stop, rewind, record, drums, etc..... e-mail me as soon as possible.

Answer:
First a 4-track recorder means that you can lay down up to 4 different soundtracks on a single tape. Usually though, 4-track recorders are two-channel, meaning that you can only record 2 sources at a time. I am assuming a tape/analog unit, not a digital unit. You can buy a 4-track recorder with a single tape recorder ro no recorder. But to get the full 4 tracks, you'll need at least one other tape recorder. So to get 4 tracks, you record one track (or instrument) on a tape. Play that tape back and play another instrument over top it, recording on to a channel of another recorder. Now, you have 2 instruments on one tape. Play that tape back and record on to another tape to get 3 tracks and so on. The problem with this type of recording is the tape noise you introduce by using multi-generational tapes. For 4 track recorders, you are better off only trying to record 2 tracks, one on each channel. So when you play it back, one track comes out of one speaker and the other track out of the other speaker. You can use yo 4-track mixer options to better blend those tracks so they are less distinctive. If you don't need the bells and whistles of a 4-track recorder, you can use a stereo, dual taodeck which are 4-track recorders with 2 channels like I described above. If you can find a 4-track recorder with 4 channels, buy it. Then you'll be able to lay down 4 tracks with first generation recordings. Otherwise, you have to use the kerfluegled method described above. you may have to upgrade to an 8 or 16 track recorder to get the 2 additional input channels.