How oldschool multi-track recording works. Tascam 4-track

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In this episode I demonstrate a Tascam Portastudio MF-P01, which is a 4-track recorder that works with regular type-II audio cassette tapes.

Looks like somebody found some information on that song.
That's the theme song of The Amazing Spider-Man and Captain America in Dr. Doom's Revenge for MS-DOS

Here's the link for the original sound track:

[gsxerwhite]

I wanted a four track so bad in 91 but I couldn't ask my parents after they already spent a fortune on instruments for me. Young musicians are living in an incredible era for recording and instrument availability.

[RandomnessTube.]

So much respect for people who made house music back in the day made with love and hard work.

[Jaspertine]

Dude, you wanna talk about broke musicians? I used to *Rent* one of those things. Actually buying one seemed like a crazy pipe dream back then.

[jeremymiller]

I had this Tascam and I loved it!
I lost the recorder after moving.
I paid $100 new in 2001 and now a used one is close to $300.

[JimJWalker]

This is how I learned how to record my music in the late 1980s on a Tascam Porta One. By learning proper microphone placement, room acoustics, exact playing technique, and judicious bouncing of tracks while also making the most of the limited EQ available, I learned the lessons that have served me well in my life journey in music in the modern age of the digital audio workstation. I almost feel sorry for those who did not experience these the limitations I had; for example audio compression. This was something that I had to rely on tape saturation to achieve, today it so common as an audio effect in every computer based recording software that I am not sure that the younger generation appreciates the luxury of this technology. Then again, I hate admitting I am an old fart.

[DeviatingVapors]

there were 4 tape standers back then
I - Normal
II - Chrome
III - Ferrichrome (wasn’t very popular, so was dropped)
IV - Metal

the heads and the biasing need to match in the recording deck and the playback deck.

that was the lowest end model they made, and as you mentioned better units offered changes in the IPS to use more tape per second to increase the bandwidth for the recording. some units could also do bouncing (letting you merge one or more tracks to an open track to free up space for further recording).

those were the first machines cheap enough to allow a regular person to explore multi track. rented one from a music store in high school for a week, shared it with my lead guitarist, he was able to think non linearly .. vs I needed to do everything in one go.

[scarholmen]

i recorded friend's band this spring on a similar tape recorder. Feels kinda nice when you don't have to look at a computer screen during the recording.

[tonyhill]

So when you play Ghostbusters backwards, you hear Devo. Got it.

[SuzanneKowalski]

Lazy Game Reviews, TechMoan and this channel are the only channels on Youtube (I'm aware of) that not only have informative and perfectly edited videos, but these guys talk in a very non-offensive way that should be more common among content creators. I just feel relaxed watching these videos.

[rustedskelotonproductionse]

This is how I remember recording in the beginning. We used to do the editing with a small blade and clear sticky tape lol!!! I still believe that the recordings of the past is of way better quality than the digital recordings of today.

[balzac]

The 4-track is the mother of BLACK METAL.

[raizoc]

I recorded one of my creations over my sister's Michael Jackson tape when I was a kid and I got whooped for that.

[djbhe]

Every DJ who wanted to be a producer in Chicago during the 80's House Music Movement used those 4 track recorders. Those were the days.

[willdwyer]

My uncle had one when I was a kid. Different model but functionally identical. The electronic musical instrument that fascinated me in the 1980s was the Casio VL-1.

[RothBeyondTheGrave]

Had that exact unit in the 90's and loved every minute.I've had the pleasure of tracking in a handful of multi million dollar facilities as I got older, and still wished I had something simple like this at home. It's real, and you really have to be able to play. Period. I'll take the sound from this over some digitally harsh, disgusting og box or equivalent any day.

[darylllanier]

When quantization didn't exist and perfect timing was imperative for musicians/producers.

[all_that_gazz]

“Back in the 80’s and 90’s I thought MIDI was the way to go”

Yep - same here, and I remember being so disappointed when I first got into MIDI and realised my Casio CTK 670 only had 4 MIDI channels.

Mum & Dad couldn’t understand why I could possibly want or need another keyboard!!

[SplotchTheCatThing]

Very cool piece of information. I didn't start *writing* music till well into the 2000s but I'm still old enough to remember cassette tapes and tape recorders and all that fun stuff... when I was a kid it was my dream to use that record button to make something cool. But I wound up using a record button on a computer instead. ;)
If I was born a decade earlier, I could certainly see myself using something like this. :) Another life, another time.

[Vikotnick]

I remember getting a wavestation for christmas. I cried for about ten min. Greatest gift ever. My friend had a DAT and a mixer. Never figured out why my tracks were so low then. It was a while until I got a compressor.... good times.

[matrixmirage]

Oh Man! I remember the day my band mates and I got a 4-track. It completely changed everything about our song writing! Back then we had an electric guitar, Yamaha PSS 560, a microphone, a few guitar pedals, and the 4-track. Good times.