Tascam 424MKIII manual

OW NER’S M AN UA L 424@$ 3D0023100A[...]

2 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 T ape cue monitor system 7 Multitrack Cassette Recorder 8 T rack Format and T ape Recommendations 9-10 PORT ASTUDIO 424 MKIII Brief Guide 11-14 Step-By-Step Operations Guide 15-24 Let's [...]

3 Safety Instructions CA UTION: • Read all of these Instructions. • Save these Instructions f or later use. • Follow all W arnings and Instructions marked on the audio equipment. 1 ) Read instructions — All the safety and operating instructions should be read before the product is operated. 2) Retain instructions — The safety and operatin[...]

Using this manual : T o 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. Y ou may discover some new tricks you haven't tried before. Use of capital letters : In general, we use all upper cas[...]

5 The POR T ASTUDIO 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 . T o complete the recording system, you'll additionally need these: Input devices (microphones, instruments), Output devices (headphones), 2 track re[...]

6 jacks. This is the most important signal route in the mixer and is called "Main Mix". The illustration below shows how input signals pass through the 424 MKIII Mixer section. After the MASTER fader they go to the L/R LINE OUT Signal Flow in the 424 MKIII Mixer Understanding the Mix er[...]

7 T ape Cue Monitor System The T APE 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 [...]

8 ∑ A three-point autolocator (MEMO/LOC 1 and 2 and R TZ) lets the tape STOP at, or PLA Y from preset points. ∑ REPEA T 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 ex[...]

9 T ape Speed and T rack 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 especia[...]

10 Accidental Erase/Record Protection T o 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 MKIII 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 t[...]

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 unconnected. The signal is automatically taken to both the 7 and 8 cha[...]

13 Recorder Controls RECORD FUNCTION 1-4 : These control which track(s) will be recorded when the master RECORD and the PLA Y key is pressed, and choose where the signal to be recorded is coming from. œ 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 le[...]

Input connections Powering on Headphone connection Routing inputs Let’ s try the 424 MKIII mixer T o 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. 1 . Have to hand a dynamic micr ophone and [...]

Panning Channel level Master level Monitor selection TRIM adjustment Listening level 6. T urn the channel 1 P AN control all the way to the left. 7. Raise the channel fader to "7" on the scale. 8. Raise the MASTER fader to "7". 9 . Set the MONITOR SELECT LINE OUT switch to the left (L-R) position. 10 . While speaking into the mi[...]

Resetting the counter Selecting tracks Mic level adjustment Beginning to record Stopping recording Putting track into "Safe" 4 . Press the COUNTER RESET switch, so you can use the R TZ (Return-T o-Zero) function to get back to this point. 5 . Set the RECORD FUNCTION switch for TRK 1 to its BUSS L position. The REC "1" indicator [...]

Switching T APE CUE on Monitor selection Locating tape to zero Begin to play Listening level adjustment Routing tape signals to T APE CUE Stop play T rack 1 playback through T APE CUE 1. Set the EFFECT 2/T APE CUE selection switch located below the LEVEL control to the right/T APE CUE position. 2 . Slide the MONITOR SELECT LINE OUT switch to the ce[...]

19 Routing input Panning Channel 1 level Master level Monitor selection Locating tape to zero T rack selection Record level adjustment (TRIM) How to make an overdub on track 2 Overdubbing entails recording one or more additional tracks on the same tape, while listening to previously recorded tracks using T APE CUE. Leave the microphone connected to[...]

20 How to record tracks 3 and 4 How to record many sources onto a single track 9. Hold RECORD and press PLA Y to initiate recording. The REC "2" indicator that was blinking will turn on solid, indicating track 2 is now being recorded. 10. Y ou will hear track 1 play , together with the new signal going to track 2, in the headphones. NOTE:[...]

21 How to record a mix onto two tracks simultaneously œ Set the P AN control of each channel to the same setting, for example : In this example, all instruments plugged into channels 1-4 will be recorded onto T rack 1 or 3. If you want to record multiple sources onto two tracks, you use the channel P AN controls to send them to LEFT or RIGHT (or a[...]

22 Recording on more than two tracks simultaneously : DIRECT ∑ Set the MONITOR SELECT LINE OUT switch to L-R or MONO, and set the EFFECT 2/T APE CUE switch to T APE 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 switch[...]

23 Connections Master level Monitor source Routing inputs Playback level How to mix down 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 L[...]

24 Review Record level 8. When the signal balance, level, and tonality sound right, rewind the tape, and press PLA Y again to check the result. 9 . 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. 10. Press PLA Y on the 424 MKIII. 11[...]

25 Using Memory Location P oints MEMO 1 MEMO 2 Establishing new MEMOs Recalculation of MEMOs Checking MEMO points Erasing Loading MEMO points T wo autolocation points can be established in the 424 MKIII'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 cur[...]

26 T o zero T o MEMO 1 T o MEMO 2 Auto play Locating the tape Press the R TZ 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 fo[...]

27 Repeat Pla y Operating procedure T o interrupt REPEA T sequence Note 1 Note 2 The REPEA T 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, and the higher point as the end. 1. Use MEMO IN and LOC 1 and LO[...]

28 PUNCH-IN or INSER T Recording Selecting in and out points "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 intact. The mixer settings should be exactly the same as they were during the original recording.[...]

29 Rehearsing Punch-in (Insert) recording Storing the punch-in and out points into memory Rehearsal and Auto In/Out Procedures Y ou 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[...]

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 automatic[...]

31 Manual Punch-in 8. Press the AUTO PUNCH switch. "RHSL" will turn off and "AUTO" will start blinking in the display . 9. Press PLA Y . 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 MK[...]

32 Using the remote footswitch (RC-30P) 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 on the rear panel of the 424 MKIII. 2. Check that the REC 2 indicator is blinking, and locate the tape to a point [...]

33 The recording capability of the POR T ASTUDIO 424 MKIII is not limited to four tracks. Y ou 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 reco[...]

34 6 . Use channel faders 1 through 3 to make any necessary level adjustments. Y ou may want to repeat this step several times to get the balance correct. 7. 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. 8 . Hold RECORD and press PLA Y . The REC 4[...]

Using Effects With the POR T ASTUDIO 424 MKIII 35 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 different effect units on the market, all with different controls, typ[...]

36 T o 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. T o hear reverb in the headphones but not record the reverb : Set the ASSIGN switch on the stereo channel being used for returning[...]

Problem Solution Old tracks are always recorded along Use the T APE CUE section instead of the with new material. main mixer for monitoring previous tracks. Make sure all mixer channel INPUT switches are in the OFF position except ones you are Recording is noisy . using. Also, increase the volume faders of the instruments themselves — the 424 MKI[...]

424 MKIII MIXER 1. POWER switch (on the rear panel): T urns the 424 MKIII on and off. 2. 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. 3. MIC/LINE INPUTS jacks, Balanced ([...]

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. T urn the control to the right to increase volume to the EFFECT 1 SEND jack. 12. EFFECT 2/TAPE CUE controls: These controls get their signal a[...]

42 424 MKIII RECORDER 29 . Cassette compartment door: T o 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.[...]

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 [...]

44 Autolocators 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. T ape counter: Displays the distance the tape has moved from a zero reference point selected by pr[...]

46 45 49 . CLEAR key: T urns off the REHEARSAL and AUTO PUNCH IN/OUT functions (pp.30-31). 5 0 . COUNTER RESET switch: This resets the COUNTER to "0000" so you can assign any point on the tape as a starting location. Pressing R TZ (#44) gets you back to that location. 5 1. REHEARSAL switch: Helps you rehearse a punch-in without erasing an[...]

47 Optional Accessories TZ-261 Cleaning Kit (Except U.S.) HC-1 Head Cleaner & RC-1 Rubber Cleaner (U.S.only) Head Demagnetizer RC-30P Remote Footswitch MIDI-T ape Synchronizer Cleaning the Heads and T ape Guides All heads and metal parts in the tape path must be cleaned after every 6 hours of operation, or before starting and after ending a rec[...]

49 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 during 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 compressio[...]

50 Specifications Mechanical Characteristics T ape: Compact Cassette (C-30 to 90), High-Bias (CrO 2 ) T rack Format: 4-track/4-channel Head Configuration: 4-channel record/play (permalloy) x 1 4-channel erase (ferrite) x 1 Motor: DC servo motor x 1 T ape Speed: Switchable two speeds: 9.5 cm/sec. (3-3/4 ips) and 4.8 cm/sec. (1-7/8 ips), ± 1% Pitch [...]

EFFECT 2 SEND/T APE CUE OUT (1/4" phone jack) Output Impedance: 100 ohms Nominal Output Level: –10 dBV (0.3 V) Minimum Load Impedance: 2k ohms T APE OUTPUT (RCA jack x 4) Output Impedance: 100 ohms Nominal Output Level: –10 dBV (0.3 V) Minimum Load Impedance: 2k ohms MONITOR OUTPUT (RCA jack x 2) Output Impedance: 690 ohms Nominal Output L[...]

52 419mm 115mm 51mm 4mm 357mm 351mm 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 is referenced to 1 V olt. Actual voltage levels are also given in parentheses (0.316 V for -10 dBV rounded off to 0.3 V). * dbx is a registered trade[...]

54 53 Bloc k Diagram[...]

55 Level Dia gram 424@$ TEA C CORPORA TION 3-7-3, Nakacho , Musashino-shi, T okyo 180-8550, Japan Phone: (0422) 52-5082 TEAC AMERICA, INC . 7733 T elegraph Road, Montebello , California 90640 Phone: (323) 726-0303 TEAC CANAD A L TD . 5939 Wallace Street, Mississauga, Ontario L4Z 1Z8, Canada Phone: 905-890-8008 Facsimile: 905-890-9888 TEAC MEXICO , [...]