four track recorders: just what exactly can it do, will it do it all?

Question

I'm looking to do just simple vocals and a few instruments, but I had always fooled with Boss BR-8 tracks, which were digital. I want the bare minimals, and would just like to invest in an uncostly 4-track. My only question is the performance and the directions to their use.

1- Will I be able to definitely overlay those four tracks, one after the other, on a single cassette, i.e., a "master"?

2-If so, how exactly does the machine DO this? How can it allow me to sing in the first track, then record a guitar track, all on the same tape, without deleting the first track-

my brain is still stuck in stereoland with simple cassette and record players where once you record over one piece of music, it's gone forever. You know, "to tape over", and such.


Is that what the four track will do for me? Allow me to layer and layer with the first track still playing so I can get my counts and timing percise?

THANKS!

Answer 1

I had an 8 track cassette recorder and I hated it. On mine you needed one of those cassettes with the headphone ouput and that somehow made it record the tracks over each other and such. If it's truly a four track and not an 8 track with only 4 channels then you record track a on channel 1, then track b on channel 2, then bounce them to channel 1 (meaning set the level, hit record and now channel one has everything you recorded and no longer editable) you can repeat this process infinate times losing quality in the process. Also, I didn't have a way to compress my tracks so I could never get it very loud.

Long story short, I wouldn't waste my time on a cassette 4/8 track unless it was under $20. Digital is way easier (not better quality nessecarily but definately easier.)

E-mail me if you have more questions.

Answer 2

Yes. It uses the four tracks (side A left & right + side B left & right) at the same time. You can't flip the tape! So it has one head that really consists of 4 recording a 4 playing mono heads of which only those you turn on are active. So, you can't record twice on the same channel & expect both takes to be there, but you can fill 3 channels, mix them down to the 4th, add 2 more, mix that all down to one... the problem with the tape you'll discover that way is that it adds noise, so the more times you create those sub-mixes, the worse you recordning will be.

Answer 3

The four track allows you to record one track at a time while protecting the tracks you have already recorded. You can actually make some pretty descent recordings with one.