using tape as a stage before PT

[poopdealer]

I would agree with you on that. I get different fidelity out of the sync head.

[johnny1000]

you want to take your signal off the repro head, which is delayed from the sync head, so everything that you cut together should all go through the 827. (You can line it up later, but then you won't have immediate playback and therefore lose a lot of the convenience of printing to PT as you go.)

You might play around with different bias settings and tape (456 at +6/185nw will sound different than +3, vs 499, etc) to tweeze different sounds. At gentler settings that machine can sound pretty transparent, and at more aggresive ones it'll balls up nicely. The super cool thing about the 827 in this application is that it can store settings so you can easily flip around and set in on a song by song basis.

One thing to think about as well, is that you probably want to get any non-linearities from over-biasing the tape (which can sound great) instead of overwhelming the input electronics (which sounds poopy, even on an 827).

[trodden]

thanks for the suggestions everyone. Yep, i planned on taking it from the repro head.

[Al_Huero]

I've got a 1-in 8-track machine that's currently out of service; but I've worked that way a bunch. Usually drum mics on the 8-track and the balance of instruments, scratch vox and whatever else straight into PTLE. The delay off the repro head isn't all that big a deal as PT has a "nudge" feature which you can set the number of samples on. Figure out the gap in samples between the record and repro heads, then set that as your nudge value. It's then just selecting the tape tracks and nudging them all back with a single click. With 24-tracks though you're lucky. Have fun!

[JohnDavisNYC]

the best way is to just track to fill up the tape, transfer into the computer, rewind, repeat... no need to use multiple reels, just do as many takes as you need/can, and then either dump them all while listening back, or dump only the one you know you need.... so much of the benefit of using tape is the workflow, not just using it as a big multiband compressor....

my .02

john

[xonlocust]

the best way is to just track to fill up the tape, transfer into the computer, rewind, repeat... no need to use multiple reels, just do as many takes as you need/can, and then either dump them all while listening back, or dump only the one you know you need.... so much of the benefit of using tape is the workflow, not just using it as a big multiband compressor....

my .02

john

+1

another thing a lot of bands don't think of - if you track down one-pass tape, it costs what 75-100/reel? whatever, it's one pass. you can sell that reel for what you paid after your session. whether you buy one reel, two reels, three. whatever. over the lifetime of the project, their net tape cost is zero. put that shit on a credit card, and sell it on tapeop or ebay once you're done with basics. if you 'rent' it from the studio, it's what 50$ never to be recouped?

or, you can buy new tape and still follow this line and basically make 1/2 your money back - effectively getting to use virgin tape on your session for the same cost as using one-pass. (if you're going to dump it all into the computer for mixing at the end of the day.) alternately, you as the engineer could do this (fronting the tape cost, so you always have a 'rental reel' for bands - and you've paid for the reel in a couple sessions).

anyway, even when i work that hybrid way, i'll leave everything on the tape machine while at the fancy studio and just get the takes on tape. fix everything that *needs* to be fixed then and there in punches. (noting the things that should be cleaned up in the computer later). i do the basics time as if it's a 100% analog record. then it's usually no big deal to do a transfer after the session (like a couple days after when the pressure's off before 'stage 2' starts). the studio may even cut you a great deal or not even charge if you come in on off hours as a thank you for bringing them business. and if not, it shouldn't take more than an hr anyway. don't even get it in your heads that you need to be stressing that part during basics. no overcomplication of multiple recording devices, enabling record in multiple places, etc. just concentrate on getting good takes, keeping the vibe up and mic placement and all the 'front end' stuff.

that's just what's comfortable for me - obviously there are 1000 ways to do this. i want to have as few variables that i can be responsible for fucking up during basic tracking. let the band fuck things up.

anyway, good luck & have fun!