i'm an ass (new to 8 track r-to-r recording).

[bert]

the VU meter shows signal going to channel one, BUT where do you have that signal routed?

AND, is there anyway of monitoring the actual signal going to tape, i.e. stereo buss meter?

[red cross]

Is the OUTPUT of your Fostex 8 track going back into the line/tape returns of your mixer? How can you hear what you have recorded if you're not monitoring the signal that's coming out from the tape machine?

[red cross]

Cedric, you're still being helluva vague about what you're doing. Does your Fostex have VU/LED meters that allow you to monitor what levels are being recorded into it? How many channels is your mixer? How exactly are you sending the signals from the mixer to the Fostex?

Go to the library, or do some research online about mixing boards, their various functions and signal flow. You won't be able to do much work (or have much fun) until you really understand whatcha doin. Best of luck!

[bigtoe]

did you unarm the track on the tape machine? sounds like you may have it still in input....only thing i can think of.

Mike

[red cross]

Do the VU meters jump when you are playing back the tape? If they aren't it means you're not recording any signal at all. Did you arm the track before recording?

[kayagum]

Dude-

You can't put a guitar straight into a line input. Well, you can, but you've got a major impedance mismatch going on, and your guitar signal will sound like a distant signal from the Galileo space probe, after it crashed and burned on Jupiter.

You need on of these:

* A direct box with an instrument input, XLR out into your XLR mic in mixer
*An outboard preamp with an instrument input, line out to mixer or straight to your Fostex.
* An amp simulator, which does instrument in, line out (SansAmp, Line6 Pod, etc.)
* A guitar pedal with major extra juice (meaning, the volume boost is pretty major, on the order of ZVex SHO).

Good luck!

[red cross]

a distant signal from the Galileo space probe, after it crashed and burned on Jupiter.

Actually that sounds pretty damn cool. That's not what a guitar plugged straight into a mixing board sounds like to me though. "Shit", I find, is the more appropriate description.

[kayagum]

Of course, if you want the sound of the Galileo probe as it was plowing through the Jovian atmosphere, my favorite is the ZVex Fuzz Factory with the stability knob all the way off. Dying battery, indeed!

Back on topic- several articles have come out in the guitar mag rags about recording guitar- go to your favorite corporate bookstore, and scan the magazine racks. You could do the guitar-->TS9-->tape trick that Black Rebel Motorcycle Club did, but you would need one helluva EQ box to fix that noise

[foley]

You should try a mic signal (test test 1-2) through a mic preamp and into the machine. Also - some mixing board's "ins" jack has a loop on it for effects plug ins (trs - tip sends the signal to the gear, ring sends in back?). That could be the problem. Make sure the cables going from the ins jack to the machine are unplugged when you are listening back. Also, make sure you have switched the track from "record" (or whatever) to "playback". I've made that mistake plenty of times, and I think I actually started de-cabling the machine once before I realized I was an idiot who only needed to flick a switch.

Good luck! This is frustrating stuff ... but worth it!

mf

[lobstman]

1. Is the output of your deck set to "Input"? If so, try "Repro".

2. Is the track still armed (Bigtoe already mentioned this, but I'll say it again)?

3. For playback, you're going into the channel line in, not the insert- correct?

PS- you're not an ass. Everybody on this board was once where you are.
Good luck, bro.