home recording techniques

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A.David.MacKinnon
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Re: home recording techniques

Post by A.David.MacKinnon » Wed Nov 22, 2017 7:35 am

I've got the same machine and use it for tons of writing demos and often start basic tracking on it too. Hitting the tape really hard will give you dirt and some tape compression, you'll also get some compression artifacts from the Dbx noise redux. That could be good or bad depending.
Bouncing stuff down will also add dirt. Again, that could be good or bad. Bouncing down really hot can change the sound of the material pretty drastically.
One of the things that I've really noticed with the 488 is that it sounds best if you use as little of the internal electronics as possible. I use external pre amps into the two stereo inputs and mix in a real board. The results still have the lo fi thing happening but sound much heftier and more 3D.

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A.David.MacKinnon
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Re: home recording techniques

Post by A.David.MacKinnon » Wed Nov 22, 2017 7:35 am

I've got the same machine and use it for tons of writing demos and often start basic tracking on it too. Hitting the tape really hard will give you dirt and some tape compression, you'll also get some compression artifacts from the Dbx noise redux. That could be good or bad depending.
Bouncing stuff down will also add dirt. Again, that could be good or bad. Bouncing down really hot can change the sound of the material pretty drastically.
One of the things that I've really noticed with the 488 is that it sounds best if you use as little of the internal electronics as possible. I use external pre amps into the two stereo inputs and mix in a real board. The results still have the lo fi thing happening but sound much heftier and more 3D.

kslight
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Re: home recording techniques

Post by kslight » Wed Nov 22, 2017 8:10 am

Well if the 488 sounds anything like the 688, it probably actually sounds pretty decent.

I would start by utilizing ping ponging, bad gain staging, dynamic vs condenser mics, using only a couple mics on drums, maybe different bias cassettes, etc...

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Re: home recording techniques

Post by vvv » Thu Nov 23, 2017 11:27 am

A.David.MacKinnon's is, of course, in stereo.

:twisted:

(Just funnin' ya, mang.)
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A.David.MacKinnon
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Re: home recording techniques

Post by A.David.MacKinnon » Thu Nov 23, 2017 5:51 pm

vvv wrote:
Thu Nov 23, 2017 11:27 am
A.David.MacKinnon's is, of course, in stereo.

:twisted:

(Just funnin' ya, mang.)

Panned mono. Never stereo.

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A.David.MacKinnon
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Re: home recording techniques

Post by A.David.MacKinnon » Thu Nov 23, 2017 5:53 pm

Hard to believe that even after the board reboot I still can't figure out how to delete a double post.

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Re: home recording techniques

Post by vvv » Thu Nov 23, 2017 7:38 pm

I'm not sure ya can.

I usually just erase the fecund, type in, "double post" or some such.

Better yet, do a third and ya can be L-C-R.

:twisted:
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Re: home recording techniques

Post by Matt C. » Fri Nov 24, 2017 12:30 pm

try using really "bad"/unusual mic placement for everything. and yeah turn the gain on the recorder up way too high.

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Re: home recording techniques

Post by Magnetic Services » Fri Nov 24, 2017 3:05 pm

Matt C. wrote:
Fri Nov 24, 2017 12:30 pm
try using really "bad"/unusual mic placement for everything. and yeah turn the gain on the recorder up way too high.
This! Also, a lot of what we call "lo-fi" records were one-dynamic-mic-on-everything kinda deals, so that could help get you there.

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A.David.MacKinnon
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Re: home recording techniques

Post by A.David.MacKinnon » Sat Nov 25, 2017 8:57 pm

Magnetic Services wrote:
Fri Nov 24, 2017 3:05 pm
Matt C. wrote:
Fri Nov 24, 2017 12:30 pm
try using really "bad"/unusual mic placement for everything. and yeah turn the gain on the recorder up way too high.
This! Also, a lot of what we call "lo-fi" records were one-dynamic-mic-on-everything kinda deals, so that could help get you there.
Totally. To me the whole lo fi thing equals " I have these 3 pieces and I'm going to use the shit out of them"

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Re: home recording techniques

Post by logancircle » Mon Nov 27, 2017 8:05 am

I'm sure you know this already, but this is not "slamming to tape" in the usual usage of that term. I love recording on cassette 4-tracks, and often leave the hiss in the final master, because why not! Having to ping-pong also gets one better at arranging.
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