Setting Up Analog 8 Track Tape with an Analog Mixing Console 

Thank you! I've made tons of videos about hybrid mixing even though I didn't know that what it was called when I started RU-vid. For me, it was just the way I worked after replacing my MCI tape machine with audio interfaces. I'll have to check out more of your videos. I answered a lot of questions on my videos as well. Usually they are questions about how a particular mixer will work for hybrid style mixing. I also use my console for tracking though and have it set up the same way I would have a tape machine. So I guess that's "hybrid tracking"? Lol! Thanks again!

Thanks For Sharing Bro Keep Up the Good Work on Hybrid mixing Concepts👍👍@@TwinCreekAudio

Thank you! Teac/Tascam definitely made very high quality consoles back when these were made. Honestly their newer products aren't half bad either. Most everything I've ever heard that was made by Tascam sounded quite good.

The next video I'm working on is using this setup as well. I'll continue to discuss connecting effects to inserts and Aux sends in the next videos. I do explain it some later in this video but will fully demonstrate in the next few videos. Thank you!

@@TwinCreekAudio same here, i gave up trying to use the 4 bus on the M-30. Wondering if its because I don't have all the send/rev slots jumped

@@Anetzell on these consoles that have access send and receive on RCA connections, the jumpers have to be there for the channel to pass signal. The M-35 doesn't have access patch points on the 4 buses I don't think. If the M30 has them on the buses, they likely need to be connected for them to work. I'd have to check the M30 manual to be sure though

Thank you! I'm glad the video helped.

@@TwinCreekAudio absolutely! Everything i needed to know was explained perfectly. I was hooking my soundcraft ghost to my audio interface which is 24 ch so I got a tape-style signal flow and it was precisely the info i needed.

Thank you! I haven't had as much time to make videos recently but I'm working on some new ideas and will be back soon!

@@TwinCreekAudio Hope to see more videos from you soon!! Thanks to your m-35 series we were able to connect and use ours :-)))

@@mindhaze7578 awesome! I'm really glad the videos helped.

Thank you! I love using my analog gear!

Usually I find them locally. Sometimes people donate things to me and I'll make some videos before donating to the next person. The M-35 came from a local music store called Sound Tech. It had been sitting in there on consignment for a long time before I decided to purchase it one day. I think it's the same console from a small studio where I recorded an album in the early '90s. I'm not sure if it's the exact same console but it's the same model and was found in the same city. The little Fostex I purchased on Reverb but it needed some work.

The concept of using the inserts is correct but in use, it really does not offer enough control over the signals. If the console has enough extra channels, you can use some to send to the recording device and the extra channels to receive from the recording device. I hope that helps. The inserts can work pretty well for sending to tape but then you have no control over the levels coming back.

@@TwinCreekAudio I thought that the return included in the insert would be before any of the board processing. That way, you could use faders, EQ, and panning in the board to manipulate the signal. So I'm thinking it would go console > insert send > recording device > external processing > insert return > console controls > 2-track output on board. Or would the return not offer enough of a signal boost? I'm very new to analog recording, so I am most likely just missing something, or maybe phrasing it in a weird way.

@@mctwishvonnoodles9793 it would mostly work but you would not have Independent control over the levels going to the recording device or coming back from it that way. The insert's position in the signal path might be different for different consoles too. I would check the manual but working that way would likely lead to a lot of headaches as it's really not a typical way of setting up an analog console. The inserts are for processing on each channel individually and really aren't meant to be a send and return, such as you'd find on a recording console to be be used with a recording device or tape machine. As I said before, it might work but it will be very frustrating and difficult in practice to use a setup like that. When people talk about using the inserts like a direct out, they usually won't be using the inserts return to hear the recorded signal but maybe doing it this way to record a live performance to separate tracks while using the mixer for the front of house or stage mix.

Thank you! Tascam made several 8 track cassette machines such as the 488, 488 MkII and 688 that had MiDI capabilities. Also the Syncassette which is the same Cassette 8 track without the mixer. Cassette tape is 1/8 of an inch however, so the quality will not be as good as the 1/4 R8 and it's not as good as 1/2" 8 track which is the same track width as the big 2" 24 track analog machines. If your looking for a more low bandwidth lo fi kind of sound, the cassette 8 track format might work OK for you but all tracks will have that sound instead of being able to choose between lo fi sounds and sound with more fidelity which can be good for contrast rather than everything in the mix sounding lo fi. You could record to 8 track cassette and then transfer to digital to add the things you want to sound cleaner though. They also make plugins that get that sound that would probably be less expensive than a tape machine, tape and maintenance. The Fostex R8 is definitely the smallest multitrack reel tape machine you can find and sounds very good. They cost a bit now but are really fun to use and sound really good for 1/4" tape. Maybe you could find a smaller mixer as well?

wow! Thank's for the quick answe mate! @@TwinCreekAudio I'll keep watching your channel!

@@raybossa Thank you! I will have more videos with tape machines coming soon.

what do you think of the type 2 cassettes (Tascam Master Studio 424)? @@TwinCreekAudio

I haven't used one very much. A friend of mine used to have one but I don't remember what it sounded like. As far as 4 track cassette, best to get one that runs at high speed on Chrome tape. My favorite is probably the Fostex 260. Some of the X series are pretty good. Also, Yamaha made a cassette 8 track and 4 tracks. I think the Tascam used dbx and Fostex used Dolby C which might be why I prefer the Fostex. I do like dbx on my 1/2" 16 track Tascam MSR-16. On that machine it sounds really good. My first multitrack was a Fostex X-30 4 track cassette. My second was a Tascam 488 cassette 8 track.

I'm not familiar with the Carvin 1640 but I used to own a Carvin MX2488. I have a lot of different snakes and cables I've collected but HOSA 1/4" to RCA should work fine with an 80-8. It's basically connected outputs from the console to inputs on the console. You can use either the subgroups outputs or direct outs(if your console has them) to feed the tape machine for recording. Then you need to run the 8 tape outputs back into the console in order to mix down what you record. It should be very similar to the setup in this video except your console may not have tape channels. In that case, you can use 8 channels for feeding the inputs and the other 8 for tape outputs returning to the console for mixing. The tape machine will usually pass the incoming signal to the output(input monitoring) so be careful not to assign the channels you are sending to the tape machine to the master LR to hear since the signal will be present on the other channels coming back from tape. In other words, he signal should only go to the master bus from either the main channel being recorded or the same channel returning from tape. Also, your 80-8 is designed with unbalanced line levels at -10. I'm not sure what the 1640 likes level wise but it's likely +4 so you'll have to keep the levels low going to the tape machine and boost the levels coming back from tape more to get good staging. They make level matching units you can buy as well. These are sometimes referred to as a bump box. Some consoles also have switches to change the line level to a tape machine. I hope that helps. I've made a lot of videos about setting up analog gear so hopefully there are more videos here on the channel that will help illustrate better than I can in a comment. Thanks for watching!

@@TwinCreekAudio Thanks Grady, The 1640 was used in a local theater here. I was the main board for a 2000 seat theater locally. I have other boards here, but that one does the job perfectly for my studio, hooked up to my EV PA system and through all the inputs of gear, from other reel to reel, Tascam Cassette Recorder, Digital Recorder, Turntable, CD player, and who knows what else.... LOL. I am old school, at 69 years old now, in good shape. play jazz and blues and fingerstyle guitar for 50 some years now. Back in the 70s I did work with live shows with local bands doing some sound work. I knew how to set em up and record to tape back then, but was a building contractor in my real life for 45 years. Now retired, I built a nice studio with all the goodies. From Grand Piano, Rhodes, 2 Synthesizers, 20 some guitars, basses, upright bass, and other instruments. Bands come in to rehearse here and love it. So expanding into being able to do the right thing with the recording end. Got lucky and found a half dozen 1/2 inch Master Tape for $125.. ($170 ea online!). Anyway, I have now watched a few of your videos.. Great job! Enjoy.. And thanks for your input and recommendations. Cheers! Oh, and I ordered two sets of 8 plug snakes. So I'll have both in and out covered in the room.

I wanna play those tapes

Just come up with which connections you need quick access to and connect then to a patchbay. Most like we would need an RCA type patch pay for this console. The direct outs, inserts and Aux(effects and cue) sends would be the main connections needed from the console along with possibly the subgroup outputs. The exact way you set up the patch bay would be up to you and your needs.