There’s more to recording synths and sound modules than meets the eye. If you’ve ever tried to record a song using a keyboard or sound module to simulate acoustic instruments, you already know this. I wanted to share these alternative keyboard related recording techniques with anyone interested who is looking for ways to make their sound more unique. I hope this presentation serves useful.
Your videos are so helpful for newbies like myself. Your descriptions are clear and your step-by-step methodology is excellent. Thank you for taking the time to produce and share such professional tutorials like this.
I love the videos... you're like an amalgamation of Mr. Wizard, Neil Degrassi Tyson & Herbie Hancock. Good work, I really appreciate the jewels of information.
I just watched the video you did on Mastering, you said that the first thing to do is route it's and outs, what did mean, and is this covered in the manual?
Yes, it's covered in the manual. For more information on what it means and how to do it, watch my presentation "Tascam DP24/DP32 Digital Portastudio: Assigning Inputs" on this channel.
I purchased the DP24SD so that I would have more track available, I was previously using a Tascam 244 Portastudio that I bought in 1985. I still intend to record as if I had a new 24 track tape deck. No MIDI this or that. I have a couple of keyboards, poly synth and an electric piano. The poly synth I want to use as an organ or other keyboard instruments, not a sax or bass or trumpet, you get where I am going here. If I want a trumpet< I will play he trumpet, if I want a flute, I will have my daughter play the flute etc. My question is, how do I record my keyboards as keyboards, no other external components?
If I'm understanding your question as intended, this is simple to do. Plug in your keyboard outputs to the any of the 8 DP inputs. Assign your keyboard inputs to the tracks you desire, arm those tracks (for recording), set your levels, and start recording. Thanks for watching and sharing. 👍🏿
How would you suggest, dumping a keyboard sequencer into a Dp-32. Cause I’d also be doing vocals on the the recorder. Is this possible and do I have enough tracks? Great Video btw.
My suggestion is to treat your sequenced keyboard tracks just as you would a like a live band. Use your keyboard to sub-mix the sequenced tracks and route all of those tracks to separate outputs on the keyboard for as much separation as possible. You may need to double up on some tracks based on how many there are. Connect all of the keyboard outputs to the DP-24s A-H inputs, set your levels and record. Again, use your keyboard as the sub-mixer here and try to get your levels right because once you print these tracks that’s it. The good news is since your tracks are sequenced you can go through several test runs to get it right. Afterwards, you can add your vocals on the DP-24. I hope this suggestion helps. Thanks for watching. 👍🏿
It's me again, and this is great for me as a novice to the DP24sd, I am going to try this out with my Roland D 50. I have a question about how do I export to my Imac a finished song, I just want to get the finished song off the deck and onto my computer to send out and not separate tracks to the people waiting for the finished product.
When looking to export your finished product from the unit, think of the DP-24 as a USB drive. First, connect a USB cable from the back of the DP-24 to your PC using a mini-B-type USB 2.0 cable. Make sure the DP-24 is stopped. Press the MENU button. Cursor to the “USB” tab. Push the button under “YES” (or F2 I believe) to go into USB mode. On your PC, invoke the Windows “File Explorer” application. The DP-24 will appear in your Windows “File Explorer” as an external drive named DP-24 on your computer's screen. Clicking on the DP-24 drive in your Windows “File Explorer” will display its MUSIC, UTILITY, and AudioDepot folders. All MASTERED files are created as .WAV files and will be located in the “Song Name” folder inside of the MUSIC folder (MUSIC/SONG NAME/). Navigate to that folder. Right Click and select “COPY” on your mastered song name in this folder, and paste it to a file directory on your Local PC. Done. This method will work with Windows XP, Vista, 7, and 10. You can also export files using MAC OS X 10.2 or later. I hope this helps.
@@PowercoatMusic I'll give it a try and thanx so much for getting back so quick, I'm learning a great deal from your videos and you teach real well, not boring and easy to understand. I think I'll call you Teach! hahahhahahahha
is this an all in one production unit or is it just for mixing editing and mastering your song ...I was thinking about purchasing and also where do you get the manual for this product as they do not have it at Sweetwater
Sweetwater does sell the SD version of this unit. Search on Sweetwater's website for "Tascam DP-24SD". You can download a copy of the PDF from Tascam Here: tascam.com/downloads/products/tascam/dp-24_dp-32/e_dp-24sd_om_vc.pdf
This was very informative. I never knew half of this stuff you mentioned. I just got the Tascam dp-24 for my music videos, so your advice helps alot. I have a couple questions. When you say to route an acoustic synthesizer sound to a stereo track pair and record it to an assigned mono track, are you saying to input it as a stereo track but somehow select a mono track to record it to? I'm kind of confused, as I don't have a good understanding of the terminology, and I still have to figure out how to use the dp-24. Also, what would your advice be in recording vocals? And I have another question. What is compressing sounds when recording? Would that be like adding an mp3 recording to a track, or are you talking about something else? I appreciate your feedback.
To answer your question, yes you can assign a stereo synth to a mono track if you need to based on your production requirements. Also, check out the DP Playlist on this channel if you have not already. Lots of good information there including how to record vocals with the unit. For more info on compressors, watch my video "Alesis 3630 Compressor Limiter with Gate: Why and How I Use It" on this channel. I hope this helps and thanks for watching. 👍🏿
@@PowercoatMusic Okay, thanks. I will be sure to check them out. I found another one of your tutorials on recording vocals, but you don't address whether it is best to record vocals as mono or stereo tracks. Which would you advise is best when recording vocals? I also have another question about the DP24 in general. I heard it uses an SD card to save the track recordings. Do you know if it's in mp3 format? I wonder, because I use computer software to edit and mix down my songs. I do multiple takes of each part, and then piece each part together using the software. Usually, I start with editing the piano part. And once that part is perfected, I would put that finished mp3 file on a player for me to record the next part along with. Is it possible to put an exported mp3 file onto the DP24 to be used as playback, or does it have to be recorded onto it somehow?
@@PowercoatMusic Oh, I just read one of your replies to someone else on here, and you say they are saved as wav files, which is fine, since I can also export my finished parts as wav files. But I still ask the same question if I can put the exported wav files onto the DP24 from the computer?
Actually you can export your song and or individual tracks at any time during your recording process. Check out my video, “Tascam DP24/DP32 Digital Portastudio: Importing and Exporting Tracks” on this channel for more information. Wishing you the all the best.
Hi , I use cubase with a mac but find all the possibilities distracting , all the plugins and stuff distracts from me finishing songs , so I was thinking of going to an hardware multitrack to concentrate on writing instead of messing around , do you think in 2021 this dp24 is still a good choice ? , thanks for the videos , very helpful
Your frustrations echo with so many musicians who have had the same issues using DAWs in the past. DAWs are clearly not for everyone. Yes, I believe the DP-24 is a great choice in 2021 for folks who are looking to get back to a simpler and productive way of recording their music. If you have not already, check out the DP-24 Playlist on this channel. Lots of good information there about the unit. Thanks for watching and sharing. 👍🏿
@@PowercoatMusicthanks , I am working my way thru your videos , the problem is you get this DAW and suddenly you have the world at your finger tips and access to stuff that real studios could only dream of not that long ago , but it does get in the way of creativity and all those hours staring at the screen twiddling with a mouse..!!!! You don't feel like your creating anything any more , just editing and moving notes around and hardly playing any instrument ..I used to use a vestax 4 track tape machine years ago and if you didn't get it right you went back and kept doing it again till it was right..it made you a better musician and helped with timing , now you just think I'll move them notes later...unfortunately all this technology has made it all a bit boring...thanks again..
@@theblackcountrybandit1430 I don't know if you found what you were looking for but something that works for a lot of people is to record using a Hardware Multitrack recorder and only use the DAW for adding finishing touches like compression or effects. That way you can focus on getting your best performance and leave the distracting minor details for later.
@@gilbertotoledo1421 I use the Tascam like this myself. But I can definitely do a complete song on it without the computer and get a fantastic mixed and mastered recording.
