Transferring analog to digital....tascam tape to Zoomr16

[mojobone]

How many tracks are you trying to transfer?

Hi Mazz .....4 seperate anolog tracks....1 at a time...from the R/L output...to digital recorder{Zoom R16)
....upon completion of four transfers....try to line them up in the digital recorder to start at the same time and be in sync throughout so that I can clean them up with the post production features in the R16...

You know what'd be a whole lot easier than all that? Transferring all four tracks at once. Is this a cassette four-track or a reel to reel? It so happens, I've got a working Tascam cassette four track (424 MKII) that'll output on all four tracks at once, and I can't be the only guy that does. (in fact, I can't recall seeing a 4-track reel to reel that didn't have four simultaneous outputs, even ones that didn't have simul-sync, so it pretty much has to be a portastudio of some kind) Maybe you could rustle up a local 424II owner and offer to digitize his analog tracks for him, and do your transfers at the same time; wouldn't cost you a dime, jes' the time. The original recording speed matters less than you might think, cuz these old decks have either three or two speeds, one's double and one's half, so you can jes' pitch-shift the results an octave either way and fine-tune from there. (helps if you know the key of the song or recorded a tuning reference on your tapes, cuz some of these machines have a fine tuning knob on 'em-mine does) If you can't find somebody local, I could do the transfers for you, as long as there's not, like twenty hours' worth of tapes, heh.

[fret17]

How many tracks are you trying to transfer?

Hi Mazz .....4 seperate anolog tracks....1 at a time...from the R/L output...to digital recorder{Zoom R16)
....upon completion of four transfers....try to line them up in the digital recorder to start at the same time and be in sync throughout so that I can clean them up with the post production features in the R16...

You know what'd be a whole lot easier than all that? Transferring all four tracks at once. Is this a cassette four-track or a reel to reel? It so happens, I've got a working Tascam cassette four track (424 MKII) that'll output on all four tracks at once, and I can't be the only guy that does. (in fact, I can't recall seeing a 4-track reel to reel that didn't have four simultaneous outputs, even ones that didn't have simul-sync, so it pretty much has to be a portastudio of some kind) Maybe you could rustle up a local 424II owner and offer to digitize his analog tracks for him, and do your transfers at the same time; wouldn't cost you a dime, jes' the time. The original recording speed matters less than you might think, cuz these old decks have either three or two speeds, one's double and one's half, so you can jes' pitch-shift the results an octave either way and fine-tune from there. (helps if you know the key of the song or recorded a tuning reference on your tapes, cuz some of these machines have a fine tuning knob on 'em-mine does) If you can't find somebody local, I could do the transfers for you, as long as there's not, like twenty hours' worth of tapes, heh.

Hi Mojo...Yeah it's a tascam 4-track cassette with only L/R out.....It does have a speed knob that I'm sure I will be experimenting with during transfers.....Your four output solution, as Mark stated earlier, would definately be the best way to go...I also appreciate your offer to make the transfers but I've got about 30 years worth of cassette tape and over 150 songs to digitize....I plan to log my hours on the first attempt....if I achieve what I'm after within a reasonable time period, then I can work on the rest of my archive during periods of writer's block and at my leasure...there's no real hurry....I'd just like to get them sounding better and digitized for prosperity...If I can't clean them track for track, I'm going to do my best to see if the R16 can clean them up as a whole or 2 tracks send....at the very least, the songs will be off tape and digitized even if there's not much improvement....It's definately going to be a challenge, but one that will pay off in learning the R16....I hope

[Mark Kaufman]

Mojo's way is definitely best: one pass, with a track for every output and a track for every input. My trouble, as a solo guy with typical solo guy equipment, is that I can only route two inputs at a time into my interface.

[fret17]

Mojo's way is definitely best: one pass, with a track for every output and a track for every input. My trouble, as a solo guy with typical solo guy equipment, is that I can only route two inputs at a time into my interface.

Yeah that would be great..... This whole idea can be over in about a half hour....I'm not going to waste too much time...heck I can probably find a used 4 output casstte player on line for 50 bucks and do it right....I found an AM/FM casstte player for my car on line for 20 bucks!....I love Amazon and Ebay....going there now to see....I can hear my wife now..."You just got a new recorder!!!....Now you need an old one??? ha ha ha ...She's great....She'll get it for me too!...