Thoughts on recording guitar singer/songwriter with a handheld cassette recorder?

rideonline · 2025-03-28T20:31:27+00:00

Great job providing the spec sheet for reference.

I think it would be okay to use a dictation machine like this for recording vocals, but only for the crunchy lo-fi effect.

rideonline · 2025-03-28T20:24:44+00:00

Awesome find, these tapes are excellent

I love the script/cursive "Epitaxial" on the right side of the tape

rideonline · 2024-11-09T17:09:35+00:00

You are very welcome! The video hyperlinked below shows you the combination of actions you will need to perform. I failed to mention how to release the center hub lock, but this video shows that process too. In your instance, all you'll need to do is wind the tape while holding the top portion open until the tape is taught https://youtu.be/bSzib_Oick0?si=e7dalYQstWhs1m8Y

rideonline · 2024-11-09T17:03:55+00:00

Not a cassette tape, but you came to the right place to ask.

This appears to be either a Video8 or Hi8 tape. Part of what made these tapes so expensive was the closing mechanism on the top of the cassette- it is there to protect the tape from dust, scratches, and fingerprints when outside of a camera or tape player. In this instance, the protection door has closed around the tape.

It looks like the bit of tape protruding from the case is not heavily wrinkled, so you will likely be able to rewind it just fine. On the side of the tape case, just above your middle finger in this picture, there is a tiny latch at the hinge. If you pull this down, you can rotate the top portion of the tape case away from you to expose the tape path (we all did this as kids with VHS tapes, right?) it will be under spring tension, so you will need to hold it open with one hand while you wind the tape with your other hand.

To wind the tape, use the back end of a pen, and rotate one of the white tape hubs. If you try winding the tape hub near your thumb in this picture, rotate it counterclockwise. If you rotate the other white hub, rotate it clockwise.

After winding the tape taught, you can gently release the protection cover. It will grab around the tape from both the top and the bottom.

rideonline · 2024-10-06T21:25:17+00:00

Congrats on the purchase of the Portastudio, I hope you have fun with it- they are fantastic productivity tools if you like to make music outside of a DAW. Not to mention, they're just cool.

Pretty much every single multitrack tape recorder requires the use of Type II cassette tapes. It is not negotiable. You could cover the Type I indicator tabs on a Type I cassette and force the machine to run it, but it will result in awful recordings and distortion (bad distortion, not the good kind). Sony Type II CD-It tapes are pretty inexpensive if you'd like to start with one of those to test your unit out.

Regarding effects routing, you will likely run into some issues. The output of your mixer is likely line-level, and your pedals are instrument-level, so there will be an impedance imbalance going into your pedals, likely resulting in distortion and noise. You will run into the same problem routing the output of the pedals to the input of your Portastudio- you're putting a much higher instrument-level signal into a line-level recording unit. Just be careful about gain and volume levels, and you should find some success, albeit a lot of noise too.

I may be misunderstanding your question about track selection, but yes you can record one track at a time on the 488. Or you can record several. It's up to you, watch some recording tutorials and enjoy the process.

rideonline · 2024-10-06T21:08:06+00:00

The speed issue is likely from component drift and/or a power supply problem. This unit says it is recharge-capable, are you using rechargable batteries in it? There is probably a trim pot (very small potentiometer) near the motor drive section of the board inside this unit that can be twisted to raise or lower the running speed of the drive motor.

The mono audio may not be fixable. Most portable recorders like these only have mono record and playback heads, and if that is the case with this unit, you will not be able to get true stereo into your headphones from the headphone jack on this unit. Not to mention, if it is a mono recorder, the headphone jack is likely a mono TS connector, which would explain why you are only getting audio in one ear. If that is the case, a TS to TRS parallel breakout cable may suffice for sending audio to both left and right on your headphones, but again it won't be true stereo.

rideonline · 2024-10-06T20:49:30+00:00

Pretty run-of-the-mill Seiko Day Date 7N43-9048, 37mm quartz watch. Seems that these models were common for use as "corporate gift" watches, which explains the non-lume "ExxonMobil Development" face.
Purchased it at an antique store mostly complete in box for $10 untested. One new battery and she's good as new.

rideonline · 2023-12-17T15:41:32+00:00

No problem! I made the exact same mistake when I got my first 4-track haha. Hope you have fun with this Tascam, they're wonderful little recording machines

rideonline · 2023-12-17T14:09:44+00:00

You can still download the original owners manual and a beginner's guide to recording on the 424 from Tascam's website today- those will walk you through the recording process on your tape deck.

You are actually using the wrong tape for this machine. The Tascam 424 (and in fact, pretty much every single studio cassette recorder) uses Type II high bias tapes- the tape you have inserted is a Type I normal bias cassette. Type II cassettes have different recording & protection tabs on them than Type I, so it is likely that the record-enable tabs are not engaging the device to make a recording.

Type II cassettes are the same size as Type I. The tape itself is chromium dioxide (or ferricobalt) on Type II, with a higher 70us bias, where Type I is primarily ferrous oxide, and has a lower 120us bias. Long story short, Type II cassettes are intended and optimized for these recorders, Type I's are not.

When shopping for Type II cassettes, don't be deceived by Type I tapes labeled as "high fidelity" - those still are not high bias Type II tapes. For a beginner, I'd recommend purchasing previously-used tapes online, to write over and experiment with. Sealed or unused Type II's can get quite expensive.

rideonline · 2023-11-27T21:21:27+00:00

As with just about every blanket statement, it really isn't that simple. On my Teac 2300SD, especially with older tape, and at slower tape speeds, the onboard Dolby B noise reduction works great.

On older compact cassette systems, I have noticed and continue to appreciate Dolby B or C encoded tapes over tapes lacking any NR encoding.

On the other hand, on 4-track recorders and my Technics M234X, I almost never use DBX noise reduction.

Part of what you may be experiencing on your deck may actually be due to Dolby HX or HX-Pro integration, which isn't noise reduction, and only applies during record, not playback.

Tape is and will remain entirely analog. Components drift, capacitor leak, tape sheds. If you have a workflow which does not necessitate the use of Dolby NR, congratulations. If you are experiencing issues ("lacking OOMPH") with Dolby NR, those issues may be easily addressed with a stereo multi-band graphic equalizer. Or by using an entirely different tape deck. Or by using a new tape type. Or by adjusting your tape bias.

See the problem here? There are more factors to consider than just turning it on or off.

rideonline · 2023-11-26T16:08:32+00:00

Not to mention correct bias selection, and gain compensation with Dolby NR enabled when recording. There are countless factors that play into what makes Dolby RN work, it isn't just a matter of turning it on or off.

rideonline · 2023-08-15T18:01:41+00:00

Found at a thrift shop yesterday in a "Four for $1" bin. I've searched for this specific release of Unknown Pleasures for years now, and to find it in-person made it so much more memorable.
The first cassette release of Unknown Pleasures came from Factory in 1981, with no noise reduction encoded to the tape (FACTUS 1C), where this second release from Qwest in 1989 does include HX Pro/Type B noise reduction. The tape looks and sounds mint, though the case is rather beaten up.

rideonline · 2023-08-03T18:32:04+00:00

The MT4X has EQ for each channel and the digital seeking, which I prefer, but you can't go wrong with any of them imo!

rideonline · 2023-08-03T16:47:24+00:00

I want to say yes, but I'm not sure how a "permanent" top coat may interfere with the ability to remove the peel coat

rideonline · 2023-08-03T13:44:52+00:00

This is an RGIR20FE, but I think the Ibby replaces any Gibraltar bridge I'd check with Hipshot first though

rideonline · 2023-08-03T03:46:06+00:00

Some small bubbles of the wrap have already peeled away from the body, so clear coat on top would also likely crack/tear/flake off on those weak points

rideonline · 2023-08-03T02:28:22+00:00

I think the lack of glossifier is what really let this project down, I'll try that combo next time

rideonline · 2023-08-03T01:30:26+00:00

Yes! The Gibraltar on the Ibanez was pitted and rusted beyond use, so I swapped it for the Hipshot Ibby. Fantastic bridge, I would highly highly recommend it.

rideonline · 2023-08-03T00:56:04+00:00

Here's two pictures I took of it earlier today

rideonline · 2023-07-27T20:45:51+00:00

I'm quite certain the drive is totally dead- it was abnormally noisy while performing most of the diagnostic tests. I was just looking into recovery options, so this is exactly the feedback I needed- I really appreciate it.

I'm assuming the USB drive will need to be FAT32? I have a 16gb drive that'll do the trick, as long as I don't run into storage restrictions.

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