I’m still using Reason like a glorified 4-track tape recorder.

[MrFigg]

Long time ago I used one of these:

BFF38539-2288-4B0B-8F96-C8328BB068D2.jpeg (108.08 KiB) Viewed 9966 times

I’ve still got it but now I don’t need it because I’ve got Reason. Up until now I’ve just been using Reason in pretty much the same way I used my MT120. Recently though I’ve been doing some songs with diminished and he knows about Mastering. I don’t. I don’t have a clue. All I know is that after he’s mastered a song it sounds a whole lot better. I guess it’d take a whole load of time and work to learn that art but it seems like it’s worth the effort.
The gist of this post is that I am still using Reason like a 4-track tape recorder. Anybody else?

Edit: just heard from diminished that I should change “mastering” to “mixing”. So it would appear I don’t know how to do that properly either hahahaha.

[DParris]

Yup. Here's my Yamaha 4-track. I still pull it out sometimes just for fun. It's starting to become unreliable, though.
Still, it gives me that excitement and sense of possibility. I've never grown tired of the magic of defeating time itself through multi-track recording.

yamaha.jpg (348.33 KiB) Viewed 9883 times

[MrFigg]

Yup. Here's my Yamaha 4-track. I still pull it out sometimes just for fun. It's starting to become unreliable, though.
Still, it gives me that excitement and sense of possibility. I've never grown tired of the magic of defeating time itself through multi-track recording.

yamaha.jpg

Yeah. Mine is unstable too. Despite being in its box for a long time. I dug it out to transfer some old 4-track tape I made 25 years ago into Reason. Managed to get it working long enough to do that. Pretty crackly pots. Sometimes sound output sometimes not. And I think the tape rollers may have dried out. Still looks cool though .

[brand]

Yeah, Tascam DP004 here. Which I still have and as far as I know, works fine. No effects. SD card. Then I got a Zoom R8, which is also good, SD card, and effects and such. I like those tape devices though. Those are cool. I'll sort of date myself, but back in the day my friend made "multi-track" recordings by have two little tape recorders. He'd record us, and then we'd play something else, and he'd play back the first tape at the same time. Worked pretty well. .
A hardware device is a very what would I say? organic way of working. The simplicity is nice. But a DAW is a different animal.

[EnochLight]

The gist of this post is that I am still using Reason like a 4-track tape recorder. Anybody else?

There's no "right way" nor "wrong way", just as long as you're being creative. Just use it however you need to in order to realize your ideas. If using it like a 4-track tape recorder works for you, then go for it!

[MrFigg]

The gist of this post is that I am still using Reason like a 4-track tape recorder. Anybody else?

There's no "right way" nor "wrong way", just as long as you're being creative. Just use it however you need to in order to realize your ideas. If using it like a 4-track tape recorder works for you, then go for it!

Hahaha. Yeah man. I know I know. Been doing unorthodox stuff since I started doing music (boring stuff too haha). Always learning. Always experimenting.

[MrFigg]

Actually if you’re reading this @EnochLight that’s the thing...it’s been working up until now but now I’m hearing my songs mixed “properly” and there’s a big difference. They sound much better. So I’m getting slightly frustrated and dissatisfied with what I’m producing.

[Yonatan]

Reason 11 intro, in the light of this, can be seen as a 16 tracks porta deluxe. Imagine if it was a hardware back in the days.

[MrFigg]

Reason 11 intro, in the light of this, can be seen as a 16 tracks porta deluxe. Imagine if it was a hardware back in the days.

When Reason 1.0 came along a friend offered me a cracked version. I had a look and couldn’t work it out so I gave it back. Then another friend offered me a legitimate version for free and I said no thanks as I figured it was way beyond me. It was Record which was the big eye opener for me. The porta deluxe. And that’s when I got Reason 4 . So glad I did.

[Yonatan]

Reason 11 intro, in the light of this, can be seen as a 16 tracks porta deluxe. Imagine if it was a hardware back in the days.

When Reason 1.0 came along a friend offered me a cracked version. I had a look and couldn’t work it out so I gave it back. Then another friend offered me a legitimate version for free and I said no thanks as I figured it was way beyond me. It was Record which was the big eye opener for me. The porta deluxe. And that’s when I got Reason 4 . So glad I did.

Oh, yes, Record + Reason 4 got me onboard too. Game changer, not for the music world off course, but for many of us who hesitated on going from hardware recording, to computer DAW. I used hardware Yamaha sequencer, MPC and Akai digital porta. Reason 4 (plus RDK2, RBass, Abbey Road, RPiano) and Record. Really inspiring. But inspiration is such a fleeting and unreliable thing. Sometimes expanding possibilities (new release of Reason, new real or virtual instrument or whatever tools) makes it click, and so many other times limitation is what brings out the best of us, having to create something from less, like a toy instrument and a cassette porta. So, thinking of Reason from the expectation of using a 4-track porta can be a fruitful way to value and get more out of it. I guess its a bit like ordinary basic food can taste better if out in the nature than at home.

[motuscott]

I've been using Reason as a five track recorder.

In the voice of Nigel Tufnel: "Because it's one extra."

[MrFigg]

I've been using Reason as a five track recorder.

In the voice of Nigel Tufnel: "Because it's one extra."

I’ve actually been using it as a 3-track recorder and bouncing to the 4th.

[hurricane]

Yeah. Mine is unstable too. Despite being in its box for a long time. I dug it out to transfer some old 4-track tape I made 25 years ago into Reason. Managed to get it working long enough to do that. Pretty crackly pots. Sometimes sound output sometimes not. And I think the tape rollers may have dried out. Still looks cool though .

This is a really easy fix. Go buy some Deoxit, take the knob pots off and spray some D into each pot, then give them all a twirl for about 10 seconds each. Do the same to the output knob. The crackly pots will uncrackle themselves.

As for the hard tape rollers - take a small, coarse nail file and use it strip off the outer layer of hard rubber. Then wipe it down with alcohol (some people say not to use alcohol but don't listen to them).

I've fixed tons of tape decks this way. It works. Mine is working flawlessly:

hrtascam4.jpg (81.86 KiB) Viewed 9541 times

[MrFigg]

Yeah. Mine is unstable too. Despite being in its box for a long time. I dug it out to transfer some old 4-track tape I made 25 years ago into Reason. Managed to get it working long enough to do that. Pretty crackly pots. Sometimes sound output sometimes not. And I think the tape rollers may have dried out. Still looks cool though .

This is a really easy fix. Go buy some Deoxit, take the knob pots off and spray some D into each pot, then give them all a twirl for about 10 seconds each. Do the same to the output knob. The crackly pots will uncrackle themselves.

As for the hard tape rollers - take a small, coarse nail file and use it strip off the outer layer of hard rubber. Then wipe it down with alcohol (some people say not to use alcohol but don't listen to them).

I've fixed tons of tape decks this way. It works. Mine is working flawlessly:



hrtascam4.jpg

That’s brilliant man. Thanks. I actually just bought a can of contact spray for a crackly pot in my bass so I’ll get spraying. Good tip for the roller. I always thought you should never put alcohol near rubber (uh...) but I’ll take your word for it and give it a try. Thanks for the help .

[Yonatan]

Cassette band is a very "bad" technique. Especially the weird way the band change in pitch and then speed fluctuations snd then the terrible hiss and noise floor. One have to record really saturated levels and higher speeds to get something decent. BUT, now when also having clean DAWs, this badness can be a nice effect machine, and nice ways to work with as shaper in sound design.
Still have an old Yamaha 8 track cassette porta. 8 track on such thin band is not optimal, but still the saturation is really doing something good to some sounds.
A 16" or 8" tape reels would be lovely but the tapes are so expensive and costy to serve.

Cleaning the head is needed. I have an old de-magnetizer, and alcohol with tops. But I heard de-magnetizers for consumers are not allowed to be sold nowadays, at least in Sweden.

[DParris]

One have to record really saturated levels and higher speeds to get something decent. BUT, now when also having clean DAWs, this badness can be a nice effect machine, and nice ways to work with as shaper in sound design.
.

In addition to the saturation, which is great, my 4-track machine has a built-in limiter that's always on. It clamps down in this really creamy way. Honestly though, I can get Pulverizer's compressor to do a pretty similar thing. Pulverizer's attack is slower, but the weird narrowing of the bandwidth and distortion artifacts are very reminiscent.

[selig]

There are special cleaners for rubber that won't dry it out like alcohol does. Alcohol works in a pinch, and for a little while, but in the long run there are better cleaners for rubber parts that need to stay "rubbery" and "grippy".

If you really want to get it back to spec, it may be worth taking it in for a full "checkup".

BTW, the compressors in cassette recorders work in most cases without running tape - many producers I know work with little cassette recorders on the floor next to drum kits, with a line out feeding a recorder (in addition to the main microphones).

[DParris]

BTW, the compressors in cassette recorders work in most cases without running tape - many producers I know work with little cassette recorders on the floor next to drum kits, with a line out feeding a recorder (in addition to the main microphones).

Good to know! I've run signal through mine without the tape deck recording to take advantage of the EQ circuits (they're nothing special, but it was fun). I hadn't thought of trying to trigger the compressors.
I assume the trick you're talking about is kind of a New-York-style drum crush thing?

[ShelLuser]

Love your post Figg!

I’ve still got it but now I don’t need it because I’ve got Reason. Up until now I’ve just been using Reason in pretty much the same way I used my MT120.

I learned something new this evening (thanks!) because I had no idea that this stuff existed. Sure it makes sense when looking back but...

Seriously: when looking at that screenshot of yours I think the Props (I know, I know) should consider putting this into a RE of some sort. Of course looks aren't everything and we can already sample stuff on the fly... But I'd be interested in a device which looked like that, just from its looks alone.


Apologies for going slightly offtopic but... when looking at that screenshot again. How cool would it be if the Props (bite me ) would allow the community to design the look of their latest RE? I mean; not every device supports backdrops so it might be cool to get some kind of competition going.

[Popey]

Actually if you’re reading this @EnochLight that’s the thing...it’s been working up until now but now I’m hearing my songs mixed “properly” and there’s a big difference. They sound much better. So I’m getting slightly frustrated and dissatisfied with what I’m producing.

By any chance is the song you are talking about called the test as I quite like it. I did find myself singing the lyrics to daft punk's get lucky to the intro though (this is not a bad thing in my opinion)

[MrFigg]

Actually if you’re reading this @EnochLight that’s the thing...it’s been working up until now but now I’m hearing my songs mixed “properly” and there’s a big difference. They sound much better. So I’m getting slightly frustrated and dissatisfied with what I’m producing.

By any chance is the song you are talking about called the test as I quite like it. I did find myself singing the lyrics to daft punk's get lucky to the intro though (this is not a bad thing in my opinion)

Yeah. The Test. Also Sleep Deprivation. Diminished is very talented. Glad you like our song

[diminished]

Oooh, hidden compliments buried in a thread. I like!

On the topic: I hope the frustration turns back into enthusiasm and ambition one day, because the way you feel basically means the beasts are already waiting, you just have to unleash them. Mixing and all that jazz is just another step in the songmaking-DIY-chain and it's worth nothing (!) without good source material. So whatever part of this process from idea to finished song you want to tackle and master in the future, under all circumstances keep making those 4-track tapes.
I sound like a broken record by now, but my offer for a mixing livestream still stands and all the tools you need to go beyond "4-track" are already there my friend.

[MrFigg]

Oooh, hidden compliments buried in a thread. I like!

On the topic: I hope the frustration turns back into enthusiasm and ambition one day, because the way you feel basically means the beasts are already waiting, you just have to unleash them. Mixing and all that jazz is just another step in the songmaking-DIY-chain and it's worth nothing (!) without good source material. So whatever part of this process from idea to finished song you want to tackle and master in the future, under all circumstances keep making those 4-track tapes.
I sound like a broken record by now, but my offer for a mixing livestream still stands and all the tools you need to go beyond "4-track" are already there my friend.

I know man. Thanks. (Again ).

[Popey]

By any chance is the song you are talking about called the test as I quite like it. I did find myself singing the lyrics to daft punk's get lucky to the intro though (this is not a bad thing in my opinion)

Yeah. The Test. Also Sleep Deprivation. Diminished is very talented. Glad you like our song

Sleep deprivation is a cool track too and the guitar reminded me of Santana at times which is high praise indeed. With regard to mixing don't be too hard on yourself as most people have self doubt and are hyper critical of their own work. I still recall mixing an artists work for free due to this doubt (thinking it would give me experience) and then said artist asked if they could pay me to mix/master their other songs. They and others liked what I was doing it was just me down on myself due to self doubt.

[MrFigg]

Yeah. The Test. Also Sleep Deprivation. Diminished is very talented. Glad you like our song

Sleep deprivation is a cool track too and the guitar reminded me of Santana at times which is high praise indeed. With regard to mixing don't be too hard on yourself as most people have self doubt and are hyper critical of their own work. I still recall mixing an artists work for free due to this doubt (thinking it would give me experience) and then said artist asked if they could pay me to mix/master their other songs. They and others liked what I was doing it was just me down on myself due to self doubt.

Santana? Thankyou. Now I’m all humble. You’re very kind.