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Table of Contents
Related Manuals for Tascam 488 PORTASTUDIO
Summary of Contents for Tascam 488 PORTASTUDIO
- Page 1 TASCAM TEAC Professional Division 5700123804...
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Page 2: Table Of Contents
Table Of Contents Using Effects with the PORTASTUDIO 488 33-34 Safety Instructions Setting effect send levels Introduction Setting the output level of effect devices The Recording System Setting the mix/balance control The three steps to multitrack on effect devices Understanding the Mixer How to connect your effects devices Signal flow in the 488 mixer Recording with TAPE SYNC... -
Page 3: Safety Instructions
Safety Instructions CAUTION: 13. Cleaning — The appliance should be cleaned only as recom¬ mended by the manufacturer. • Read all of these instructions. • Save these instructions for later use. 14. Power Lines — An outdoor antenna should be located away •... -
Page 4: Introduction
(like PAN). Transport allowed TASCAM to earn its reputation in modes and some features are described with an professional audio production fields, and its upper case first letter (like Record mode). -
Page 5: The Recording System
The Recording System additionally need these: Input devices The PORTASTUDIO 488 is a complete audio (microphones, instruments). Output devices production facility in a single box. It is divided (headphones), 2-track recorder, Effects into two major sections: a full-function mixer and processors, etc. -
Page 6: The Three Steps To Multitrack
The Three Steps to Multitrack The diagram below depicts how signals from equipment connected to the 488 can be routed. In TRACKING and Overdubbing, the mixer inputs are usually microphones or instruments, going IC. different tracks of the recorder. In OVERDUBBING, the MONITOR section and TAPE CUE of the mixer must be used to listen to previous tracks while you record new ones, so... -
Page 7: Understanding The Mixer
Understanding the Mixer Signal Flow in the 488 mixer The illustration below shows how the input OUT jacks and the multitrack recorder (not signal passes through the 488 Mixer section. shown). This is the most important signal route After the MASTER faders they go to the GROUP in the mixer and is called "Main Mix". -
Page 8: Cue Monitor System
Cue Monitor System The five MONITOR Source switches choose The CUE mix and MONITOR switches are also which mix(es) you can hear in the PHONES - the crucial for successful multitrack recording, CUE mix, and any of the four GROUPS. You press because they control what you hear in the the applicable GROUP switch to hear what you headphones. -
Page 9: Multitrack Cassette Recorder
• The tape speed can be increased or decreased band between music and sync tone tracks with the PITCH CONTROL dial in both because of the low crosstalk of the TASCAM playback and record, to match pitch or for heads. - Page 10 Tape Length Tapes recorded on stereo cassette recorders will Use the shortest possible tape for a given work. not playback properly on the 488 because of the It is not unusual to play a tape 100 times before differences in the track format and tape speed. you are finished, so select a cassette length that For the same reasons, tapes recorded on the is as close as possible to the length of the...
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Page 11: Block Diagram
Sliders and Controls... -
Page 12: Brief Guide
Brief Guide Input selection and adjustment MIC/LINE IN (Ch. 1-2) or LINE IN (Ch. 3-8): These are the input jacks for the mixer channels. Connect line-level signals to any channel; connect lower-level signals (from microphones and some guitar pickups) to the MIC/LINE INs (channel 1 or 2). - Page 13 STEREO INPUTS (Channel 9-12) STEREO INPUTS: Connect any line-level signal (such as an effect return, or electronic instrument) here. They can operate in three different ways. • Four Sources: By using a special 3-conductor Tip- Ring-Sleeve (TRS) cable, each jack can accept two signals at once (Tip to the left.
- Page 14 Recorder controls -METERS: These show the recorded level of the respective tape tracks. The average level should be in the center (0), but peaks up to +6 are acceptable. • The MONITOR L/R meters show the level of mixes selected by the MONITOR switches.
- Page 15 OUTPUT JACKS: Rear panel EFFECT SENDS 1 and 2: Connect these to the inputs of effect devices. -GROUP OUTs 1-4: Connect 1/L and 2/R to the inputs of your mixdown deck. The GROUP OUT jacks can also be connected to the inputs of external mixers, etc.
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Page 16: Step-By-Step Operations Guide
Step-By-Step Operations Guide Let's try the 488 mixer To learn how the mixer works, first you need to plug a signal source into one of the ten 1/4" jacks located at upper top of the 488, in your easy reach. As an example, we'll use a microphone as the source. - Page 17 7. Press the channel 1 ASSIGN "1/L-2/R" switch. Assigning to groups 8. Raise the channel fader to "7" on the scale. Channel level Group level 9. Raise the MASTER "1/L-2/R" fader to "7". Monitor selection 10. Press the MONITOR "GROUP 1" switch. Listening level 11.
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Page 18: How To Record On Track 1
How to record on track 1 As a trial, let's record your voice on tape. 1. Have in hand a new cassette tape (Type II, C-90 length or shorter). 2. Press on the cassette door's lower right hand corner, and it will spring open. -
Page 19: Track 1 Playback Through Cue Monitor
Stopping to record 9. Press STOP to stop the tape and terminate recording. Putting track into "Safe" 10. The REC " 1 " indicator in the meter should now be blinking as before. Press the RECORD FUNCTION " 1 " switch to turn that indicator off. -
Page 20: How To Make An Overdub On Track 2
How to make an overdub on track 2 Overdubbing is recording one or more additional tracks on the same tape, while listening to previously recorded tracks using CUE. Leave the microphone connected to the channel 1 input. There is no need to repatch it to channel 2 to record on track 2. - Page 21 10. Hold RECORD and press PLAY to initiate recording. The REC "2" Begin to record indicator that was blinking will turn on solid, indicating track 2 is now being recorded. Monitoring input/tape 11. You will hear track 1 play, together with the new signal going to track 2, in the headphones.
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Page 22: How To Record Many Sources Onto A Single Track
How to record multiple tracks simultaneously How to record many sources onto a single track If you want to record more than one track at a In the first example we recorded one microphone time, you simply decide which instruments you onto one track at a time. -
Page 23: How To Mix Down
How to mix down When the 8 tracks are all recorded, the final step is mixing them into a standard stereo format. This procedure is known as Remixing or Mixing down. During this procedure the tracks are blended together and balanced to create the desired sound. Connections 1. - Page 24 Playback level 7. Press PLAY and, while listening to the tape play, use the channel faders to set each track's relative level for the desired balance. The channel 1 fader is being fed with track 1, the channel 2 fader with track 2, the channel 3 fader with track 3, and so on.
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Page 25: Using Memory Location Points
Using Memory Location Points Loading MEMO points 2 autolocation points can be established in the 488's memory system. At the desired moment, hold the MEMO key and press the LOC 1 key. MEM0 1 The MEMO 1 indicator will turn on, showing that the current tape location is loaded into that register. -
Page 26: Locating The Tape
Locating the tape To 0000 Press the RTZ key to fast wind the tape to the counter zero point. To MEMO 1 Press the LOC 1 key to fast wind the tape to the MEMO 1 point. Press the LOC 2 key to fast wind the tape to the MEMO 2 point. To MEMO 2 Auto play If PLAY is pressed after RTZ, LOC 1 or LOC 2, the tape will... -
Page 27: Repeat Play
Repeat Play The REPEAT function provides a "Playback Loop" or "Block Repeat" between the two programmed MEMO points. The 488 understands the lower MEMO point as the start point of the loop, and the higher point as the end. 1. Use MEMO and LOC 1 and LOC 2 (as explained above) to Operating procedure establish the beginning and the end of loop. -
Page 28: Punch-In Or Insert Recording
PUNCH-IN or INSERT Recording "Punching in" or "insert recording" is when you record over a small section of a previously recorded track in order to fix a mistake or improve a performance, while keeping the rest of the track as before. The mixer settings should be exactly the same as they were during the original recording. -
Page 29: Punch-In/Out With Record
Repeat Play 6. Press the RECORD FUNCTION "2" switch. The REC 2 indicator will start blinking in the meter window, and meter 2 will show the level from your instrument. Adjust the channel fader and the MASTER 1/L-2/R fader for the proper recording level. Set the balance between the new signal and the recorded one with the TAPE 2 MIX control. -
Page 30: Using Record Function Switch
Using RECORD FUNCTION switch 1. Check to see that all the REC indicators are off, especially the indicator for the punch-in track, in our example, track 2. Locate the tape to a point a little behind the error, then hold RECORD and press PLAY. -
Page 31: Bouncing Tracks (Ping-Pong)
Bouncing Tracks (Ping-Pong) The recording capability of the PORTASTUDIO 488 is not limited to eight tracks. You can "bounce" or combine tracks you have recorded to an empty track, and then replace the original tracks with new material. A bounce is like a mixdown, except you are recording to one of the tracks of the 488 instead to an external recorder. -
Page 32: Ping-Pong In Stereo Procedure
8. Press PLAY. The tape will start playing. 9. Use channel faders 1 through 4 to make any necessary level adjustments. You may want to repeat this step several times to get the balance correct 10. When the balance is right and the level is peaking at no more than +6 on the TRACK 8 meter, stop and rewind the tape to the beginning of the track. -
Page 33: Using Effects With The Portastudio 488
Using Effects with the PORTASTUDIO 488 Effects and signal processing is one of the areas Setting Effect Send Levels where you can really start to have fun customizing your, sound, and develop your own The goal is not to distort the device, while unique recording style- Because there are so staying above the noise that effect units many possibilities, it also can be confusing. -
Page 34: How To Connect Your Effects Devices
How to connect your effects devices This is the most common method. EFF 1 feeds a There is no absolute "right" or "wrong" way to do reverb unit, which has a synthesized stereo this-there are several ways, each with its own output patched into STEREO INPUTS 9-10. -
Page 35: Recording With Tape Sync
Recording with TAPE SYNC The 488 has a SYNC feature that allows you to have your electronic instruments play in sync with the tape. MIDI clocks are themselves a computer type digital language and cannot be recorded on analog tape ; it is necessary to convert them to recordable FSK (Frequency Shift Keying) signals using an appropriate converter, such as the MTS- The MTS-30 is not a mere MIDI-FSK converter but translates MIDI clocks into a FSK sync signal containing score "bar"... -
Page 36: Features And Controls
488 MIXER Input Section The input section of the 488 is made up of input jacks, input level controls (on channels 1 and 2 only) and switches that determine where the input signal is sent. Channels 1-2 differ from channels 3-8 in construction. -
Page 37: Tape Monitor Section
6. EQ HIGH: This controls the tonality of the CUE (channels 5-8): high or "treble" frequencies. Turn it to the for sending signals directly to the CUE right to boost the high frequency content of MASTER control, for monitoring in the signal and emphasize its brilliance or headphones without recording. -
Page 38: Effect Send Section
By using a special cable (sometimes called an "insert" or "stereo splitter" cable, such as 11. EFFECT control: This is a combination the TASCAM PW-2Y or PW-4Y), each "where to" and "how much" control. It gets STEREO INPUT jack can return two signals its signal from a point just after the channel (left and right) from a stereo unit. - Page 39 into the 11/12 input of the 488 (also labeled adjusting the two LEVEL controls separately, •R"). In this case, the 9/10 LEVEL controls the you can send signal in varying degrees to the left, right, or center of the mix similar to volume of the left (1-3) side, and the 11/12 using a pan pot.
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Page 40: Group Master Section
15. ASSIGN switch: This routes signals coming The CUE MASTER mix is sent to the MONITOR "CUE" switch, then to the from the LEVEL control (#16) to the PHONES jack. corresponding MASTER faders, for recording onto multitrack. 20. MONITOR (headphones) selector switch: What you'll hear in the headphones is When using TRS plugs, each switch sends controlled by this group of switches. -
Page 41: 488 Recorder
28. PLAY key: 488 RECORDER a) Pressing this key alone starts playback. b) If pressed together with RECORD, starts Cassette Loading and dbx System recording ("punch in"). c) Pressing the key during recording stops 23. Cassette compartment door: To insert or the recording ("punch out") without stopping remove a cassette, push on the door's lower the tape motion. -
Page 42: Track Controls
31. PITCH CONTROL dial: Provides a plus or 35. TRACK level meters: They register Input to minus 12% variation to the tape speed in the tracks (= "group mix") or Output from both record and play modes. Turn the dial to them (= "tape signal"). -
Page 43: Autolocators
MIDI sync signals from devices 2) If pressed alone, it causes the tape to fast such as the TASCAM MTS-30. This jack is wind in either direction to the MEMO 1 point active only when the SYNC switch is in its (if this has been memorized). -
Page 44: Care And Maintenance
Care and Maintenance Even-though the heads used in your 488 have Using a good head cleaning fluid and a high wear resistance and are rigidly constructed, cotton swab, clean the heads and tape performance degradation or electro-mechanical guides until the swab comes off clean. Wipe failure can be prevented if maintenance is off any excess cleaning fluid with a dry swab. -
Page 45: Degaussing (Demagnetizing)
How the dbx Works The DBX is a wide-band compression-expansion DEGAUSSING (DEMAGNETIZING) system which provides a net noise reduction (broadband, not just hiss) of a little more than 30 A little stray magnetism can become quite a big dB. In addition, the compression during nuisance in tape recording. -
Page 46: Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting Problem Possible Cause Playback sound poor in brightness Dirty heads Playback level won't rise Dirty heads TAPE controls set to OFF No playback sound Transport keys not effective Power turned off, or tape not loaded No tape motion PAUSE pressed No recording Cassette tab broken, or RHSL engaged Wrong tracks recorded... - Page 47 Electrical Characteristics Mixer Section MIC/LINE input (1/4" phone jack x 2) 50k ohms Input Impedance: Nominal Input Level: -50 dBV (3mV) at Trim Max. ~ -10 dBV (0.3 V) at Trim Min. Maximum Input Level: +8 dBV (2.5 V) at Trim Min. LINE input (1/4"...
- Page 48 Typical Performance Mixer Section Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 22kHz, +1/-2 dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio (at Nominal Input Level): UNWTD(20 Hz to 20 kHz)/IHF A WTD 1 LINE - GROUP OUT 79 dB/82 dB 8 LINE ~ GROUP OUT 71 dB/76 dB 1 MIC/LINE* ~ GROUP OUT 69 dB/73 dB 2 MIC/LINE* ~ GROUP OUT...
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Page 49: Level Diagrams
Level Diagrams MIXER SECTION... - Page 50 RECORDER SECTION...
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Page 51: Optional Accessories
Optional Accessories RC-30P Remote Footswitch MTS-30 MIDI-Tape Synchronizer Head Demagnetizer PW-2Y/PW-4Y Insertion Cable TZ-261 Cleaning Kit (Except U.S.) HC-1 Head Cleaner & RC-1 Rubber Cleaner (U.S.only) - Page 52 TRKTRKTRKTRKTRKTRKTRKTRK MONITOR « ITRK I | ITRK8 I I T R K 3 | I TRK « I...
- Page 53 Block Diagram S TRACK SOUNNEL REC/REPSO AMPLIFIER 0«X MR (ENCODER)
- Page 54 TASCAM TEAC Professional Division...