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8 TASCAM 788 Digital PortaStudio
1 – Introductory concepts
If you are new to disk-based recording or to multi-
track recording generally, there may be some ideas
with which you are slightly unfamiliar. This section
briefly introduces you to some of the concepts
regarding the 788 and its operation. Even if you are
familiar with the idea of multitrack recording and
disk-based recording, you may find this to be a useful
introduction.
Multitrack recording (general)
Multitrack recording allows you to make recordings
of many different signals separately, allowing a high
degree of control over the finished sound.
Tracking The signals of the first tracks to be
recorded as part of the song are fed through a mixing
console, and recorded on many different tracks on a
multitrack recorder (“tracking”)
Overdubbing New material can be recorded on a
track while listening to previously-recorded tracks—
this is known as “overdubbing”. For instance, the
vocal parts of a song can be recorded after all the
backing instruments have been recorded, allowing
the singer to concentrate on getting the best vocal
performance. While tracking or overdubbing, effects
can be added to enhance the recorded sound.
Punching Most recorders have silent “punch-in”
and “punch-out” facilities, i.e. if you make a mistake
in only a short passage, you don’t have to re-record
the whole piece—you can re-record only the part
where the mistake occurred.
Mixdown These recorded tracks are then “mixed
down”—this means that the volumes, tonal balance
(the amount of bass and treble, etc.) of the different
recorded tracks are adjusted and fed to a stereo
recorder (a DAT recorder can be used for this pur-
pose). At this stage, additional effects such as echo,
reverb, etc. may be added to individual tracks, to help
produce a “feel” to the piece.
Alternatively, with the 788 it is possible to mix to
CD. First the song is mixed to a special stereo mas-
tering track and then written to CD, using a CD-R or
CD-RW drive connected to the SCSI port of the 788.
Mastering If the mixdown has not already been
done to CD, then an audio CD (or an analog cassette)
may be then mastered and duplicated from the master
stereo recording.
Mixdown
Recording
("tracking") and
overdubbing