DP-24/32 Using Track Sheets for Recording Projects

[Mark Richards]

Back in my studio days working with analog tape, I made sure that before a session started, certain things were always done to make the session more efficient.

Experienced recording engineers might take these for granted.

For everyone else, I thought it might be helpful to pass a few of them along that might apply to using the DP-24/32 for recording projects.

A track sheet was kept for each song as a planning document and permanent record of the session.

• Track assignments for instruments and vocals were planned in advance and recorded in the track sheet.
  
• The recording sequence for base tracks and overdubs were planned in advance and recorded in the track sheet.
• The track sheet also recorded the number of takes and the start point on the tape of each take.
• The names of the artists performing on the song, the producer, and the engineer were also recorded on the track sheet, along with the type of tape used, the tape speed, and the specific multi-track tape machine.

A separate mixdown track sheet was used for the "best take" to make a permanent record of fader levels, effects and settings, and other mixdown decisions. Likewise, if we mastered the mixdown tape in-house.

At the start of each song (both the multi-track master tape and the 1/2 track stereo master tape), we recorded a 1kHz calibration tone at 0VU, and an "A/440" tone. This facilitated playback calibration of the tape when played on a machine other than the one used to create the original recording.

Why bring these things up in a DP-24/32 digital world? I thought there might be several parallels:

1. While using track sheets to plan out your projects and mixdowns may seem like an impediment to creativity, it forces you to think things all the way through in advance, and thus avoid the frustration that can come with doing things on-the-fly.
2. Once you have a permanent record of the project, you can use it as a reference for future projects; and you can use it to recreate your mix accurately if the need arises.
3. If you're collaborating on the project and passing the multitrack files around, it helps assure everyone involved has a clear understanding of the project.
4. Placing a tuning tone at the start helps assure the musicians can be in tune with the initial recording, particularly if the multi-tracking will occur at different times, locations, or using different machines.
5. Placing a unity gain/0dB level tone at the start provides a standard to help assure all instruments and vocal levels will be consistent, particularly if the multi-tracking will occur at different times, locations, or using different machines.

Hope some of you find some of this helpful as you go forward with your projects.

 

[David Porter]

Good stuff Mark. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Matt B]

I have developed a recording sheet that, though not quite as detailed, provides most of the information. It is nice to be able to go to a folder and see which guitar, which mic, etc was used to create a sound.

This kind of organization has made it easier for me to switch between artist and technician a hundred times in a session.

I cut file folders up and make scribble strips, which I attach below the faders with small self-stick clips. I can write what the track is and other notes for easy reference. I start with black ink, and amend with green and then red to keep up with moved tracks, bounces, externally-processed tracks. It makes changing from song to song very easy.

Speaking for myself, there is nothing "art" about floundering, false starts, tangents, and dead ends. The organization keeps me focused and progressing toward tangible goals.

 

[Phil Tipping]

Good advice Mark & Matt, it's so tempting to jump in without planning or preparation. I found traditional track sheets started getting messy when I discovered the luxury of virtual tracks, as used on my first digital recorder (Fostex D108). It had 8 'live' tracks and 16 virtuals so exchanging tracks meant crossing out the contents and re-writing them in the correct 'cell'; this simple mod helped a lot.

One bit of prep which works with me is when making simple recordings of a couple of musicians playing to a backing track. Before we meet up, I'll create the song first and import the backing to track 31/32, then assign the musician's inputs to multiple sets of tracks, e.g. if vocal is on A and guitar is on B, assign A to track 1, 3, 5, 7, etc, and B to track 2, 4, 6, 8 etc. - this is where the dp32 is handy as the stereo tracks can be switched to mono. Set up any send levels as reqd, then make a copy of this whole 'template' song onto a backup sd-card so you can quickly swap over if things go pear-shaped - never happened yet though! At the session, when you need to do a re-take, just un-arm the first pair of tracks and arm the next 2. The input trims and other settings for inputs A & B only need adjusting once as they never change; it's just the tracks. Keep working along the tracks until everyone's had enough, then it's easy to review the pairs during playback by turning up/down the relevant track faders.

 

[Dunny]

Some great advice here from seasoned studio engineers , makes me happy to have purchased the Tascam knowing that you lads have faith in the software and hardware together, i have used Boss recorders for a long time but wanted something a bit more up to date with proper "tactile" buttons, over the last month or so i have not been disappointed with the support and the first class knowledge you lads have collected and shared i might add .

Cheers

 

[Mark Richards]

Matt and Phil added some good ideas, so I've changed the thread title to "Using Tracksheets for Recording Projects".

Perhaps this will encourage more members to post how they make use of track sheets, or techniques to identify what the faders are controlling.

If you click on my avatar picture you'll see I've done something similar to Matt. I've used laminated white paper and wet erase markers to quickly see how the board is set up. By cutting the laminate wider than the paper, the strip is self sticking. It also comes up easily with no residue left behind.

 

[-mjk-]

First thing I did was create an old school Track sheet. After I use the machine for sufficient time, I'm going to create Take and Mix sheets for documenting settings and outboard parameters. I'd be happy to share those.

 

[Jeffrey Alsip]

How about one of you guys develop a single page Track Sheet and post it here in PDF format. Then we can print as many copies as we wish.

 

[Mark Richards]

How 'bout you do a google search instead, Jeffrey?

 

[-mjk-]

This is what i use

 

[LudoL]

Thanks a lot for sharing

 

[-mjk-]

My pleasure!

 

[-mjk-]

I admit it. I use masking tape.

 

[Arjan P]

Don't we all...?
I use the extra smooth type that also after months removes without residue..

 

[-mjk-]

It's that Dutch quality stuff!

 

[Caveman]

this is actually a good topic. When you've got a lot of studio experience you forget not everyone has had same experiences. None of us were born with track sheets in hand. I started on track sheets when I went to 8 track reel to reel, included board sheets and rack sheets with knobs printed on each piece of rack gear so markings could be made indicating where dials were set.

Eventually it led to 24 track rtr more complex board and rack settings then digital cameras came into play which was cool take shot of effects load photos into song files for recalling later.

Then daws and stand along digital recorders like Tascam mx2424 which ended need for track sheets and digital fully programable automated boards that would save entire mixes not just snapshots but everything associated with each mix. Easy street, it was nice.

I havent recorded bands with my dp24 so trk sheets aren't really an issue for me it would be nice to name each track. I use tape on bottom under faders I mark whats on each track and name of song on each strip of tape I peel it off and stick it on wall until I need it again later I always did same even when using digital boards and gear it was fast easy. I could end up with 50 strips of tape on the wall at one time depending on how many bands I was working with and how many songs. Analog the strips used to be kept with the tape with digital when project was completed tape got tossed out. I use different color markers for each instrument bass blue lead gtr red etc. Drums all one color it just made things easier and faster for me looking for faders when I had to adjust.

I made my own track sheets etc and I think everyone here should do same that way its exactly how you want them to be for your studio.

 

[lastmonk]

There is good very good stuff in these posts! Thanx all!


I use my DP-24 and Model 12 these days for virtually all of my recording projects. I use the computer for a few tasks, e.g converting wav to MP3, uploading wavs and mp3 to websites, google drive etc, and for notation software(Finale for leadsheets, scores, guitar tabs)

But I also use spreadsheet software as my track sheets. I can set up as many rows and columns as I want. I can make the rows and columns as big or as small as I want. I can change fonts, font colors for highlighting. I add new rows, columns, heading, etc. I can use search features to find particular notes in the spreadsheets. Also these days you can embed wav files, mpeg files, midi files, mp3 files, graphics directly in a row or column in the spread sheet (electronic track sheet) LOL On occasion I have embedded the wav for a track at the bottom of the spreadsheet column for that track. I assume all modern spreadsheet programs can do this. I use Libre Office (which is free and open source)

https://www.libreoffice.org/

So yea, in 2022 I'm using full on multimedia track sheets, that are much more powerful than the note pad sections in the typical DAW. With Electronic Spreadsheet any kind of document, element, even URLs, can be attached to a row or column in the track sheet.

I make sure that I have a naming convention that connects the songs on my DP24 and Model 12 to Directories on the computer. The songs directory on the computer will contain the Stems(tracks), the Master Mixdown, MP3s, MP4s, MOVs, AIFFs , WAVS, JPEGs, Photos of sounds stage, musician seating arrangements, diagrams of audio setups,etc and a multimedia version of song's Track sheet!

I do know a few folks that rely on their DAW to save everything about a project. But once you've taken the computer plunge with the DAW, why not add to it Office Software Word Processors, Spreadsheets, and Diagramming Software are normal components of Office Software these days and can be used to provide much more flexible and complete documentation for all aspects of music production than the Notes feature of the typical DAW And you can share word processing documents, spreadsheets, and png, jpg, pdf diagrams with others a lot easier than sharing the notes that are attached to the song in the DAW

 

[Old No7]

I admit it. I use masking tape.

Don't we all...?
I use the extra smooth type that also after months removes without residue..

Great idea! The console tape I used didn't come off so easily... (Then again, I left it on for too long...)

Old No7

 

[shredd]

GREAT THREAD!!!

I cut file folders up and make scribble strips, which I attach below the faders with small self-stick clips. I can write what the track is and other notes for easy reference. I start with black ink, and amend with green and then red to keep up with moved tracks, bounces, externally-processed tracks. It makes changing from song to song very easy.

Speaking for myself, there is nothing "art" about floundering, false starts, tangents, and dead ends. The organization keeps me focused and progressing toward tangible goals.

Agreed on ALL POINTS!
Though I'm considerably less professional about such detail, I do a LOT of this stuff: masking tape across the bottom of the mixer, naming inputs (I have color-coded XLR cables too!); different color pieces of Post-it under each of my DP's input level control, naming what's going into it; and of course, my "session notes" sheets, which often end up so scribbled-on, altered, etc, that I'll write out a new one when the project is done, for future (and legible, accurate) reference.

I made my own track sheets etc and I think everyone here should do same that way its exactly how you want them to be for your studio.

Amen, brutha.
I did exactly that - made a one-page "session notes" page that gives me the ability to specify what's on each track; note if v-trx are done (and which was best/favorite); settings, levels, even mixing notes. Anything I'd want to know down the road that I'll surely have forgotten by then.

In fact...my "session notes" sheets are shockingly basic compared to the vast detail the OP refers to. I imagine all of us can figure out how much detail and WHAT details is/are necessary, and make up our own. Mine is a simple MS Word doc that I print out copies of and use a new one for every project. I think lastmonk's spr/sht idea is brilliant; though not functional for me, as my studio is about 98.5% hardware based - the computer has an EXTREMELY minimal/limited role...otherwise I'd have it on all the time and refer to it regularly.

 

[Mark Richards]

This is the computer project record I've been using since my studio days. It covers all project phases: tracking, mixing, mastering.

The current iteration (the one below being from 2019) is adapted specifically for use with my DP-24. When the project is complete, the project record file goes into the song folder, and the song folder is zipped for archiving.

This is a screen grab. The actual file is stored in original form and as a .pdf.