Mastering on DP24

[dave w]

Can you erase and re-record a master using the original tracks again?

 

[Phil Tipping]

The machine retains one master file per song, and this is used/overwritten for both mix-down and mastering operations. The individual track files are not changed in either case.

In mixdown mode, the master file is overwritten with no backup, so if you don't like the mix you have to do it again.

In mastering mode, a single backup is kept so you can use Undo if you don't like the result. Only a single level Undo is allowed here.

The master file lives in the corresponding song folder under the Music folder, unlike the other 'public' files for individual tracks which use Import & Export via the AudioDepot folder. So if you have a computer, you could copy out or rename the master file to preserve it before repeating the mix/master operation. If you see a file with a similar name but suffixed by '_z', this is the backup file.

 

[dave w]

Thanks. I will try that.
I had one more basic question about mastering as regards reverb. Is it correct that you can't add reverb to the master? If so, do the mix down tracks which I can add reverb to supply reverb to the final product?

 

[Phil Tipping]

Yes, the mastering tools are limited to EQ, compression & normalisation so no reverb. You can apply reverb to any/all tracks during the mixdown process, so these FX will appear in the master file which is created at that point. You could also apply reverb by bouncing track(s) to another track. These would then contain reverb before you start to mixdown.

When you press Play in mixdown mode, you can rehearse the mix and check FX and fader movements etc. All the faders will function. When you're happy, press Record and adjust faders as rehearsed and you'll create a master file which should be exactly as you just heard it. If you mess up, press Record again and have another go; the file will be overwritten.

Don't forget in order to playback this master file just created, you need to go into Master mode by pressing the Mixdown/Mastering button again - the faders will no longer have any affect. If you stay in mixdown mode and press Play, you'll just hear the individual tracks again via the faders.

Tascam confuse things a bit (imo!) by using the term 'master file' for both processes. There is only one file but its contents are either the result of mixing down or mastering, so it might have been better to just call it a 'composite' file. Either way, it's completely separate from the individual track files. Hope that helps.

 

[Vinnie Dambrosio]

Phil, Vinnie D again... with regards to reverb or any effect on mix down. If I apply reverb to track 2 and select INSERT EFFECT on mix screen, and then change to track 3, and select INSERT EFFECT on that track, it goes off on track 2... Am I unable to apply effects on multiple tracks during mix down? I've been just applying the effects while recording. I know that makes the effect permanent on that track, but applying multiple effects during mix down seems drastically limited.

 

[Phil Tipping]

Hi Vinnie, your best bet is to watch the tutorials. The effects (and terminology used by Tascam!) are confusing. Reverb is only available as a Send effect. The insert effect box on the mixer screen refers to the other two types - guitar and dynamic. Turning effects on/off via this box has some quirks as shown in the videos. The guitar effect is a 'track insert' effect. There is only one of these so you can only use it in one track at any one time, but the effect itself is a block of 4 effects in a chain. The dynamic effects are 'input insert' effects, and there are 8 of these, so you can have one in each of the 8 inputs. The send effect is a different beast - there's only one, but it can be shared by any combination of tracks and inputs. There's a summary in the sticky post at the top of this forum, but the videos may be clearer as I've tried to draw pictures of what's going on - not the best artist in the world but it may help

 

[Vinnie Dambrosio]

Thx Phil. All this time I never realized the Insert Effect box only applied to Guitar and Dynamic effects. That helps a lot.