Tip for mastering any file on DP-24/32

Phil Tipping

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This post has been updated due to firmware changes. The following is correct for latest firmware as at Nov 2019.


The master file created by the mixdown phase is completely independent of the original source tracks, so once it exists, you can replace the file with a completely different one (by using a computer) and then use the machine's mastering tools to process it. The file does not have to be previously created or mixed on the dp24/32.


The only caveats are that the file must be a stereo wave file with the same bit rate and sampling frequency as the song, and the song must have performed a mixdown process to create a master file in the first place. This mixdown is just a dummy process to create the file (which is going to be replaced later), so a minimum IN & OUT span of 4 secs will do. You don't even need any audio data to do this, so the simplest method is to create a new song with the required format, go to mixdown, set the OUT time to anything greater than 4secs and press record. A dummy master file will be created which will contain silence.


You can now overwrite this file using a computer. It will be in the song folder under the MUSIC folder on the sd-card, and its name will be the same as the song name.


Once you've overwritten the file, you should be able to enter Master mode (starting in Multi-track mode, press the Mixdown/Master button twice). If the machine does not enter Master mode (i.e. it goes from Mixdown mode back to Multi-track mode), the master file has not been recognised so double-check the process above.


You can now master the file... i.e. press Play to hear the file and set the mastering functions EQ & COMP as reqd. When you're happy with the settings, press Record and the file will be mastered and overwritten as normal. The original IN & OUT points are ignored so the whole file is processed - the song length is shown near the top right of the mastering screen. The machine keeps the previous file as normal so you can Undo the process if reqd. Only one backup is retained so you cannot Undo multiple times. If you want to normalise (NORM) the file, Tascam recommends you do this as the final operation otherwise using EQ/COMP after NORM may distort the audio.


An alternative way of mastering an external file is to import it via AudioDepot and then going through Mixdown and then into Mastering. This method takes longer to do, especially with large files, and it also uses more space on the sd-card. Going through the mixdown process also means you have to set the track and stereo fader levels correctly.
 

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