DP24 number of tracks....confused

[ddurkin11]

Hello there, I've had a Dp24 for a while now and recorded a few quick demos with it a few years ago but ended up putting it away because there was a few concepts that I just cant wrap my head around. One of them is the number of recordable tracks. Its called a dp 24 but to me its actually a DP 18. There are 18 tracks I can record onto. I just cant understand how the last 6 Stereo tracks count as 12. I cant record 2 different instruments onto one of them and control them separately like i can with 2 separate tracks. Can someone offer an explanation that get can this through to me?

 

[Mark Richards]

Welcome.

Surf through the Production Tips sticky until you find a post on using all the tracks. Also, two tracks are required for any instrument or outboard gear that's 2-channel stereo output.

 

[David Porter]

Here's a shortcut to the "production sticky" thread that addresses this:

Share DP-24/32(SD) Production Tips (post #53)

(I tried to link to the specific post but was not able to)


Thinking out loud on this subject:

If I recall correctly - the DP-32, DP-32SD, and DP-24SD all have the option of converting the stereo tracks to mono - via a selector on in the Assign screen. However, the DP-24 does not have this option.

Nonetheless - you should be able to record a mono signal to the stereo pair of the DP-24 - if you choose. (Mark - please correct me if I'm wrong about that). But it does say in the DP-24 manual: "You cannot record to a single track of a stereo pair." (Page 44)

So - given that:

1) you can record a mono signal to a stereo track pair
2) You can move mono tracks to a stereo pair either via import/export using the Audio Depot folder or during a bounce
3) You can move stereo tracks to mono tracks (same as above)

...I wouldn't necessarily see this "limitation" as a hindrance. There's just so much you can do by thinking slightly outside the box. I guess it depends on precisely what you're wanting/needing to do. If it really is a rubber-meets-the-road limitation... you probably need another mixer so you can sub-mix - that would/should solve the problem.




On another note:

there was a few concepts that I just cant wrap my head around

This will help you:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLI2uGjCObnySgNrQyJmlcQpQaUdgBdW6l

 

[ddurkin11]

yea, i found the post- thank you...And i guess it clarifies that it is an 18 track machine, not 24. If i understand correctly, those stereo pair tracks are recording left and right inputs but it is still just one track. You cant control the left and right pair separately, right? Still one fader for both "tracks", one mixer section for both.

 

[David Porter]

Think of it this way:

They are *individual tracks* that share a fader, EQ, effects, etc.

But - the "pair" can be used the same as a mono track if you record a mono signal to them.

(Just repeating now): You can sub mix individual mono tracks to the stereo pairs via a bounce. You have individual control during the bounce - but "group/paired" control - after the bounce. You can also move mono tracks to stereo tracks - and vice-versa via the audio depot folder.

I use stereo drum parts---> I (one way or the other) sub mix those to a stereo pair

I sometimes use stereo keyboard parts----> those stereo keys go to a stereo pair

I often use stereo guitar effects---> those also go to a stereo pair


**You can choose how you want to see it. I don't look at the DP-24 as a "18 mono track" recorder. I see it as a full 24 track recorder. Again - if you absolutely have to have full control of 24 mono tracks - get another mixer (they're inexpensive these days) and you can sub mix to a stereo pair.

 

[ddurkin11]

Nah, I dont need more than 24 mono tracks. I'm just trying to understand it. I mean if i bounce 8 tracks down to one of those tracks - it doesnt make it a 32 track machine. It still just one controllable track. Its things like this that is keeping me from understanding a lot of this. Thanks for trying to help though

 

[Mark Richards]

Y'all are spinning your wheels on this.

There are 24 individual physical tracks and 32 individual physical tracks respectively.

.period.

The tracks are paired to facilitate recording keyboards and other external gear that has stereo outputs, or any number of two-mic applications, that benefit on mixdown from having a single fader, EQ and effects control for a given 2-Track stereo or 2-Track mono sound.

That's why each pair must be recorded as a pair, by design, on 2 Tracks on the DP-24 and DP-32.

By design the DP-32 can convert a stereo pair to a mono track if needed, BUT the intended primary use is to capture industry-standard 2-Track stereo.

At their price point and size the DP-24/32/SD have an elegant design.

AND
Empty paired tracks can individually or as a pair receive individual or stereo imported WAV files from different sources via the Audio Depot Import function.

Empty paired tracks can receive 2-Track stereo sub-mixes via the Bounce function.

The paired tracks can be exported individually or as a stereo pair via the Audio Depot Export function.

And there's lots of good reasons and uses for those capabilities, many of which are covered in the stickies.

So, yes 24 track and 32 track are the correct descriptions.

 

[-mjk-]

Actually a very good question. Given that most submixes end up being in stereo, which is the point, it makes sense to put those submixes on a stereo pair. And as was pointed out, there's nothing stopping a person from individual uploading separate tracks that would be panned hard left and right. But to say that they're completely uncontrollable is not exactly correct, because the balance control allows you to bias the levels of left to right which means, that you could take a guitar and record it on the left track, and record a delay on the right track, and then balance between them until you get it the way you want and that frees up the effects for use in mixdown.

mean if i bounce 8 tracks down to one of those tracks - it doesnt make it a 32 track machine

Are you really taking 8 tracks and panning them dead center in the mix? Or would you like to pan them across the stereo field so you have more intelligibility and a wider soundstage? A stereo track is perfect for that application. That is very common in multitrack recordings. The individual mono tracks are storage tracks that get bounced down to stereo pairs. And, a track is a track so yes it does make it a 32 track recorder. It's just that some of the tracks are ganged together, and actually for a good reason.

 

[ddurkin11]

Thank you for the replies guys.