Export tracks to daw

[Arretjep]

Hi

I am about to buy a model 12 but am unsure if a feature i want is in the machine. I want to be able to export a song's separate tracks in wav to a daw for further processing of all seperate tracks if needed to do so. As far as i can see model 12 can only export in a stereo mixdown?

Any experienxe to share? Or other equipment suggestions that can export in separate tracks?

Thanks!

 

[Mark Nicholson]

I haven't gotten onto DAWs yet, but as I minimum if you use Storage mode from the menu, you will get all the tracks plus the stereo mix individually.

 

[Arretjep]

Hi marc. So if you record a song with guitar, vocal and bass on three separate tracks, you end up with 3 wav files that can be imported to a daw?

 

[Mark Nicholson]

Yes. You could also just take the SD card out of the Tascam and put it into your computer.

 

[JSchmo_Bass]

And in addition, you can use the Model 12 as a 12 channel audio interface to pipe directly into your DAW via USB from either your live sessions or prerecorded tracks stored on the Model12, OR a combination.

 

[LuKeNuKuM]

Hey @JSchmo_Bass would you be able to elaborate on your point above? it sounds like you have it working how I'd like it to.

I have the Model 12 with a bunch of material on tracks 1-10. I've connected to the PC and mapped each of the channels to DAW (Reaper in my case). I can record tracks set to MTR manually (ie, pressing record on the DAW and then play on the M12) but the problem is I'm looking for a perfect sync for transferring tracks to and fro in the future.

What I'd ultimately like to do is press 'play/record' on the M12 and have it trigger a record on the DAW of each of the tracks thus freeing up tracks again on the M12.

I've tried setting the M12 up as a DAW surface which will allow the movment of faders etc but it doesn't seem to want to then play what's on the M12 which I guess makes sense because by that point I should be controlling material in the DAW.

Maybe I should just copy the files over from USB Storage?!

Any help appreciated!

===

Update, I've spent a couple of hours messing about but not found a way to do it. In the end I did do the USB file mode option and that was much easier than expected, really simple to do. Wack it into storage mode, drag the files to the desktop and then straight into Reaper, it's probably quicker and the sync issue doesn't arise

 

[-mjk-]

@LuKeNuKuM have you set up the Model 12 as a MIDI device in Reaper? Once you get that going, when you right-click on the Play button and you'll see the MTC options. It may end up being easier to have the Model 12 follow Reaper, but any way you do it, you should be able to get them to work together for recording.

 

[JSchmo_Bass]

To me the easiest way to get your tracks free is just import the track files into your PC with your DAW, I use “Storage Mode” and the USB cable plus windows explorer to copy the files from the MTR folder of the M12 to a new folder on the computer. You can then go record more tracks...and store the first batch on then PC while comping some more. Then when done use the DAW to import everything.

Or yes you can “play them through” to the DAW. But in order do that you will first have to set each track up in the DAW with its input set to the right track coming from the M12. and hit play while hitting record in the DAW. To me thats more work for no real advantage at least I think?).

On the other hand DO I like playing back OUT from the tracks in DAW (after adding plug in effects) back to the M12 for a final summed mixdown. The feel of physically mixing and tweaking is cool and useful and the summed mixes sound good.

 

[LuKeNuKuM]

@LuKeNuKuM have you set up the Model 12 as a MIDI device in Reaper? Once you get that going, when you right-click on the Play button and you'll see the MTC options. It may end up being easier to have the Model 12 follow Reaper, but any way you do it, you should be able to get them to work together for recording.

I'd love it if I could get the Model 12 to follow Reaper. I'm pretty sure I've set up M12 correctly as a Midi device, when I right click on the record button I do see the options including MTC... I've attached a screenshot of what the Reaper settings are at that point. I hit record on Reaper, it flashes up the big red 'waiting for valid timecode' - but when I press play on the M12 it doesn't start the record on the Reaper side. So perhaps I've not got it set up correctly... it does work as a DAW controller when in that mode.

Reaper settings Screenshot

 

[LuKeNuKuM]

To me the easiest way to get your tracks free is just import the track files into your PC with your DAW, I use “Storage Mode” and the USB cable plus windows explorer to copy the files from the MTR folder of the M12 to a new folder on the computer. You can then go record more tracks...and store the first batch on then PC while comping some more. Then when done use the DAW to import everything.

Yes, this did work well and I'll probably use this method for adding more tracks.

Or yes you can “play them through” to the DAW. But in order do that you will first have to set each track up in the DAW with its input set to the right track coming from the M12. and hit play while hitting record in the DAW. To me thats more work for no real advantage at least I think?).

It is more work but I could then work in an iterative way keeping the flow going, adding tracks, sending back and forth within the mixer/daw.

On the other hand DO I like playing back OUT from the tracks in DAW (after adding plug in effects) back to the M12 for a final summed mixdown. The feel of physically mixing and tweaking is cool and useful and the summed mixes sound good.

That's interesting, yes, I like having physical control of the faders. I'd not thought of summing it out back to the M12 - might have to give that a go! thanks!

 

[-mjk-]

I'd love it if I could get the Model 12 to follow Reaper. I'm pretty sure I've set up M12 correctly as a Midi device, when I right click on the record button I do see the options including MTC... I've attached a screenshot of what the Reaper settings are at that point. I hit record on Reaper, it flashes up the big red 'waiting for valid timecode' - but when I press play on the M12 it doesn't start the record on the Reaper side. So perhaps I've not got it set up correctly... it does work as a DAW controller when in that mode.

Make sure you have both MIDI TIME CODE and MIDI CLOCK/SPP turned ON from the Model 12 MIDI menu. They are 2 different menu items/options. See if that does it.

 

[JSchmo_Bass]

It is more work but I could then work in an iterative way keeping the flow going, adding tracks, sending back and forth within the mixer/daw.
!

That’s a really great point.

I tend to be tracking at a rehearsal space (just using M12 as it is super portable) and then mixing back at home. A laptop in a rehearsal space is not a good thing for me- too wonky, a flow and creativity killer.

So my flow is asynchronous: back at home, When find a good enough take I move things around and then bring the M12 back next practice with some free tracks to do overdubs, mainly vocals and solos.

But if I set ever up a full home studio then I would have to give the M12 to DAW “live capture” flow a real go.

 

[LuKeNuKuM]

Make sure you have both MIDI TIME CODE and MIDI CLOCK/SPP turned ON from the Model 12 MIDI menu. They are 2 different menu items/options. See if that does it.

Yes, this was set to both be 'on'.

I went back and checked the midi setup within Reaper's preferences and whilst the device(s) were listed (Model 12 MIDI + MIDIIN2) both were disabled in and out! I feel a bit silly now I must have added them as available devices but not checked they were enabled!

So now, with MTU selected on the playback button in Reaper, I can click play (or record), the alert flashes up, I then press play on the M12 and Reaper starts recording at the moment. Superb! just what I needed. I checked to make sure things were in sync by listening to both the PC return from Reaper and an MTR track on the M12 and it's perfectly in sync.

This opens up a lot of opportunities for adding FX plugins to tracks in Reaper and playing along or indeed recording to tracks on the M12!

Thanks so much for the help, this little unit just get's better and better!

 

[-mjk-]

Fantastic! Glad you got it figured out. That is an important point about enabling those MIDI ports in Reaper.

 

[LuKeNuKuM]

That’s a really great point.
I tend to be tracking at a rehearsal space (just using M12 as it is super portable) and then mixing back at home. A laptop in a rehearsal space is not a good thing for me- too wonky, a flow and creativity killer.

So my flow is asynchronous: back at home, When find a good enough take I move things around and then bring the M12 back next practice with some free tracks to do overdubs, mainly vocals and solos.

Yes, totally agree - I like to be DAWless and hands-on when creating generally, computers for me are a creativity killer... but when it come to final polishing and adding further FX, being able to do this in the DAW and in conjunction with the Model 12 it makes a very flexible package.

But if I set ever up a full home studio then I would have to give the M12 to DAW “live capture” flow a real go.

Bookmark this thread, I just cracked it with Reaper - see above post!

I recently sold a Zoom L-12 mixer and bought the Model 12 primarily because of it's MIDI capability and having just managed to get this working I'm really glad I did (I wasn't 100% it would do just what I wanted, there's not a huge amount of stuff on the M12 yet). But now, any MIDI enabled devices are all in time with audio tracks and when I inevtiably run out of track space I can shift some out onto the PC and keep adding more either on the M12 or the DAW, again, all sync'd up.

For me it has been a real pain to work iteratively, sometimes months apart on tracking to later add in further sync'd instruments unless you track them at the start of the project. I've not tried it yet but I'm assuming that because some plugins work on timecodes too, you could for instance add a delay to any track in the DAW that's repeated/sliced to divisions of the same timecode that the M12 is putting out; perhaps a vocal delay that repeats in time with the beat. Might be useful for your vocals/solos?

I don't think there's anything that's as useful, in the price range on the market at the moment. Fun times ahead.

 

[LuKeNuKuM]

Fantastic! Glad you got it figured out. That is an important point about enabling those MIDI ports in Reaper.

Definitely! it's so good, this is just what I had in mind when I saw that the M12 had midi and DAW control, I wasn't entirely sure it would work but this really links up the DAW with DAWless working, best of both worlds.

 

[Daniel Stroup]

I'm so glad to read this thread since you're doing exactly what I've been hoping to do with recording from the M12 to the DAW to open tracks, record plug-ins, re-amp guitars, etc.. My M12 just shipped today from Sweetwater, so I'm super stoked! I think my next purchase might be a channel strip.

 

[LuKeNuKuM]

Hi @Daniel Stroup - ahh good, I'm glad the postings help confirm things for you. You can definitely do the things you mention (certainly in the Reaper DAW), it might take a bit of time to set up but it's an incredibly powerful way of working, lots of options. You might be able to get away with a plugin-in channel strip! good luck!

 

[LuKeNuKuM]

For any future researcher looking to use the Tascam Model 12 specifically with Reaper I made a post over on the Reaper forums listing how it can work with that DAW.

Hope it helps someone.

 

[Morgelec]

Nice post on the Reaper forum!

One question, you mentioned that you have to listen to tracks coming from DAW (main stereo out) on tracks 1/2. Are you referring to running in Controller mode?

I can go into the routing window of my DAW and change this to like tracks 9/10. Although this won't work in controller mode. I do this when I'm using the 12 to mix and want to use tracks 1/2 etc.