Mixdown/Master - do it on the Tascam, or on computer?

[urbie4]

I have a DP-24 and like it for recording -- trombone/horns, with an RC-505 Loop Station and some effects, etc. I also have a Mac with Ableton Live and GarageBand. I'd been recording and mixing some stuff on the DP-24, and found that the results were not always as clear as I'd like. Then, one evening, I recorded some stuff, transferred it to my Mac, and went to pull it into GarageBand, then realized, "Wait, I forgot to mix and master this stuff! Well, let's try doing it here instead, and see what happens." Turned out, it sounded quite a bit clearer.

I'm no sound engineer, and haven't tried a lot of different solutions - but in general, what's the consensus on whether it's better to mix on the Tascam... or just use it for recording, and do the mixing in software on a computer?

Thanks,

Urb

 

[-mjk-]

@urbie4 it's not the gear, it's the person. They are just tools. It depends entirely upon what you are comfortable with and experienced with using. I'm not sure what you mean by "clearer" but use whatever you need to get what you are after.

 

[urbie4]

@mjk Ha, yes, I get that it's the operator, not the gear -- but I was just curious as to whether most people tend to do the mix/mastering on the DP or a DAW, if they happen to have both lying around. I'm sure I can get better results from the DP than I have -- it's been mostly trial and error up to this point, and I'm a better trombonist than engineer....

 

[-mjk-]

@urbie4 thanks for not taking that the wrong way, lol. Well, things evolve. I used to do things 100% in the DP. As time went on I explored other options and now I have an array of tools available for whatever I need. Some users do the whole thing in the DP machine. Some may record tracks and send them out for mixing/mastering. Some mix in the DP and Master in a DAW, standalone app, or send the mix to a pro for Mastering. We don't get Spotify Style Points for doing everything in the DP machine. You touched on an important point - being a good engineer makes a difference. If you can't get a good mix or Master you may want to get some help with that. Not having to worry about the downstream process can help you concentrate on getting good performances.