Multi Mic Effects and 4x Mic Effects on Tascam 2488

[Michael37150]

I have read the manual on Multi an 4x Mic effects but I don't have any practical knowledge or experience with them. So basically, I know I can change what my tracks sound like. I would like to know more. Can anyone give me some ideas or a link that will help me?

 

[Zeekle]

Hey Michael,

IMHO I would suggest that you record a couple of tracks - no effects, and then start experimenting with the dials.

For example, record a vocal track and then start playing with the controls on the Compressor, or add some reverb and see what happens when you adjust the settings. Might help to write things down if you want to be able to remember what you did.... not essential though, just a thought.

For info on what each effect or processor is commonly used for just do a Google search - there are hundreds of articles online.

If you know the tempo in BPM then look up how to calculate a delay time to match the tempo - you can get some cool sounds.

In my experience you can read all you want but you need to experiment and hear what the effects do to a track - so read a little, experiment, read some more and then experiment a lot more...... have fun....

Zeek

 

[Michael37150]

Thank you Zeek. I did just start to do that. I recorded a dry vocal and then started listening to each of the presets. I tried the multi effects on the vocal track but they were all too distorted for me. Definately not the sound I'm looking for. What I had usually done in the past was move the slider on the vocal track up to the middle, then EQ all the way up and then turn the send up till I got the sound I liked the best. I would then record my vocal track. But, that seems to go against what everyone is saying. Everyone says to record the vocal dry first and then add the effects. What do you think about what I have been doing?

 

[Zeekle]

Hi,

You can turn off the distortion unit on the multi effects if you want to use the other effects in the ensemble provided - or find one that doesnt have the distortion attached. Personally I think the multi effects section is aimed at guitars and isn't the best for vocals....

As for the Presets, use them as a starter - I found a lot of them to be quite extreme, turn them down so they're not so in your face and you can often get a good sound - then save it to the User section for later use!!

For vocals I tend to use (and not necessarilly in this order or all at the same time) Compression, Reverb, Delay, Pitch shifting, EQ and then I experiment with other things like Flangers and Chorus etc etc. If I use distortion or an overdrive on vocals it is very very minimal...

I do agree with recording everything "dry" if you can. I do with most of my tracks - vox, gtr, bass and drums. The great thing with the Neo is you can take the dry track, add an effect, then bounce that so you have if recorded. Then you take the same dry signal and add another effect. You can then blend the two together - and if it doesnt work, you just go back to the original dry recording and start again... It gives you a lot more options than recording with the effect on, because if you discover you've used to much reverb when you recorded your track, you cant take it off.

If you want to hear the signal with the effect on when you record, you can still do that without actually recording the effect...


HTH
Zeek

 

[Michael37150]

Thanks for your posts. They are very helpful. The only thing I am positive I can do, without a hitch, is laying down a dry track, that is, assuming that when I create a new song there is nothing applied to the track untill I apply it. When you said, "For vocals I tend to use (and not necessarilly in this order or all at the same time) Compression, Reverb, Delay, Pitch shifting, EQ and then I experiment with other things like Flangers and Chorus etc etc. If I use distortion or an overdrive on vocals it is very very minimal... " , which effects were you applying? Was it the multi mic, mic x 4 or the single mic effect?

 

[Zeekle]

Hi Michael,

To be honest I tend to use outboard effects for the majority of my tracks. However, having said that, if your only supply of FX are the ones built in then use what you need to use to get the job done.

The Multi FX will only be applied to one track at a time so you will need to apply it, bounce the track so you end up with a dry track and a track with the FX on it.

The single FX can be applied to more than one track at a time however you can only use one effect. So if you have 3 or 4 backing vocal tracks you want to add reverb to, you can just alter the send on each track to give them some reverb.

The Mic x4 FX can be applied to 4 tracks at the same time or 8 if you do not use the multi FX at the same time. Note that these are Insert FX. You can use these on the same track that you have applied a single FX to. Gives you the option of some compression and reverb etc at the same time on the same time

In all cases you would be wise to record your tracks dry, then bounce them to new tracks and add your FX. You have 250 tracks to use so its easily done.

HTH
Zeek

 

[Michael37150]

Thanks so much Zeek! Right now I am overwhelmed with information. I'm going to take some time now to use this info to experiment. I have enough info now to keep me busy for a good while. Tkanks again!