Recording midi-tracks DP24

[DaniR6]

I want to connect my Yamaha DTXpress to the Tascam DP24 via Midi. Is it possible to record midi tracks on the Tascam DP24 because I only can send a midi signal to the DTXpress but I get no signal to the DP24! I want to record drums with a midi track. Or is it only possible to record audio?

 

[Sam Trenholme]

The MIDI is for synchronization and controlling the DP-24 from a DAW; the DP multitracks are not hardware sequencers. Dedicated hardware multitrack hardware sequencers are devices which are really no longer made (Yes, there are limited sequencers like the Arturia Keystep or Korg SQ-1, Elektron has some products which include sequencing, and Akai has just released their MPC Live and MPC X which are all-in-one hardware DAWs), but something like the DP-24 or DP-32 works nicely with say, a $100 or less used Yamaha QX5 for recording and playing back MIDI tracks (you can even use the QX5’s tape sync and one of the aux sends on the DP-24/32 to give the DP series the MIDI synchronization it lost when Tascam went from the DP-32 to the DP-32SD).

 

[DaniR6]

Thank you for your comprehensive response! I have to find out if the QX5 is a solution for me to recording digital drums, but your explanation is very clearly. Now first I have to find a used one

 

[Sam Trenholme]

Before getting a QX5, I suggest reading an article from when it was new about what it’s like to use it:

http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/yamaha-qx5-sequencer/1454

Summary: It works like a multitrack recorder, but records MIDI. It’s possible to synchronize it to a take deck via a mostly-no-longer-used technology called “tape sync”, but you need to start at the beginning of a song to have things in sync with the QX5’s built in tape sync. A lot of menu diving is needed; the QX5 has 14 buttons and a 2-line display.

There are a lot of brand new sequencers optimized for drums, of course; most drum machines will send out MIDI notes to trigger external modules with drum (or even bass) sounds.