Tascam DP-24 User manual

D01159020D

DP-24

Digital Portastudio

OWNER'S MANUAL

IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). NO USERSERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance.

WARNING: TO PREVENT FIRE OR SHOCK HAZARD, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

ªª For U.S.A.

TO THE USER

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in

a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by

turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures.

a)Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

b)Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

c)Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

d)Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

CAUTION

Changes or modifications to this equipment not expressly approved by TEAC CORPORATION for compliance could void the user's authority to operate this equipment.

ªª For European Customers

Disposal of electrical and electronic equipment

(a)All electrical and electronic equipment should be disposed of separately from the municipal waste stream via collection facilities designated by the government or local authorities.

(b)By disposing of electrical and electronic equipment correctly, you will help save valuable resources and prevent any potential negative effects on human health and the environment.

(c)Improper disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment can have serious effects on the environment and human health because of the presence of hazardous substances in the equipment.

(d)The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) symbol, which shows a wheeled bin that has been crossed out, indicates that electrical and electronic equipment must be collected and disposed of separately from household waste.

(e)Return and collection systems are available to end users. For more detailed information about the disposal of old electrical and electronic equipment, please contact your city office, waste disposal service or the shop where you purchased the equipment.

For Canada

THIS CLASS A DIGITAL APPARATUS COMPLIES WITH CANADIAN ICES-003.CET

APPAREIL NUMERIQUE DE LA CLASSE B EST CONFORME A LA NORME NMB-003 DU CANADA.

This appliance has a serial number located on the bottom panel. Please record the model number and serial number and retain them for your records.

Model number ______________________________

Serial number ______________________________

2 TASCAM DP-24

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

1Read these instructions.

2Keep these instructions.

3Heed all warnings.

4Follow all instructions.

5Do not use this apparatus near water.

6Clean only with dry cloth.

•• The apparatus draws nominal non-operating power from the AC outlet with its POWER or STANDBY/ON switch not in the ON position.

•• The mains plug is used as the disconnect device, the disconnect device shall remain readily operable.

•• Caution should be taken when using earphones or headphones with the product because excessive sound pressure (volume) from earphones or headphones can cause hearing loss.

7Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

8Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.

9Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.

10Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.

11Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.

12Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.

13Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.

14Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.

CAUTION

•• Do not expose this apparatus to drips or splashes.

•• Do not place any objects filled with liquids, such as vases, on the apparatus.

•• Do not install this apparatus in a confined space such as a book case or similar unit.

•• The apparatus should be located close enough to the AC outlet so that you can easily grasp the power cord plug at any time.

•• If the product uses batteries (including a battery pack or ooinstalled batteries), they should not be exposed to sunshine, fire or excessive heat.

•• CAUTION for products that use replaceable lithium batteries: oothere is danger of explosion if a battery is replaced with an incorrect type of battery. Replace only with the same or equivalent type.

WORNING

Products with Class !construction are equipped with a power supply cord that has a grounding plug. The cord of such a product must be plugged into an AC outlet that has a protective grounding connection.

TASCAM DP-24 3

Safety Information

ªª CAUTIONS ABOUT LASER RADIATION

This product has been designed and manufactured according to FDA regulations “title 21, CFR, chapter 1, subchapter J, based on the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968,” and is classified as a class 1 laser product. There is no hazardous invisible laser radiation during operation because invisible laser radiation emitted inside of this product is completely confined in the protective housings.

The label required in this regulation is shown at 1.

1

For USA

Cautions:

•• DO NOT REMOVE THE PROTECTIVE HOUSING USING A SCREWDRIVER.

•• USE OF CONTROLS OR ADJUSTMENTS OR PERFORMANCE OF PROCEDURES OTHER THAN THOSE SPECIFIED HEREIN MAY RESULT IN HAZARDOUS RADIATION EXPOSURE.

•• IF THIS PRODUCT DEVELOPS TROUBLE, CONTACT YOUR NEAREST QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL, AND DO NOT USE THE PRODUCT IN ITS DAMAGED STATE.

Optical pickup
Type	: SW651L
Manufacturer	: Hitachi Media Electronics Co., Ltd.
Laser output	: Less than 95mW on the objective lens
Wavelength	: 785 nm (Typ.)
Standard	: IEC60825-1: 2007

4 TASCAM DP-24

1 – Introduction...............................................	8
Features...................................................................................	8
Items included with the product...................................	8
Conventions used in this manual..................................	8
Intellectual property rights..............................................	9
Precautions for placement and use..............................	9
Beware of condensation...................................................	9
Cleaning the unit.................................................................	9
About SD cards.....................................................................	9
Precautions for use.....................................................	10
About CDs (Compact Discs)...........................................	10
Precautions for use.....................................................	10
About CD-R and CD-RW discs................................	10
2 - Quick Guide..............................................	12
Playback and mixing........................................................	12
Preparation....................................................................	12
Listening to the demo song....................................	13
Recording and mastering...............................................	14
Creating a new song..................................................	14
Connecting and setting the input sources........	15
Setting the guitar as the recording source for
TRACK 1..........................................................................	15
Adjusting and monitoring the input level.........	15
Recording a guitar to TRACK 1...............................	16
Playing back the recording.....................................	16
Recording a guitar to TRACK 2...............................	16
Recording a vocal to TRACK 3.................................	17
Mixing the tracks.........................................................	18
Mastering a recording...............................................	19
Creating an audio CD with the master file...............	21
Inserting a CD...............................................................	21
Writing to a CD-R/CD-RW........................................	22
Ejecting a CD................................................................	23
Shutting down....................................................................	23
3 – Names and Functions of Parts................	24
Top panel..............................................................................	24
Front panel...........................................................................	28
Rear panel.............................................................................	29
Home screen.......................................................................	30
Menu structure...................................................................	31
Screen operations..............................................................	32
4 – Preparation..............................................	34
Inserting and removing SD cards................................	34
Inserting an SD card...................................................	34
Removing the card.....................................................	34
About write-protected SD cards...........................	34
Powering the unit..............................................................	34

Table of Contents
Start-up & Shutdown........................................................	35
Starting up the unit....................................................	35
Shutting down.............................................................	35
Setting the date and time...............................................	35
Preparing an SD card for use.........................................	36
Recorder modes.................................................................	36
Connecting other equipment.......................................	36
Front panel....................................................................	36
Rear panel......................................................................	37
Adjusting the contrast.....................................................	37
5 - Song Management...................................	38
Editing names.....................................................................	38
Loading a song...................................................................	38
Creating a new song.........................................................	38
Saving a song......................................................................	39
Viewing song information..............................................	40
Copying songs....................................................................	40
Erasing songs......................................................................	41
Protecting songs................................................................	41
Deleting unnecessary audio data from a song.......	42
Changing a song name...................................................	43
6 - Basic Recording........................................	44
Selecting the input sources...........................................	44
Assigning inputs................................................................	44
Assigning to a mono track.......................................	44
Assigning to a stereo track......................................	44
Assigning to a stereo bus.........................................	44
Checking the assignment........................................	45
Canceling an assignment.........................................	45
Using phantom power.....................................................	45
Monitoring...........................................................................	45
Monitor selection........................................................	45
OL indicators and level meters.....................................	46
Setting the Mixer screen.................................................	46
Using EQ (equalizer)...................................................	46
DIGITAL TRIM setting (Track only).........................	47
Built-in Send Effects and External Effects..........	47
Setting built-in effects..............................................	47
Setting the stereo position......................................	48
Changing the signal phase......................................	48
Checking the fader level..........................................	48
Solo.........................................................................................	48
Muting tracks......................................................................	48
Rehearsing the recording...............................................	49
Making the first recording..............................................	49

TASCAM DP-24 5

Table of Contents
Multitrack recording.........................................................	50
Setting the tracks for recording.............................	50
Setting track pan and level......................................	50
Input selection and assignment............................	50
Setting input levels....................................................	50
Recording......................................................................	50
Undoing an operation.....................................................	50
Setting the undoing feature...................................	50
Undoing the last operation (single undo).........	51
Undoing previous operations (multi-undo)......	51
7 - Recorder Functions..................................	52
Punching in and out.........................................................	52
Using a foot switch to punch in/out....................	52
Setting the foot switch.............................................	52
Bouncing tracks..................................................................	53
Performing the track bouncing.............................	53
Checking the result....................................................	53
Direct Location Function................................................	54
Locating directly a specified time.........................	54
Locating directly a specified measure/beat......	54
Location marks...................................................................	54
Setting a location mark............................................	54
Skipping to location marks.....................................	55
Deleting a location mark..........................................	55
Returning to zero (TO ZERO) and returning to last
recording position (TO LAST REC)...............................	55
Fast forward/rewind search...........................................	55
Jog positioning...................................................................	55
Viewing the track's waveform................................	55
Listening to the track sounds.................................	55
Repeat playback.................................................................	56
Setting IN/OUT points...............................................	56
Using repeat playback..............................................	56
Moving back a few seconds for replay (jump back
playback)..............................................................................	56
Checking cueing points (preview)..............................	57
Auto punch in/out.............................................................	57
Setting punch in/out points...................................	58
Checking punch in/out points...............................	58
Rehearsing punch in/out.........................................	58
Performing auto punch in/out...............................	59
Checking a take...........................................................	59
Virtual tracks........................................................................	59
8 - Track Editing.............................................	60
Overview of track editing...............................................	60
Editing points...............................................................	60
Basic editing procedures..........................................	60
Explanation of items..................................................	60

COPY/PASTE.........................................................................	61
COPY/INSERT.......................................................................	61
MOVE/PASTE........................................................................	62
MOVE/INSERT......................................................................	62
OPEN (Insert Silence)........................................................	62
CUT (Remove Part)............................................................	62
SILENCE (Erase Part)..........................................................	63
CLONE TRACK (Track Duplication)...............................	63
CLEAN OUT (Delete Track)..............................................	63
9 - Using Built-In Effects................................	64
Dynamic effects..................................................................	64
Inserting a dynamic effect.......................................	64
Editing a dynamic effect..........................................	64
Guitar effects.......................................................................	64
Inserting a guitar effect............................................	64
Editing guitar effects.................................................	65
Calling effects from the guitar effect library.....	65
Saving guitar effects in the library........................	65
Send effects.........................................................................	65
Using send effects......................................................	65
Editing send effects....................................................	65
Calling the send effect library................................	66
Saving send effects in the library..........................	66
10 - Mixing Down and Mastering Tracks......	68
Mixing down tracks...........................................................	68
Levels and balance.....................................................	68
Fader group..................................................................	68
Stereo position (panning)........................................	68
TRACK EQ (equalizer).................................................	68
Send effects..................................................................	69
Creating a master file.......................................................	69
Setting the start and end points...........................	69
Creating a master file................................................	70
Exiting Mixdown mode............................................	70
Checking the master file.................................................	70
Ending master file checking...................................	71
Finishing up a master file (mastering)........................	71
Mastering procedures...............................................	71
Using the mastering EQ (equalizer).....................	71
Using mastering compression...............................	72
Using normalize..........................................................	73
Using the noise shaper (Noise Shaped
Dithering)......................................................................	73
Exiting Mastering mode...........................................	73

6 TASCAM DP-24

11 - Various Other Functions........................	74
Metronome..........................................................................	74
MIDI Sync..............................................................................	74
MIDI remote control.........................................................	75
Tuner function....................................................................	75
Setup (PREFERENCE).........................................................	76
Auto Monitor................................................................	76
Restoring the initial preference settings...................	77
Viewing information.........................................................	77
12 - SD Card Management............................	78
Quick formatting an SD card.........................................	78
Full formatting an SD card..............................................	79
13 - Exchanging Data with a Computer.......	80
Operating system requirements..................................	80
Connecting to a computer.............................................	80
Disconnecting..............................................................	81
Track import and export.................................................	82
Importing tracks..........................................................	82
Exporting tracks..........................................................	83
Deleting files from the AudioDepot folder..............	83
14 - Using CDs................................................	84
Using the CD drive............................................................	84
Preparations before using CDs with this unit....	84
Types of CDs that can be used with this unit....	84
Loading and ejecting CDs..............................................	85
Loading a CD................................................................	85
Ejecting a CD................................................................	86
Forcing disc ejection..................................................	86
Playing back an Audio CD..............................................	86
Creating an Audio CD......................................................	87
Using Disc At Once.....................................................	87
Using Track At Once...................................................	88
Using LIVE WRITER......................................................	89
Finalizing a CD.............................................................	90
Importing songs from an Audio CD............................	90
Erasing a CD-RW................................................................	91
Media Compatibility Table.............................................	91
15 – Troubleshooting....................................	92
16 – Messages................................................	93
General messages.............................................................	93
CD mode messages..........................................................	95
CD-related error messages.............................................	96

Table of Contents
17 – Specifications.........................................	97
Ratings...................................................................................	97
Input/output ratings........................................................	97
Analog audio input/output ratings......................	97
Control input/output ratings..................................	97
Audio performance...........................................................	97
Operating requirements.................................................	97
General..................................................................................	98
Dimensional drawings.....................................................	98
Block diagram.....................................................................	99
Level diagram...................................................................	100
18 – Appendix..............................................	101
MIDI Control Change message..................................	101
Mixer control change parameters.....................	101
MIDI Program Change message................................	102
Dynamic effects........................................................	102
Preset libraries of the send effects.....................	102
Preset libraries of the guitar effects..................	102
MIDI Implementation Chart.................................	103
Bit-map array of MMC command..............................	104

TASCAM DP-24 7

1 – Introduction

Thank you very much for purchasing the TASCAM DP-24 Digital Portastudio.

Before connecting and using the unit, please take time to read this manual thoroughly to ensure you understand how to properly set up and connect the unit, as well as the operation of its many useful and convenient functions. After you have finished reading this manual, please keep it in a safe place for future reference.

You can also download the Owner's Manual from the TASCAM website (http://tascam.com/).

Features

This unit uses SD cards for multitrack recording of up to 8 tracks and playback of up to 24 tracks simultaneously. Multiple tracks can be mixed down to stereo to create a master file by using the built-in mixer functions.

Master files can be written to CD-Rs and similar media, as well as transferred to a computer that is connected via USB. Moreover, since transferring data between the unit and a computer is possible, you can copy tracks and master files, and back up song files to a computer.

••	Your 24-Track DIGITAL PORTASTUDIO uses SD cards as
	recording media and includes a CD drive
••	Supports SDHC standards for large capacity SD cards of
	up to 32GB
••	Multitrack recorder functions include simultaneous
	8 track recording + 24 track playback (44.1/48kHz,
	16/24bit)
••	18+1 45mm faders (for track and master level
	adjustment)
••	Each track has independent SELECT button and REC
	button
••	+48V Phantom power supported mic input
••	Eight balanced mic/line inputs (XLR/TRS combo jacks)
••	High-impedance guitar input supported (INPUT H only:
	6.3mm (1/4") TS phone jack)
••	3.5-inch large TFT color LCD display
••	Independent 3-band equalizers for each input and
	playback track
••	Mixing down to a dedicated master file possible
••	Included mastering effects can be used on mix downs
	of master files
••	Includes Reverb and various other effects that can be
	independently adjusted for each playback track
••	Auto punch in/out function
••	Track bounce function
••	Track editing functions include COPY INSERT, COPY
	PASTE, MOVE INSERT, MOVE PASTE, OPEN, CUT,
	SILENCE, CLONE TRACK, and CLEAN OUT
••	Undo and redo functions, including history level
	setting
••	Locate Mark function

••	Tuner and metronome functions
••	Audio CDs can be created from mixed down master
	files, and tracks on Audio CDs can be played back and
	imported
••	Song data and WAVE files can be copied and backed up
	to a computer connected via USB2.0
••	Punch in/out and other functions can be assigned to
	and controlled by a foot switch (TASCAM RC-3F, sold
	separately)

Items included with the product

The DP-24 package contains the following items.

Take care when opening the package not to damage the items. Keep the package materials for transportation in the future.

Please contact the store where you purchased this unit if any of these items are missing or have been damaged during transportation.

••	Main unit.........................................................................................	1
••	AC adapter (TASCAM PS-1225L).............................................	1
••	Power cord for AC adapter.......................................................	1
••	SD memory card (inserted into the unit)............................	1
••	USB cable (80cm).........................................................................	1
••	Warranty card...............................................................................	1
••	Owner's Manual (this manual)................................................	1

CAUTION

Never use any AC adapter or power cord other than the supplied TASCAM PS-1225L AC adapter and AC adapter power cord. Moreover, do not use the supplied AC adapter and AC adapter power cord with other equipment. Doing so could cause malfunction, fire or electric shock.

Conventions used in this manual

Conventions used in this manual are as follows.

•• Names of buttons, controls, etc. of this unit appear like this: MENU.

•• Text displayed on the LCD display appears like this:

MENU.

•• The four buttons beneath the LCD display (F1 to F4) are function buttons. The functions displayed at the bottom of each screen are sometimes shown after the button names in parentheses.

Example: F1 (TIMELINE) button, F4 (t) button.

•• "SD memory card" is abbreviated as "SD card".

•• CD-DA format may be mentioned as Audio CD format. Moreover, a CD recorded with Audio CD format tracks may be mentioned as an Audio CD.

•• An unused CD-R/CD-RW or a completely erased CD-RW may be mentioned as a blank CD.

•• Text displayed on a computer monitor appears like this: OK.

8 TASCAM DP-24

•• Additional information is introduced in the following styles when needed: TIP, NOTE, and CAUTION.

TIP

Useful hints when using the unit.

NOTE

Explanation of actions in special situations, supplementary explanations, etc.

CAUTION

Instructions that should be followed to avoid injury, damage to the unit or other equipment, and loss of data.

Intellectual property rights

•• TASCAM is a trademark of TEAC Corporation, registered in the U.S. and other countries.

•• SDHC Logo is a trademark of SD-3C, LLC.

•• Microsoft, Windows, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

•• Apple, Macintosh, iMac, Mac OS and Mac OS X are trademarks of Apple Inc.

•• Pentium and Intel are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

•• Other company names, product names and logos in this document are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Any data, including, but not limited to information, described herein are intended only as illustrations of such data and/or information and not as the specifications for such data and/or information. TEAC Corporation disclaims any warranty that any use

of such data and/or information shall be free from infringement of any third party's intellectual property rights or other proprietary rights, and further, assumes no liability of whatsoever nature in the event of any such infringement, or arising from or connected with or related to the use of such data and/or information.

This product is designed to help you record and reproduce sound works to which you own the copyright, or where you have obtained permission from the copyright holder or the rightful licensor. Please use the product appropriately.

Under no circumstances will TEAC Corporation be responsible for the consequences of any illegal copying performed using the recorder.

1 – Introduction

Precautions for placement and use

••	The operating temperature should be between 5°C and
	35°C (41°F and 95°F).
••	Do not install in the following types of places. Doing
	so could degrade the sound quality and/or cause
	malfunctions.
	••	Places with significant vibrations or that are
		otherwise unstable
	••	Near windows or other places exposed to direct
		sunlight
	••	Near heaters or other extremely hot places
	••	Extremely cold places
	••	Places with bad ventilation or high humidity
	••	Very dusty locations
••	Make sure that the unit is mounted in a level position
	for correct operation.
••	Do not place any object on the unit for heat dissipation.
••	Avoid installing this unit on top of any heat-generating
	electrical device such as a power amplifier.

Beware of condensation

If the unit is moved from a cold to a warm place, or used after a sudden temperature change, there is a danger of condensation; vapor in the air could condense on the internal mechanism, making correct operation impossible. To prevent this, or if this occurs, let the unit sit for one or two hours at the new room temperature before using.

Cleaning the unit

Use a dry soft cloth to wipe the unit clean. Do not clean the unit with a chemically treated cloth or substances such as benzine, thinner and alcohol. This could damage the surface or change the color of the unit.

About SD cards

This unit uses SD cards for recording and playback.

SD and SDHC cards that are at least 512 MB in size can be used.

A list of SD cards that have been tested with this unit can be found on the TASCAM website (http://tascam.com/). Use of cards that have not been verified for use with this unit could result in the unit not functioning properly.

TASCAM DP-24 9

1 – Introduction

Precautions for use

SD cards are delicate media. In order to avoid damaging a card or the card slot, please take the following precautions when handling them.

•• Do not leave them in extremely hot or cold places.

•• Do not leave them in extremely humid places.

•• Do not let them get wet.

•• Do not put things on top of them or twist them.

•• Do not hit them.

•• Do not remove or insert an SD card when the power is ON.

About CDs (Compact Discs)

In addition to Audio CDs, this unit can play CD-R and CDRW discs on which Audio CD (CD-DA) format files are recorded. The unit can also play 8cm CDs.

Precautions for use

•• Use only CD, CD-R and CD-RW discs that bear the following logos.

CD-R

CD-RW

•• Always place the compact discs in the trays with their label facing upward.

•• To remove a disc from its case, press down on the center of the disc holder, then lift the disc out, holding it carefully by the edges.

•• Do not touch the signal side (the unlabeled side). Fingerprints, oils and other substances can cause errors during recording.

•• To clean the signal side of a disc, wipe gently with a soft dry cloth from the center towards the outside edge. Dirt on discs can lower the sound quality, so clean them and always store them in a clean state.

•• Do not use any record spray, anti-static solutions, benzine, paint thinner or other chemical agents to clean CDs. This could damage the delicate playing surface and cause CDs to become unplayable.

•• Do not apply labels or other materials to discs. Do not use discs that have had tape, stickers or other

materials applied to their surface. Do not use discs that have sticky residue from stickers, etc. Such discs could become stuck in the unit or cause it to malfunction.

•• Never use a commercially available CD stabilizer. Using stabilizers with this unit will damage the mechanism and cause it to malfunction.

•• Do not use cracked discs.

•• Only use circular compact discs. Do not use noncircular promotional, etc. discs.

•• Some record companies sell copy-protected discs or copy-controlled discs that may not play back correctly in this unit. Since such discs may not conform with the CD standard, do not use them in this unit.

•• If you experience problems with such non-standard discs, you should contact the producers of the disc.

About CD-R and CD-RW discs

CD-R discs can be recorded only once. Tracks (songs) recorded in such discs cannot be deleted. However, if the disc has not been finalized and sufficient space is available on the disc, additional material can be recorded. After finishing recording, finalizing a CD-R makes it playable in most ordinary CD players (some CD players might not be able to play these discs).

If a CD-RW disc becomes full, you can erase the recorded data to allow reuse.

However, you cannot designate specific songs for erasure.

Even after being finalized, CD-RW discs can only be played in players that specifically support their playback.

10 TASCAM DP-24

1 – Introduction

TASCAM DP-24 11

2 - Quick Guide

Playback and mixing

In this section, we will play back the demo song on the included SD card.

When this unit is purchased new, the SD card with the demo song on it is already installed in the unit, but we will start by explaining how to insert an SD card using the procedures below.

Preparation

1.Insert the included SD card into the SD card slot on the rear panel. Be careful not to forcibly insert the card in the wrong direction. Doing so could damage the SD card slot or the SD card.

2.Connect the supplied AC adapter (TASCAM PS1225L) to the DC IN 12V jack on the rear panel.

AC outlet

TASCAM

PS-1225L

DC plug

The bottom panel has a hook (cord holder) that can be used to hold the AC adapter cord in place. When using it, wrap the cord around this cord holder to prevent it from being disconnected during use.

CAUTION

Never use any AC adapter or power cord other than the supplied TASCAM PS-1225L AC adapter and AC adapter power cord. Use of a different adapter could cause malfunction, fire or electric shock.

3.Connect headphones to the PHONES jack on the front panel.

Headphones

4.Press and hold the STANDBY/ON button for a few seconds on the rear panel to turn the power ON. When the unit starts, the Home screen appears on the display.

Start-up screen

Home screen

CAUTION

•• Do not remove or insert an SD card when the power is ON. Always turn the power OFF (standby) before removing or inserting an SD card.

12 TASCAM DP-24

•• When the power is on, do not cut the power to the unit by, for example disconnecting the power cord. All settings made since the last time you saved will not be saved. If you cut the power while an SD card is being accessed, all recorded songs and data may be damaged and cannot be recovered.

•• Before turning the power ON, minimize the headphones volume and the volume on any monitoring system connected to this unit.

TIP

If an amplifier or powered speakers are connected to the MONITOR OUT jacks, you can monitor using speakers.

Listening to the demo song

The included SD card in the unit contains a demo song. We will use this demo song to practice listening to and mixing a recording.

1. Press the HOME button to open the Home screen.

2.When the recorder is stopped, press the MENU button to open the MENUscreen.

3.Use the JOG/DATA dial or the CURSOR (5/b/g/t) buttons to select (green highlight) SONG, and then press the F4 (t) button.

The SONG LISTscreen appears.

4.Use the JOG/DATA dial or the CURSOR (5/b) buttons to select DEMO SONG, and then press the F4 (t) button to open a sub-menu.

2 - Quick Guide

5.Use the JOG/DATA dial or the CURSOR (5/b) buttons to select LOAD, and then press the F4 (t) button.

The SONG LOADpop-up window appears.

6.Press the F2 (YES) button to load the demo song.

The demo song is loaded and the display returns to the SONG LISTscreen.

7.Press the HOME button to return to the Home screen.

8.Press the PLAY (7) button, and raise the TRACK

1 to 23/24 faders, the STEREO fader and the MONITOR LEVEL knob to listen to the demo song.

The STEREO fader adjusts the overall volume of TRACK 1 to 23/24. The standard position of the STEREO fader is 0dB.

Use TRACK 1 to 23/24 faders to adjust the balance of the tracks.

Use the MONITOR LEVEL knob to adjust the final monitoring volume.

9.Press the MIXER button to open the Mixerscreen.

10.Press the SOURCE button to select INPUT A to H, or press the SELECT button to select a track to be set, and then use the PAN knob to set the stereo signal position of each track.

TASCAM DP-24 13

2 - Quick Guide

TIP

•• Press the STOP (8) and REW (m) (TO ZERO) buttons at the same time to return to the beginning of the song (ZERO point) (TO ZERO function).

•• If you press the wrong button and open a different screen, press the HOME button to return to the Home screen at any time.

Recording and mastering

In this section we will practice multitrack recording.

Here we will explain how to connect an electric guitar and rhythm guitar to INPUT H, and an external microphone to

INPUT B.

In the following example, we will explain how to record a rhythm guitar part with an electric guitar to track 1 and a lead guitar part to track 2. Then, we will use the external microphone to record vocals to track 3. Finally, we will mix down the tracks to stereo.

We will assume that you have already followed the instructions in the previous section, and that you have connected the monitoring equipment, started the unit and inserted the SD card.

Creating a new song

1.When the recorder is stopped, press the MENU button to open the MENUscreen.

2.Use the JOG/DATA dial or the CURSOR (5/b/g/t) buttons to select (green highlight) SONG, and then press the F4 (t) button.

The SONG LISTscreen appears.

3.Press the F4 (t) button to open the sub-menu and then use the JOG/DATA dial or the CURSOR (5/b) buttons to select CREATE.

4.Press the F4 (t) button to open the SONG CREATEpop-up window.

The created song is given the name SONG_0002.

5.Change the name (title) of the song as necessary in the item Name. (See "Editing names" on page 38.)

6.Use the CURSOR (5/b) buttons to move the cursor (blue highlight) to select Bit(Bit rate), Hz

(Sampling frequency), and then use the JOG/DATA dial to set.

CAUTION

When creating a CD from a master file, set to 44.1kHz, 16bit.

7.Press the F2 (YES) button.

The currently loaded song is saved and a new song is created.

8.Press the HOME button to return to the Home screen.

14 TASCAM DP-24

Connecting and setting the input sources

1.Connect an electric guitar to the MIC/LINE INPUTS H jack on the rear panel.

Guitar

2.Set the LINE-GUITAR switch to GUITAR on the rear panel.

The GUITAR indicator lights.

GUITAR indicator

2 - Quick Guide

Setting the guitar as the recording source for TRACK 1

When you press the ASSIGN button to open the Assign screen, the default screen setting for the recording source is A(INPUT A) for TRACK 1, B(INPUT B) for TRACK 2, C (INPUT C) for TRACK 3, and so on for Dto H(INPUT D to H) for TRACK 4 to 8. (See "Assigning inputs" on page 44.)

Since initially the input source of the INPUT H is set as the recording source of the TRACK 8, you must change the recording source to TRACK 1.

Follow the procedure below to change the recording source of the TRACK 1.

1. Press the ASSIGN button to open the Assign screen.

2.Use the CURSOR (5/b/g/t) buttons or press the

SELECT button for TRACK 1 and align the cursor (frame) on the Assign screen with TRACK 1.

3.Use the JOG/DATA dial or the SOURCE button for INPUT H to set the recording source of TRACK 1 to

H.

Now the guitar becomes the input source for INPUT H.

TIP

When connecting an electric-acoustic guitar with a builtin preamp or an active-type electric guitar, or when using an effects pedal, for example, between the guitar and this unit, set the LINE-GUITAR switch to LINE on the rear panel.

Adjusting and monitoring the input level

1.Press the HOME button to return to the Home screen.

2.Press the REC button for TRACK 1.

The REC button flashes and the unit enters recording standby.

TASCAM DP-24 15

2 - Quick Guide

3.Use the TRIM knob for INPUT H to adjust the guitar input level. Set the TRIM knob so that the OL indicator for INPUT H does not light even when the loudest sound to be recorded is input.

If the OL indicator continues to light even when the TRIM knob is turned down, the guitar signal itself is too loud. In this case, lower the output level on the guitar.

OL indicator

When you play the guitar, the input level is shown by the level meter for 1(TRACK 1) on the display.

When you raise the fader for TRACK 1, the STEREO fader and the MONITOR LEVEL knob, you can hear the sound of the guitar through the headphones, and the Land R level meters move.

NOTE

••	You can use the PAN knob for TRACK 1 on the Mixer
	screen to set the stereo position for monitoring.
••	When the REC button for TRACK 1 is unlit, you cannot
	hear the guitar sound that is being input.

Recording a guitar to TRACK 1

1.Press the RECORD (0) button to start recording and play the guitar.

The REC button for TRACK 1 stops flashing and lights steadily.

2.After you finish your performance, press the STOP (8) button to stop recording.

The recorded file is saved in the folder of the currently loaded song.

3.Press the REC button for TRACK 1 so the REC button becomes unlit.

Playing back the recording

1.To return to the beginning of the song (ZERO point), press and hold the STOP (8) button and press the REW (m) (TO ZERO) button (TO ZERO function).

2.Press the PLAY (7) button to play back the recording on TRACK 1.

3.Use the fader for TRACK 1 and the STEREO fader to adjust the playback monitoring level. Use the MONITOR LEVEL knob to adjust the final monitoring volume.

TIP

Use the PAN knob for TRACK 1 on the Mixer screen to set the stereo position of the track signal.

Recording a guitar to TRACK 2

Now you should listen to the rhythm guitar on TRACK 1 and play the lead guitar on TRACK 2.

Follow the procedure below to change the recording source of the TRACK 2.

1. Press the ASSIGN button to open the Assign screen.

Record the lead guitar sound from INPUT H to TRACK 2. By default, INPUT B is assigned to TRACK 2.

2.Use the CURSOR (5/b/g/t) buttons or press the

SELECT button for TRACK 2 and align the cursor (frame) on the Assign screen with TRACK 2.

Use the JOG/DATA dial or press the SOURCE button for INPUT H to set the recording source of the TRACK 2 to H.

16 TASCAM DP-24

3.Press the HOME button to return to the Home screen.

4.Press the REC button for TRACK 2.

Its REC indicator blinks and the unit enters record standby.

When you play the guitar, the input level is shown by the level meter for 2(TRACK 2).

5.Return to the beginning of the song (ZERO point) and start playback of the recorded rhythm guitar to play the lead guitar part along with the recording.

Raise the fader for TRACK 2 to hear both the playback of TRACK 1 and input guitar signal through your headphones.

6.As necessary, use the faders for TRACK 1 and 2, PAN knobs, STEREO fader and MONITOR LEVEL knob to adjust the monitoring level and balance.

7.Return to the beginning of the song, press the RECORD (0) button to start recording, and play the lead guitar part.

The RECORD (0) button lights red, and the REC indicator for TRACK 2 stops flashing and becomes lit.

8.After you finish your performance, press the STOP (8) button to stop recording.

The recorded file is saved in the folder of the currently loaded song.

9.Press the REC button for TRACK 2 so the REC button becomes unlit.

2 - Quick Guide

Recording a vocal to TRACK 3

1. Press the ASSIGN button to open the Assign screen.

2.Use the CURSOR (5/b/g/t) buttons or press the

SELECT button for TRACK 3 and align the cursor (frame) on the Assign screen with TRACK 3.

Use the JOG/DATA dial or press the SOURCE button for INPUT B to set the recording source of the TRACK 3 to B.

3.Press the HOME button to return to the Home screen.

4.Press the REC button for TRACK 3.

The REC indicator blinks and the unit enters record standby.

5.Use the TRIM knob for INPUT B to adjust the input level suitably for the mic. Set the TRIM knob so that the OL indicator for INPUT B does not light even when the loudest sound to be recorded is input.

OL indicator

TASCAM DP-24 17

2 - Quick Guide

When you input a sound through an external microphone, the input level is shown by the 3level meter.

When you raise the fader for TRACK 3, the STEREO fader and the MONITOR LEVEL knob, you can hear the sound of the mic input through the headphones.

NOTE

If the OL indicator continues to light even when the TRIM knob is turned down, the mic signal itself is too loud.

In this case, move the mic further away from the sound source or lower the volume of the sound source.

6.Return to the beginning of the song, start playback of the recorded rhythm guitar and lead guitar parts, and sing along with the recording.

You can hear the playback of the recorded guitar parts on tracks 1 and 2 along with the vocal on your headphones.

7.As necessary, use the faders for TRACK 1 and 2, PAN knobs, STEREO fader and MONITOR LEVEL knob to adjust the monitoring level and balance.

8.Return to the beginning of the song, press the RECORD (0) button to start recording, and then sing along with the recording.

The RECORD (0) button lights red, and the REC indicator for TRACK 3 stops flashing and lights steadily.

9.After you finish your performance, press the STOP (8) button to stop recording.

The recorded file is saved in the folder of the currently loaded song.

10.Press the REC button for TRACK 3 so that the REC button becomes unlit.

Mixing the tracks

Once you have finished your recording, you are ready to mix down and create a master file.

1.Use the faders for TRACK 1 to 3 to adjust their balance of levels. Use the STEREO fader to adjust the overall level.

2.Press the MIXER button to open the Mixer screen.

Press the SELECT buttons for TRACK 1 to 3 to select the track to be set and then use the PAN knob to set its stereo position.

3.Set the IN point.

The interval from the IN point to the OUT point will be used for the master file.

Play back the song, press and hold the MARK SET button and press the IN button at the point where you want to start the master file.

The position where you pressed the button is set as the IN point, which is where the mix down will start.

4.Set the OUT point.

Play back the song, press and hold the MARK SET button and press the OUT button where you want to end the master file.

The position where you pressed the button is set as the OUT point, which is where the mix down will end.

TIP

You can also press and hold the MARK SET button and press the IN or OUT button to set the IN and OUT points when playback is stopped.

5.Press the MIXDOWN/MASTERING button.

The Recorder mode switches to Mixdownmode and the display returns to the Home screen.

NOTE

In Mixdown mode, Mixdownappears on the upper left corner of the Home screen.

6.Press the RECORD (0) button.

The master file recording starts.

Recording stops automatically when the OUT point is reached.

18 TASCAM DP-24

NOTE

•• The IN and OUT points must be at least 4 seconds apart. If the interval is shorter than 4 seconds, the message I/O Too Shortwill appear and the Recorder mode cannot switch to Mixdownmode .

•• During recording, you can use the track faders to adjust the levels of the tracks and the overall level.

•• You can also use the equalizer or reverb effect while recording a master file. (See "TRACK EQ (equalizer)" on page 68 and "Send effects" on page 69.)

•• You can mute unwanted tracks so that they are not recorded to the master file. (See "Muting tracks" on page 48.)

Mastering a recording

You can adjust the master file to tailor the sound to your preference. This process is called mastering.

ªª Checking the master file

1.When Recorder mode is Mixdownmode, press the MIXDOWN/MASTERING button to open the MASTERING screen.

The Recorder mode switches to Masteringmode and the display returns to the Home screen.

2 - Quick Guide

ªª Applying equalization

In this example, we will use the equalizer on the master file to reduce high frequencies and increase low frequencies slightly.

1.When Recorder mode is Masteringmode, press the F1 (EQ) button to open the EQUALIZER screen.

2.Turn the EQ HIGH knob to the left to lower the GAINknob for HIGHshown on the screen. Set to "-2dB". This reduces the high frequencies.

3.Next turn the EQ MID knob to the left to lower the GAINfor MID. Set to "-2dB". This reduces the mid frequencies.

4.Next, turn the EQ LOW knob to the right to raise the GAINknob for LOWshown on the screen. Set to "+6dB". This increase the low frequencies.

5.Press the ON/OFF button on the right of the LOW knob to turn the equalizer on.

NOTE

•• In Mastering mode, Masteringappears on the upper left corner of the Home screen.

•• When a master file does not exist, the Recorder mode cannot switch to Masteringmode.

•• If Recorder mode is Multi Trackmode , you can press the MIXDOWN/MASTERING button to switch to the Mixdownmode , and then press the

MIXDOWN/MASTERING button again to switch to the

Masteringmode.

2.In this mode, press the PLAY (7) button to listen to the master file that you have created.

NOTE

••	Confirm that both the EQand COMPitems are set
	to OFF. If either is set to ON, the sound heard will be
	affected by the equalizer and/or compressor. (See
	"Using the mastering EQ (equalizer)" on page 71 and
	"Using mastering compression" on page 72.)
••	In Masteringmode, the STEREO fader cannot be
	used to adjust the level.

6.Press the F1 (g) button to return to the Mastering screen.

7.Now you can press the PLAY (7) button to listen to the master file with equalization.

ªª Applying compression

Use the compressor on the master file to adjust the impact of the entire song.

1.When Recorder mode is Masteringmode, press the F2 (COMP) button to open the COMP MULTI screen.

TASCAM DP-24 19

2 - Quick Guide

2.Press the F3 (LIBRARY) button to open the library list.

3.Use the JOG/DATA dial to select (blue highlight) an item from the list and then press the F4 (t) button to load the appropriate setting from the library.

Load the appropriate setting from the library. COMP MULTIis displayed.

TIP

On the COMP MULTIscreen, you can also change the parameters.

4.Press the F4 (ON) button to turn the compressor on.

The indication OFFchanges to ON.

5.Press the F1 (g) button to return to the Mastering screen.

6.Press the PLAY (7) button on the Mastering screen to listen to the master file with compression.

NOTE

If the EQitem is set to ONon the EQUALIZERscreen, the effect of the equalizer on the sound will also be heard.

ªª Using normalizing

Normalizing maximizes the volume of the master file.

1.When Recorder mode is Masteringmode, press the F4 (NORM) button to open the NORMALIZE screen.

2.Press the F2 (YES) button to perform the normalization.

3.Once the process is completed, the display returns to the Mastering screen.

ªª Using the noise shaper

You can use this function to reduce the quantization distortion.

1.When Recorder mode is Masteringmode, press the F3 (NSD) button to open the NOISE SHAPED DITHERINGscreen.

2.Press the F4 (ON/OFF) button to set the noise shaper to ON.

3.Press the F1 (g) button to return to the Mastering screen.

ªª Re-recording the master file

Re-record the master file with equalization and compression applied to create a new master file.

1.When Recorder mode is Masteringmode, press the RECORD (0) button.

2.This will record over the master file and create a new master file with equalization and compression applied.

20 TASCAM DP-24

Creating an audio CD with the master file

You can use a master file that you have created to create an audio CD that can be played on an ordinary CD player, for example.

Inserting a CD

1.When Recorder mode is Multi Trackmode, press the CD button to open the CDmenu screen.

CAUTION

•• When Recorder mode is a mode other than Multi Trackmode, you cannot open the CDmenu screen.

In Mixdownor Masteringmode, press the MIXDOWN/MASTERING button repeatedly until you return to Multi Trackmode.

In Bouncemode, press the BOUNCE button to switch to the Multi Trackmode.

•• The disc tray will not open when the Home screen or MENUscreen is displayed. Open the disc tray when the CDmenu screen or CD PLAYERscreen is shown.

2.Press the F3 (-) button or the disc tray eject button on the front panel to open the tray slightly.

Pull the tray out until it opens completely as shown below.

3.Hold the edge of the disc with the label side up and put it into the tray so that its central hole is on the round protrusion in the center of the tray, and then press the disc gently near the center to mount it on the tray.

2 - Quick Guide

NOTE

The disc will click into place and be level with the tray.

4.Push the tray to close it. The tray will click when shut.

TASCAM DP-24 21

2 - Quick Guide

Writing to a CD-R/CD-RW

When writing to a CD-R/CD-RW, the procedure differs between when you are choosing multiple master files and when you are choosing only one file.

In this example, we will select multiple master files to create a CD that can be played in ordinary CD players.

For details about writing to a CD-R/CD-RW, see "Creating an Audio CD" on page 87.

1.When Recorder mode is Multi Trackmode, press the CD button to open the CDmenu screen.

2.Place a blank CD (unused CD-R/CD-RW disc or a completely erased CD-RW) on the disc tray.

3.Use the JOG/DATA to select MASTER WRITEand then press the F4 (t) button.

This opens the MASTER WRITEscreen and shows a list of songs that have been recorded in master files.

4.Use the JOG/DATA dial to select (blue highlight) a song that you want to write to the CD-R/CD-RW, and then press the F2 (4) button.

A check mark 4 appears in the check box next to the song.

NOTE

To remove the check mark 4 from a check box, press the F2 (4) button again while the song with 4 is selected (blue highlight).

5.Repeat step 4 above as necessary.

6.When you select all songs to be written, press the F4 (t) button. The WRITE SONG LISTscreen appears.

On this screen, you can change the order that the master files will be written to the CD-R/CD-RW and set the gaps between them. (For details about changing the order and setting the gaps, see "Creating an Audio CD" on page 87).

7.Press the F4 (t) button again and a confirmation pop-up window will appear.

8.Press the F2 (YES) button to begin writing to the

CD-R/CD-RW.

9.When writing is completed, a message asking whether you want to write another CD-R/CD-RW with the same contents appears.

If you want to write the same contents to another CD-R/CD-RW, press the F2 (YES) button.

To finish the procedure, press the F1 (NO) button.

22 TASCAM DP-24

Ejecting a CD

1.When Recorder mode is Multi Trackmode, press the CD button to open the CDmenu screen.

CAUTION

The disc tray will not open when the Home screen or MENUscreen is shown. Open the disc tray when the CD menu screen or CD PLAYERscreen is shown.

2.Press the F3 (-) button or the disc tray eject button on the front panel to open the tray slightly, and then pull the tray out until it opens completely.

Hold the disc by its edges and lift it out.

CAUTION

Do not lift the disc forcibly. Doing so could damage the unit or the disc.

2 - Quick Guide

Shutting down

Turn the unit off when you are done using it.

1. Press the HOME button to open the Home screen.

2.Press and hold the STANDBY/ON button on the rear panel until PORTASTUDIOappears on the display.

When the unit completes its automatic shutdown procedure, which includes recording various information about the operations that have been performed until now, the power turns off (standby).

Always use the procedure above to turn the power off properly.

CAUTION

When the power is on, do not cut the power to the unit by, for example disconnecting the power cord. All settings made since the last time you saved will not be saved. If you cut the power while an SD card is being accessed, all recorded songs and data may be damaged and cannot be recovered.

TASCAM DP-24 23

3 – Names and Functions of Parts

Top panel

1GUITAR indicator

This indicator lights when the LINE-GUITAR switch on the rear panel is set to GUITAR.

2Display

Use the JOG/DATA dial or the CURSOR (5/b/g/ t) buttons to return to the Home screen, to open the MENUscreen, to assign input signals to tracks, to change parameters for each input or track, and to perform many other operations.

3PHANTOM (+48V) button/indicator

Use this button to turn the phantom power on/off for the MIC/LINE INPUT A-D and E-H jacks on the rear panel.

The PHANTOM indicator lights when phantom power is turned on.

When the GUITAR indicator is lit, even if phantom (+48V) power is ON (indicator lit) for E-H, INPUT H will not receive phantom power.

CAUTION

•• Use the STEREO fader to lower the output volume of the unit before turning phantom power on or off. Depending on the microphone, a loud noise could occur, damaging equipment and harming people's hearing.

•• Do not connect or disconnect a microphone when phantom power is turned on.

•• Turn phantom power on only when using a condenser microphone that requires phantom power.

•• Do not supply phantom power to an unbalanced dynamic microphone.

•• Supplying phantom power to some types of ribbon microphones could break them. Do not supply phantom power to a ribbon microphone if you are in doubt.

4OL indicators (A-H)

These indicators light when the input source signal is too loud.

5TRIM knobs (A-H)

Use these knobs to adjust the input levels. (See "Making the first recording" on page 49.)

6SOURCE buttons/indicators

When you press one of these buttons, the corresponding input (INPUT A to H) is selected (its button lights) as the input source.

The mixer and other functions are applied to the selected input.

These buttons are also used to assign an input source to a track (see "Assigning inputs" on page 44).

7MUTE/SOLO indicators

These indicators light when a track is muted or in Solo mode. When the SOLO button is not lit, it indicates the

24 TASCAM DP-24

3 – Names and Functions of Parts

track is in Mute mode. When the SOLO button is lit, it indicates the track is in Solo mode.

8REC buttons/indicators

Use these buttons to turn recording on/off for each track.

To monitor a track's input sound through headphones or a monitoring system, press the REC button for the corresponding track.

When the REC button is turned on, the REC button flashes when the recorder is stopped, and lights during recording.

9SELECT buttons/indicators

When you press one of these buttons, the corresponding track (1 to 23/24) is selected (its button lights) as the current channel.

The mixer and other functions are applied to the current channel.

These buttons are also used for the following purposes.

•• To assign an input source to a track (See "Assigning inputs" on page 44.)

•• To assign effects to an input (See "Inserting a guitar effect" on page 64.)

•• To select the group for FADER GROUP

0TRACK faders (TRACK 1 to TRACK 23/24)

Use these faders to adjust the monitoring level of a track's playback signal or the input signal assigned to the track. (See "Levels and balance" on page 68.)

qOperation buttons for various functions

Use these buttons to activate/deactivate functions or to perform the operation set to them.

wFADER GROUP button/indicator

Press this button to set a fader group. The button becomes lit.

eSTEREO SELECT button/indicator

When the Assign screen is displayed, you can press this button to move the cursor from the TRACKdisplay to

the STEREO BUSdisplay, and set the input for the stereo bus.

rSTEREO fader

Use this fader to adjust the stereo signal level output from the STEREO OUT jacks and PHONES jack. Use this fader also to adjust the recording level when bouncing or mixing down tracks.

tREW (m) (TO ZERO) button

When stopped or during playback, press and hold this button to rewind. Rewind is performed at a fixed 10x speed.

Press briefly to jump to the previous mark.

Press and hold the STOP (8) button and press this button to locate the beginning of the song (00:00:00:00= ZERO point). (See "Returning to zero (TO ZERO) and returning to last recording position (TO LAST REC)" on page 55.)

yF FWD (,) (TO LAST REC) button

When stopped or during playback, press and hold this button to fast-forward. Fast-forward is performed at a fixed 10x speed.

Press briefly to jump to the next mark.

Press and hold the STOP (8) button and press this button to locate the last recording position (LAST REC point). (See "Returning to zero (TO ZERO) and returning to last recording position (TO LAST REC)" on page 55.)

uSTOP (8) button

Use this button to stop playback, recording and fastforward/rewind. Press at the same time as you press the REW (m) (TO ZERO) button or F FWD (,) (TO LAST REC) button to locate the beginning of the song (00:00:00:00= ZERO point) or the last recording position (LAST REC point). (See "Returning to zero (TO ZERO) and returning to last recording position (TO LAST REC)" on page 55.)

iPLAY (7) button/indicator

Press this button to start playback.

During recording, press this button to stop recording and start playback (punch out).

During playback or recording, the PLAY (7) button becomes lit.

oRECORD (0) button/indicator

Press this button to start recording.

This button becomes lit during recording. During playback, if you press this button when a track REC button is flashing, recording to that track will begin (punch in). (See "Auto punch in/out" on page 57.)

TASCAM DP-24 25

3 – Names and Functions of Parts

pColor display

3.5-inch TFT LCD display with a resolution of 320x240 dots.

This display shows various types of information.

NOTE

The display is produced with extremely high-precision manufacturing technologies. More than 99.99% of the pixels operate to specification. Less than 0.01% of the pixels may occasionally misfire or appear as red or black dots.

This does not constitute a malfunction.

aGAIN (HIGH/MID/LOW) knobs

Use these knobs to adjust the equalizer gain.

sFREQ (HIGH/MID/LOW) knobs

Use these knobs to adjust the center frequency of the equalizer.

dQ knob

Use this knob to adjust the MID bandwidth of the equalizer.

fEQUALIZER ON/OFF button

Use this button to turn the equalizer on and off.

gJOG/DATA dial

When the Home screen is displayed, you can use this dial to perform transport jog operations. (See "Jog positioning" on page 55.)

Use this dial to change parameter values and select items when using menus.

hASSIGN button/indicator

Use this button to set (assign) the input (INPUT A to H) for each track. When you press this button, the Assign screen is displayed. The input signal of the assigned input source becomes the recording source. (See "Assigning inputs" on page 44.)

jMIXER button/indicator

Press this button to open the Mixer screen.

On this screen, you can adjust the settings for the inputs (INPUT A to H) or tracks (including GROUP) that are selected.

kDYNAMICS button/indicator

Pressing this button opens a screen to adjust the settings for the effects applied to the inputs (INPUT A to H).

lEFFECT button/indicator

Pressing this button opens a screen to make adjustments in the effects.

;MENU button

Press this button to open the MENUscreen.

zHOME button

Press this button to open the Home screen.

xF1 to F4 (Function) buttons

The functions of these buttons depend on the screen currently displayed. The functions currently assigned to the F1 to F4 buttons are shown at the bottom of the screen.

cPAN knob

Use this knob to adjust the stereo position of the track's playback signal or the input signal assigned to that track. (See "Stereo position (panning)" on page 68.)

vSEND EFF 1/EFF 2 knobs

Use these knobs to adjust the output of the EFFECT SENDS jacks.

You can also use the SEND EFF 1 knob to adjust the internal effects.

bSEND MASTER 1/MASTER 2 knobs

Use these knobs to adjust the output of the EFFECT SENDS jacks.

You can also use the SEND MASTER 1 knob to adjust the internal effects.

nCURSOR (5/b/g/t) buttons

Use these buttons to move the cursor on the screen.

mJOG PLAY button

Press this button to switch to the Search mode.

,SOLO button/indicator

Press this button to switch to the Solo mode (the button lights). (See "Solo" on page 48.)

.MUTE button/indicator

Press this button to switch to the Mute mode (the button lights). (See "Muting tracks" on page 48.)

/ TRACK EDIT button

Press this button to open the TRACK EDITscreen. (See "Track Editing" on page 60.)

26 TASCAM DP-24

3 – Names and Functions of Parts

! VIRTUAL TRACK button/indicator

The VIRTUAL TRACKscreen appears. (See "Virtual tracks" on page 59.)

@BOUNCE button/indicator

Press this button to switch to the Bounce mode (the button lights).

#MIXDOWN/MASTERING button/indicator

Press this button to switch the Recorder mode among

Multi Track, Mixdownand Mastering modes.

••	In Multi Trackmode, press this button to
	switch to the Mixdownmode.
••	In Mixdownmode, press this button to switch to
	the Masteringmode when there is a master file,
	or press it to return to the Multi Trackmode
	when there is no master file.
••	In Masteringmode, press this button to return
	to the Multi Trackmode.

NOTE

The current mode is displayed on the Home screen.

$METRONOME button/indicator

Press this button to set the metronome.

The button flashes according to the set tempo/beat.

%UNDO/REDO button/indicator

Press this button to undo the immediately previous action (single undo) or cancel a single undo (redo). (See "Undoing an operation" on page 50.)

After a single undo or multi-undo, the UNDO/REDO button becomes lit, showing that an operation has been undone.

^MONITOR SELECT button

Press this button to open the MONITOR SELECT pop-up window on the Home screen.

&MONITOR LEVEL knob

Use this knob to adjust the output level of the output signals.

*MARK SET button

During recording or playback, press this button to set a mark manually.

(AUTO PUNCH button/indicator

Press this button to turn the auto punch mode on and off.

When auto punch mode is turned on, Auto Punch is displayed on the Home screen. (See "Auto punch in/ out" on page 57.)

)IN button

Press this button to locate the IN point.

Press and hold the MARK SET button and press this button to set the IN point.

Press and hold the JUMPBACK (PREVIEW) button and press this button to perform the pre-roll playback up to the current position and stop. (See "Checking cueing points (preview)" on page 57.)

QREHEARSE button/indicator

Use this button to turn the Rehearse mode on and off. In addition to auto punch in/out, you can also use the Rehearse mode for ordinary recording.

WOUT button

Press this button to locate the OUT point.

Press and hold the MARK SET button and press this button to set the OUT point.

Press and hold the JUMPBACK (PREVIEW) button and press this button to perform the post-roll playback from the current position, return and stop. (See "Checking cueing points (preview)" on page 57.)

EREPEAT button/indicator

Press to this button to turn Repeat Playback mode on and off. (See "Using repeat playback" on page 56.)

RJUMPBACK (PREVIEW) button

Press this button to rewind the specified number of seconds from the current position and start playback.

TCD button

Press this button to open CDmenu screen.

TASCAM DP-24 27

3 – Names and Functions of Parts

Front panel

YPHONES jack

Use this stereo standard jack to connect stereo headphones.

Use the MONITOR LEVEL knob on the top panel to adjust the volume.

CAUTION

Before connecting headphones, use the MONITOR LEVEL knob on the top panel to set to the volume to minimum. A loud noise could occur, resulting in damages to equipment and people's hearing.

UREMOTE jack (2.5mm dia. TRS jack)

Connect the TASCAM RC-3F foot switch (sold separately). This allows you to remotely control a variety of operations, including punch in/out (start and stop recording).

IDisc tray

When the CDmenu screen is displayed, press the F3 (-) button to open the disc tray and then load or remove a disc.

Push the tray to close it. The tray will click when shut.

OAccess indicator

This indicator lights when the unit is accessing (reading or writing) a disc.

PEject button

When the CDmenu is displayed, press this button to open the disc tray.

AEmergency eject hole

If the disc tray does not open, press the button inside this hole to forcibly open the disc tray. (See "Forcing disc ejection" on page 86.)

CAUTION

Do not use this button at any time other than an emergency. Before doing this, turn the power off (standby) and disconnect the AC adapter.

28 TASCAM DP-24

3 – Names and Functions of Parts

Rear panel

SSTANDBY/ON button

When the power is OFF (standby), press and hold this button to turn the power on. When power is ON, press and hold this button to turn the power off (standby).

(See "Start-up & Shutdown" on page 35.)

DSD card slot

Insert the SD card into this slot.

FUSB port

Use the included USB cable to connect with a computer USB port. (See "Connecting to a computer" on page 80.)

CAUTION

Always connect the unit directly to a computer. Do not use a USB hub.

GGROUND connector

Depending on the use environment, you might hear noise when monitoring. If this occurs, use this connector to ground the unit. (Please prepare the necessary wiring yourself.)

H Kensington lock attachment hole

JDC IN 12V jack

Connect the supplied TASCAM PS-1225L AC adapter.

KCord holder

Wrap the cord of the supplied TASCAM PS-1225L AC adapter around this holder to prevent the plug from becoming disconnected accidentally.

LMIDI OUT jack

This is a standard 5-pin DIN MIDI output jack. This jack is used for MIDI signal output.

:MIDI IN jack

This is a standard 5-pin DIN MIDI input jack. This jack is used for MIDI signal input.

ZMONITOR OUT jacks (standard balanced TRS jacks)

These jacks output the signal selected in the monitor section of the top panel. These are standard balanced phone jacks.

XEFFECT SENDS jacks (standard unbalanced TS jacks)

These jacks output the signal from effect sends 1 and 2.

CSTEREO OUT jacks (unbalanced RCA jacks)

These jacks output the stereo bus signal.

VLINE-GUITAR switch

You must set this switch according to the input source of the MIC/LINE INPUTS H. When connecting directly an electric guitar, electric bass or other similar instrument, set this switch to GUITAR.

When connecting a digital instrument or an audio equipment, set it to LINE.

BMIC/LINE INPUTS A-H jacks (balanced)

These are balanced analog XLR/TRS combo jacks for microphone and line inputs.

•• XLR (1: GND, 2: HOT, 3: COLD)

•• TRS (Tip: HOT, Ring: COLD, Sleeve: GND)

TASCAM DP-24 29

3 – Names and Functions of Parts

Home screen

Home screen and track level meter display

1Counter mode display

Displays the currently selected time counter mode:

ABSor BAR.

2 Recorder time counter display

Displays the elapsed time from the start of the song.

3 REMAIN time display

Displays the remaining recordable time (Hours : Minutes) of the SD card.

4Repeat playback

When the unit is in Repeat Playback mode, the icon is displayed.

5Playback position display

Displays the current Playback position.

6Recorder mode display

Displays the current Recorder mode.

Multi Track	Multi Track mode
Bounce	Bounce mode
Mixdown	Mixdown mode
Mastering	Mastering mode

The following items are also displayed: Rehearsal,

Auto Punchand Search.

7INPUT A to H overload indicators

If the input signal of any INPUT A to H source is too loud, the corresponding indicators light.

8Track level meter

Displays input signal levels during recording and playback signal levels during playback.

9Song name display

Displays the song name during playback.

0IN/OUT point time display

Press and hold the MARK SET button and press the IN or OUT button to display the set IN or OUT point.

qStereo level meter

Displays the signal level output from the STEREO OUT jacks.

wTIMELINE/METER display

When the level meter is displayed on the recorder track section of the Home screen, press the F1 (TIMELINE) button to change from level meter display to time line display.

When the time line is displayed on the recorder track section of the Home screen, press the F1 (METER) to change from time line display to level meter display.

Timeline display on the Home screen

eSAVE display

Press the F2 (SAVE) button to open the SONG SAVE (Saving a song) pop-up window.

30 TASCAM DP-24