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MULTITRAGK CASSEHE RECORDER
ENREGISTREUR DE CASSETTES MULTIPISTE
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OPERATION MANUAL
MANUEL D'INSTRUCTIONS
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CONGRATULATIONS!
Your MTIOO Multitrack Cassette Recorder is a fine creative tool that will enable you to work with sound in many ways. No other multitrack cassette recorder offers the straightforward simplicity and ease-of-use of the MTIOO. Whether you need to record acoustic instruments or voice using micro phones, electronic instruments and sources via direct line, or a creative blend of the two, the MTIOO makes the process of building up your own sound extraordinarily smooth and simple. You can simply record and remix four tracks, or use the multitrack “ping-pong" recording technique to individually record up to ten independent parts — adding sound layer by layer until you create exactly the arrangement and texture your imagination demands. The MTIOO is just as easy to use alone or with a band. And, because it’s a YAMAHA, you know that the MTIOO will give you the very finest sound quality and overall performance available.
In order to make use of the MTIOO’s many features and obtain maximum performance, we urge you to read this operation manual thoroughly — and keep it in a ^afe place for later reference.
CONTENTS |
|
PRECAUTIONS....................................................................................... |
1 |
THE CONTROLS AND CONNECTORS ................................................. |
2 |
CONNECTION EXAMPLES ................................................................. |
.7 |
ABOUT CASSETTE TAPES ................................................................... |
8 |
THE RECORDING PROCESS ................................................................ |
9 |
RECORDING THE FIRST TRACK....................................................... |
10 |
STEP 1: CHANNEL-TO-TRACK ASSIGNMENT............................. |
10 |
STEP 2: MONITOR SETUP............................................................. |
11 |
STEP 3: SETTING RECORDING LEVELS ..................................... |
12 |
STEP 4: RECORD ............................................................................ |
12 |
OVERDUBBING .................................................................................... |
13 |
PING-PONG RECORDING.................................................................... |
14 |
A PING-PONG RECORDING EXAMPLE ........................................ |
14 |
MIXDOWN ............................................................................................. |
15 |
USING THE AUX SEND/RTN LOOP..................................................... |
16 |
PUNCH-IN/OUT RECORDING ............................................................. |
17 |
MAINTENANCE ................................................................................. |
18 |
BLOCK DIAGRAM ............................................................................... |
19 |
SPECIFICATIONS.................................................................................. |
20 |
PRECAUTIONS
1.AVOID EXCESSIVE HEAT, HUMIDITY, DUST AND VIBRATION
Keep the unit away from locations where it is likely to be exposed to high temperatures or humidity — such as near radiators, stoves, etc. Aiso avoid locations which are sub ject to excessive dust accumulation or vibration which could cause mechanical damage.
2.AVOID PHYSICAL SHOCKS
Strong physical shocks to the unit can cause damage. Handle it with care.
3.DO NOT OPEN THE CASE OR ATTEMPT RE PAIRS OR MODIFICATIONS YOURSELF
This product contains no user-serviceable parts. Refer all maintenance to qualified YAMAHA service personnel. Opening the case and/or tampering with the internal cir cuitry will void the warranty.
4.MAKE SURE POWER IS OFF BEFORE MAKING OR REMOVING CONNECTIONS
Always turn the power OFF prior to connecting or discon necting cables. This is important to prevent damage to the unit itseif as weli as other connected equipment.
5.HANDLE CABLES CAREFULLY
Always plug and unplug cables — including the AC cord
— by gripping the connector, not the cord.
6.CLEAN WITH A SOFT DRY CLOTH
Never use solvents such as benzine or thinner to dean the unit. Wipe clean with a soft, dry cioth.
7.ALWAYS USE THE CORRECT POWER SUPPLY
The MT100 should only be powered using the supplied YAMAHA PA-100 AC Adapter. The use of other adapters can cause serious damage to the MT100.
8.KEEP THE HEADS AND TAPE PATH CLEAN
To ensure consistent high performance and sound quality from your MT100, it is important to clean the head and tape path regularly (ideally before each recording ses sion). To do this, use a cleaning kit specifically designed for use with cassette tape equipment.
’t
9.USE ONLY HIGH-QUALITY CHROME CASSETTE TAPE
The MT100 is designed for use with Cr02 (chrome) for mulation tape, and will not provide proper performance with any other type of tape. Always choose cassette tapes from a reliable manufacturer.
THE CONTROLS AND CONNECTORS
CONTROL PANEL
REAR PANEL
2 MTLOO MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER
---- CHANNELS AND TRACKS ------
The terms "channel” and “track” are used in this operation manual to differentiate between the MT100 mixer section’s four "channels” and the recorder section’s four “tracks.” “Track” is also used when referring to the four “tracks” actuaiiy recorded on the tape.
O Input Jacks 1 — 4
These four input jacks accept signais from any iine-ievel source such as an electronic musical instrument or a tape player.
Inputs 1 and 2 also accept signals from electric musical in struments such as electric guitars and basses, or micro phones.
Inputs 1 through 4 are standard monaural 1/4” phone jacks.
When a source is plugged into one of these jacks, its signal is sent to the corresponding channel of the MTIOO’s mixer.
Note: When no source is plugged into an input jack, the output from the corresponding track of the MTIOO’s recorder is automatically routed to that channel of the mixer.
0 MIC/UNE Gain Controls (Channels 1 and 2 only)
The gain controls adjust the sensitivity of the channel-1 and channel-2 inputs to accept a wide range of signal levels — from line to microphone. The gain controls are used in conjunction with the channel-1 and channel-2 faders to set the optimum recording level with a wide range of sources (see “SETTING RECORDING LEVELS” on page 12).
0 Channel Faders
The channel faders are used to adjust the level (volume) of the corresponding mixer channel’s signal, whether it comes from a source plugged into an input jack or from the MT1 GO’S recorder section. The faders are used to set up the optimum levels when recording, and to balance (mix) the sound from the recorder’s tracks when playing back a recording.
0 AUX SEND Controls
The AUX SEND controls are used primarily when adding effects such as reverberation or echo to the sound of each channel or track. The AUX SEND control on each mixer channel determines the amount of signal from that chan nel sent to the AUX SEND jack. The AUX SEND jack must be connected to the input of an external signal processor
such as the YAMAHA R100 Reverb Processor (see “US ING THÉ AUX ÇEND/RTN LOOP” on page 16).
© PAN Controls
The PAN controls assign the signal from the correspond ing mixer channel to any desired position in the “stereo sound field.” If a PAN control is set to the maximum “LEFT” position, the signal from that channel will appear only at the left-channel MT100 output (ST OUT L). If the PAN control is set fully RIGHT, the signal will appear only at the ST OUT R output jack. If a PAN control is set to its center position, then the signal from that channel will ap pear equally at both the leftand right-channel outputs, and the sound will appear at the center of the stereo sound field (at a point midway between the two stereo speakers). Other PAN control settings place the sound at positions roughly corresponding to the PAN control setting by varying the level of the signal sent to the leftand rightchannel outputs.
The PAN controls can also be used during recording to assign the signal from several channels to a single track of the recorder section, or to assign a channel to a differ ently-numbered recorder track (see “CHANNEL-TO- TRACK ASSIGNMENT’ on page 10).
o REC SELECT Switches
The REC SELECT switches are used when recording to assign (send) the signal from each mixer channel either directly to the corresponding track of the recorder or to a different track via the PAN controls (see “CHANNEL-TO- TRACK ASSIGNMENT” on page 10).
Note: When any of the REC SELECT switches are set to a
position other than OFF, the red indicator LED
PAN
above the transport REC button will flash, indicating that the MT100 is set up to record.
o MASTER Fader
The MASTER fader sets the overall output level of the MT100 mixer section, and thus the level of the output signal appearing at the ST OUT jacks. The MASTER fader also affects recording level when any of the mixer section’s channels are assigned to the recorder’s tracks via the PAN controis (see "SETTING RECORDING LEV ELS” on page 12).
o PHONES SELECT Switch
The MT100 permits convenient headphone monitoring via a pair of headphones plugged into the PHONES jack. The PHONES SELECT switch determines which signals are sent to the PHONES jack for monitoring.
MONITOR: In this position only the output from the recorder’s four tracks is sent directly to the PHONES jack via the four MONITOR controls.
MIX: Both the output from the recorder’s four tracks (via the MONITOR controls) and the stereo output from the mixer section are sent to the PHONES jack.
STEREO: Oniy the stereo output from the mixer section is sent to the PHONES jack.
0 PHONES Control
The PHONES control independently adjusts the level of the headphone signal, making it simple to set the most comfortable monitoring ievei.
0 PHONES Jack
Any pair of stereo monitor headphones with an impedance of between approximately 8 and 40 ohms can be plugged into this jack. Headphone monitoring is the most conven ient way to iisten to the MTIOO’s various signais, and we recommend that you obtain a pair of high-quality monitor ing headphones for this purpose. The YAMAHA MH100 are ideal.
0 AUX RTN Control
The AUX RTN control determines the levei at which the signai from an externai signai processor fed by the AUX SEND jack is returned and mixed in with the MTIOO’s main stereo output signal. The output from an external signal processor fed by the AUX SEND jack must be con nected to the AUX RTN jack (see "USING THE AUX SEND/RTN LOOP” on page 16).
® MONITOR Controls
The four MONITOR controls determine the levei of the signai from the corresponding recorder tracks which is sent to the PHONES jack when the PHONES SELECT switch is set to either “MONITOR” or "MIX.” The MONI TOR controls are primarily used to set up the optimum leveis for monitoring recorded tracks while recording new material (overdubbing).
® METER Switch
The METER switch determines whether the four LED peak meters display levels from the corresponding recorder tracks when set to "4 TRACK,” or meters 1 and 2 dispiay the level of signals appearing at the mixer section’s stereo outputs (the ST OUT jacks) when the METER switch is set to "STEREO.” ‘
0 LED Peak Meters
The four LED peak meters accurately display output levels from the MTIOO’s four recorder tracks when the METER switch is set to “4 TRACK,” of the first two meters (num bered 1 and 2) display levels appearing at the mixer section’s stereo outputs (the ST OUT jacks) when the METER switch is set to “STEREO.”
The LED peak meters are important for setting up the optimum recording levels when recording new material (see “SETTING RECORDING LEVELS” on page 12).
0 dbx ON/OFF Switch
The dbx switch determines whether the MTIOO’s internal dbx noise reduction system is ON or OFF. For normal recording and piayback using the MT100, the dbx switch shouid be turned ON. This provides a significantiy im proved signal-to-noise ratio (as much as 85 dB) so your recordings will sound cleaner and have much less tape hiss.
For dbx noise reduction to be effective, it must be turned ON both during recording and playback.
The dbx switch may be turned OFF when piaying back tapes that were recorded on other equipment and which are not dbx-encoded.
0 PITCH Control
The PITCH control varies tape speed by ±10%, making it possibie to ’lune” material recorded on the MT100 to match the pitch of musical instruments, or to slightly lengthen or shorten the running time of a recording to meet specific timing requirements. Tape speed is normal when the PITCH control is set to its center click-stop posi tion. Tape speed is increased by sliding the control to wards the “+” end of the scale, and decreased by sliding the control towards the end of the scale.
4 MTIOO MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER
фТАРЕ SPEED Switch
The TAPE SPEED switch selects either the standard 4.75cm/sec cassette tape speed, or the MTIOO’s special 9.5- cm/sec high tape speed. Use the standard (4.75) speed when replaying tapes recorded on standard cassette re corders, or to obtain maximum tape economy. When you want maximum sound quality, use the high (9.5) tape speed. The improvement in isound quality provided by the
high tape speed is significant, and we recommend that you use the high speed for all important recordings.
ФZERO STOP Switch
The ZERO STOP switch provides a fast, easy way to lo cate a specific location on the tape. This is particularly
handy in multitrack recording, since it is necessary to re peatedly rewind the tape to the same point to record over dubs (i.e. record a new track while monitoring previously recorded tracks). To use the ZERO STOP function, set the tape counter (below) to “000” at the point you wish to locate by pressing the RESET button. Then, with the ZERO STOP switch set to ON, the tape will automatically stop from the rewind or fast forward modes when the counter “000” position is reached.
ФTape Counter and RESET Button
This three-digit tape counter provides a handy index to tape position. It’s a good idea to write down the counter readings for important points of a recording, so you can locate them easily afterwards. The RESET button resets the counter to “000” at the current tape position.
#Transport Controis
These light-touch electronic transport controls provide smooth, sure control of all tape transport functions.
PLAY: Starts the transport running in the PLAY mode. The green PLAY indicator LED lights during playback.
RECORD: Press the REG button to enter the “REG/ PAUSE” mode. If all the REG SELEGT switches are turned OFF, the red REG indicator LED will flash and the orange PAUSE indicator LED will light. If any of the REG SELEGT switches are set to a position other than OFF, both the red REG and orange PAUSE LEDs will light continuously. In this mode the trans port is not yet running and recording has not begun. From the REG/PAUSE mode, press the PLAY button to actually start the transport running in the REGORD mode (if any of the REG SELEGT switches are set to a position other than OFF), or the REGORD-READY mode (if all the REG SELEGT switches are set to OFF). The red REG and green PLAY indicator LEDs both light during recording. The red REG will con tinue to flash and recording will not occur if none of the REG SELEGT switches are set to a recording po sition.
Note: Only tracks for which the REG SELEGT switch is set to a recording position will be recorded when the REGORD mode is activated.
Note:The REGORD mode cannot be activated if a cas sette is loaded from which the record-prevention tab has been removed.
PAUSE: Temporarily stops playback or recording. The or ange PAUSE indicator LED will light when the PAUSE mode is active. Press the PLAY button to disengage the PAUSE mode and continue playback or recording.
REWIND (REW) & FAST FORWARD (FF): These buttons cause fast‘winding of the tape in the specified direc tion.
STOP: Immediately stops the transport from any of its op erational modes.
® Cassette Compartment
Your cassette tape is loaded here. Use only high-quality chrome (CrOa) formula cassette tape. Other types of tape will not provide correct frequency characteristics and mini mum noise with the MT100.
First flip up the cassette compartment lid (a lifter tab is provided at the right side of the cover), then insert the tape with the open end of the cassette (the end at which you can see the tape) facing the transport controls. Press the back (closed) edge of the cassette down under the central retaining finger at the rear of the cassette compartment, then press the front (open) end down into the mechanism
— GENTLYI Glose the compartment lid when ready.
Note: Since the MT100 uses the entire width of the cas sette tape to record four tracks, the cassette can only be recorded on one side. If you attempt to flip the cassette and record on the second side, you will erase any previously recorded material.
@PUNCH i/0 Footswitch Jack
An optional YAMAHA FS-1 Footswitch can be connected to this jack to permit foot-controlled punch-in and punch-out recording (see “PUNGH-IN/OUT REGORDING” on page 17).
»TAPE OUT Jacks
The four TAPE OUT jacks are direct outputs from the cor responding tracks of the MT100 recorder. These jacks make it possible to feed the output from the four recorder tracks to an externai mixing consoie. The TAPE OUT jacks can also be used to feed each of the recorder’s tracks to external signal processors, the output of which can then be returned to the MTfOO’s mixer inputs.
The TAPE OUT jacks are RCA pin types with a nominal output level of -10 dB into a load of greater than 50 k- ohms.
I ST OUT R and L Jacks
These are the main outputs from the MT100, delivering the stereo output signal from the MT100 mixer section. The ST OUT jacks can be connected to a stereo sound system for monitoring and listening, or to a second cassette recorder when recording a stereo “mix” of a multitrack MT100 mas ter tape. The ST OUT R and L jacks are RCA pin jacks with a nominal output level of -10 dB when feeding a load of greater than 50 k-ohms.
IAUX SEND & RTN Jacks
The AUX SEND and RTN jacks make it simple to use an external signal processor (such as the YAMAHA R100 Reverb Processor) to add effects to MT100 signals. The AUX SEND jack should be connected to the input of your signal processor, and the output from your signal processor should be connected to the AUX RTN jack (see “USING THE AUX SEND/RTN LOOP” on page 16).
) DC m Jack
The DC output cord from the YAMAHA PA-100 AC Adaptor supplied with the MT100 should be plugged in here. The AC Adaptor should be plugged into a convenient AC wall outlet.
Caution: Use only a YAMAHA PA-100 AC Power Adaptor to power your MT100. Other AC adaptors can cause faulty operation, and may even permanently damage yourMTIOO.
I POWER Switch
Press the POWER switch once to turn power ON, a second time to turn power OFF. When the power is ON, the POWER LED above the LED peak meters on the MT100 top panel will light.
Note: If you are familiar with block diagrams of electronic equipment, refer to the “BLOCK DIAGRAM” on page 19 for a full overview of the MT100 system.
6 MTIOO MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER
CONNECTION EXAMPLES
BASIC CONNECTIONS
|
LINE IN L |
Or to a stereo system |
• |
or stereo amplifier |
|
and speakers |
|
STOUT L
^IBT—w
111
Instruments (Electric guitar, bass, keyboard,microphone, etc.)
Stereo cassette deck to be used for mixdown
External effect unit for
|
O Q O O D O Q |
|
|
|
|
reverberation and/or delay |
|
OUTPUT |
‘ INPUT |
i |
AC Adapter |
L or R |
|
PAI 00 |
|
|
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----------------------------------------- |
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AUX |
AUX |
i |
i |
||
RTN |
SEND |
|
Mnnoo
=J MT100
PUNCH I/O
PHONES
Footswitch
FS-1
Monitor headphones
Make sure the power to all equipment is OFF when making connections.
ABOUT CASSETTE TAPES
This unit is designed to be used only with Chromeposition tape, and will not work properly with Ferrichrome tape formulations. CrOa tape (Bias: HIGH; EQ: 70/ts) should be used. Also, the use of C-120 tapes is not recommended because they exhibit poorer perfor mance, and can be the cause of equipment failure.
•Preventing accidental erasure of recordings
To keep from inadvertently erasing a prized recording, all cassette tapes have record protection tabs along the top edge of the cassette shell. If this tab is broken out using a screwdriver or any other appropriate implement, it will not be possible to record on the corresponding side of the tape. This will protect your recordings from accidental erasure. For 4-track recording, it's necessary to break out the tabs for both the A and B sides of the tape.
When you'd like to record over a tape with the tabs broken out, just cover the holes (where the tabs were) with tape.
• PREVENTING ACCIDENTAL TAPE ERASURE:
• RECORDING OVER A TAPE WITH THE TABS BROKEN OUT: Cover the hole with
• Taking up tape slack
If the tape is used when it is slack, or some portion of the tape is out of the cassette shell, there is a risk it may become tangled around the capstan or pinchroller. In order to correct this, insert a pencil or ballpoint pen into the center of one reel, and rotate to take up loose tape slack.
Cassette shell
• Storing cassette tapes
To prevent tape slack, fit a stopper into the tape or keep tapes in their cases. Do not store tapes in direct sunlight, or in places with high heat or humidity, as this may damage the tapes. Also, keep the tapes away from magnetic fields, such as near televisions or speakers, because the recordings can be erased or sonically altered to some degree.
8 MTIOO MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER
THE RECORDING PROCESS
Recording with the MT100 is a very simple process. All you need is the MT100, a pair of monitor headphones, and an instrument, microphone, or other signal source.
The multitrack recording process can be basically broken down into the following steps:
1.Record the First Track.
a)Channel-to-track Assignment.
b)Set Record Level.
c)Record.
2.Overdub the Remaining Tracks.
a)Channel-to-track assignment for each overdub.
b)Set record level for each overdub.
c)Record the overdub.
3.Ping-pong and Overdub More Tracks (if necessary).
4.Mixdown.
a)Set up for monitoring the mix.
b)Set up a rough mix and add effects.
c)Finalize and rehearse the mix.
d)Connect the MT100 ST OUT jacks to a stereo casette recorder.
e)Record (from the MT100 to the stereo cassette recorder).
These steps (and what the recording terms mean) will be described in detail below, so its a good idea to read through the foiiowing sections in sequence in order to get a clear picture of the overall recording process.
RECORDING THE FIRST TRACK
STEP 1: CHANNEL-TO-TRACK ASSIGNMENT
The first step in making any recording is to assign the channei to which your instrument or other source is connected to one of the recorder’s tracks.
Depending on what you are recording, you might want to record a singie instrument or other source to a single track on the recorder, or you might want to combine several instruments or other sources and record them on a single track. The MT100 offers two “channel-to-track assignment” methods that can be used individually or combined to give you the track assignments that you need.
Direct ChanneMo-Track Assignment
With this method, an instrument or source connected to one of the mixer’s channels is fed directly to the correspondingly numbered track of the recorder. You can record a single track like this, or up to all four tracks simultaneously.
For direct channel-to-track assignment, the REG SELECT switch of the channel(s) to be recorded must be set to the “number” position (1, 2, 3 or 4). For example, if the channel 1 REG SELECT switch is set to “1,” the channel 1 signal will be sent directly to track 1 of the recorder. This applies in the same way to all other channels and tracks.
Panned Channet-to-Track Assignment
The panned channel-to-track assignment method makes it possible to assign several of the mixer’s channels to a single recorder track, or single mixer channels can be assigned to different tfack numbers.
Each of the REG SELECT switches has either an “L” or “R” position. These correspond to the left (L) and right (R) chan nels of the mixer’s output. If a REG SELECT switch is set to “L,” for example, any of the mixer’s channels can be assigned to the correspondingly numbered track by setting its PAN control fully LEFT. You could assign channel 1 to track 4, for example, by setting the channel-4 REG SELECT switch to “R” and the channel-1 PAN control fully RIGHT.
The assignment shown in the diagram below is achieved by setting the channel-4 REG SELECT switch to “R,” and setting the PAN controls of channel 1, 2 and 3 fully RIGHT. The channel-4 PAN control is set fully LEFT to prevent its signal from reaching track 4 of the recorder.
MIXER SECTION |
RECORDER SECTION |
MIXER SECTION |
RECORDER SECTION |
CHAN. 1 |
TRACK 1 |
CHAN. 1 |
TRACK 1 |
CHAN. 2 |
TRACK 2 |
CHAN. 2 |
TRACK 2 |
CHAN. 3 |
TRACK 3 |
CHAN. 3 |
TRACK 3 |
CHAN. 4 |
TRACK 4 |
CHAN. 4 |
TRACK 4 |
10 MTIOO MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER
STEP 2: MONITOR SETUP
Once your source is connected to an input channel and that channel is assigned to one of the recorder’s tracks, you should set up your monitor system so that you can monitor the track as it is recorded.
Headphone Monitoring
Monitoring via a pair of headphones connected to the PHONES jack offers the greatest flexibility and is recom mended for generai recording. The PHONES SELECT switch aiiows you to select the desired signal for monitoring as fol lows:
MONITOR: In this position oniy the output from the recorder’s four tracks is sent directly to the PHONES jack via the four MONITOR controls. The MONITOR controls are used to set up the desired monitor "mix.” This setup is ideal for general monitoring while recording because it allows you to set up a monitor mix independently from the channel faders. Material already recorded on any of the recorder’s tracks is delivered to the PHONE jack via the corresponding MONITOR controls as long as the REG SELECT switches for the playback channels are set to OFF. The sound of instruments or other sources assigned to any of the recorder’s tracks is also delivered to the PHONES jack via the corresponding MONITOR controls.
MIX: Both the output from the recorder’s four tracks (via the MONITOR controls) and the stereo output from the mixer section are sent to the PHONES jack.
STEREO: Only the stereo output from the mixer section is sent to the PHONES jack. This setting is most useful for mixdown of a completed multitrack recording, since you want to hear the mix produced by the mixer section’s channel faders and any effects applied using the AUX SEND and RTN controls while mixing. Make sure that no sources are plugged into any of the mixer’s inputs while mixing, so that the outputs from the recorder sec tion are routed to the mixer section’s inputs.
Monitoring via a Sound System with Speakers
It is also possible to use a stereo sound system with speakers or a pair of powered monitor speakers (such as the YAMAHA MS101 Monitor Speaker System) connected to the MT100 ST OUT L ahdjR jacks for monitoring. When monitoring via a sound system in this way, only the stereo output from the MT100 mixer section can be monitored. This is the same situ ation as monitoring via headphones with the PHONES SE LECT switch set to STEREO. The use of a sound system for monitoring is therefore not recommended for general record ing, but is highly recommended for mixdown since it allows you to monitor your mix under conditions that are closer to the way your final tape will hopefully be heard — via a stereo sound system and speakers.
Note:Speakers should not be used for monitoring if you will be recording via microphones, since the monitor sound will leak into the microphone(s) and spoil the recording.
11
STEP 3: SETTING RECORDING LEVELS
Setting optimum recording levels is vitally important to achieve the best possible recording quality.
1.Start with the channel fader on the channel to be used set to its minimum ("0”) position, and the MIC/LINE trim control (if you are recording via channel 1 or 2) set all the way to LINE.
2.Once everything is properly set up play the source at the highest (loudest) level that it will be played while actually recording.
3.Set the MASTER fader to about “7” or “8” on the scale, and gradually raise the channel fader until you begin to hear the source sound and see the LED peak meter come to life. If your source is an electric instrument (guitar or bass) or a microphone and you are recording via channel 1 or 2, you may also have to slide the MIC/LINE trimmer towards the
MIC end of its scale to get a sufficiently high meter reading. Adjust the channel fader (and MIC/LINE trim control if ap plicable) so that the meter reading averages between about "0” and "+3” on the scale. Ideally, the channel fader should be set at about “7” or "8” on its scale to achieve the above-mentioned meter reading. This is to ensure the best possible signal-to-noise ratio and allow plenty of plus and minus leeway for later adjustment. If the fader setting is way off, try adjusting the volume control on the instrument or other*SQurce until you can get the optimum reading with a fader setting between “7” and “8.”
STEP 4: RECORD
After assigning the input channel to a recorder track, checking the monitor settings and setting the optimum record level for the new track, you’re ready to record.
1. Make sure that a cassette has been loaded into the cas sette compartment, and that it is wound to the point at which you intend to start your recording. It’s a good idea to press the counter RESET button to set the counter to “000” at this point so that you can automatically locate the begin ning of the recording later using the ZERO STOP function.
2.Press the REC button and then the PLAY button to start recording, wait a few seconds, and start playing.
3.When you’ve finished recording the track, press the STOP transport button, turn the REC SELECT switch for the track just recorded OFF, rewind the tape (the tape will stop auto matically at counter "000” if the ZERO STOP switch is ON).
4.Play back the recording (press the PLAY transport control) and listen to the track to make sure that everything went as planned.
Note: When recording the first track it is vital to record some form of “count-in” prior to actually playing your instrument! If you haven’t included a oneor twomeasure count-in in your first track, you’ll have a heck of a time trying to coordinate the beginning of your second track with the first.
12 MTIOO MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER
OVERDUBBING
Overdubbing is the process of recording a new track (or new tracks) whiie monitoring previousiy recorded tracks, if you’re oniy pianning to record a maximum of four tracks, you can go ahead and overdub the second, third and fourth tracks. If you’re planning to use the "ping-pong” recording technique to record more than four parts, however, record only up to the third track and then move on to the ping-pong step (see "PING-PONG RECORDING” on page 14).
1.Plug the instrument or other source to be recorded into an available channel input.
2.Make sure that the REC SELECTOR switches of previ ously-recorded tracks are set to OFF so that they aren’t erased when the new track is recorded.
3.Set up the channel-to-track assignment for the new track.
4.Check your monitor settings to ensure that you can monitor the previously recorded track(s) as well as the new track to be recorded (the PHONES SELECT switch should normaiiy be set to MONITOR if you are monitoring via head phones).
5.Set the recording level for the new track.
6.You can now “rehearse” the overdub without actually re cording by simply playing back the already-recorded track(s) and playing the new part.
7.Make sure the tape is rewound to the beginning of the piece and start recording.
These steps are simply repeated to overdub tracks 3 and 4.
13
PING-PONG RECORDING
Ping-pong recording is a technique you can use to squeeze more than just 4 parts onto your 4-track machine.
In ping-pong recording, you can record parts on tracks 1, 2, and 3, for example, and then re-record these tracks onto track 4, using the mixer controls to set up the right balance between the 3 original tracks. You now have a “mix” of the first 3 tracks on track 4, and tracks 1, 2, and 3 are available for more recording. That’s already the'equivalent of 6 'tracks” on your 4-track recorder. While mixing the first 3 tracks down onto track 4 you can also mix in a live instrument via the MT100 mixer section. That would give you 4 parts recorded on track 4 of the tape. With the 3 tracks you stiil have available for re cording, that’s a total of 7 tracks. Now, if you record only 2 of the remaining tracks and ping-pong these to track 3 while mixing in another live instrument, you’ll have 4 parts on tracks
4, 3 parts on track 3, and 2 tracks available. That’s a total of 9. Following this procedure it is actually possible to record up to 10 individual tracks without re-recording any single track more than once (refer to the illustration).
Note: Ping-ponging is a critical step because the tracks to be ping-ponged must be mixed perfectly before you can go on to recording the subsequent tracks. This is be cause once they’re ping-ponged and new material has been recorded on the original tracks, their balance and individual sound cannot be changed unless you go back and record the original tracks all over again.
EXAMPLE: Recording tracks "1" through "10" using the Pingpong process.
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Ping-Pong 1,2 and 3 |
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Record |
parts 1, 2 |
to track |
4 while |
add |
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and 3. |
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ing part 4. |
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Record parts 5 and 6. |
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TRACK 1 |
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1 |
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5 |
TRACK 2 |
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2 |
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6 |
TRACK 3 |
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3 |
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TRACK 4 |
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I 1 , 2 , |
3 - f 4 I |
1 , 2 , 3 + 4 |
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^ing-Pong 5 and 6 to |
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rack 3 while adding |
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Move 8 to track 2 |
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Record 10 the last |
part 7. |
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Record part 8. |
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while adding 9. |
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part. |
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8 |
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10 |
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8 -f 9 |
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8-1-9 |
5, 6 - f 7 |
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5, 6-1-7 |
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5, 6 - t - 7 |
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5 , 6 H - 7 |
1 , 2 , 3 - I - 4 |
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1 , 2 , 3 - r - 4 |
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1 , 2 , 3 - h 4 |
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1 , 2 , 3 - r - 4 |
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A PING-PONG RECORDING EXAMPLE
The following is an example of how you would ping-pong material recorded on tracks 1, 2 and 3 onto track 4.
Here’s how the controls should be set:
•Input Jacks
Make sure that nothing is plugged into any of the mixer’s input jacks.
•Channel Faders
To begin with, set the channel 1 through 3 faders to about "7” on their scales, and set the channel-4 fader to “0.”
•REC SELECT Switches
The channel 1 through 3 REC select switches must be set to OFF, and the channel-4 REC SELECT switch should be set to “R.”
•AUX SEND Controls
Set all four AUX SEND controls to MIN for the time being.
•PAN Controls
Since the channel-4 REC SELECT switch is set to “R,” the channel 1 through 3 PAN controls bust be rotated full clockwise (right) to assign the track 1, 2 and 3 signals to track 4 of the tape. The channel-4 PAN control can be set to center.
•AUX RTN Control
Set to MIN for the time being.
•PHONES SELECT Switch
Set to MIX so you’ll only hear signals from the MT100 re corder.
•MONITOR Controls
Set the channel 1 through 3 MONITOR controls fully counter-clockwise, and the channel-4 MONITOR control to about center or a position that will provide the best monitor ing level.
1.Play back the tape (don't press the REC button yet). Gradually increase the channel-4 fader setting until you can hear the tracks you’ve recorded and the channel-4 meter reads around “0” on the scale. Adjust the MONITOR 4 control for the most comfortable monitoring level.
2.Adjust the channel 1, 2 and 3 faders — carefully — until you get the desired balance between the first three tracks. You’ll notice that as you adjust the balance between tracks the channel-4 meter reading might change considerably. You’ll have to compensate for this as you set up the pingpong mix by adjusting the channel 4 fader.
3.When everything is set up perfectly, rewind the tape to the beginning and start recording. Sit back and wait until the ping-pong is complete, then stop the recorder. Now play back the tape and listen to the ping-ponged track carefully. If something sounds odd, go back and repeat the pingpong process. You can do this as many times as neces sary until you get it right — then go on to the next step.
4. Overdub and, if necessary, ping-pong the remaining tracks.
14 MTIOO MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER
MIXDOWN
Mixdown is the final stage in the recording process at which you transform your multitrack master tape into a mono or stereo master tape that is the final creative product. The process involves re-recording the multitrack tape, via the MTIOO’s mixer, onto a conventional stereo tape deck while you finely balance the tracks to achieve just the right sound. Tracks can be faded in or out as required, and refinements such as overall reverberation or equalization can be added using external signal processing equipment. The mixer’s PAN controls can be used to position each track at the appropriate location in the stereo image, and you can even want pan a sound from one channel to the other for dramatic effect.
Here’s how your system should be set up:
•Input Jacks
Make sure that nothing is plugged into any of the mixer’s input jacks.
• Channel Faders
Set all channel to “0.”
•RFC SELECT Switches
All REG SELECT Switches to OFF.
•AUX SEND Controls
Set all four AUX SEND controls to MIN for the time being.
• PAN Controls
Start with all PAN controls set to center.
MASTER Fader
Set to about “7” or "8” on the scale.
•AUX RTN Control
Set to MIN for the time being.
• PHONES SELECT Switch
Set to STEREO if you’ll be mixing using headphones. We recommend using an external sound system or a pair of powered monitor speakers (such as the YAMAHA MS101 Monitor Speaker System) for mixdown, in which case the PHONES SELECT switch setting doesn’t matter.
•MONITOR Controls
Set all MONITOR controls fully counter-clockwise.
• METER Switch
4 TRACK.
•dbx Switch
If you started recording with the dbx switch ON, leave it ON. If OFF, it should stay OFF.
1.Sit in a comfortable, central position in front of your monitor speakers.
2.Listen to, evaluate, and adjust the sound of each track indi vidually. This simply means raising the fader of a single track, adding effects or other signal processing as required, then repeating*the process on the next track until all tracks have been carefully checked. If you have an external signal processing device such as the YAMAHA R100 Reverb Processor connected into the MTIOO’s AUX SEND/RTN loop as described in the following section (“USING THE AUX SEND/RTN LOOP), it’s a simple matter to select the desired effect on your signal processor and add the re quired amount of effect to each track using the AUX SEND controls. The AUX RTN control must also be set to an ap propriate level.
3.When all tracks have been individually checked, bring all channel faders up to about "T or "8” on the scale and play back the tape. Adjust the faders for the best overall bal ance. Now adjust the PAN controls to place each track at the desired location in the stereo sound field. Now listen carefully — too much or too little reverb on any track? Readjust the AUX SEND controls to achieve the desired effect. Balance not quite right? Keep readjusting until you are satisfied. You should also rehearse any fades or pans you plan to do while actually recording the mix.
4.When you’re sure everything is ready, prepare to actually record the mix. To do this you’ll have to connect the MT100 ST OUT jacks to the inputs of a stereo cassette recorder. Plug your monitor headphones into the stereo cassette deck phones jack if you want to listen as you record the mix, or simply leave them connected to the MT100 PHONES jack and listen with the PHONES SELECT switch set to STEREO. Use the stereo cassette deck record level control(s) and, if necessary, the MT100 MASTER fader to set the optimum record level, then go ahead and record. The MT100 MASTER fader can also be used to add a slow fade at the end of the piece.
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USING THE AUX SEND/RTN LOOP
The MTIOO’s AUX SEND controls function like a secondary mixer that derives its input signals from the main mixer's four channels and combines them into a mono signal which is delivered via the AUX SEND jack (refer to the diagram below). You can use the AUX send controls to create an “effect mix” which is entirely independent of the main mix, thus applying the required degree of effect to each channel signal. The AUX SEND signal is sent to the input of an external signal processor (reverb, echo or other effect device), and the output from the signal processor is returned to the AUX IN Jack. The level of the signal received at the AUX IN jack can be adjusted using the AUX RTN control, and the resulting signal is combined with the MTIOO’s main stereo output signal.
Since the returned effect signal is combined with the mixer’s stereo output signal, the AUX SEND/RTN loop is most ideally suited to adding effects to individual tracks during the final mixdown process.
Note: Since the AUX SEND/RTN loop returns the effect signal to the mixer section’s stereo outputs, effects can be added to channels during ping-pong recording as long as the panned channel-to-track assignment method is used. The AUX SEND/RTN loop cannot be used to add effects when recording tracks which have been as signed using the direct channel-to-track assignment method.
16 M.T100 MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER
PUNCH-IN/OUT RECORDING
Punch-in/out recording makes it possible to re-record a short segment of an otherwise perfect track in order to correct a mistake or “brush up” an important passage. You "punch-in" at the point where you begin recording the new segment, and “punch-out” at the end of the new segment so that the previously-recorded material is not erased.
Punch-in/out Using the REC SELECT Switches
1.Start the deck running — a few measures before the sec tion to be re-recorded begins — in the record-ready mode by pressing the REC button and then the PLAY button with all track REC SELECT switches set to OFF. The red REC LED will flash Indicating that the transport is in the recordready mode. The PHONES SELECT switch should be set to MONITOR so you can hear all the tracks.
2.At a convenient break in the track switch the track to be corrected to the record mode (punch-in by switching the REC SELECT switch for that track to the appropriate rec ord position) and start playing the new material to be re corded. The REC LED will light continuously as soon as the REC SELECT switch is set to a record position.
3.At the end of the re-recorded segment switch the track back to the play mode (punch-out by switching the REC SELECT switch for that track to OFF). The red REC LED will begin to flash.
Footswitch Punch-in/out
1.Plug a YAMAHA FS-1 (optional) footswitch into the MT100 PUNCH I/O jack.
2.Set the .REC SELECT switch for the track to be punched-in to the appropriate record position, and press the REC but ton to activate the rec/pause mode. The red REC LED should flash Instead of lighting continuously. If the red REC LED lights continuously, press the footswitch once so that it flashes; =
3.Press the PLAY button to start the transport running in the record-ready mode.
4.Press the footswitch to punch-in. The red REC LED will light continuously.
5.Press the footswitch a second time to punch-out. The red REC LED will begin to flash.
TRACK 1
TRACK 2
TRACKS
TRACK 4
STOP
All tracks monitored In PLAY BACK mode (the deck is In the REC mode, but the track REC SELECT switches are set to OFF).
The record mode Is engaged for track 3 only when the track 3 REC SELECT switch is set to an ON position.
c>
Begin playback
It's a good Idea to actually start playing a little before the punch-in point.
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MAINTENANCE
As a good general rule, the tape heads, pinchroller and cap stan should be cleaned before each recording, thus ensuring the best audio quaiity.
After the deck has been used for a period of time, the heads, pinchroller, and capstan will become dirty. This increases noise and uneven rotation, leading to a deterioration in sound quality. Therefore, periodic cleaning and demagnetization is necessary for preserve optimai audio performance.
Use cotton swabs and aicohoi or head cleaning fluid (available in most aii audio stores) to clean the heads, capstan, and pinchroller. Keeping the heads ciean is essential for good re cordings. For demagnetization, use a high quality head demagnetizer, and foilow the instructions carefuiiy.
Capstan
Pinchroller
Erase head
Rec/Play head
! It's important to keep all parts clean!
18 MTIOO MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER
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