Yamaha MT-2X User Manual

®

YAMAHA

AUTHORIZED

PRODUCT MANUAL

Multitrack Cassette Recorder

YAMAHA

Multitrack Cassette Recorder

Operating Manual

Congratulations on your choice of the Yamaha MT2X Multitrack Cassette
Recorder. The Yamaha MT2X Multitrack Cassette Recorder is a complete

multitrack recording package which elegantly integrates a high-performance

six-channel mixer and dual-speed 4-track cassette recorder. It is fully com­patible with advanced MIDI tape synchronization applications, and accepts

an optional plug-in YMC2 MIDI Converter that makes MIDI timing signals
from any appropriate MIDI device usable for synchronization With a full
complement of carefully planned features and functions, the MT2X is a
musical instrument in its own right. It can vastly expand your creative
scope.

To take full advantage of the outstanding features and performance

capabilities of the MT2X, we urge to read this owner’s manual thoroughly.

CONTENTS

BEFORE OPERATION

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING PRECAUTIONS
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRACKS AND CHANNELS

WHAT IS A MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER? .................. 3

THE CONTROLS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

MIXER SECTION ................................................................... 4

RECORDER SECTION

METER AND MONITOR SECTION

CONNECTOR SECTION
CONNECTION EXAMPLE
ABOUT CASSETTE TAPES

MULTITRACK RECORDING TECHNIQUES

ONE EXAMPLE OF A MULTITRACK RECORDING PROCESS

BEFORE RECORDING

MULTITRACK RECORDING

USING CHANNELS 5 AND 6 ..................................................

SYNC-RECORDING
FOR MAXIMUM

BLOCK DIAGRAM
GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

INTRODUCTION TO THE ACCESSORIES
SERVICE

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PERFORMANCE OF YOUR

MT2X ........................ 35

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8
10
12

14
15
16
16

16
17
33

36

37
38
39

1

BEFORE OPERATION

n

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING PRECAUTIONS:

ABOUT CASSETTE TAPE

This unit is designed to be used only with Chrome­position tape, and will not work properly with Ferri-

chrome tape formulations. CrO
EQ: 70µs) should be used. Also, the use of C-120
tapes is not recommended because they exhibit
poorer performance, and can be the cause of equip­ment failure.

ABOUT dbx

In order to get proper sound reproduction, set the dbx
switch ON when playing back tapes recorded with
dbx on, and keep it OFF when playing back tapes
recorded without dbx.

*dbx and the dbx mark are trademarks of dbx in-

corporated.

*The dbx system has been manufactured under

license of dbx Incorporated.

CHECK YOUR AC POWER SUPPLY

Make sure that your local AC mains voltage matches
the voltage specified on the bottom panel of the

MT2X — check this BEFORE plugging in and turning
on your MT2X! For General models equipped with a
voltage selector, make sure the voltage selector is set
to match your local line voltage.
The rated supply voltage for U.S. and Canadian
models is 120 VAC. The General model is rated for
use with 110/120/220/240 VAC supplies (the bottom­panel voltage selector is factory preset to

220 volts).

2 tape (Bias: HIGH;

PRECAUTION AGAINST LIGHTNING

In the event of lightning or electrical storms, unplug
the AC power cord as soon as possible to avoid poten­tial damage.

DO NOT OPEN THE CABINET

To avoid electrical shock or damage to the unit, do

not open the cabinet and tamper with the parts or
circuits inside.

CONNECTING OTHER EQUIPMENT

Make sure the power switch is OFF and the input
fader is all the way down when connecting other

equipment.

MOVING THE UNIT

To prevent shorts or breakage, make sure all connec­tion cords have been removed from the unit before

moving it.

CLEANING THE CABINET

Do not clean the unit with benzene or other power­ful solvents, and avoid the use of aerosol insecticides

near the unit. Clean the unit only with a soft, dry

cloth.

FCC CERTIFICATION (USA)

This equipment generates and uses radio frequen­cy energy and if not installed and used properly, that
is, in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions, may cause interference to radio and
television reception. It has been type tested and
found to comply with the limits for a Class B com­puting device in accordance with the specifications
in Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC Rules, which are
designed to provide reasonable protection against
such interference in a residential installation. How­ever, there is no guarantee that interference will not
occur in a particular installation. If this equipment
does cause 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 follow-

ing measures:

Reorient the receiving antenna.

Relocate the computer with respect to the receiver.

Move the computer away from the receiver.

Plug the computer into a different outlet so that
computer and receiver are on different branch cir­cuits.

If necessary, the user should consult the dealer
or an experienced radio/television technician for ad­ditional suggestions. The user may find the follow­ing booklet prepared by the Federal Communications
Commission helpful:

“How to identify and Resolve Radio-TV inter­ference problems”.
This booklet is available from the U.S. Government
Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, Stock No.
004-000-00345-4.

2

n

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRACKS AND CHANNELS

The words “track” and “channel” are often confused. In order to properly operate this unit, it is necessary to under­stand the meanings of these terms.

TRACK:

The “band” on the tape itself where a certain signal is

recorded. The tape inside a cassette has four different

tracks, enabling the recording of four distinct signals.

For conventional recordings, there are two tracks (stereo

CHANNEL:

The route of a signal input or output. In the input side,
this unit has six INPUT channels and two AUX channels.
The output side consists of one stereo channel (made
up of two mono channels) and an AUX channel.

left and right) on each side of the tape.

n

WHAT IS A MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER?

The difference between the MT2X multitrack cassette recorder and a conventional stereo cassette deck is shown

below.

CONVENTIONAL STEREO CASSETTE DECK

The diagram shows how a conventional stereo cassette
deck records and plays back music. The four tracks on
a cassette tape represent the left and right (for stereo)

For right channel track
For left channel track

For left channel track on the B side
For right channel track on the B side
For right channel track on the A side
For left channel track on the A side

sound for each side of the tape. The MT2X uses these
four tracks for single-direction recording and playback
on only one side of a cassette tape.
Conventional stereo cassette recorders always record

and play back in the same mode, with the tape side

(direction) determining which two tracks will be used.
These recorders do not allow separate selection of tracks
for recording and playback.

Multitrack recorders, however, allow you to record or

MT2X MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER

playback tracks separately as you choose. This enables

a degree of recording and playback freedom not possible

For channel 3

For channel 4

with conventional cassette recorders.

Track for channel 4 (track 4)

Track for channel 3 (track 3)
Track for channel 2 (track 2)
Track for channel 1 (track 1)

3

THE CONTROLS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

This section explains the names and functions of all the knobs, sliders, and switches for the mixer, recorder, meter/
monitor, and connector sections. Familiarize yourself with them in order to take full advantage of the MT2X’s ver­satile functions.

MIXER SECTION

INPUT SELECTOR SWITCHES

These three-position switches are provided on input
channels 1 through 4. Position them according to the
operation to be performed. Note that input channels 5
and 6 only accept line input.

MIC/LINE: Only input channels 1 and 2 accept

microphone input. This position on the chan­nel 3 and 4 inputs is simply marked “LINE”.
Set this switch to the proper position when
the output of a microphone, keyboard instru­ment, or electric guitar is connected to the
corresponding input jack on the front panel.

OFF:

Be sure to set the switch to this position
when the channel is not being used, or when
you don’t want to playback material already
recorded on the track. Although sliding the

input fader to the “O” position will stop

the signal, it’s a good idea to also set the

switch to OFF.

TAPE:

Microphone or
instrument

to channel

1 or 2

Sounds already
recorded

Set the switch to this position to playback

material which has already been recorded on
this channel. Channels 1–4 correspond to
tracks 1–4 on the tape.

4

GAIN CONTROLS

These controls adjust the input level of the channel
to match the output level of a microphone or instru-

ment connected to input jack of channel 1 or 2.

Control from

-10dB to -50dB is possible. Adjust

the output level of the microphone or instrument as

outlined in its instruction booklet.

Low output source,
such as a microphone

High out­put source,
such as an

electronic

keyboard

you to get the type of sound you desire, and allow you

to bring the sound “forward”, “clean up” unclear sounds,

and “push down” sounds at annoying frequencies.

In order to properly use these equalizers, it’s important

to understand the frequency response characteristics

of various musical instruments. This is particularly true
when trying to “change” the sound of a certain in-

strument, because you should know that instrument’s

harmonic sound components as well. For example, the
normal frequency range of a bass drum is between 50Hz
and 150Hz. To bring out this sound so you can feel it

better, the LO (low) control (which centers on the 100Hz
frequency band) can be moved up a little. But the har­monic sound components are around I0KHz, so the HI

(high) control should also be moved up a little to achieve
the proper sound profile of the bass drum.

CLIP INDICATOR

These LED indicators are provided on channels 1 and 2.

If a CLIP LED lights, the input level to that channel is
too high and is causing clipping distortion. The situation
must be remedied by reducing the setting of the corres-

ponding GAIN control, or by reducing the output level
of the source.

INPUT FADERS

These controls adjust the volume of the signal input, and

send it to the equalizer. Each control is used for set­ting the sound level of its channel when mixing it with
the signals of other channels. Position “7” on the scale

is considered ideal for the lowest noise and distortion

characteristics.

L R AUX

Pan pot

Input signal

Equalizer controls AUX control

SOUND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EQUALIZER AND
VARIOUS MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Be sure to set the control to “0” for channels not being

used.

EQUALIZER CONTROLS

These controls are used to adjust the tonal character-

istics of the input signal, or the channel output during

playback of previously recorded material. The LO (low)

controls adjust the frequencies centering around 100Hz,

while the HI (high) controls adjust the frequencies center-

ing around 10KHz, with a 10dB boost or cut range for

both controls. Use of these equalizer controls will help

5

FREQUENCY (Hz)

Normal frequency ----- Harmonic sound

components

If accurate and comprehensive sound equalization is
required, connect a graphic equalizer or a parameteric
equalizer between the sound source and the input jack.

When recording material that you intend to “ping-pong”

(see “Ping-ponging” on page 25) later, give the input
somewhat of a high boost with the Hi control to help
preserve the high frequency response when the track is
re-recorded. This technique is known as “pre-emphasis,”
and is commonly used in professional recording.

PAN (PAN POT) CONTROLS

After volume level and equalizing, the input signal is sent
to these controls. During mixdown (see “Mixdown” on

page 31, each control helps determine the acoustic
“position” of the signal in regards to the stereo field.
Turning the control all the way to the left puts the signal

all the way over to the left side of the stereo sound field;
turning the control to the right sends the signal towards
the right. At dead center, the signal comes out equally

from the left and right channels.

L
I

All the way to the left,
the signal comes out

from the left channel.

L

Center

PAN

R

PAN

All the way to the

right, the signal comes
out from the right
channel.

R
I

These controls are also useful in ping-ponging (see “Ping­ponging” on page 25).

AUX CONTROLS

The MT2X is equipped with an AUX SEND jack

and two (left and right) AUX RETURN jacks

When special

effects are desired on a certain channel, reverb or delay effects can be connected between these jacks to provide

only the desired effect to the desired channel. Amplified monitor speakers can also be connected to the AUX SEND

jack. Each AUX control adjusts the sources connected to the AUX SEND jack in the following manner.

CONNECTING AN EFFECTOR

AUX controls

Channel 1 signal

Channel 2 signal
Channel 3 signal

Channel 4 signal

Channel 5 signal

Channel 6 signal

Raise the AUX control of the channel which requires effects. At the same time, make sure that the AUX controls for the other channels
are adjusted for proper balance. The effected signal, with all the channel signals mixed in, flows in the following manner: AUX MASTER
SEND control effects device AUX RTN . At the end, the sounds are mixed by the stereo mix buss.

CONNECTING MONITOR SPEAKERS

AUX MASTER
SEND control

Effects device
(digital reverb, digital delay, etc.)

AUX RTN control

To the left & right
stereo mix busses

AUX control

Channel 1 signal

Channel 2 signal

AUX MASTER
SEND control

Channel 3 signal

Channel 4 signal
Channel 5 signal
Channel 6 signal

Performers or sound mixers can control the level balance of the four channels (instruments) with the AUX controls
level adjusted by the AUX MASTER SEND control

Amplified monitor

speakers

, with the total output

6

MASTER FADER

This controls the level of all the input faders, as well as the final level of the effected signal of the AUX RTN control
and the sound mixed through the stereo mix buss. The output level of the ST OUT jack (the recording level
at mixdown) and the recording level during ping-ponging are also adjusted with this control.

Set the control input faders at “7” for best results.

AUX MASTER SEND CONTROL

This control adjusts the level of the effect-mixed signals
from each channel (adjusted by each AUX control )
as well as the AUX signal for monitoring use. The final
output is through the AUX SEND jack

AUX RETURN CONTROL

This control adjusts the input level of effects or sub-

mixers connected to the AUX RTN jack . The level of
the effect in relation to the “dry” sound can be set with
this control.

SYNC SWITCH

Normally left in the “OFF” position, this switch should
be set to REC or PB if this unit is to be used for syn­chronized operation with MIDI products like synthesizers
and rhythm machines. Synchro operation is explained in

the section on Sync-Recording on page 34.

POWER INDICATOR

This indicator lights when the power switch on the
rear panel is turned on.

7

RECORDER SECTION

RECORD SELECT SWITCHES

These switches are used to choose the signal to be
recorded. When the track is not to be recording, set the
corresponding switch to the OFF position. Switch ON
only those switches corresponding to the tracks which
are to record. The panel indications for “L" and “R” cor-

respond to the stereo left and right signals, whereas “1”,
“2”, “3”, and “4” correspond to the signal from the 1,

2, 3, and 4 input channels. Those signals are recorded
on their respective track when the switches are in
position.

NOTE:

Tracks 1 and 3 cannot be recorded from the right

stereo signal, and tracks 2 and 4 cannot be
recorded from the left stereo signal.

REC INDICATORS

Each track on the MT2X has its own REC indicator LED.
When the RECORD SELECT switches are used to set one
or more of the tracks to the REC standby mode (that is,
the selected tracks are ready to record but the cassette
transport is not yet running in the REC mode), the cor-

responding REC INDICATOR(s) will flash. When record­ing is actually begun, the REC INDICATORS for the
selected tracks will light continuously.

8

REC SWITCH

When this switch is pressed, the PLAY switch also
moves, and the unit goes into the recording mode.
However, if the RECORD SELECT switches for all tracks

1-4 are switched OFF, nothing will be recorded.

NOTE: When the REC switch is pressed down, noise

occurs which is recorded on the tape. In order
to prevent this, we recommended the use of the
PAUSE switch . Press the PAUSE switch first,
then press the REC switch. To start recording,
press the PAUSE switch again to shift out of the
REC pause mode

and into the recording mode.

PITCH CONTROL

During recording or playback, this control can be used
to vary the tape running speed from +10% to -10%.
The pitch of voices or musical instruments also varies

in proportion to tape speed.

Under normal conditions, the control should be in the

center position. When overdubbing (playing back a

recorded passage while recording new material on a dif-

ferent track) the pitch of the previously recorded material

can be altered to match the new material if necessary.

This feature can also be used to obtain certain special

effects during recording.

PLAY SWITCH

Press this switch for playback. However, if the input
selector switch of a track is not in the TAPE position,
the sound will not be heard on the stereo buss.

REW SWITCH (REWIND)

Use this switch to rewind the tape. Pressing it when
the MT2X is in the PLAY mode enables you to hear the

sound of the tape while it rewinds. This feature is use­ful for finding the beginning of a song or other recorded
material.

FF SWITCH (FAST FORWARD)

Use this switch to quickly advance the tape forward.
Pressing it when the MT2X is in the PLAY mode enables
you to hear the sound of the tape while it is moved for­ward. This feature is useful for cueing up the start of
a subsequent song or other recorded material on the
tape.

STOP SWITCH

Press this to stop tape.

PAUSE SWITCH

Press this switch to momentarily stop playback or
recording in progress. Press it again to restart.

TAPE SPEED SWITCH

This switch selects either LO (4.8 cm/s) or HI (9.5

cm/sec) cassette tape speed. The low-speed setting cor-

responds to standard cassette tape speed, offering max-

imum recording time. The HI setting causes the tape

to run at twice the standard tape speed, reducing avail-

able recording time but significantly improving sound

quality.

TAPE COUNTER

This displays the amount of tape run.

RESET SWITCH

Press this switch to reset the tape counter to “000”.
Pressing this switch at the start of recording, or at the
beginning of a song, makes it easy to cue up the selec-

tion from the start.

ZERO STOP SWITCH

If this switch is set “ON” during rewinding, the tape
will stop when the tape counter reaches “999”. During
multitrack recording, this feature is convenient for

repeated playback or recording operations after rewind.

dbx SWITCH

Ordinary cassette tapes don’t have sufficient dynamic
range (the level difference between the softest sounds
and the loudest peaks) to adequately record highly
dynamic music. If the dbx switch is put “ON” during
recording, highly dynamic music signals can be ade­quately handled, while the hiss noise inherent to cassette
tapes is kept down below the range of human hearing.

If the dbx switch is kept “ON” during recording, it must
also be kept “ON” during playback.

9

METER AND MONITOR SECTION

METER SELECT SWITCH

This switch is used to select the signal to be monitored

by the Peak Level Meters

Stereo Position:

The level of the signal output through the ST OUT
jacks is indicated. The meter on the far left shows
the level of the Left channel of the stereo signal, while
the second meter from the left shows the level of the

Right channel. Setting to this position during ping­ponging or mixdown operations enables easy reading
of the recording level.

4 TRK Position:

Set the switch in this position to display the level of
each track. Starting from the far left, each meter cor­responds to tracks 1–-4. During playback, the play­back level is displayed; during recording, the record­ing level is displayed. Setting the switch to this posi­tion during overdubbing enables easy reading of the

recording level.

PEAK LEVEL METERS

There are 14 LED indicators in each meter which show

a range from - 20dB to +6dB. During recording, setting
levels high (but below the point where the recording
becomes distorted) will ensure the greatest dynamic
range with the lowest possible noise. An ideal point is
when the LED indicators for 0dB and above flash occa­sionally.
During stereo signal level indication, the actual specified
output from the ST OUT jacks is - 10dB (into a 50K
ohm load) when the LED indicators start to flash at 0dB.

10

PHONES SELECT SWITCH

You can plug a set of headphones into the PHONES jack on the front panel to monitor the sound. The PHONES
SELECT Switch is used to select the signal to be monitored. Control the volume level with the PHONES volume

control .

STEREO Position:

Put the switch in this position to monitor the signal output through the ST OUT jacks .

The Left and Right chan-

nels of the stereo signal will be heard through the headphones.

When set to this position during ping-ponging or mixdown operations, the mixed signal of all the instruments can

be monitored.

MONITOR Position:

This position is for monitoring the signal of each track. You can freely monitor while mixing the sound of each

track during recording or playback. Using the MONITOR LEVEL Controls

set the desired level for each track.

MIX Position:

This position allows you to simultaneously monitor
both the sound heard in the STEREO position and the
sound heard in the MONITOR position. Setting to this
position during punch-in/punch-out operations will
enable the type of monitoring shown below. (Refer to
“Punch-in/Punch-out” on page 27).

11

For

way:

example,

when adding in instruments or vocals in the following

The sound of
tracks 1-4 plus the
plus the sound
of the material
to be added.

For retake

Tracks 1-3
sound of the

material
added.

MONITOR LEVEL CONTROLS

When setting the PHONES SELECT Switch to the

MONITOR position, these level controls are used for each
track to achieve a level balance for easy monitoring. Use
these controls freely and independently to maintain a

desired level balance during overdubbing operations,

when the addition of a new signal changes the volume.

CONNECTOR SECTION

FRONT PANEL

PHONES CONTROL

This control adjusts the volume of the headphones (See
page 10).

INPUT JACKS

The MT2X mixer has six channels and therefore six IN-

PUT jacks. INPUT 1 and 2 can be used with microphones

or line-level sources such as electric and electronic

instruments. INPUT

S 3 through 6 accept only line-level

input.
When directly connecting an electric guitar to one of
the MT2X INPUTs, we recommend the use of a guitar

preamplifier or “direct box” between the guitar and

MT2X to ensure optimum sound quality.

REAR PANEL

PHONES JACK

Plug a set of headphones into this jack for monitoring.
Please use headphones rated from 8–40 ohms for best
results.

PUNCH IN/OUT JACK

By connecting the optional FS-1 footswitch to this jack,
you can control punch-in/punch-out operations by foot.

12

POWER SWITCH

This switch turns on the MT2X. When switching the unit

on or off, make sure that the Input Faders and the

AUX RTN Control are at the “0” position.

SYNC IN/SYNC OUT JACKS

These jacks are used during synchronized operation with

MIDI-equipped instruments. The jacks make it possible
to use an optional YMC10 MIDI Converter in place of the
YMC2 MIDI Converter designed specifically for the

MT2X. For a detailed explanation, refer to “Sync-

Recording” on page 34.

TAPE OUT JACKS

These jacks directly output the signal of each track. Dur-

ing playback, the signals of the tracks being played are

output. During recording, the signals of the tracks be-

ing recorded are output. Since the output level cannot

be adjusted, the input levels of the mixer or recorder

connected to these jacks must be set to match the

output level of the MT2X. These jacks can be conven-

iently used in the following ways:

l Another 4-track recorder can be connected for direct

dubbing of all four channels.

l An external mixer can be connected for mixdown.

YMC2 CONNECTOR
This connector accepts the optional YMC2 MIDI Con­verter which has been designed for perfect electronic
and cosmetic matching with the MT2X. When installed,
the YMC2 receives its power directly from the MT2X.
The YMC2 is used for tape synchronization of external

MIDI equipment. The synchronization signal is recorded

on track 4 of the MT2X tape.

ST OUT JACKS

The mixed signals of each channel (and each track) are

output in stereo through these jacks. Since these jacks

output the final mix, a stereo cassette deck can be

connected. These jacks can also be used as follows.

l The MT2X can be used as a sub-mixer, with the out-

put sent to a main mixer through this jack.

l A stereo amplifier or powered monitor speakers can

be connected through this jack.

AUX SEND JACK

This jack outputs the mixed signal from the Aux bus, and
is used as an output terminal for the connection of an
effects device. This can also be used as an additional
monitor output.

AUX RTN JACKS

These jacks are used to input the signal from an effects
device back into the MT2X. As well, the mixed output

from an external mixer can be connected to these jacks.

Please note that if only a single plug is inserted into either

one of these jacks, the signal will be sent to both Left

and Right channels. This is useful if the effects device

being used is mono.

l

VOLTAGE SELECTOR (General model only)

The MT2X voltage selector is located on the
bottom panel. A standard screwdriver (“minus”
type) can be used to rotate the selector to match
the MT2X to your local AC mains voltage.

* NEVER ADJUST THE VOLTAGE SELECTOR

WHILE THE AC CORD IS PLUGGED IN!

* CHECK THAT THE SELECTED VOLTAGE IS

CORRECT BEFORE PLUGGING IN YOUR MT2X
FOR THE FIRST TIME!

13

CONNECTION EXAMPLES

n

BASIC MT2X SYSTEM WITH EFFECTS

This basic recording system puts the

MT2X’s six input channels to good use.
A microphone for vocals and an electric
guitar are plugged into channels 1 and 2,
taking advantage of the low-level input
and level-matching capability provided

by these channels. Channels 3 and 4

receive the stereo outputs from a
Yamaha DX100 Digital Programmable
Algorithm Synthesizer, and the stereo

outputs from a Yamaha RX17 Digital

Rhythm Programmer are plugged into

channels 5 and 6. With a setup like this,

you’re ready to record any source on

virtually any track with no need for

repatching. For top-quality reverb, delay

and other effects a Yamaha SPX90 Multi-

effect Processor is connected into the

MT2X’s AUX SEND/RETURN loop. A sim-

ple but highly effective monitor system

is provided by a pair of Yamaha KS10

powered speakers.

MT2X + SPX90 + monitor system + mic
+ guitar + DX100 + RX17

AMP

I I

RX17

n

MIDI TAPE SYNC SYSTEM

In this system the YMC2 MIDI Converter

converts the MIDI timing signals from the

QX21 Digital Sequence Recorder into

analog signals which are recorded on

track 4 of the tape. On playback, the

analog tape signals are converted back

into MIDI form by the YMC2 and used to

control START and STOP of the QX21.

Thus, playback of the QX21 sequencer,

which controls the DX27 Digital Pro-

grammable Algorithm Synthesizer and

RX17 Digital Rhythm Programmer, is

perfectly synchronized to playback of the

MT2X tape. Other material can now be
recorded on tracks 1 through 3 of the

— vocals, acoustic instruments,

MT2X

— in perfect synchronization with

etc.
the MIDI sequence. The benefit is that
we effectively have more than four
playback tracks, and that the synchronir­ed MIDI instruments can be modified as
desired: i.e., voices can be changed on
the synthesizer or the QX21 sequence
edited without affecting any other tracks.

DX21

MT2X + YMC2 + QX21 + DX27 + RX17 + monitor system

KS10

DX27

14

ABOUT CASSETTE TAPES

l

This unit is designed to be used only with Chrome-

position tape, and will not work properly with Ferri-

chrome tape formulations. CrO

2 tape (Bias: HIGH; EQ:

70µ should be used. Also, the use of C-120 tapes is
not recommended because they exhibit poorer perfor­mance, and can be the cause of equipment failure.

l

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:

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.

l

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.

Cassette shell

Break off the tab
with a screwdriver or
similar implement.

RECORDING OVER A TAPE WITH THE TABS BROKEN OUT:

Cover the holewith

l

Playing tapes recorded on other cassette
recorders

When playing Normal-position tapes, or tapes encoded

with Dolby B noise reduction the MT2X, the following
steps are advised:

1) Playing Normal-position tapes — move the HI
equalizer fader in the "+" direction to boost the high
frequencies until the sound is satisfactory.

l MAINTENANCE

As a good general rule, the tape heads, pinchroller and

capstan should be cleaned before each recording, thus
ensuring the best audio quality.
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 a must to preserve optimal
audio performance.

Use cotton swabs and alcohol or head cleaning fluid
(available in most all audio stores) to clean the heads,

capstan, and pinchroller. Do not use rubbing alcohol as
this contains mineral oil which can damage the
mechanism. Keeping the heads clean is essential for
good recordings. For demagnetization, use a quality head
demagnetizer, and follow the instructions carefully.

2) Playing tapes encoded with Dolby B NR — put the
dbx switch in the “OFF” position, and move the HI
equalizer fader in the "-" direction to reduce the

high frequencies until the sound is satisfactory.

15

Pinchroller

* It’s important to keep all parts clean!

MULTITRACK RECORDING TECHNIQUES

n

ONE EXAMPLE OF A MULTlTRACK

RECORDING PROCESS

Multitrack recording is usually used to record a rhythm
section, with overdubbing and ping-ponging operations
assisting in mixing the parts of the various musicians in
the proper balance. Finally, the tape is mixed down to
produce a stereo master tape.

These are the steps in our example:

Record the drums on track 1

Record the bass on track 2
Record the rhythm guitar on track 3
Ping-ponging tracks 1 –- 3 onto track 4

(freeing tracks 1 – 3)

Record the keyboards on track 3

Record the lead guitar on track 2
Record the vocals on track 1

Mixdown tracks 1 – 4 to produce a stereo

master tape

Track 1

PLAN CAREFULLY FOR MICROPHONE RECORDING

Since the MT2X only permits microphone recording via

channels 1 and 2, one or both of these channels must
be kept available if you plan to record with microphones.

STEREO POSITIONING

It’s important to think about the acoustic “position” of
all the instruments well before you start your multitrack
recording.
Here’s one example of acoustic positioning. Set the bass
drum and the snare drum in the center, with the tom­toms and high hat set off to either side to bring out the

“stereo” effect. The bass and other “heavy” instruments
should be in the center, with the keyboards to the left

and the guitar to the right. Solo instruments and voices
should span both right and left. Solo instruments with

a stereo output can have their left channel connected
to a delay machine, while the right channel is recorded
directly. You can probably think of many other different

ways to “arrange” the soundstage.

Track 2

Track 3

Track 4

n

BEFORE RECORDING

Mixdown

RECORDING LEVEL

In making a good recording, the most important step is
setting the ideal recording level. If the level is too low,

the recording will contain a lot of noise and hiss; if the

level is too high, the recording will sound distorted and
unclear. The MT2X is equipped with peak level meters
which show the level of each track, as well as the level
of the stereo output signal. Use these meters to help you
set the ideal recording level. If the level meters “peak

out” (show the maximum reading) briefly, it’s not a pro­blem. However, if they’re peaking out for more than a
second or two, then distortion may become a problem.

dbx SYSTEM

Keep the dbx switch “ON” to expand dynamic range and
to reduce inherent tape noise.

EQUALIZATION AND EFFECT PROCESSING

Equalization and effect processing are usually added at
the ping-pong and mixdown stages. In multitrack record-

ing, these types of signal processing can be decided on

later, and employed to any degree necessary. However,
the MT2X is limited in the number of effects which can

be used during mixdown, so it’s best to use them dur-

ing the initial recording stages.

MONlTORlNG

In addition to circuits for signal recording, this unit also
features a separate monitor circuit to allow the performer
to monitor the levels of the recording in progress through

a pair of headphones. In this case, set the PHONES
SELECT switch to the “MONITOR” position. Adjust the

volume level of each track with its MONITOR LEVEL

controls.

In addition, powered monitor speakers can be directly

connected to the ST OUT jacks or the AUX SEND jack.

SELECT THE BEST TAPE SPEED

The MT2X gives you a choice of two tape speeds. The

low speed gives you about double the record/playback

time of the high-speed mode — at the expense of

reproduction quality. Use the low-speed mode when
making test recordings or simply trying out ideas. Use
the high-speed mode when you need the best possible
sound quality — when recording an important demo, for
example.

16

n

MULTITRACK RECORDING

PLAN YOUR RECORDING

A clear plan is essential before you begin multitrack

recording. If you begin cold, without regard to all the

steps involved, you may “record yourself into a corner”

by running out of available empty tracks, missing the
chance to add effects at the proper points, losing con­trol over the final stereo positioning of the instruments,

and creating the need for more ping-pong and mixdown

recording operations than really necessary. Although you
can perform ping-pong and mixdown operations without

limit, a certain amount of noise and sound degradation

results during these operations. It’s best to hold ping-

ponging down to 1 or 2 operations in order to achieve

good sound quality.

So before you start, plan your recording carefully — what

order the parts will be recorded in, what instruments will

go on which tracks, how and when effects will be used,

when recorded tracks will be ping-ponged, and what sort

of end result is desired. The recording process of the ex-

ample we will explain in this section is illustrated on page

16.

— Signal route when recording drums —

Input signal
Effect signal
Recording signal

RECORDING THE DRUMS

The drums will be recorded on track 1. In recent years,
drum machines and rhythm machines have made an
appearance, with Yamaha coming out with the high­performance RX-series.
In this example we’ll use an RX-series Digital Rhythm pro­grammer to record a high-quality drum track. The “L” and
“R” stereo outputs from the rhythm programmer are fed
to input channels 1 and 2 of the MT2X, and these are
mixed down onto track 1 of the tape.
The Yamaha SPX90 Multi-effect processor is an ideal
way to add live-sounding reverb to the drums. The
SPX90 is connected between the MT2X AUX SEND and
stereo AUX RTN jacks.

Signal displayed by the meter
Monitor signal

Output L

Output R

Meter 1

q

1

ST OUT

AUX RTN

1717

Effect

OUT 1-1 IN

— Drum Recording Procedure —

1. Connections

Plug the AC cord into an AC outlet.

Plug the Digital Rhythm Programmer’s stereo out-

puts into INPUTs 1 and 2.

Plug a pair of monitor headphones (rated 8–40

ohms) into the PHONES jack.

When using an effect, connect it between the AUX

SEND jack (input) and either of the AUX RTN jacks
(output).

2. Getting ready

Lift open the cassette door and insert a chrome

position (CrO2) tape.

Return all the switches and controls to their nor-

mal positions, referring to the control panel illustra-

tion on pages 4~10.

Turn the power switches on for the effect and

rhythm programmer, and then turn the MT2X "ON".
The POWER indicator will light.

Bias: HIGH, Eq: 70µs.

3. Setting up the recorder section

Press the RESET switch to return the counter to

"000".
Turn "ON" the ZERO STOP switch.
Turn "ON" the dbx switch.

Select the appropriate tape speed the 9.5 cm/sec.

is recommended.

Set the RECORD SELECT switch 1 to the "L" posi-

tion. This is to record the Left stereo signal onto
track 1. The REC indicator will begin flashing.

Press the pause switch to start the recording. The

REC indicator will light up completely.

18

4. Setting the monitor and meter sections

Set the PHONES SELECT switch to the "STEREO"

position.

Set the PHONES volume to around "7".

Make sure the METER SELECT switch is in the "4

TRK" position.

5. Adjusting the input level

Set the channels 1 and 2 input switches to the

MIC/LINE position.

Set the MASTER fader to "7".

Set the PAN controls for channels 1 and 2 between

the center and the extreme "L" position, as shown.

19

Push the input faders for channels 1 and 2 up to

"7".

Set the GAIN controls to the LINE position, start the

rhythm programmer and adjust its output level so
the "+3" segment on the track-1 level meter lights
only briefly on the signal peaks.

Pull the input faders back down to "0".

— The proper input levels for channels 1 and 2 are

now set. —

6. Adjusting level balance and equalization
characteristics

Adjust channel faders 1 and 2 to achieve the desired

recording level balance.

Adjust the equalizers for 1 and 2 to obtain the
desired sound character for each individual chan­nel. (If you’re thinking of ping-ponging these tracks
afterwards, it’s a good idea to add a little boost on
the HIGH EQ because high frequencies can be

slightly diminished during the ping-pong re-record-

ing process).

Set the effect level for each channel with the AUX

controls. Then, adjust the overall mix of effect

signal to input signal with the AUX MASTER SEND

control.

If necessary, go over steps to several times

until everything is just right.

Adjust the master recording level with the MASTER

fader, setting it at the point where the "+3" in-

dicator on the far left level meter flashes occa­sionally on the sound peaks.

7. Recording

Push the PAUSE switch to start recording. Just

before the rhythm programmer is started, be sure

to "count" out loud to help you get the timing right

on the other tracks during overdubbing later on.

When the music sequence is over, press the STOP

switch to stop the recording. Then, press the REW
switch, and the tape will rewind to a point just
before the beginning

"999" on the tape counter

and stop.

— Drum Recording Completed —

Track 1

Track 2

Track 3
Track 4

20

8. Post recording check

Return all switches and controls to their normal

positions.

Set the PHONES SELECT switch to the "MONITOR"

position, turn MONITOR LEVEL control 1 to "7",
then turn the PHONES volume control to about "7".

Make sure the METER SELECT switch is set to "4

TRK".

Press the PLAY switch, and check the sound record-

ed on track 1 by headphones, and by looking at the

level meter.

21

At this point, if the track is recorded properly and there

doesn’t seem to be any problems, press the REW switch
and reset all the knobs and controls to their normal posi-

tions. Now it’s time to record the bass.

If the recording is not to your satisfaction, you can re­record the whole track. Or you can use the "punch­in/punch-out" technique to record over a certain spot on
the tape. It’s explained on page 26.

RECORDING THE BASS GUITAR BY OVERDUBBING

Overdubbing is the process of playing back previously
recorded tracks while recording a new instrument on a
different track. With this technique, it’s possible for one
musician to play many different instrumental parts on
a single recording. If you’re multitalented, multitrack over­dubbing can clone you into your own group.

Now, we’re going to record a bass guitar on track 2 in
synchronization with the drum part already recorded on
track 1. There are two ways to record the bass: place

a microphone in front of the bass amp, or run a direct

line from the bass into the recorder.

If you’re after a really clear recording, direct line record-

ing is the way to go. If you’re using an effect of some

sort, you’ll want to insert a noise gate after the final

stage of effect. This is true with all electrified musical

instruments.

Another idea is to use the Yamaha GC2020B comp/

limiter. In addition to the compresser and limiter func-

tions, the noise gate function can prove to be very

convenient.

—Signal Path when Recording the Bass Guitar —

22

— Bass guitar recording procedure —

1. Connections

Connect everything through input jack 2 as follows.

If the GC2020B is being used, connect it between
the amplifier and input jack 2.
When not using a bass amp, the use of a direct box

is recommended.

2. Setting the recorder

Make sure the tape has been rewound to the "999"

point on the counter. (This also goes for the rest
of the steps.)

Keep the ZERO STOP switch "ON" until mixdown.

(This also goes for the rest of the steps.)

Keep the dbx switch "ON" until mixdown. (This also

goes for the rest of the steps.)

Set the same tape speed as before. (This also goes

for the rest of the steps.)

Set the RECORD SELECT position to "2". the REC

indicator will flash to show that the bass guitar con-

nected to input jack 2 will be recorded on track 2.

Press the pause switch to start the recording. The

REC indicator will light up completely.

3. Setting the monitor and meter sections

Set the PHONES SELECT switch to the "MONITOR"

Connect the monitor headphones. Until the mix­down process, only use headphones and avoid

using monitor speakers. (This also goes for the rest

23 TRK" position.

of the steps.)

position.

Turn MONITOR LEVEL controls 1 and 2 to about "7".

Set the PHONES volume level to about "7".

Make sure the METER SELECT switch is in the "4

4. Adjusting the Input level

Set the input selector switch to the MIC/LINE

position.

Push input fader 2 up to about "7".

Start playing the bass guitar, and slide gain control

2 towards the "MIC" direction, stopping when the
"+3" indicator on the level meter second from the
left flashes occasionally on the sound peaks.

5. Adjusting the recording level and sound
characteristics

Operate the equalizer controls for channel 2 to get

the desired tone. (If you plan to ping-pong this track

later, boost up the treble a little bit with the HIGH
EQ control.)
Use input fader 2 to adjust the recording level ac­cording to the reading on the meter second from

the left.

6. Adjusting the monitor sound

Press the PAUSE switch to start the tape, and set

the sound balance of the bass guitar and drums.

If necessary, control the combined volume level

with the PHONES volume control.

After you have adjusted the monitor levels to your

satisfaction, rewind the tape and set the recorder
into the REC PAUSE mode.

7. Recording

Press the PAUSE switch to start recording. While

monitoring through headphones, the bass player
should play along in sync with the drum track.

When the musical segment is over, stop and rewind

the tape.

— Bass Guitar Recording completed —

Track 1
Track 2
Track 3

Track 4

8. Post recording check

Just press the play switch to check to see that

the track was recorded properly.

Set all switches and controls back to their nor-

mal positions.

24

RECORDING THE RHYTHM GUITAR

Record the rhythm guitar on track 3 in sync with the
drums on track 1 and the bass guitar on track 2. Record-

ing preparations and operations are the same as when
recording the bass guitar. Be sure to use a guitar
preamplifier or guitar amp with a line output to provide
a line-level signal to the MT2X.

PING-PONG < PING-PONG RECORDING >

After the rhythm section has been recorded on tracks
1

— 3, only track 4 remains as an empty, spare track.

Since there are three more parts to be recorded, more
tracks will be needed.
The ping-pong technique (sometimes called bouncing, or
track transfer, or collapsing tracks) shown here allows

you to re-record these three tracks onto one track, thus

freeing up tracks for other recording operations. You can

also add other new parts during the ping-pong process.

As long as there are empty tracks, you can ping-pong

from one or more tracks to another as many times as

you like.

However, each time a track is ping-ponged onto another

track, some degradation in sound quality occurs. Most

noticeable is a loss of high frequency sounds, or "tre­ble". Therefore, it’s best to plan for only 1 or 2 ping-pong
operations to preserve the sound quality of the instru­ments you record. Now, let’s get started.

Track 1
Track 2
Track 3
Track 4

Track 1
Track 2
Track 3
Track 4

— Signal Path during Ping-pong Recording —

2525

— Ping-pong Recording Procedure —

1. Setting the recorder

Set the channel-4 RECORD SELECT switch to the

"R" position to mix the sound of the drums, bass
guitar, and rhythm guitar through the stereo buss.

The REC indicator will flash.

Press the PAUSE switch, then the REC switch to

put the recorder into the REC PAUSE mode. The
REC indicator will light.

2. Setting the monitor and meter sections

Set the PHONES SELECT switch to the "MONITOR"

position to monitor the sound recorded onto track 4.
Turn the MONITOR LEVEL 4 control to about "7".
Turn the PHONES volume control to about "7".

Make sure the METER SELECT switch is set to "4

TRK".

3. Adjusting the level balance and sound
characteristics

Set input selector switches 1 — 3 to the "TAPE"

position.

Press the PAUSE switch to start the tape.

Adjust the input balance of each track with the in-

put faders 1 through 3. Set the overall level with
the MASTER fader. Use the level meter on the far
right as the reference.

Set the equalizer controls for each channel, 1—3,

to get the desired tone for each instrument. AFTER

PING-PONGING IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO
CHANGE THE TONE OR LEVEL BALANCE FOR
EACH INSTRUMENT SEPARATELY.

If necessary, repeat steps

as many times as

you like until everything sounds right.

Rewind the tape, and reset to the REC PAUSE mode.

4. Recording

Push the PAUSE switch to start recording.
When ping-pong recording is finished, rewind the

tape.

— Ping-pong Recording Completed —

Track 1
Track 2
Track 3
Track 4

5. Post recording check

Just press the PLAY switch to check if everything

was recorded properly.

Return all switches and controls to their normal

positions, and rewind the tape. Next, we will record
the keyboards.

26

RECORDING THE KEYBOARDS BY OVERDUBBING

PUNCH-IN/PUNCH-OUT

Now that the recording of the rhythm guitar on track 3
has been ping-ponged onto track 4, this track is free for
recording the keyboards.

RECORDING THE LEAD GUITAR BY OVERDUBBING

Just like with the keyboards, the lead guitar can be

recorded on track 2. Both the keyboards and the lead
guitar can be positioned Left and Right with the PAN
controls during mixdown. Since delay and chorus effects
will be added separately in stereo during mixdown, dis-

tortion and compression effects added in mono should

be done during this stage.

RECORDING THE

Vocals will be recorded on track 1 (because we need
microphone input capability). Just like with the drums,
vocal recording should be monitored through the
headphones.

VOCALS

BY OVERDUBBING

segment on a track without disturbing the rest of the
track, or the other tracks.
When all the tracks are playing back, press the REC
switch to start the tape, "punch in" at the starting point

the new recording), and then "punch out" (return the
tion). With this technique, it’s also possible to insert a

Now let’s explain the punch-in/punch-out technique.
Mastering it will allow you to re-record even the smallest

of the section to be redone (set the RECORD SELECT
switch of the track to be redone to the REC position for

RECORD SELECT switch of the track to the "OFF" posi­lead solo into an empty section of the vocal track.

However, this sort of operation requires a blank section
of tape on a track.

NOTE:

Let’s show you how "punch-in/punch-out" works. As
an example, we’ll explain how to re-do a segment of the
vocal recorded on track 1.

The RECORD SELECT switches of the MT2X can

be operated by the optional FS-1 Foot Switch.
The RECORD SELECT switch for the track to be
redone must be set, and then it can be the foot
can be used to "punch in" and "punch out".

27

— Signal Path during Punch-in/Punch-out Operation —

28

— Punch-in/Punch-out Procedure —

1. Connections

Connect the vocal microphone through input jack 1.

If the FS-1 Foot Switch is being used, connect it to

the PUNCH IN/OUT jack.

2. Setting the recorder

If the FS-1 Foot Switch is connected, set RECORD

SELECT switch 1 to the "1" position. The REC in­dicator will flash.
After pressing the PAUSE switch, press the REC
switch. (If the FS-1 is being used, the unit is put

into the REC PAUSE mode, and the REC indicator

lights.)

If the FS-1 is connected, set its foot switch so that

the REC indicator flashes.

29

3. Setting the monitor and meter sections

Set the PHONES SELECT switch to "MIX". (If it’s

not set to this position, you won’t be able to monitor
the new recording sound and the playback sound
of tracks 1-4 during punch-in/punch-out operation.)
Turn the MONITOR LEVEL control to about . "7".

Turn the PHONES volume to about "7".

Set the METER SELECT switch to "4 TRK".

4. Setting input levels

Set input select switch 1 to "MIC/LINE".

Set both input fader 1 and the MASTER fader to "7".

Slide gain control 1 in the "MIC" direction, stopping

when the "+3" LED indicator on the leftmost level

meter flashes occasionally on music peaks. (Set­ting the same as when the vocals were initially

recorded is recommended.)

"Punch-out" when you have finished redoing the

passage by sliding the RECORD SELECT switch to

the "OFF" position. When using the FS-1, press on

the foot switch again. In both cases, the REC in­dicator will begin flashing.

Rewind the tape.

—

Punch-in/Punch-out Completed

—

5. Adjusting the recording level and sound
characteristics

Using the equalizer controls for channel 1, adjust

for the desired sound characteristics. It’s a good

idea to set them where they were for the initial
recording.

After setting the equalization, set the recording

level, preferably at the same level as the initial
recording.

6. Recording

Press the PAUSE switch to start the recording.

"Punch-in" when you reach the passage that must

be redone by sliding the RECORD SELECT switch

to the "1" position. When using the FS-1, press on

the foot switch. In both cases, the REC indicator
will light.

7. Post recording check

Press the PLAY switch to make sure the passage

was redone correctly.

Return all controls and switches to their normal

positions, and rewind the tape. We’re now ready for
mixdown recording.

30

MIXDOWN (TRACKDOWN)

It’s now time for the mixdown. Often called "trackdown"
or "remix", mixdown is when all the four recorded tracks
are mixed to achieve a certain sound balance in level,
effects, and stereo positioning, and then recorded onto
one side of a cassette tape in mono or stereo. This tape
is the final "master".

— Signal Path During Mixdown —

In this next step, the instruments are "put in their place"
in the stereo sound field, and a slight amount of reverb
will be added to the vocal track with the SPX90.

31

— Mixdown Procedure —

1. Connections

Connect a stereo tape deck to the ST OUT jack, and

insert a blank tape to record the final mix in stereo.

Connect the SPX90 Multi-effect Processor through

the AUX SEND jack and AUX RETURN jacks.

2. Setting the meter and monitor sections

Set the PHONES SELECT switch to "STEREO" in

order to monitor the mixed down sound.
Turn the PHONES volume to about "7".

Set the METER SELECT switch to "STEREO" so

that the level of the mixed down signal will be

indicated.

4. Recording

3. Adjust the level balance and sound characteristics,

Set all the input select switches 1 — 4 to "TAPE".
Press the PLAY switch to start the tape, and adjust

the level balance of each track. Push the MASTER
fader up to "7", and then set the level balance with

each channel fader.

Adjust the sound characteristics for each track with

the equalizer controls for channels 1 — 4.

Add the effects to the vocal track using the AUX

1, AUX MASTER SEND, and AUX RTN controls.

Determine the stereo positioning of the instruments

recorded on each track using the PAN controls 1

— 4.

If necessary, repeat steps

thing sounds right.

Watching level meters 1 and 2, use the MASTER

fader to set the output level of the signal sent from
the ST OUT jacks.
Watching the level meters of the stereo tape deck,

set its proper recording level.

Rewind the tape.

Press the PLAY switch of the MT2X at the same

time you start recording with the stereo tape deck.

After the recording is finished, play back the mixed

down tape. How does it sound? You can keep re­peating the mixdown process, varying the levels,
equalizations, and effect level balance until you’re
fully satisfied with the results. When you make that
"perfect" mix, congratulations. You've finished your

stereo master.

—

Mixdown Completed

through

—

until every-

32

n nUSING CHANNELS 5 AND 6

While the MT2X recorder section permits multitrack

recording on four tracks, the mixer section offers a total

of six input channels. The following are a few hints on

using the extra two channels for more effective, more

versatile recording.

* Once three of the four available recorder tracks have

been recorded using direct recording, overdubbing and
perhaps pingponging techniques, three more instru­ments may be mixed and recorded on the remaining

track via mixer channels 4, 5 and 6.

* Once all four recorder tracks have been recorded, an

additional two instruments may be added via mixer
channels 5 and 6 at the mixdown stage.

*

When track 4 of the recorder is used to record an FSK
signal via the YMC2 MIDI Converter or an external
YMC10 MIDI Converter, the playback signals from this

track will frequently be used to control a stereo MIDI

device such as an RX-series Rhythm Programmer or
a Sequence Recorder which drives multiple tone
generators. The audio output from the Rhythm Pro­grammer or tone generators can be mixed in with
the recorded material on tracks 1, 2 and 3 via mixer
channels 5 and 6. The use of channels 5 and 6 in this

application also permits easy application of effects to

the output of the MIDI devices.

33

SYNC-RECORDING

For synchronized operation with MIDI instruments, the

optional plug-in YMC2 or external YMC10 MIDI converter

enables synchro-operation of the MT2X and MIDI in-

struments such as the RX-series digital rhythm program-

mers and the QX-series digital sequence recorders. Some
devices such as the QX5 and QX1 digital sequence

recorders actually have the MIDI-FSK conversion func­tion built-in, and may be connected directly to the MT2X
SYNC IN jack. In this section, we will explain synchro-

recording using synchro-operation techniques.

ll

Merits of synchro-recording

Synchro-recording enables the use of digital sources
such as rhythm programmers and sequencers dur-

ing the first mixdown stages. Since these sources
are recorded directly onto the master, it extracts the

full sound quality, dynamic range, and superb S/N

performance of these digital instruments.

ll

Operating the tape sync

In order to work the tape sync, the MIDI synchroniz­ing signal must be converted to an FSK (frequency
shift keying) signal first. This is because MIDI
transmits information in digital form.
The MIDI digital information is at too high a frequency
to be recorded by conventional analog audio tape.

By using the MIDI converter, the MIDI synchronizing
signal is converted to an FSK signal that analog audio
tape can handle.

ll

An example of synchro-recording using the

RX17 rhythm programmer

Set the RX17 to create the desired rhythm effects.

Connect the RX17 in the following manner.

With the SYNC switch set to "PB", press the PLAY

switch and the FSK signal recorded on track 1 is
sent to the YMC2 or YMC10, which converts it
to the MIDI synchronizing signal and outputs it to
the RX17. In this way, track 4 of the MT2X

operates the RX17. FOR THIS OPERATION, DON’T

FORGET TO SET THE RX17 SYNC SWITCH TO

"MIDI".

Now, tracks 1—3 can be used for overdubbing.
Connect as shown below for mixdown.

After putting the MT2X into the REC PAUSE
mode, set the SYNC switch to the "REC" posi­tion. To record the sync signal, set the MT2X to
the RECORD mode on track 4 then start playback
of the RX15. Here’s how it works. The YMC10

converts the MIDI synchronizing signal from the
RX17 to FSK signal, which is recorded on track
4 of the MT2X.

In order to operate the RX17 by the FSK signal

recorded on track 4, connect everything like this:

Start the tape, mixdown the sound from tracks

1—3 and the RX17’s drum sounds input through
the AUX Left and Right jacks, and record it with
a stereo tape deck.

34

FOR MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE OF YOUR MT2X

CLEANING THE HEADS

The precision of the MT2X playback/record and erase
heads is very high.
If the heads are dirty, the fidelity of playback, recording,
and erase will be affected. To prevent loss of fidelity,
clean the heads regularly with cotton swabs and alcohol
or cleaning fluid.

RECORDING LEVEL

For superior sound recording, be sure to look at the level
meters. If recording is done without referring to the level

meters, the recording level may turn out to be too high
or too low. If too high, the sound may be distorted, and
if too low, there may be excessive noise.
The level meters have a switch for STEREO/4 TRK
switchover. Use this switch according to the recording
mode. When it is set to STEREO, the signal output to
the ST OUT jack will be displayed on the level meters.
When set to 4 TRK, the signals being recorded on each
track (and playback signals) will be displayed on the

level meters.

l

When a source input to the INPUT jack is recorded

without any mixing:

Set the RECORD SELECT switch to the track (1 to 4)

that will be recorded. Then set the level meter select

switch as shown below.

PING-PONG RECORDING

Avoid ping-pong recording of adjacent tracks (for exam­ple from track 2 to track 1, or to track 3). There may
be howling due to signal leaks (crosstalk) from the
playback/record head.

If there is unavoidable howling generated by a track
recorded by ping-pong, turn down the playback level a
little, or reduce the high-range (above 10 kHz) by the
channel equalizer’s High.

SYNC LEVEL

For synchronized recording, the FSK signal is input via
the optional YMC2 or through the SYNC IN jack and

recorded onto track 4. However, if the level is not above

the prescribed level, the SYNC may not operate during

playback. If this happens repeatedly, adjust the level
adjustment volume at the bottom of the MT2X. (Since

the unit is already set at the proper level at the factory,

it normally need not be adjusted.) If the level is adjusted
too high, signals from the other tracks may leak (cross­talk), so be careful.

•

When a source input to the INPUT jack is mixed and
recorded with the sound from the effector connected
between AUX SEND and RTN:

Set the RECORD SELECT switch of the track to be

recorded to either L or R. Then set the level meter

select switch as shown below.

•

For ping-pong recording:

Set the RECORD SELECT switch of the track to be
recorded in ping-pong to either L or R. Then set the
level meter select switch as shown below.

35

BLOCK DIAGRAM

NOTE: When the REC button is engaged, the panel switches can be used to individually order

recording on only those channels with RECORD SELECT not switched "OFF".

36

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

TRANSPORT

Tape type

Heads
Tape speeds
Pitch control
Wow & flutter

fast wind

Motor

CONNECTORS

Inputs 1, 2:

Inputs 3 ~ 6:

Aux return L, R: Input impedance

Stereo L, R:

Phones out:
Tape out 1—4: Output impedance

Aux send:

Input impedance
Rated input level
Max. input level
Min. input level

Input impedance
Rated input level
Min. input level

Rated input level

Min. input level

Output impedance

Load impedance

Rated output level

Load impedance

Max. output level

Load impedance

Rated output level

Output impedance
Load impedance
Rated output level

ELECTRICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Equalizer
Frequency responser

S/N ratio
Distortion
Channel separation
Erasure ratio
Noise reduction

OTHERS

Power supply
Power consumption
Dimensions (W x H x D)

Weight

*dbx is a trademark of dbx Incorporated.

All specifications subject to change without notice.

Chrome (70 microsec. EQ)
4-channel Permalloy rec/play 4-channel ferrite erase

4.8 cm/sec, 9.5 cm/sec
±10%
Less than 0.05% WRMS
Approx 100 sec, for C-60 tape
DC servo

10 k-ohms

- 10 to - 50 dB (fader nominal)
+ 10 dB (trim min.)

- 56 dB (trim, fader max.)
10 k-ohms

- 10 dB (fader nominal)

- 16 dB (fader max.)
10 k-ohms

- 10 dB (fader nominal)

- 16 dB (fader max.)
1 k-ohm
Greater than 10 k-ohms

- 10 dB into 50 k-ohms
8—40 ohms
100 mW + 100 mW

1 k-ohm
Greater than 10 k-ohms

- 10 dB into 50 k-ohms
1 k-ohm
Greater than 10 k-ohms

- 10 dB into 50 k-ohms

HIGH: ± 10 dB at 10 kHz (shelving)
LOW: ± 10 dB at 100 Hz (shelving)

40 Hz~18 kHz,

40 Hz~12.5 kHz, ± 3 dB at 4.8 cm/sec

85 dB, dbx ON, IHF-A
Less than 1%, EIAJ 315 Hz
Greater than 55 dB at 1 kHz

Greater than 70 dB at 1 kHz

dbx*

U.S. & Canadian Models: 120V, 50 Hz
General Model: 110/120/220/240V, 50/60 HZ
U.S. & Canadian models: 23W
General Model: 21W
413x75x260 mm (16-1/4x3x10-1/4")

3.5 kg (7.7 Ibs.)

± 3 dB at 9.5 cm/sec

37

INTRODUCTION TO THE ACCESSORIES

DIGITAL MULTI-EFFECT PROCESSOR - SPX90

GRAPHIC EQUALIZER - GQ1031B 2-CHANNEL COMPRESSOR/LIMITER - GC2020B

MIDI CONVERTER - YMC2

KEYBOARD SPEAKER - KS10

POWER AMPLIFIER - P2075

SPEAKER SYSTEM - S10X

FOOT SWITCH - FS-1

38

SINCE 1887

YAMAHA

NIPPON GAKKI CO., LTD. HAMAMATSU, JAPAN

VD70420

SERVICE

The MT2X is supported by Yamaha's worldwide network of
factory trained and qualified dealer service personnel. In the

event of a problem, contact your nearest Yamaha dealer.

Printed in Japan

®

YAMAHA

Yamaha Corporation of America

6600 Orangethorpe Avenue, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622-6600

11/17/98 98109