Tascam 8 track hard disk recorder

Hi everybody, I would like any advice in how to record well in this multitrack recorder i'd first practice with the tascam 4 multitrack cassette. But now i just ordered the digital recorder below any advice? Thank you very much oh! another question. After burn the cd in this digital recorder it is true that if i bring my cd to a studio recording will sound like a radio/cd? quality sound? Thank you everybody. recorder.http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Tascam-DP01FXCD-8Track-Hard-Disk-Recorder-with-CD-Burner?sku=240492

Making nice recordings requires several things:
A) knowing what you are doing and
B) the right tools.

The biggest pitfalls are often not understanding:
1) gain staging and 2) mic placement.

Is it possible to get studio quality with these machines?
Well yes providing 1), 2), A) and B) are met.

To help with mic placement get some isolation headphones. They will cost you about 100 bucks. Also if you are using microphones understand that the acoustics of the space you are recording in will have a large impact on the noise going to tape. The type of microphone (i.e. dynamic or condenser and type of condenser) and the preamp it is run through will also effect your recording

Please be aware that professional recording studios may spend 4-6 times more than the cost of this rig on one channel of preamp and a U87 microphone costs about 12 times the price of this rig. Are these "high end" bits of kit essential ? Well no, however they do sound much better than a "bottom of the line" Behringer equivalent !

Originally Posted by: Dr_simonMaking nice recordings requires several things:
A) knowing what you are doing and
B) the right tools.

The biggest pitfalls are often not understanding:
1) gain staging and 2) mic placement.

Is it possible to get studio quality with these machines?
Well yes providing 1), 2), A) and B) are met.

To help with mic placement get some isolation headphones. They will cost you about 100 bucks. Also if you are using microphones understand that the acoustics of the space you are recording in will have a large impact on the noise going to tape. The type of microphone (i.e. dynamic or condenser and type of condenser) and the preamp it is run through will also effect your recording

Please be aware that professional recording studios may spend 4-6 times more than the cost of this rig on one channel of preamp and a U87 microphone costs about 12 times the price of this rig. Are these "high end" bits of kit essential ? Well no, however they do sound much better than a "bottom of the line" Behringer equivalent !

Thank you Dr. Simon for the advice, and any suggestions about the brand of the headphones and the microphone?

essential add-ons

A set of near-field flat response monitors (not less than $100)
A cheap channel strip (preamp, EQ, de-essing, compression) ($100)
A Shure SM57 ($100)
An MXL / Behringer large diaphragm condenser ($100)
Extreme isolation headphones ($100)
XLR Mic cables (don't get the cheapest ones you can find they will suck !)

All can be found at www.musiciansfriend.com or even cheaper on eBay.
I'd not spend too much starting off incase you discover you hate it

Originally Posted by: Dr_simonessential add-ons

A set of near-field flat response monitors (not less than $100)
A cheap channel strip (preamp, EQ, de-essing, compression) ($100)
A Shure SM57 ($100)
An MXL / Behringer large diaphragm condenser ($100)
Extreme isolation headphones ($100)
XLR Mic cables (don't get the cheapest ones you can find they will suck !)

All can be found at www.musiciansfriend.com or even cheaper on eBay.
I'd not spend too much starting off incase you discover you hate it

thanks again Dr-Simon I'd really appreciate your advice.

you are welcome

you might want to check out www.studiotrax.net as a resource. It is a lot friendlier than www.homerecording.com which can be a bit of a war zone !

Yeah, I have a TASCAM cd player, this thing were you can slow down the cd without altering pitch, change the key of the song, plug your guitar in to play it, a loop machine.... well, lets just say it has more gadgets than a Swiis-army knife... It's OK, 'cause when I was transcribing Sweet Child 'O Mine, I went on a whim to try it on that thing... It was awful. Slash is playing w/ a wahwah pedal, with some distortion, and when you slow it waaaaaaaay down, the pitch alters a bit, so it makes for a really hard time to get things done.... its more helpful than it is hindering though...

Originally Posted by: pizzicatopickerYeah, I have a TASCAM cd player, this thing were you can slow down the cd without altering pitch, change the key of the song, plug your guitar in to play it, a loop machine.... well, lets just say it has more gadgets than a Swiis-army knife... It's OK, 'cause when I was transcribing Sweet Child 'O Mine, I went on a whim to try it on that thing... It was awful. Slash is playing w/ a wahwah pedal, with some distortion, and when you slow it waaaaaaaay down, the pitch alters a bit, so it makes for a really hard time to get things done.... its more helpful than it is hindering though...

Thank you pizzicatopicker

Yuh huh. Any time....