It's good to see that you tracked down the source of the issue. Sorry about those tapes. If it's any consolation, pro studios also deal with tape degradation, especially archived tapes. Some tapes literally have to be baked, yes, put in an oven at a controlled temperature in order to stabilize the oxide layer and bind it back to the substrate. At least you didn't need to go that far.
Honestly, that's comforting :) After this project is "done," I may try some DIY methods to recover the tapes... I wonder what temp you use to cook tapes? My oven doesn't go below 100 degrees F haha.
Back in 1990's, I used a 4-head VHS machine to master songs for the same reason you mentioned, mixdown from my Yamaha MT3x 4-track cassette machine. "HI-FI" may not have the 4-head system for digital recording you need for recording of the audio onto VHS tape. Also, white-noise = input not selected for RCA line input, but an empty TV channel.
!!! I need to check, but knowing myself (and the hurry I was in to do those mixdowns), I am confident you've diagnosed the problem with that JVC VCR. As I think I said in the video: I know it works b/c I successfully performed test recordings in the last 3-4 weeks. But b/w then and now, I must have bumped the channel switch.
Awesome video, Jordan. Only managed to watch it now. I enjoy the details you cover and the way it sounds. Your struggle to succeed with limited resources and out of date devices... to conquer them with musical aspirations and the want for a finished product you can be proud of. I find the more studio gear I gather... and the more modern tech I try to incorporate into my studio... only detracts from inspiration. That's me. Simplicity is key to capturing mind-tunes and ideas... Keep rockin'!
Not "Tape" related, but I own a Spire Studio and a Zoom R20 that I bought on a whim when they released and I haven't done anything with them since I reverted to using a DAW. Last week, as I was cleaning out my room I realized that they were gathering dust so I made a random decision/plan to use them by writing and recording a song a day for 2 weeks. One week using the spire studio and the next week using the R20. I completed week one with the Spire studio and today I started with the R20. I'm excited to be able to use 16 tracks since the Android version of the Spire studio only allows 8 tracks per project. All that to say: these videos you have made inspired me and were one of the main reasons why I started on this project. The "just do it" and "good enough" mentality has been freeing and I've written more songs in the last week than I have in the last 3 years. Thanks, Jordan!
I'm glad you found my videos, and thank you for this feedback. I'm really curious about both of those devices... report back with your impressions! And good luck with the "song a day" project: I'm due for one myself.
As far as that last unsalvaged song goes, I know you said you want to keep it analog, but have you considered doing a recording of half the song into a DAW, cleaning the head, backing up the tape a little, recording the second half in, splicing the tracks at the appropriate point, and dumping back to tape? Or, if you really want to keep it full analog, doing the same process into the tape deck, but rolling the deck tape forward a bit after the first recording, cleaning the portastudio head, backing up your tape a few seconds again to record a clean second half, and splicing the tape with some tape (you know, the Christmas present kind)? Perhaps, with one of those two methods, that one's not a goner
I did consider using a DAW to salvage the tracks... and I'm confident that could get me to a better final sound. But having listened back a few times, I'm happy enough with the flawed sound. I was able to improve it slightly by goosing the treble when I recorded that song back into a new tape in the 424... and I'm tired of being stalled by this issue. I'm a patient person, but not when I'm recording 😅
@@JordanSeal Hey, fair enough. Don't know if you're familiar with the channel Audiohaze, but in one of his videos he bring cites a quote "Sh**ty is still pretty." That rings true to me. Sometimes good as you can get it is good enough. Keep it up!
@@JordanSeal Thank you:) It's really cool but eq is really stupid.. I thought about buying a small mixer to have more control over frequencies.. Do you think it might help?
@@vladdzuranyuk225 This sounds like the initial stages of gear acquisition syndrome. I know because I've been there. You haven't said what source you're recording which is giving you a problem. That's really the key - getting it right at the source. If you can shape the tone before hitting your Fostex, that's best and you can leave the internal EQ alone. To that end, the cheapest and most useful piece of gear you might consider to help is a graphic EQ pedal. Price is from $Free to maybe $60. That should take care of any eq corrections you might want to make to cassette tape.
@@vladdzuranyuk225 Sorry, I know you didn't ask me, but try to get your source sounding right before hitting the tape so you don't have to rely on the Fostex EQ if that isn't working for you. A really cheap (and maybe even free) option is a graphic EQ pedal. Put that before the input to the Fostex.
I find your songwriting, recordings & video documentation of your struggle with The Process more interesting than your fascination with using tape, uh, but tape seems to be a part of The Process recently, I respect that, but isn't tape a goner in this modern age??? I dunno, I guess I kinda get it.
I do enjoy the cassettes, but I haven't really enjoyed the last few weeks of troubleshooting. I like cassette when it redefines The Process and prompts me to work differently... not when it unexpectedly warps my recordings and breaks my workflow. I'm excited to get back into the normal groove later this week. Thanks for bearing with me during this side quest 😅
I wonder what would happen if you used those cassette to mp3 adapters instead of a real tape. Would that allow you to get that tape sound without some of the disavantages? Those adapters are extremely simple. They're just a tape head wired to a TRS cable. Some of the fancier ones also have BT audio.
The "tape" sound comes from the characteristics of the recording medium. If you don't record to tape, you don't get a tape sound. What you're suggesting is converting a 4 track cassette recorder into a 2 track digital recorder, and a poor one at that. If you want a digital recording with a "tape" sound, use a DAW and a tape simulator plug-in.
Technology Connections did a test of this. Adapters like that are just a tape head with the leads connected to a 3.5 mm cable. It played, according to him, indistinguishably from a standard aux in. Like @ezeriamoore mentioned, it's the tape as a medium itself, specifically the random scattering and inconsistent charging of the ferrous particles on the tape itself which cause "tape mojo."
Everyone loves shared pain ;) The trouble is: I did a recording test with the JVC! I had it on the roster, ready to go... and when I called it off the bench, it failed me!
It's good to see that you tracked down the source of the issue. Sorry about those tapes. If it's any consolation, pro studios also deal with tape degradation, especially archived tapes. Some tapes literally have to be baked, yes, put in an oven at a controlled temperature in order to stabilize the oxide layer and bind it back to the substrate. At least you didn't need to go that far.
Honestly, that's comforting :) After this project is "done," I may try some DIY methods to recover the tapes... I wonder what temp you use to cook tapes? My oven doesn't go below 100 degrees F haha.
This looks like an awesome good time - thanks!
I made a cable tree to hang my cables. It will save you time finding cables . Just a wood tee on a stand.
Back in 1990's, I used a 4-head VHS machine to master songs for the same reason you mentioned, mixdown from my Yamaha MT3x 4-track cassette machine.
"HI-FI" may not have the 4-head system for digital recording you need for recording of the audio onto VHS tape. Also, white-noise = input not selected for RCA line input, but an empty TV channel.
!!! I need to check, but knowing myself (and the hurry I was in to do those mixdowns), I am confident you've diagnosed the problem with that JVC VCR. As I think I said in the video: I know it works b/c I successfully performed test recordings in the last 3-4 weeks. But b/w then and now, I must have bumped the channel switch.
Awesome video, Jordan. Only managed to watch it now. I enjoy the details you cover and the way it sounds. Your struggle to succeed with limited resources and out of date devices... to conquer them with musical aspirations and the want for a finished product you can be proud of. I find the more studio gear I gather... and the more modern tech I try to incorporate into my studio... only detracts from inspiration. That's me. Simplicity is key to capturing mind-tunes and ideas... Keep rockin'!
Not "Tape" related, but I own a Spire Studio and a Zoom R20 that I bought on a whim when they released and I haven't done anything with them since I reverted to using a DAW. Last week, as I was cleaning out my room I realized that they were gathering dust so I made a random decision/plan to use them by writing and recording a song a day for 2 weeks. One week using the spire studio and the next week using the R20. I completed week one with the Spire studio and today I started with the R20. I'm excited to be able to use 16 tracks since the Android version of the Spire studio only allows 8 tracks per project.
All that to say: these videos you have made inspired me and were one of the main reasons why I started on this project. The "just do it" and "good enough" mentality has been freeing and I've written more songs in the last week than I have in the last 3 years. Thanks, Jordan!
I'm glad you found my videos, and thank you for this feedback. I'm really curious about both of those devices... report back with your impressions! And good luck with the "song a day" project: I'm due for one myself.
As far as that last unsalvaged song goes, I know you said you want to keep it analog, but have you considered doing a recording of half the song into a DAW, cleaning the head, backing up the tape a little, recording the second half in, splicing the tracks at the appropriate point, and dumping back to tape? Or, if you really want to keep it full analog, doing the same process into the tape deck, but rolling the deck tape forward a bit after the first recording, cleaning the portastudio head, backing up your tape a few seconds again to record a clean second half, and splicing the tape with some tape (you know, the Christmas present kind)? Perhaps, with one of those two methods, that one's not a goner
I did consider using a DAW to salvage the tracks... and I'm confident that could get me to a better final sound. But having listened back a few times, I'm happy enough with the flawed sound. I was able to improve it slightly by goosing the treble when I recorded that song back into a new tape in the 424... and I'm tired of being stalled by this issue. I'm a patient person, but not when I'm recording 😅
@@JordanSeal Hey, fair enough. Don't know if you're familiar with the channel Audiohaze, but in one of his videos he bring cites a quote "Sh**ty is still pretty." That rings true to me. Sometimes good as you can get it is good enough. Keep it up!
I'm at the start of recording three EPs on fostex 250
First time working on cassette portastudio.. Wish me luck
Oh boy, what a machine! Good luck!
@@JordanSeal Thank you:) It's really cool but eq is really stupid.. I thought about buying a small mixer to have more control over frequencies.. Do you think it might help?
@@vladdzuranyuk225 This sounds like the initial stages of gear acquisition syndrome. I know because I've been there. You haven't said what source you're recording which is giving you a problem. That's really the key - getting it right at the source. If you can shape the tone before hitting your Fostex, that's best and you can leave the internal EQ alone.
To that end, the cheapest and most useful piece of gear you might consider to help is a graphic EQ pedal. Price is from $Free to maybe $60. That should take care of any eq corrections you might want to make to cassette tape.
@@vladdzuranyuk225 Sorry, I know you didn't ask me, but try to get your source sounding right before hitting the tape so you don't have to rely on the Fostex EQ if that isn't working for you. A really cheap (and maybe even free) option is a graphic EQ pedal. Put that before the input to the Fostex.
I find your songwriting, recordings & video documentation of your struggle with The Process more interesting than your fascination with using tape, uh, but tape seems to be a part of The Process recently, I respect that, but isn't tape a goner in this modern age??? I dunno, I guess I kinda get it.
I do enjoy the cassettes, but I haven't really enjoyed the last few weeks of troubleshooting. I like cassette when it redefines The Process and prompts me to work differently... not when it unexpectedly warps my recordings and breaks my workflow. I'm excited to get back into the normal groove later this week. Thanks for bearing with me during this side quest 😅
I wonder what would happen if you used those cassette to mp3 adapters instead of a real tape. Would that allow you to get that tape sound without some of the disavantages? Those adapters are extremely simple. They're just a tape head wired to a TRS cable. Some of the fancier ones also have BT audio.
The "tape" sound comes from the characteristics of the recording medium. If you don't record to tape, you don't get a tape sound. What you're suggesting is converting a 4 track cassette recorder into a 2 track digital recorder, and a poor one at that. If you want a digital recording with a "tape" sound, use a DAW and a tape simulator plug-in.
Technology Connections did a test of this. Adapters like that are just a tape head with the leads connected to a 3.5 mm cable. It played, according to him, indistinguishably from a standard aux in. Like @ezeriamoore mentioned, it's the tape as a medium itself, specifically the random scattering and inconsistent charging of the ferrous particles on the tape itself which cause "tape mojo."
I have 2 vcr's and they dont record either, it's driving me nuts😮. I fi d the tape mechanism can cause flutter.
Everyone loves shared pain ;)
The trouble is: I did a recording test with the JVC! I had it on the roster, ready to go... and when I called it off the bench, it failed me!
@JordanSeal I think there is a channel that only the remote (I don't have) will put it on line in to record from the rc in.