recording vocals with and fixing Tascam portastudio

Posted on Jan 10, 2006 09:20 pm
folklady
Member Since: Jan 10, 2006

BS"D

Hi everyone! Well, I've got that Tascam portastudio, the simplest four-track one. It's not fuctioning correctly-when I press record or play, only one wheel moves and it snags the trailing tape stuff in the wheels. This is sometimes not the case when I prop the machine up vertically, but this temporary fix doesn't always last very long. Is there any way of fixing this?

Also, assuming I fix it, here's another question: Can I do a very good vocal recording on this machine? Does it take really good mics or...?

Thanks very much

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Diemusik
String bender
Member
Since: Unknown

Jan 10, 2006 09:51 pm

Hello, I used to have a Tascam portastudio four track myself and I put more hours on that thing than should be possible. :) Mine developed a similar problem and when I took it apart I found the internal drive "belts" were worn out and streched. I say "belts" because they are more like rubber bands. In fact my cheap, although not perfect, fix was to use rubber bands. That fix doesnt last long because the rubber is a different compound and streches pretty quick under the stress of driving the tape. A better fix that I came up with later was to use a small o-ring around the main drive motor pulley. This took up some of the slack in the streched drive belt. The best fix is to contact Tascam and find someone who services their machines or at lest to find where you might find replacement belts. Take care!

tonyd1970
The fat one always watches us.
Member
Since: Nov 08, 2002

Jan 10, 2006 09:54 pm

put a yell out to Crash- hes a member round here, he has my old tascam and is still using it. maybe he can help

Noize2u
Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Jan 11, 2006 12:15 am

Welcome to HRC folklady.

As for the vocals, well a lot will rest on the microphone that you use with the Tascam. Many of us here cut out teeth on those little buggers and most of us got pretty good sound. So yes I think you can get a good vocal soudn with it.

What microphone will ou be using with it?

As fro the repair of the Tascam, Die has a good point about the tensionof the belt, that can cause big problems with it not moving the tape along since the pick up side runs on the same drive as the pinch roller he is talking about. You can try a little Isopropel alchohol on the rubber wheel if you can get at it. Sometimes crud will build up and cause it to bind a bit.