Help with Tascam TSR-8 Sync

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

HairisonFire wrote:

> Hello
>
> I am new to the analog/sync world and I have been asked to put together a
> system for doing live backing tracks off of a Tascam TSR-8 or similar
> device. The deal is this, the drummer will be controlling a sequencer that
> will be playing a click for him to play to. The sequencer will be
> controlling the Tape machine. The tape machine will be playing the backing
> tacks (backing guitars, keys, etc). Is this possible or am I crazy. I have
> seen a lot of info on having the tape machine be the master and slaving the
> sequencer to it, but I need it to happen the other way around. I know that
> there are easier ways to do this with digital playback devices but it *has*
> to be a Reel to Reel machine that has the backing tracks, it part of the
> show ;-)


Get an iBook, put Mackie's free Tracktion on it, copy the tape and your
sequences to it, then put the TSR-8 onstage lip-syncing its part.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 08:57:44 -0500, HairisonFire <bottech@bellsouth.net>
wrote:


>
> Yeah That was my first thought, just have the tape machine mimic the
> parts
> and have a multi track HD or Pro Tools really playing the parts. The
> problem is the artist wants the tracks comming from the tape machine.
> It's
> part of their "show". My question is- is it possiable to control one of
> these multi track tape machines via a sequencer. There are no
> "sequencer"/MIDI parts. It's all audio tracks. The sequencer is just
> controlling the tape machine and running a click for the drummer. I
> figuered a hardware sequencer would be the best so the drummer can hit a
> button to get to the next sequence/song, instead of having a PC or mac
> and
> a mouse or whatever to set up.

I suspect that you may have to look for a better tape machine which can be
controlled by an external synchroniser - the TSR-8 was Tascam's budget
machine and I don't think that it has the necessary connectors. A Fostex E
series machine (E8 or E16) with a 4030 synchroniser might be worth looking
at.

Cheers.

James.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

James Perrett wrote:
> On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 08:57:44 -0500, HairisonFire
<bottech@bellsouth.net>
> wrote:
>
>
> >
> > Yeah That was my first thought, just have the tape machine mimic
the
> > parts
> > and have a multi track HD or Pro Tools really playing the parts.
The
> > problem is the artist wants the tracks comming from the tape
machine.
> > It's
> > part of their "show". My question is- is it possiable to control
one of
> > these multi track tape machines via a sequencer. There are no
> > "sequencer"/MIDI parts. It's all audio tracks. The sequencer is
just
> > controlling the tape machine and running a click for the drummer.
I
> > figuered a hardware sequencer would be the best so the drummer can
hit a
> > button to get to the next sequence/song, instead of having a PC or
mac
> > and
> > a mouse or whatever to set up.
>
> I suspect that you may have to look for a better tape machine which
can be
> controlled by an external synchroniser - the TSR-8 was Tascam's
budget
> machine and I don't think that it has the necessary connectors. A
Fostex E
> series machine (E8 or E16) with a 4030 synchroniser might be worth
looking
> at.
>
> Cheers.
>
> James.

Actually a TSR-8 would sync just fine to external equipment, I have
used a Midi-izer to sync mine to a 24 track, and I've heard of other
people using theirs with various external SMPTE controllers.

Why the friend of the OP wants to do this is beyond me. You get 30
minutes from a tape and the deck weighs about 60 pounds...not to
mention moving it around to gigs would probably shorten it's lifespan.

Must be a short show, or they have an intermission to change tapes.

Then again I always thought it would be cool to have one of those old 9
track computer tape drives spinning in the background while my band
played....then take a sledge hammer to it at the end as an
"anti-computer" statement...maybe they are doing something like that.
Analogeezer