Cassettes are fun, the sound is different from what we're used to. The limitations makes the musician more creative. This is what I thought when I started recording a song on my old 4 channel porta studio again. After waiting for a new cassette tape to arrive. So my idea was to record an old school hip hop song on to tape, but then its limitation kept getting bigger & bigger. Until complete it was n't fun anymore. Ok lets start from the top: I made a beat in my sampler that I wanted to record to track one, vocals on track two and overdubs on three and last chorus on channel 4. The vocals vary alot so recording each verse/chorus on its dedicated channel is a good thing to do. Otherwise 1 channel get cluttered up with different recordings and you have to manually set the gain when playback to control the volumes.
channel 1
Already when connecting the sampler to the porta the limitations were present.
channels on the porta are in mono and output from the sampler is in stereo. I connected both channels left and right to a stereo to mono adapter. Then the mix sounded very different, the beat didn't translate well at all in mono. I could record on 2 channels but then the vocals would have only 2 tracks and the vocals are 3 parts(main vocals, overdubs and chorus).
After recording the beat, I rewind the tape, then the beat was too low in volume. Not when recording but when playing back. The tape type was normal and this porta is made for high position tapes. So that means more hiss and lower volumes on recordings. The low output made me raise the track volume to max. I started noticing slight wobbles and variations in pitch. not much but there( the sound of cassette). Things like this I tend to forget when returning to cassette recording again.
channel 2
On to this next channel. On a porta you have to switch inputs and insert the tele into track nr 2, and set the recording of the track to on
On this track I recorded my vocal (rap verse)
No xlr input, portas uses these telejacks so no xlr with phantompower so I used a dynamic mic instead. The quality was very bassy and the highs didin't shine as clear as it normally does.
I adjusted the bass and the highs on the EQ on the porta there is no mid on the porta so when cutting the low eq the lower part of the mid is also cut.
Now the trickiest part, the intensity is fluxuating when recording a vocal. Theres no compressor in the audiopath of the porta to limit the volume. This can be a challenge since of when the recording peaks over 0dbs or on tape +6dbs the sound distorts.
Stop! enough negative talk about cassettes and analog recording!
Yes there are limitiations, but the sound is great really! when getting around the difficulties of analog recording.
Ok, lets then talk of how analog recording are super nice when they are working with the musician. Lets go back to the intesity thing again, set the gain to around 0 decibels, the sound is now hot and it evenly peaks at 6 decibels, the very gentle distortion creates a natural limiter and the sound is evened out.
Now on to the next challenge
you cant edit takes on tape, cut and paste etc.
You have to record the verse in one take.
holding the mic and adjust the mic whenever raising the gain of your voice
since of no limiter on the channel.
Plus I wanted to have 2 verses in the song so I have to record both verses on 1 channel
whenever the next verse comes it might be slightly different in volume, so you have to manually set the fader on each verse. This will also affect the eq setting when recording you have to set it on both recordings so it has a similar eq curve when playing back.
After about 20 takes I got a recording that was ok. Not super, but ok, it sounded a little dry and thin
it couldve use some reverb. This is also were I noticed that the tape machine is getting a bit weared from all the rewinding. plus the tape itself perhaps can wear out from all the re-recordings.
So I decided to go with this first verse.
next verse samething... lots of re recording... 20 to 30 times until I got the verse recorded.
Recording too many times isnt good either since of the voice changing over time too.
Right now I just want to point out that in total all recordings(1st and 2nd verse) are 60 times that has some wear on the tape machine and probably also on your patience.
Even if this is a thing thats more common in the studio, this will ruin your tape machine over time. The belts, the motors inside & the cogs will not run as smooth if recording many songs like this on it.
Channel 3
This is very similar to record the vocals on track 2.
When overdubbing the same principle comes in as when recording the main vocal. Set the gain to around 0 db. Dont set the gain to low or the recording will suffer from to much hiss. You have to manually adjusting the level for each verse here too. This is where your DJ skills comes in handy.
The overdubbing creates a chorus effect and helps the vocal getting a more studio sound, just like a compressor it evens out the sound and it thickens up the audio. Hearing a dry verse on only 1 channel is not perticularly earpleasing. Specially without a compressor.
4th channel
This is where I decided for no chorus. After recording 20 takes of useless chorus part.
I wish I couldve shorten the chorus part.The beat. But since this isnt possible on tape I move on to connecting a reverb to the portas send channel.
Recording with a complete dry audio (no reverb or delay) isnt really earcatching in terms of studioquality.
A reverb and a individual send from each channel (not the beat) makes the recording a bit better.
Mixdown and conclusion
This is where I started memorizing all the diffrent points where all faders should go on the different parts of the different verses. In the conclusion is the video of me mixing down. On this song. Called "cassette raps"
But is it really worth to go and buy a portastudio for recording songs in 2021?
Your porta isnt going to stand all the recording your protools session normally does. It will break overtime. The cogs are made of plastic and the belts will not hold all rewinding and rerecording you make normally when recording a song.(comparing to a super fast and instant tight rewind of a DAW) This is normal. This is a part of studio recording. You record until you feel you have a good take.
A portastudio is more suited for a rehersed song. and a easy overdub part. A demo or a small 4 channel/part song. Not your song in a perfekt mixed state. A bit muddy a bit noisey , but very natural.
The quality will not be a studio otari tapemachine or a abbeyroad tapemachine from the 50s type quality. Not a motown sound. It will sound like a cassette porta studio. Not even in the same category as a highend stereo tapedeck from the 80's. It will sound like this... (see video)
This is were I could argue over the quality of the tapemachine but no.
The cassette has a distinct sound. But it has to be well recorded. You really have to work to get all of the sounds right. With the limitations your songs will be minimalistic, basic.