Tascam Portastudio 414mkII Owners Manual

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11
PORTASTUDIO 414 MKII Brief Guide
For detailed information on each feature, see
Features and Controls, pp. 31-35.
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Channels 1 thr
ough 4
EQ  HIGH :Cuts or boosts treble frequencies. Shelving point is at 10 kHz.
EQ  LOW :Cuts or boosts bass frequencies. Shelving point is at 100 Hz.
EFFECT 1 and 2 :These control how much signal will go to the correspond-
ing EFFECT send jacks. They get their signal from a point just after the
channel fader.
TAPE CUE :The EFFECT 2 controls can be switched to act as the TAPE
CUE level controls (by means of the correspondingly labeled switch) and
adjust the playback level for the musicians in the studio.
PAN :Sets the pan position (left-right balance) of the channel. Note that the
Left Mix can be recorded on tracks 1 and 3, and the Right Mix onto tracks
2 and 4.
INPUT :Determines where the channel signal comes from.
TAPE; Makes tape playback the channel source.
GUITAR; When this is selected, makes the GUITAR input the channel
source. If no instrument is plugged into the GUITAR input, this is equiva-
lent to OFF.
MIC/LINE; Brings the MIC/LINE input into the channel.
Channel fader :Sets the volume of the channel feeding the MASTER fader.
TRIM :Sets how much preamplification will be added to the MIC/LINE IN jack.
Push up if the signal needs amplification, pull down if the signal is so loud
it is distorting the mixer electronics.
MIC/LINE IN (on the front) :These are the input jacks for the mixer channels.
Line-level, unbalanced signal sources (such as electronic instruments)
may be connected here. You can also connect lower-level signals (down to
–50 dBV) and use the TRIM control to amplify them.
INPUT L & R :These balanced XLR-type connectors are for balanced micro-
phones.If a signal source is connected to the front MIC/LINE IN jack cor-
responding to the XLR-type connector where a microphone is connected
(L=1 or 3, R=2 or 4), the microphone signal input here is ignored. In other
words, if you want to use microphones with these connectors, make sure
that nothing is plugged into the corresponding MIC/LINE IN jack at that
time.
GUITAR IN jack and TRIM control :This 1/4 jack is specially designed for
connection of an electric guitar (or bass guitar). This dedicated input is
provided because these instruments have an impedance that is different
to that of microphones or line level sources. A guitar played through this
jack will be used as the signal to a channel, if the INPUT switch of the
channel is set to the center GUITAR position. Use the TRIM control by
this jack to match the level of your guitar.Input Selection and Adjustment
Channels 5 thr
ough 8
STEREO INPUTS :Connect any line-level signal (such as
an effect return, or electronic instrument) here.
Mono Feature :Plug a mono signal into the channel
5-6 (L/MONO) jack and leave the 7-8 (R) jack empty.
The signal is then automatically taken into the two pairs
of channels (5-6 and 7-8).
LEVEL :Controls the volume of both the left and right
inputs simultaneously on their way to the respective
stereo mix sides.
LEVEL :This sets the output level of the monitor mix feed-
ing the MON OUT and PHONES jacks.
MONITOR switches :These select the source of the MON
OUT and PHONES jacks.
–What you hear when the EFFECT 2/TAPE CUE
switch is pressed on, depends on the setting of the
master select switch below.
EFFECT 2/TAPE CUE :When set to EFFECT 2, sends sig-
nals after the channel fader to effect devices, and when
set to TAPE CUE, sends playback signals to the moni-
tor.
MASTER fader :This sets the total output level of the
stereo mix.Master Section Monitor Section 
						

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14
PORTASTUDIO 414 MKII Brief Guide
DBX switch :Normally, leave this switch at
ON. When you use track 4 to record and
play back MIDI sync tones or time code,
set to SYNC then the dbx is on for tracks
1-3, and off on track 4.
Tape counter :Shows the distance the tape
has moved from a zero reference point.
Counter reset button :Press to change the
counter to 000.
PITCH CONTROL :Increases or decreases
the speed of the transport in Play and
also in Record, over a 10% range
(approx.). Meters :The meters numbered 1-4 show the
playback or the record level of the
respective tape tracks. The average
record level should be in the center (0),
but occasional peaks up to +6 are
acceptable.
ZERO RETURN :When this switch is on and
you press REW, the tape fast winds to
the counter zero point. The associated
LED blinks when the tape is rewinding,
and glows solid when the 000 point is
reached.
Recorder Controls 
Transport keys :
Principally these work the same as on any
cassette recorder.
RECORD FUNCTION 1-4 :Used to select tracks
to record on, and also recording sources
(channels or stereo busses).
SUB IN L and R :Provide a direct route to
the MASTER fader. An outboard mixer
may be connected here. The SUB IN R
jack is also used to record sync tones
on track 4.
SYNC OUT :Sync tones youll record on
track 4 are sent out of this jack to the
TASCAM MTS-30 MIDI/Tape synchro-
nizer or other similar units.
LINE OUT L and R :Normally, connect
these jacks to the Left and Right inputs
of your mixdown deck.MON OUT L and R :These are connected
to an amplifier powering the control
room speakers.
EFFECT 1 SEND :For sending post chan-
nel fader signals to effects devices. The
returns are plugged into the STEREO
INPUTS.
EFFECT 2 SEND/TAPE CUE OUT :The
signal available at this jack comes either
from post channel fader for connection
to an additional effects device or from
the tape for connection to a studio
speaker system, as selected by means
of the EFFECT 2/TAPE CUE switch.
PHONES :This carries the same mix as the MON OUT jacks,
as selected by the MONITOR switches.
REMOTE PUNCH IN/OUT :Connect to this jack the optional
RC- 30P footswitch.
Connections on the Rear Panel
On the fr
ont
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Lets Try the 414 MKII Mixer
To learn how the mixer works, we’ll use a
microphone as the source. If your dynamic
microphone cable has a balanced XLR-type
connector, we’ll use the rear-panel XLR-type INPUT
(L, R) connector. If it is fitted with an unbalanced
1/4 connector, we’ll use the front-panel MIC/LINE
IN jack.
If a signal source is connected to a front MIC/LINE
IN jack whose corresponding XLR connector has a
microphone connected (L=1 or 3, R=2 or 4), the
signal input to the XLR connector will be ignored.
First, make the following settings :
Pull all the TRIM controls full down and turn
other level controls all the way to the left.
Turn the EQ controls to their center off
position; bring all the faders down; and set all the
switches to OFF.
1Have in hand a dynamic microphone and a
set of stereo headphones.
2Input connections
Depending on the connector at the end of
your microphone cable, plug the
microphone to the INPUT (L, R) connector
on the rear panel, or the MIC/LINE IN jack
for channel 1 on the front panel.
3Powering on
Press the POWER switch on (the switch is
located on the back), and the POWER
indicator on the top panel will light.
4Headphone connection
Plug your headphones into the front
PHONES jack, so you can hear the input
signal going to the mixer section of the 414
MKII.
5Routing inputs
Set the channel 1 INPUT select switch to
the MIC/LINE position.
6Panning
Turn the channel 1 PAN control all the way
to the left.
7Channel level
Raise the channel fader to the shaded area
(between 7 and 8).
8Master level
Raise the MASTER fader to the shaded area
(between 7 and 8).
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Step-By-Step-Operation Guide 
						

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Step-By-Step-Operation Guide
9
Monitor selection
Press the MONITOR L-R switch on.
10Monitor level
Turn the MONITOR level control up to the
12 oclock position.
11TRIM adjustment
While speaking into the microphone, slowly
push the TRIM control in channel 1. You
will hear your voice on the left side in the
headphones. 
When using a line level source (such as
electronic instruments) instead of a
microphone, the TRIM does not need to be
pushed up very far, if at all.
MONITOR L-R
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How to Record on Track 1
As a trial, lets record your voice on tape.
1Have in hand a new cassette tape (Type II,
C-90 length or shorter).
2Loading a cassette
Pull the cassette door open. Insert your
cassette tape. Close the door.
3Getting past the leader tape
Press PLAY and allow the tape to run for
about 5 seconds.  This will run the tape
leader onto the take-up reel, and put the
beginning of the tape in front of the heads.
4Resetting the counter
Reset the tape counter to 000 by pressing
the adjacent button.
5Selecting tracks
Set the RECORD FUNCTION switch for
track 1 to its L position. The tracks REC
indicator will start blinking, indicating that
the track is in Record Ready mode.
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Step-By-Step-Operation Guide
6
Mic level adjustment
Speak into the microphone. You will see
meter 1 move. Slowly push the channel 1
TRIM control until the meter peaks at no
more than +6.
7Beginning recording
Hold RECORD and press PLAY to initiate
recording.  The REC indicator that was
blinking will turn on solid, indicating the
track is in Record mode.
8Speak into the microphone.
9Stopping recording
Press STOP (or PAUSE) to stop the tape
and finish recording.
10Putting track into Safe
The track 1s REC indicator should now be
blinking as before. Set the RECORD
FUNCTION switch for track 1 to its SAFE
position.
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‘‘
Track 1 Playback through TAPE CUE
1Selecting TAPE CUE
Set the EFFECT 2/TAPE CUE selection
switch located to the right of the track 4
meter to the right/TAPE CUE position.
2Monitor selection
Press the lowest MONITOR switch on (the
switch marked EFFECT 2/TAPE CUE). The
other two MONITOR switches must be off.
3Locating tape to zero
Set the ZERO RETURN switch to ON, then
press REW.
4Beginning playback
Press PLAY.
5MONITOR level control setting
Check to see that the MONITOR level
control is at the 12 oclock position.
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Step-By-Step-Operation Guide
6
Routing tape signals to TAPE CUE
Locate the EFFECT 2/TAPE CUE level
control on channel 1 and slowly turn it to
the right. Youll hear, in center mono, what
you have recorded on track 1.
7Stopping playback
Press STOP to stop playing.
‘
How to Make an Overdub on Track 2
Overdubbing entails recording one or more
additional tracks on the same tape, while listening to
previously recorded tracks using TAPE CUE.
Leave the microphone connected to the channel 1
input.  There is no need to repatch it to channel 2 to
record on track 2. You can send any mixer input to
any track of the recorder through the combination
use of PAN and RECORD FUNCTION.
1Routing input
Set the channel 1 INPUT selection switch to
the MIC/LINE position.
2Panning
Turn the channel 1 PAN control all the way
to the right (R) position.
3Channel 1 level
Bring the channel 1 fader to the shaded area
(between 7 and 8).
4Master level
Bring the MASTER fader to the shaded area
(between 7 and 8).
5Monitor selection
Press the MONITOR select switch L-R on.
(Leave the EFFECT 2/TAPE CUE switch
pressed on.)
MONITOR L-R
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Step-By-Step-Operation Guide
6
Locating tape to zero
Making sure that the ZERO RETURN
switch is ON, press REW and the tape will
rewind to the beginning of the track 1
recording.
7Track selection
Set the RECORD FUNCTION switch for
track 2 to its R position. The tracks REC
indicator will start blinking.
8Record level adjustment (TRIM)
Speak into the microphone to check to see
meter 2 move. Slowly push the channel 1
TRIM control until the meter peaks at no
more than +6.
9Beginning recording
Hold RECORD and press PLAY to initiate
recording. The track 2s REC indicator that
was blinking will turn on solid, indicating
the track is now being recorded.
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‘
10Monitoring input/tape
You will hear track 1 play, together with the
new signal going to track 2, in the
headphones.
NOTE
Adjust only the TAPE CUE control of channel
1 if you need to change the balance between
the old and new tracks in your headphones.
Leave the channel fader and TRIM and the
MASTER fader alone, because they control
the level being recorded.
11Stopping recording
Press STOP (or PAUSE) to stop recording.
12Putting track into Safe
The track 2s REC indicator should now be
blinking as before. Set the RECORD
FUNCTION switch for track 2 back to its
SAFE position and the indicator will turn
off.
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Step-By-Step-Operation Guide
How to Record Tracks 3 and 4
Tracks 3 and 4 can be recorded using almost the
same procedure just shown for tracks 1 and 2. Just
use the applicable RECORD FUNCTION switches,
and the PAN controls should be rotated to the LEFT
for recording on Track 3 and to the RIGHT for Track
4.
How to Record Many Sources onto a
Single Track
In the first example, we recorded one source onto
one track at a time for simplicity. But the mixer of
the Portastudio 414 MKII can take multiple channels
and mix them onto a single track. To do this :
–Set the PAN control of each channel to the same
setting, for example :
In this example, all instruments plugged
into channels 1-4 will be recorded onto
Track 1 or 3.
–Lower the MASTER fader to make overall level
adjustments once you have each channels TRIM
and fader level set.
–Make sure the INPUT switch of every channel
you want to record is set to MIC/LINE.
You cant record the stereo channels onto a single
track. 
						

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Step-By-Step-Operation Guide
How to Record a Mix onto Two
Tracks Simultaneously
If you want to record multiple sources onto two
tracks, you use the channel PAN controls to send
them to LEFT or RIGHT (or anywhere in between, if
youre making a stereo mix).  The track RECORD
FUNCTION switches choose what track the Left and
Right mixes will be recorded on. Note that in this
method, the mixer channel number has nothing to do
with what track the instrument winds up on. Any
mixer channel can be panned to any track.
These mixer channels are being sent
to the LEFT, for recording on either
Track 1 or Track 3.
These mixer channels are being sent
to the RIGHT, for recording on either
Track 2 or Track 4.
Press the MONITOR L-R switch on.
Recording is the same procedure as for one track. In
the example above, set the RECORD FUNCTION
switch for track 3 to L, and the switch for track 4 to
R, to record on these two tracks simultaneously.
Restrictions : The 414 MKII mixer section has only
two main mixes, Left and Right. For this reason, you
can record only two tracks at once while youre
recording a mix of instruments (for example, two
instruments on track 1, three instruments on track 2).
Also, you can record a mix only on combinations or
even/odd numbered tracks (1 & 2, 1 & 4, 2 & 3 etc.).
If the RECORD FUNCTION switch for track 1 and
that for track 3 are both set to L, the two tracks will
both record the same mix.
Recording the stereo channels (5-6 and 7-8):
It is possible to record up to six sources
simultaneously, using the four standard mixer
channels plus the two pairs of stereo channels. The
stereo channels signal is sent to the stereo mix bus
passing through the LEVEL control, so the signal is
recorded along with any other channels signals sent
to the stereo left and right buses. Since there is no
PAN control, the stereo channels signal is set to the
hard left and hard right position. 
						

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Step-By-Step-Operation Guide
Recording on More than Two Tracks
Simultaneously : Direct Recording
It is possible to record on three or four tracks at the
same time by setting the respective RECORD
FUNCTION switches to their numbered (1-4)
position. In this Direct recording, each track gets its
signal from a single mixer channel only — track 1
from channel 1, and so on.
In Direct recording, the MASTER fader has no
effect on the record level. It only affects the level
going to the headphones/monitor speakers (via
MONITOR L-R switch). Use the CHANNEL
FADER only to set record levels.
Even when using the direct recording capability,
a channel still goes to the Left/Right mix. If you
record another track with the stereo left or right
mix at the same time, you must check your PAN
settings. For example, you can record a vocal
directly onto track 3, and record multiple
instruments on track 1 via the stereo left bus at
the same time. But channel 3s PAN control must
be turned hard right, otherwise youll wind up
with vocals bleeding through onto track 1s
instruments.
The direct recording can be used whenever you
want to record a single channel to a single track.
How to Mix Down
When the 4 tracks are all recorded, the final step is
mixing them into a standard stereo format. This
procedure is known as Remixing or Mixing down.
During this procedure the tracks are blended together
and balanced to create the desired sound.
1Connections
Connect the LINE OUT L jack of the 
414 MKII to the left line input of the
mixdown deck, and the LINE OUT R jack
to the right line input.
2Master level
Raise the MASTER fader to the shaded area
between 7 and 8.
3Monitor source
Press the MONITOR L-R switch on. All
other MONITOR switches must be off.
4Routing inputs
Set all the INPUT select switches on the
input channels to the TAPE position.
MONITOR L-R
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