Tascam DP-008EX internal mic recording (new member)

dad roadie · #1 06-08-2015, 05:53 PM

Hi to all,
This is my first post as a new member in this forum. Planning on using this to record students during their practice and recital performances. Acoustic instruments and some vocal.
Had a chance to do some recording of my students today with the recorder. Was able to set it up fairly easily after reading the manual. I did run into some difficulty that I hope someone might be able to explain. I basically set track 1 to record using the internal microphone on the left and track 2 using the internal microphone on the left. This was a live practice performance so the volume level was not overpowering. (acoustic instruments in a small room) The issue is that while the recording is clear the recording level is very low even with both microphones set to high and the trim controls and master set at about 3/4th of full. I have the volume control in the back set to about 6 and when playing the music back the individual channel gains for 1 and 2 about half way up. My DRo5 has never had any problem on recording at a decent level with this application. I have the DR05 out on a long term (at college) project which has one of the reasons I picked up the DP-008EX. I heard that there might be an issue with these but I can't find any information about it on the web.Got a feeling I'm just doing something incorrectly. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. I've got a bunch of students waiting for the "old guy" to figure out what he doing wrong.
All the Best!
Dad Roadie

cotten · #2 06-08-2015, 06:42 PM

Sorry I can't help with your question because I don't know that piece of equipment. But I can offer you a warm AGF welcome. Glad to have you with us! I expect someone more knowledgeable will be be able to help shortly.

cotten

cotten · #3 06-08-2015, 06:51 PM

Using the Google search bar at that bottom of each AGF page, I dug up some previous discussions of the DP-008EX. Maybe one of them might help in the meantime.

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=345642

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=291690

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=330030

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=339620

cotten

MikeBmusic · #4 06-09-2015, 08:40 AM

Get the recorder nearer the players.

TNO · #5 06-09-2015, 01:42 PM

Can't help with your issue but I can say it is an awesome little recorder. Very intuitive to use. Built in effects are decent. A lot to like there. Welcome to the forum.

cotten · #6 06-09-2015, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dad roadie

...I basically set track 1 to record using the internal microphone on the left and track 2 using the internal microphone on the left...

Might it be worth trying to set track 2 to use the mic on the right instead of adding another on the left? I'll be interested to hear what you discover in this adventure.

cotten

dad roadie · #7 06-10-2015, 05:26 PM

Hi to all,
Thanks to everyone that responded. I still haven't been able to get a decent record volume out of the internal microphones. I have used both a cassette based porta- studio and a digital Boss BR-532 to do this before if no issues. The only reason I need to change is because these 2 units don't offer a long enough record time. The Boss uses smart media and the max record time is about an hour. I was hoping to use this to get a longer recording time without having to haul around a bunch of extra mics and such. This would give me a chance to record the whole program without the need for me to start and stop it. I really want to focus on the students and not the tape. I'm going to read thru the manual one more time over the weekend and hope that some members of this forum might have some ideals. If not I'll figure I got a defective unit or the guy running it is and go back to the Boss BR unit.
It's to late to send it back. I'm really disappointed because I don't believe this is a very easy unit to work with as Tascam says. The remark that it's like a cassette based unit doesn't hold up. Ive used a Tascam 424 and 414 and recorded a lot of great music on them. I also have a Tascam DR05 that worked great but as I mentioned is on a long term college loan. I was hoping to be able to accomplish 2 things with the DP-008EX .Record live programs for a long period of time which (I was able to do with the DR05 )and possibly help my students in making some college audition tapes. (8 tracks would be nice)

I believe the DP-008EX has a very hard learning curve. Grated I'm old but as an example there seems to be way to many sub menus to set the trim instead of just adjusting a single trim knob.Many of the other functions seem to be buried the same way. I'm still trying to figure out what the Track Mute application is for with this recorder. I know what it's use for on the old style mixing consoles but that wouldn't seem to be applicable for this unit.The statement focus on your music and not the recording and push a couple of buttons and record hasn't held true.

Ok, Ill get off my soap box.
Really looking forward in sharing ideals about acoustic guitars and such
I have a 1979 Ovation 1612 that was a gift from my wife.
That guitar has been a sanity keeper for me and it's never let me down.
My students have enjoyed it as much as I do.
Again thanks for the information . I'm really not a grumpy old man just a frustrated one.
All the Best!
dad roadie

SeamusORiley · #8 08-25-2015, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dad roadie

Hi to all,
Thanks to everyone that responded. I still haven't been able to get a decent record volume out of the internal microphones. I have used both a cassette based porta- studio and a digital Boss BR-532 to do this before if no issues. The only reason I need to change is because these 2 units don't offer a long enough record time. The Boss uses smart media and the max record time is about an hour. I was hoping to use this to get a longer recording time without having to haul around a bunch of extra mics and such. This would give me a chance to record the whole program without the need for me to start and stop it. I really want to focus on the students and not the tape. I'm going to read thru the manual one more time over the weekend and hope that some members of this forum might have some ideals. If not I'll figure I got a defective unit or the guy running it is and go back to the Boss BR unit.
It's to late to send it back. I'm really disappointed because I don't believe this is a very easy unit to work with as Tascam says. The remark that it's like a cassette based unit doesn't hold up. Ive used a Tascam 424 and 414 and recorded a lot of great music on them. I also have a Tascam DR05 that worked great but as I mentioned is on a long term college loan. I was hoping to be able to accomplish 2 things with the DP-008EX .Record live programs for a long period of time which (I was able to do with the DR05 )and possibly help my students in making some college audition tapes. (8 tracks would be nice)

I believe the DP-008EX has a very hard learning curve. Grated I'm old but as an example there seems to be way to many sub menus to set the trim instead of just adjusting a single trim knob.Many of the other functions seem to be buried the same way. I'm still trying to figure out what the Track Mute application is for with this recorder. I know what it's use for on the old style mixing consoles but that wouldn't seem to be applicable for this unit.The statement focus on your music and not the recording and push a couple of buttons and record hasn't held true.

Ok, Ill get off my soap box.
Really looking forward in sharing ideals about acoustic guitars and such
I have a 1979 Ovation 1612 that was a gift from my wife.
That guitar has been a sanity keeper for me and it's never let me down.
My students have enjoyed it as much as I do.
Again thanks for the information . I'm really not a grumpy old man just a frustrated one.
All the Best!
dad roadie

Hi,

I am wondering how you made out with this? You sound like me.

I initially felt baffled by the many features until I got the DVD tutorial and it changed everything for me. It was no longer daunting, I learned how important microphone placement is, even when using the internal mics.

I learned to take up the recording almost to the limit where the red light warning comes on, which sounds like the low volume you experienced but then...

when "mastering", I found that turning up the volume made a very big difference!

More than anything else, the DVD was wonderful. It is still going for $30, even used, at Ebay, which tells you its value but...

Youtube has so many of the clips directly from the DVD that you can save the money!

I hope you have not given up on it, and I am sorry that I did not see this earlier.

I find the Tascam series to be terrific and upgraded to the 008ex for the effects. The only thing I have not learned is what type of external microphone to use...I am looking for a condenser mic that is in the $50-$70 range, and am open to suggestions.

I have been doing acoustic music on it (guitar, ukulele) along with 'home percussion' (egg shakers, triangle, wood block, tambourine) with the kids, added harmonica and acoustic bass (it is acoustic/electric and works wonderfully with the phantom power). I sometimes get my wife to play flute and recently added the Seagull Merlin dulcimer-guitar thingy that sounds great!

It is a family affair and I am going to put together a bunch of MP3s for my grandchildren to laugh about one day. "Polly Wally Doodle" and fun country blues material, with a few Dylan/Beatles/Lovin'spoonful thrown in!

It is a lot of fun.