Beginner's woes - saving a mixdown

[LeGrande111]

First, I think the DP-03's manual is very thorough and, for the most part, easy to follow.

However, I've made a simple recording (imported iReal Pro track, pedal steel, el guitar - four tracks (1/2/3/5) - and I follwed the mixdown instructions. First problem - when I inserted the mini-USB cable to transfer to my PC, the 'USB' screen wouldn't go away no matter what button I pressed.
Somehow, it did transfer my 'mix' but it was missing the guitar tr5ack (#5).
I feel I may be missing something - after doing the mix, is there a simple 'save' button to ensure that my track is 'captured' intact?

 

[LeGrande111]

I should add that this is the first recording I've attempted to 'export'. It's not particularly noteworthy but I need to know that I can actually export a finished track when I need to.

I'm getting confused jumping from P48 (Mixdown/Mastering) to page 60 (Exchanging with a PC).

Somewhere I am missing a step.

 

[shredd]

Using a PortaStudio ain't like sweepin' floors...you're probably gonna wanna start with a deep dive into the manual to learn your way around; I don't have an '03 anymore, but I think you'll probably find what you need in sec 12 of the manual ("Exchanging Data With A Computer" section) and - maybe just as importantly - read the "sticky" posts that are at the top of the list in every forum's topics list. There's a SLEW of REALLLLLY good ones at the top of this category, along with links to vids that will teach you a LOT. HTH -

 

[Mark Richards]

Welcome to the forum. I don't own this particular type of portastudio, but I'll take a stab at helping you sort this out.

I'll assume you own a DP-03SD, and not the older DP-03, yes?
The DP-03SD portastudio is both

• A multi-track recorder/reproducer that creates 8 individual tracks; and
• A mastering recorder/reproducer that creates an interleaved stereo master file.

when I inserted the mini-USB cable to transfer to my PC, the 'USB' screen wouldn't go away no matter what button I pressed.

(a) DP-03SD connection to and disconnection from a computer can be found on pages 60 and 61 of the owner manual (OM). According to the OM, when disconnecting, you need first to disconnect on the computer end. The USB screen stays on until the computer disconnects.

(b) Information about transferring files from the SD Card to the computer can be found in the OM, page 60. It's typically a three-step process: create a file or files in one of the system-assigned folders on the SD Card FAT partition; connect to a computer; copy from the SD Card FAT partition folder to the computer.

it did transfer my 'mix' but it was missing the guitar tr5ack (#5)...I need to know that I can actually export a finished track when I need to.

(a) If you're trying to export one or more of the multitrack files, that's called "Exporting Tracks" and is explained in the OM, page 64. The files are exported to the "WAVE" folder of SD Card FAT partition.

(b) If you're trying to export the interleaved stereo master file, that's called "Exporting a Stereo Master Track" (OM, page 65) and first requires "Creating a Stereo Master Track" by mixing down the individual tracks to an interleaved stereo master file (OM, page 49). The stereo master file is exported to the "WAVE" folder of the SD Card FAT partition.

(c) Backing up the entire song folder to your computer is a two-step process that's explained on pages 61 and 62 of the OM. The entire song folder is backed up to the "BACKUP" folder of the SD Card FAT partition.

...is there a simple 'save' button...

(a) According to the "Contents" section at the front of the OM, "Saving a song" is found on page 30.

(b) The stereo master track file is saved when it's created during the mixdown process. It will be overwritten if a new mixdown is made subsequently. However, the stereo master track file can be named (e.g., "Mix 1", Mix 2", etc.) and then exported (see 'b' in the previous section) if you want to create and save several version of your mix.

(c) Several Menu driven functions will automatically save a song before being executed (identified as needed throughout the OM).

 

[shredd]

Thank heaven for smart guyz. I would love to be that articulate. I just sit down and read until I have my answer/s...or browse/research/trawl on ytube. THEN I ask here - 'cuz every last one o' ya iz smarter than me...

 

[LeGrande111]

Shredd:
I take your point, but I have been reading the manual. My confusion has come from jumping from page to page and, in the process, perhaps not fully absorbing each detail.

I found basic recording to be intuitively easy. It's the transfer of files that's foxing me. I need a clear head (sometime after The Masters has finished) to approach it again.

PS: I didn't realize that there were 'stickies' - I am grateful that this Forum is here but I found it baffling; I had no idea Tascam had so many products!!

Mark:

I'm much obliged to you for your detailed answer; I have consulted the pages you quoted but am probably guilty of skipping through paragraphs.

As I said, after The Masters.....

This was a test recording; I'm being required to record a guitar track on someone else's project - this 'effort' was merely to make sure that I could transfer a file. I'm sure I will get there. It's an excellent (above average) manual.

Thanks, both of you.

 

[shredd]

Hey @LeGrande111 - hope you didn't think I was wisin' off, which I'm prone to. Thas' whut happens when you get old n' dizzy.
That said: yeah, Tascam has been around for decades and has countless releases - including a pretty extensive lineup at present day!

I think the point I was trying to make is that even "back in the day", you really needed to know your way around your machine...and that's 10x as true today, whut with the incorporation of digital technology, and all it entails (menus, buried functions, and an array of features/capabilities that would confound Oppenheimer and Fermi into taking jobs at Starbucks).

FWIW: after 20+ years w/very sophisticated Tascam models, I've learned that the ONLY way to "master" them is to utilize them - start basic, explore/experiment, and of course refer to that manual EVERY time you get stuck or have a question/challenge. Every time you run up against a challenge and resolve it, you learn more about your machine. I can honestly say it took me a coupla/few years to "master" my 2488's. Now I'm into the DP-32, and it's the same thing (though not a terribly difficult transition, given my experience on the 2488's).

We all know that some of the manuals that come with this gear are about as informative as asking Taylor Swift to explain the US tax code...but in a lot of cases, the info is in there. And there's always these forums (learn to use that search function!), and even browse the y/tubes about your unit - they're occasionally useful.

And we're all here to help ya. Wisenheimers included.

 

[LeGrande111]

Shredd:
That's pretty funny!!

No, we have a steel guitar forum and I have lost count of the newbies who don't think to search first!!

Here am I, doing the same thing.

Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[LeGrande111]

Mark:

Yes-DP03SD - sorry.