The only way I know how...

[XBwick]

Exactly how BAD is a $79 4-track? I just want something to get my ideas across with, something cheap, and easy to use. I don't need a professional sound right now. Would a very cheap 4-track be suitable for anything at all?

Is it so crappy that you can't tell what's going on with fuzz and noise all over the place and it'll hurt your ears if you put it in the tape player and turn the volume past 2? Heh.

Anything is appreciated. thanks.

[Angelo Sascalla]

Buy it, XB.

Look at it this way.
There have been some decent recordings done on 4 and 8 track recorders, and I'm not talking about recording studios.

For the price you can't beat it. Even if it is not the quality of the CDs you hear on the market.
What you will get from it is some of your own recordings. Recordings that you can work on, edit, make sound as good as you can make them sound.

Check out this link, XB. There are four songs on it and one of them was recorded with a 4 track recorder back in the late 70s. I don't remember which one right off hand.
All the other songs were recorded with the old 8 track reel to reel. Al is an excellent musician and a pretty fair hand at being a recording engineer.

When you record your music, the hardware makes more difference than the software. The software only records the sound from the soundcard or the amp if it's a stand alone.
What sets your $79 recorder apart from Cool Edit or Sonar is all the extra tracks you can record, the extra bells and whistles you pay for with the high $ recorders.

Yeah, buy the recorder. Learn to use it. You'll know then if recording music is what you want to do, and if so you'll upgrade. I know a quite a few people who buy high $ systems and they sit around collecting dust because they are too complicated to use.
It'd make a good learning tool besides enabling you to record your own stuff.

I give it a thumbs up.

I forgot the link.
Here it is.
http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/?aid=1522/singles

[This message has been edited by Angelo Sascalla (edited October 11, 2002).]

[This message has been edited by Angelo Sascalla (edited October 11, 2002).]

[Vinnie]

Agreed. Buy it. For that price, you have nothing to lose.

--Vinnie--

[XBwick]

Thanks for the wisdom and the link, Angelo(Not too shabby music either, heh). And thanks for confirming, Vinnie. I'll definately look into something low cost first to see what it's about and whatnot. I'm sure I'll post what I bought when I get it. Heh.