by John Kuzmich Jr.

February 15, 2006

How To Use It Creatively?

1. IAJE article: http://www.superscopetechnologies.com/press/IAJEcolumn.shtml

2. Clinic handout entitled: ":Digital Magic: Seamlessly From "Live" Recording to MP3 to the Audio Streaming/Web Posting in Minutes!" at: http://www.kuzmich.com/handouts/digital_magic.html

Recording Levels

• Set record levels manually whenever possible to obtain the most natural sounding recording. Automatic Level Control (ALC) is a limiter that limits any analog input signal greater than -6dB. In other words, it "clamps down" or limits signals that are greater than -6dB on the VU meters.
• Set your record levels via the VU meters as close to 0dB as possible without going into the red zone. If your record level is consistently in the red zone, adjust the record levels counterclockwise to reduce the level. The record level will always fluctuate so don't be concerned with being right on 0dB.
• When employing the ALC feature, set your record levels to 12 o'clock or a little higher at the outset. If more level is needed, proceed to turn up the record level controls. Use only as much level as needed even when employing the ALC feature.
• When using extremely sensitive microphones with the PSD340, it's sometimes necessary to employ the ATT feature. The ATT switch attenuates the microphone input by -15dB allowing the user to set a more normal record level with "hot" microphones.
• When using condenser microphones with the PSD300P and PSD340, be sure to turn on the Phantom Power switch on the back panel. Phantom Power supplies power to condenser mics via the microphone cable. Condenser microphones will not work without a power source. Batteries and external phantom power supplies are other options. But since the Phantom Power is built-in to the PSD300P and PSD340, you'll never have to worry about batteries or external supplies again. Just plug in and go! If you're not getting a record level with your condenser microphone, check the Phantom Power switch first; it's usually the culprit.

  Remote Control Capabilities

• On the PSD 340, you can start recording from the remote by pressing the "REC" key. Press "REC" to enter "Record/Pause." Set your record levels as desired. Press "REC" again to begin recording.
• When utlizing the remote with the PSD 300, you have to select your record mode manually by pressing the "REC MODE" switch on the unit first. Use the "Select" wheel to choose the desired record mode. Press the "Select" wheel down to accept the desired mode. The unit will enter "Record/Pause." Set your record levels as desired. Press "REC" on the remote to begin recording. Press "Pause" to stop recording but remain in the chosen record mode.

Practice Enhancements

1. A B Loop: Page 15 in the manual

• While a CD is playing, press the A-B button when playback eaches the beginning of the segment you want to repeat (A point)
• Press the A-B button again when playback reaches the end of the segment you want to repeat (B point). Playback will automatically start again from the A point when the B point is reached.
• You can make the B point the A point of the nenxt loop by pressing the A-B button again. Let playback continue until you reach teh end of the next segment you wish to loop, then press the A-B button again. In this way, can select loops and step through an entire song.
• At any time before or after you select an A-B loop, you can also use the other music practice features such as Key and Tempo changing.
• To keep the A point but extends the lopo to a new B point, press and hold the A-B button for one second. Press the A-B button again to set a new B point, while keeping the A point.

2. Manipulate Tempo: 15, -75% and +50% is very true

3. Manipulate Pitch: page 15, 1, 2 or 3 steps. (octave is possible). Hold the flat key = 1/2 steps automatically. Displays in 100 cents. -2 is a whole step.

4. Manipulate Both Tempo and Pitch

• Hit flat/sharp keys together = back to zero

• Can tune in 12.5 cents or half step

5. Voice Reduction: page 16. Eliminates vocal solo mixed between left and right stereo tracks

Enhanced Product Features

1. Recording Segments: PSD 340 can now record in segments within a track. Segment recording: page 20.
• With a CD in the CD player drive, please a blank CD-R or CD-RW disc in the CD recorder drive.
• Press the RECORD Mode button located above the display.
• "REC WITH CD" should appear in the display. Press the SELECT jog owheel to acept the RECORD WITH CD mode. After initiation, "PUSH REC KEY" will now apopear in the display and the RECORD button will be flashing.
• The display will read "PUSH REC KEY". Next, press the SELECT jog wheel to switch to the CD player drive.
• Use the SELECT jog wheel to scroll to the track you wish to record. Skip step #4 if you intend to start recording from the beginning of the track.
• Fast forward or play a song until you reach the point in the track you wish to record, then pause when you get there.
• Press the SELECT jog wheel to return to the CD-R drive.
• Push the RECORD button. Recording will begin from the point at which you poaused the CD or CD-MP3. Note: The recording will contiue on to the next track, unless you are recording with the last track on a CD or you press the CD-R drive stop button.

 

2. Minute Tracking Recording Mode
• The MINUTE TRACK will automatically create a track increment every minute during recording. That means each track is ione minute long, offering a quick and convenient way to locate a particular time in a recording. Foro example, Track 10 is ten minutes into the recording, and Track 17 is 17 minutes into the recording. To access this mode, prease the MENU/STORE button, then select "AutoTrack." Select "MIN" and press ENTER.
• Minute track mode: In recording mode, you can automatically puts recording into one minute segments or sliceds on page 18

3. Copy MP3 files and convert to CDA (compact disk audio) audio files

• Roxie, Nero, I Tunes, Pyro Plus convert CDA audio files to MP3.

4. Microphone Phantom Power built in/off with switch on the back

5. Can now adjust copying audio levels of CD's (CD levels).with recording with a microphone and using a play-along CD.

6. Has metronome 30 to 250 BPM with accents ;and accent beat levels

7. Adding Reverb or Delay

8. Auxiliary Input can be adjusted for weak signals from external sources

9. Has Chromatic Tuner

10. Speakers are now set internally for bass, mid-range and treble

11. Better Processor: No internal noise!

Remote Control

1. The Key control display has always been displayed in 12.5 (rounded to 13.00) cent increments with 8 increments for a half step and 16 increments for a whole step. The Tempo control is displayed in 1% increments: -33% or +50%. See my earlier email. Make sure your remote is switched to the correct drive. If you desire a function to operate in the CDR drive, press the CDR switch located near the top of the remote and then select the desired function key. Same thing goes if you want to use the CD playback drive. Press the CD switch near the top of the remote to engage the CD playback drive. Make sure your unit is out of "Standby" by sliding the "Power" switch on top of the unit to the left or by pressing the "Power" key on the remote (upper right hand corner designated by the red shading). To get a feel for the remote, alternately press the CD and CDR switches to switch back and forth between the two drives. You'll see the "Stop" key light up for the corresponding switch and drive that is selected. So, if you press the CD switch on the remote, the CD playback "Stop" key will light up. Now, press the CDR switch...the CDR "Stop" key should be lit. If you're already engaged in a particular function - say live recording with the CDR drive and you want to utilize the track increment switch (TR INC), press the CDR switch on the remote before pressing the track increment switch. This will insure the remote is synced up with the CDR drive. After you do this once, you won't have to press the CDR switch again - just press the track increment switch. If your remote still isn't working, try changing the batteries. Also be sure there's a relatively clear path from the remote to the PSD300 so the PSD300 can receive the signal from the remote. Since you have a phantom powered PSD300, there is no remote on/off switch as the phantom power on/off switch takes its place. There is nothing to "switch" for remote operation; just point and shoot.

Remixing?

1. Compact disc doesn't really lend itself to "remixing" or editing per se. The quickest way to "remix" would be to load the recorded performance from the CD onto a computer and edit the file with sound editing software as needed. The recorded material can't really be "remixed" but you can edit out dead space, number the songs with titles, fade-in and fade-out, and add various overall mix enhancers such as EQ, spatial enhancers, noise reduction, effects, etc. There are many programs available...you may already have one on your computer. Is there something in particular you or your friends were trying to do? I really don't have any tutorials for "remixing" since the majority of people just want to record and have a finished product. Nothing in the FAQ's either. But, like I said, much can be "tweaked" with sound editing software.