Advice re:interfacing old analogue tracks into Logic

Hi! Looking for some suggestions here ..... I've just stumbled across an old reel-to-reel machine that can play some of the old, dusty reels of muzak which I obviously made in a former life (I can't remember recording most of this - maybe they're not my tapes!) Anyway, the idea is to get them off said tapes and tart 'em up a bit!

 

The machine is a TASCAM 38 eight track unit (the tapes are 1/2" wide with 10 1/2" reels in case anybody's interested!) What I'm hoping to do is bring in each of the recorded tracks (there's 8!) into Logic so I can then 'mess about with them' but in the digital domain (sorry, I meant to write: spend ages mixing, editing and re-mastering!). Thing is, although the recordings made to these tapes were individually multi-tracked they weren't played to a code/metronome so there's no timing reference to hang stuff on. In light of this I'm guessing, with the random nature of reel tape playback (never mind the actual recorded material timing), that no two run throughs will be at exactly the same speed so I will need to dump them into Logic 'in sync with themselves' simultaneously right? Hmm ....

 

That's gonna be a bit tricky with a 2-input Apogee Duet methinks and I can't afford a Reel>Mac interface with 8 separate inputs. Any workaround suggestions spring to mind good folks of the Logic Pro Forum?? (Or cheap 8-input interface recommendations that'll just get the job done?) Much obliged to anyone who answers as I'm a bit stuck this end.

 

PS: If I can find a solution here then, in the future ("Like, WOW man!") I might even try experimenting making some new recordings with this method: Mixer/Pre-amps>Printing to Reel tape>Mac interface>Logic but that's an entire other post so first things first. Need to learn how to walk before I can run with this. Interested to hear any thoughts/comments/advice mind. I do still like my analogue me - it's what I grew up with.

1. Record a sync pulse on all 8 tracks at the beginning and end of the song.

2. Record 4 passes into Logic, 2 tracks at a time.

3. Align the tracks in Logic using the start sync pulses.

4. Observe the end sync pulses to see how much drift has occurred.

5. If there is a lot of drift, timestretch the tracks so that the end sync pulses align.

 

With this method your 8 tracks will all be the same length, so you might get away with it.

The proper way, as you say, would be to transfer all 8 tracks simultaneously.

Book a couple of hours at your local friendly studio?

Mr Brownsound that is absolutely brilliant Sir - thanks so much! I'm not familiar with the concepts of synch pulsing / time-stretching but, armed with your suggestions, I shall do my homework and venture forth. Thanks again - master stroke amigo!

Glad to be of assistance.

 

You may not need to time stretch the tracks, but you'll definitely need a sync pulse at the start to line them up. Something with a clear transient. A cowbell works well.

 

Also remember that phase relationships will be out of the window between passes, so record stereo stuff in one pass, and if you've got drums over 4 tracks, for example, you're out of luck.

 

Let us know how it goes!