Hooking up TWO BR1600s - ANY INSIGHTS??

[Super 8]

... I prefer to mix all of my tracks on the computer instead of the BR. It allows me to record a virtually unlimited number of tracks on the BR, knowing that I'll be able to mix all of them on the computer later without any submixes.

This hybrid concept of yours has definitely put a new spin on things for me 64G - again, thanks for sharing! I've been mulling this over all night and plan to give your method a try over the coming weekend. As you infer, there are a number of very distinct phases to the process/art of music making with the goal of attempting to put together a fully realised & finished recorded version.

I would describe these phases as follows:

PHASE 1: 'THE WRITING'
The concept of crafting a piece of music from its original embryonic moment through to the final draft of the lyrics and song arrangement. If the goal is to write songs then , IMHO, I find it helps to have a song as fully realised as you can get it BEFORE even switching the studio on! (Unless of course you're using the studio as an instrument in the writing/arrangement process (looping bits and the like) then the PHASE 1 and PHASE 2 (see below) processes are linked.)
 
PHASE 2: 'RECORDING YOUR PERFORMANCE' (or 'Tracking' as it is also known)
This is where you attempt to articulate the sounds in your head and put them down - capture them. This is the musical performance bit!

PHASE 3: 'THE MIX'
Taking those parts and blending them all together into a pleasing concoction (or cacophony!) level-wise.

PHASE 4: 'THE PRODUCTION'
Where you add judicious processing (if need be!) to the individual tracks in the hope of improving the overall mix/balance.

PHASE 5: 'MIXDOWN'
Creating the final, definitive version of the song (or so you hope!) Bouncing the entire balanced mix down to the format you require the song to be in eg: a 2 track stereo mix.

PHASE 5: 'MASTERING'
OK, The rocket science bit (for some - me include. To date I still can't get a handle on this phase!) namely MASTERING! Where final effects are applied to the finished mixdown (again, if need be) and the overall recording is finalised to match the levels and sonic depth & breadth of other commercially released material.

That's a lot of processes there! I'm aware of them but, speaking personally, my MAJOR problem when making music is that all of the above phases/processes blur! Their easier to comprehend together if you're good at multi-tasking I guess but I'm not (in fact I am the world's greatest single tasker truth be known!)

So ... 64G's recording method has definitely 'struck a chord' with me. It will (hopefully!) allow me to separate out at least PHASES 1 & 2 from 3, 4 and 5 - that's the plan anyway! As I've previously mentioned, I've been predominantly making music using a computer for some time now but everything is in the one place ie: that flippin' screen!

I appear to have stopped using my ears as much as I used to and instead rely on my eyes to 'read the recordings' I make. (Yeah, I know! NOT GOOD!) What I've found with making music solely with a computer is that, no sooner have I recorded a part, I'm right in there interfering with it (ie: processing, editing right away - I can't seem to help myself! This very much distracts from the actual music bit and makes for a very disjointed sounding performance I have found!

I've been effectively tring to wear too many (phase) hats when making music of late and need to get back to that simpler, more traditional way of recording music ie: in it's distinct stages.

I'm going to try 64G's hybrid way of working (ie: the 'old skool' analogue way of tracking on a standalone recorder combined with 'new skool' mixing/production methods in separate sessions back to using a computer). This way of working (in theory for me as it currently stands!) is certainly making a great deal of sense to me as, from experience, I very much enjoy tracking to a standalone recorder but loathe editing with one!  Conversely, I dislike recording to a computer but the scope for editing tracks post-recording I find is much easier.

OK, I'm going in. I'll report back and let you know how I go on! CHEERS ....               

[GITGuitarMan]

Check out Top Sound Productions (no I don't work for them).

They invented a tool named WAV-MAKER-1600 (which I bought years ago and still use) for quickly moving your BR-1600 tracks to a computer if desired for mixing and mastering.

They also have several very useful tutorials about ways to use the BR-1600 including one about how to connect and use two BR-1600s together.

Here's a link to their website tutorials:

http://topsoundproductions.com/appnotes/ApplicationNotes.htm

Good Luck!