Yamaha MT3X - Manual (Page 20)

PING-PONG RECORDING
Ping-pong recording is a technique you can use to squeeze more than just 4 parts onto your 4-track machine.
In ping-pong recording, you can record parts on tracks
1, 2, and 3, for example, and then re-record these
tracks onto track 4, using the mixer controls to set up
the right balance between the 3 original tracks. You
now have a “mix” of the first 3 tracks on track 4, and
tracks 1, 2, and 3 are available for more recording.
That’s already the equivalent of 6 “tracks” on your 4-
track recorder. While mixing the first 3 tracks down
onto track 4 you can also mix in a live instrument via
the MT3X mixer section. That would give you 4 parts
recorded on track 4 of the tape. With the 3 tracks you
still have available for recording, that’s a total of 7
tracks. Now, if you record only 2 of the remaining
tracks and ping-pong these to track 3 while mixing in
another live instrument, you’ll have 4 parts on tracks 4,
3 parts on track 3, and 2 tracks available. That’s a total
of 9. Following this procedure it is actually possible to
record up to 10 individual tracks without re-recording
any single track more than once (refer to the illustra­
tion).
- NOTE: --------------------------------------------- -------
Ping-ponging is a critical step because the tracks to
be ping-ponged must be mixed perfectly before you
can go on to recording the subsequent tracks. This
is because once they’re ping-ponged and new mate­
rial has been recorded on the original tracks, their
balance and individual sound
cannot be changed
unless you go back and record the original tracks all
over again.
- NOTE: --------------- ------------------------------------ -
It is recommended that you record using the 9.5 cm/
sec tape speed with dbx ON if you plan to combine
tracks using the ping-pong technique. Under some
conditions, use of the 4.75 cm/sec tape speed with
noise reduction OFF will cause feedback when a
previously recorded track is re-recorded onto an ad­
jacent track.
EXAMPLE: Recording tracks “1” through “10" using the Ping- pong process.
Record parts 1, 2
and 3.
TRACK 1
TRACK 2
TRACK 3
TRACK 4
Ping-Pong 1.2 and 3
to track 4 while add-
ing part 4.__________
1,2, 3
-I-
4
Record parts S and 6.
Ping-Pong 5 and 6 to
track 3 while adding
part 7.
Record part 8.
1,2, 3
-I-
4
Move 8 to track 2
while adding 9.
Record 10 the last
part.
8 1
10
8-1-9 8 -f -9
5, 6-1-7 5, 6 -1- 7 5, 6 -1- 7 5, 6 -1- 7
1,2, 3-f4 1,2, 3-f4 1, 2, 3 -f 4 1,2,-3-1-4
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