If you're looking to make the leap to digital recording but are reluctant to give up the familiarity, affordability, and ease of your portable 4-track cassette machine, check out Yamaha's MD4S 4-track digital recorder. While keeping the portable studio model intact, the MD4S utilizes the nonlinear MD Data audio format, giving the user many of the same editing features found on computer-based hard disk systems that cost much more. Due to the limitations of the format (which employs Sony's ATRAC data-compression scheme), the fidelity is not quite CD quality, yet it's still considerably better than what you get with a 4-track cassette recorder. (For more information about ATRAC, as well as a discussion of the Yamaha MD4, see "Mad for the Mini!" in the July 1997 issue of EM.)
Although the MD4S will accept either conventional MiniDiscs or MD Data discs, you must use the latter to take advantage of the unit's 4-track recording and playback capability. Both types of disc yield 74 minutes of stereo recording time, or a whopping 148 minutes in mono. In 4-track mode, each MD Data disc provides 37 minutes of recording time.
LILLIPUTIAN LAYOUTBeing a recorder and mixer that measures only about 16 inches in width, the MD4S must, by necessity, contain a large number of controls in a relatively small space. Nevertheless, Yamaha has designed the unit so that it's comfortable to use and doesn't feel cramped. The MD4S is split into two sections, with the mixer on the left and the recorder on the right. Conveniently, the jack field containing all of the inputs (where you'll be doing most of your patching) is located on the top of the unit, and the outputs are on the back.
In addition to the standard transport controls, a large jog/shuttle wheel lets you cue and review at a variety of speeds up to 32 times faster than normal. You can also set the MD4S to play at half speed, which is helpful for transcribing or learning riffs.
Another area in which the MD4S surpasses its analog cousins is the metering section. In addition to channel levels, the large, viewer-friendly, multifunction backlit display also shows the master L/R level, a variety of status messages, and a counter that can be configured to show elapsed time, total time, or remaining time in minutes/ seconds/frames. (When the unit is transmitting MIDI clock, the display reads in measures/beats/clocks.)
MIX AND MATCHThe MD4S has an 8-channel analog mixer, with the first four channels hard-wired to tracks 1 through 4 on the recorder. Each channel provides a gain pot, a flip switch that toggles between mic/line input and playback, cue-pan and cue-level knobs (used for bringing in external sounds during mixdown), 3-band EQ, an aux control, a pan knob, and a volume fader.
The aux control, designed to be used as an effects send, is always postfader. A single knob routes the channel signal to either the aux 1 or aux 2 send: turning the knob counterclockwise gets the signal to aux send 1; turning it clockwise gets the signal to aux send 2; and at the 12 o'clock detent, no signal is sent to either aux output. Disappointingly, because both aux sends are combined on a single knob, you cannot add more than one effect at a time on a given channel. However, you can patch in additional effects via insert points on channels 1 and 2.
The mixer also sports two stripped- down stereo channels (5/6 and 7/8), which provide only one gain knob for each pair of inputs. The signals in the stereo channels are both routed to the stereo bus, so these channels are ideal as stereo returns from external effects on mixdown, for returning sequenced tracks, or for cascading signals from an external mixer. (Using MIDI Time Code, you can sync up another MD4S and cascade the stereo out from the second deck through one of the stereo channels-in effect creating an 8-track setup.)
In the monitor/master section, there is one master stereo fader and a monitor-level output knob. A separate cue-mix switch controls routing of the cue signal to the stereo bus. Switches labeled 2Tr In, Stereo, and Cue determine which of those signals will be sent to the monitor outputs and headphones.
In general, the mixer is laid out in a sensible, easy-to-grasp fashion. However, the various knobs have a less-than-rugged, "consumer grade" feel.
Another shortcoming is the EQ section. The three boost/cut knobs control low and high shelving filters (positioned at 100 Hz and 10 kHz, respectively) and a mid-frequency filter fixed at 2.5 kHz. Although functional (not to mention typical of what you find on 4-track cassette recorders), the limited EQ left me wishing for the flexibility of a parametric band-or sweepable mids at least.
INS AND OUTSChannels 1 and 2 offer mic/line inputs on balanced 11/44-inch TRS and XLR jacks (see Fig. 1). Phantom power is not available, so if you have mics that require it, you'll need an external phantom power source.
Channels 3 and 4 offer only 11/44-inch line-level inputs with no insert points, which is a drawback if you want to use mics to record to all four channels. All routing is hard-wired on the MD4S's mixer, meaning you can't bus input channels to different-numbered tracks. I circumvented this shortcoming by using XLR-to-11/44-inch line-level cables between the mics and the MD4S. (Another solution would be to use a mic preamp that has 11/44-inch outputs.) Stereo channels 5/6 and 7/8 also accept 11/44-inch line inputs.
There are four individual RCA direct outputs that produce line-level signals from tracks 1 through 4. These give you the option of transferring tracks from the MD4S to another recorder or mixing down through a different, external mixer. A stereo pair of inputs (RCA) for 2-track return allow you to monitor back from an external mixdown deck. Finally, there are two pairs of RCA stereo outputs, one for the stereo mix and one for the monitor mix.
The RCA jacks are metal and rigidly mounted on the MD4S, but all the 11/44-inch connections are made of plastic components. It's a bit disquieting that the points where you'll do the most patching and repatching are made of the less durable material while the RCA ins and outs-which you'll probably set and forget-are the most impervious to damage.
MAKING TRACKSI began testing the MD4S by recording and overdubbing a number of tracks, including acoustic guitar, vocal, electric bass, and percussion. The MD4S was easy to set up and use, the tracking went quickly, and the overall sound quality was very good, especially compared with that of my portable 4-track cassette recorder. The MD4S excelled at capturing the high-end airiness of vocals, the bright zing of the steel-string acoustic guitar, and the upper-mid definition of the various percussion instruments.
Next, I plugged an electric bass with passive pickups directly into a mixer channel. Impressively, I got a nice, even sound with plenty of level. Plugging in an electric guitar yielded similar results. I had fully expected to have to patch in compressors to get something passable, so I was pleasantly surprised. This aspect of the MD4S should be especially appealing to songwriters who like to capture ideas instantly, in the heat of the moment.
The MD4S should also prove handy for recording live concerts. You could, for example, take a stereo feed from the house mixer to two tracks and use the other two tracks to bring in signals from a stereo pair of mics.
GET ORGANIZEDRecorded tracks can be organized on disc using the TOC, or Table of Contents feature. The TOC functions as a directory of what is on the disc-songs (each can be titled), disc title, location marks, playlists, and so on.
After putting three or four songs on a disc, I could effortlessly skip around among them using the Song Search function. This was a welcome change from constantly fast-forwarding or rewinding to locations on an analog deck.
In addition to being able to find a song instantly, you can also easily add location markers as you record or play back. Ten markers can be assigned per song, and location points can be nudged forward or backward using the data dial. This ability to set markers in a song comes in handy for one of the coolest functions on the MD4S-the Cue List Playback.
Cue List Playback enables you to mark off sections of music on the fly and add them to a playlist. You can then shuffle the Cue List order and determine the number of times each section will play. Twenty-six sections (labeled A through Z) can be created per disc-plenty for most musical applications.
I barely scratched the surface of this function, but let me say that it's one of the most powerful of the MD4S's many features. For example, I recorded a few songs from a CD onto the MD4S, marked off sections (verse, chorus, bridge, and so on), rearranged the sequence of the song parts, and even changed the number of repeats of each section. After tweaking the Cue List to my satisfaction, I used the Cue List Copy command to save my rearranged piece of music as a new, separate song.
The Cue List function is an invaluable songwriting tool. A composer could construct several musical sections, and then audition the sections in different orders and iterations before coming to a final decision on the arrangement. Likewise, a remix artist could use the MD4S to deconstruct an arrangement and use it as the basis for another composition altogether. Very powerful stuff.
1-2-3 PUNCHThe MD4S offers three means of punching in: from the transport controls, with the (optional) footswitch, or using Auto punch. To use Auto punch, you simply set the in and out points while auditioning the tracks during playback. Roll times before and after a punch are adjustable and, coolest of all, you can record multiple takes and audition each before committing to a particular performance.
I used this function to lay down four guitar-solo overdubs, and then could select my favorite afterward. Thanks to adjustable pre-roll, I had ample time to get ready on the guitar after setting the MD4S in motion.
MIDI SPOKEN HEREThe MD4S is compatible with MIDI Time Code, MIDI Machine Control, and MIDI Clock, making it well suited for the desktop musician who wants to add acoustic instrumentation and vocals to sequencer-driven synth tracks. Using a few old sequences I had in my library, I succeeded in synching up my sequencer via MTC, with the MD4S functioning as both master and slave. The MD4S locked in with nary a complaint, and I was able to dump tracks to disc with no problems. I even experimented with dumping sequenced tracks one at a time to the recorder, submixing them down to two tracks, and then transferring more single tracks, performing the process over and over. No matter how many bounces I did, all the tracks synched perfectly each time.
STEP UPFrom a sonic standpoint, the MD4S blows away any analog cassette multitrack. Not only does it offer wider frequency and dynamic ranges, but it has a more transparent sound and no tape hiss-an important consideration when bouncing tracks internally. With the MD4S, it took more than ten bounces before I noticed a loss of sonic quality. (If you're wondering why there's any degradation at all in this digital recorder, it's because the mixer is analog. Therefore, the signal must pass through two digital conversions with each bounce before it goes back to disc.) Just the same, the degradation I heard was negligible.
Another advantage of bouncing on this machine is that, unlike on an analog unit, you don't need to reserve a vacant track (or tracks) to bounce to. That's because the MD4S can play back a track while simultaneously recording over it. Therefore, you can fill up all four tracks and then bounce them to tracks 3 and 4, freeing up tracks 1 and 2 for overdubbing.
THE FINAL WORDThe Yamaha MD4S is a remarkable multitrack recorder. Compact yet well featured, sophisticated yet simple to operate, it is the logical step for musicians looking to move up from multitrack cassette recorders into the digital realm.
The MD4S sounds great, too. In fact, if you ignore the specs and just use your ears, the thing sounds pretty darn good even compared with an MDM or hard disk recorder. Sure, there are discernible differences in sound quality (due largely to the data compression), but the MD4S holds up remarkably well, especially considering the price.
Yamaha must also be applauded for the user manual, which is sensibly laid out and gives practical, step-by-step advice on virtually all of the unit's functions. It even includes a "Tracking Sheet" that you can photocopy for writing down track, session, cue list, and mixer setup information.
Although I had some misgivings about the quality of the components, particularly on the mixer side, I was impressed with the unit's flawless operation, as well as with its advanced editing, location, and playlist functions. Considering all the ways it offers to manipulate recorded material and its reasonable price, the MD4S will likely prove a leading player in the realm of MiniDisc multitrack recorders.
John Ferenzik is a multi-instrumentalist and has played with Todd Rundgren, among others. Currently he is working on a CD of his music. Readers are welcome to e-mail him at frnzk@pond.com.
Several changes distinguish the Yamaha MD4S from its predecessor, the MD4. To begin with, the new silver unit employs version 4.5 of Sony's ATRAC data-compression scheme, said to be "vastly" improved. It has a full complement of MIDI jacks-the black MD4 only had MIDI Out-and supports MIDI Time Code and MIDI Machine Control. Other new features include balanced XLR jacks, insert points, a second aux send, and a stereo headphone bus (the MD4's was mono) that can be returned to the main stereo bus, allowing for two extra inputs at mixdown. The jog/shuttle wheel is new, as is motor loading that offers increased protection for the drive and discs.-Brian Knave