What are "Virtual Tracks"?

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Looking at literature for multitrack recorders, they will state something like 16 tracks plus 80 virtual tracks. What are they talking about?
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Earl Foote · From: Houston, Tx, USA

Virtual tracks are tracks in addition to the main track. You can use them to record alternate takes of a part without getting rid of the original cut. Then you can choose the best cut or even edit together combinations of virtual tracks. My BR-600 has eight tracks (six really, four mono and two stereo) and each of these tracks consists of eight virtual tracks. So for each track I can choose one of eight virtual tracks to play back. Another use for virtual tracks - if your using your recorder as a front end to a computer DAW, you can record up to 64 tracks on an 8 track machine with 8 virtual tracks and dump them all into your computer DAW for mixing.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

but just remember, you can't PLAY back the virtual track at the same time as the PRIMARY track or another virtual track within the same PRIMARY track .

For me personally, on the 16 tracker, I have found it more of an advantage to just dedicate 2 or 3 tracks to a lead instrument and maybe record 2 or 3 different solo's on PRIMARY tracks where they are all available at the same time. But thats just me.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Thanks guys.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

My Tascam 2488 has 250 virtual tracks.
It has a 24 channel mixer.

So, any of the 250 tracks can be assigned to the mixer.
That leaves 226 tracks that can't be immediately used.

If I need any of them I have to assign them to a mixed channel, thus bumping out one of the tracks currently there.

This may sound complex, but it's easy once you understand it. Because you can bounce tracks (combine several tracks to one) you have plenty of room.

The big advantage of having so many virtual tracks is that you can save the original tracks you used to make the bounced track. That way if you decide you don't like the bounced mix in the future, you can make another.

One way of explaining virtual tracks is to relate it to an analog tape machine as follows:

I have a tape player that can play and mix 24 reels at a time. I have 250 reels of tape.

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

If your life is dedicated to a programmed drum track and you build songs one track at a time, the record 2 Tracks at one time recorder would be fine , stereo or mono .

If you have plans to record a band or a full drum set, at least 8 would be a minimum.

Most of the lower priced recorders are 2 tracks at one time, even if they are 4 track or 8 track units.

Understand the purpose first.

I believe that these days, any current or recent recorder allows assigning inputs to any of the available tracks for recording.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

I finally settled on a Korg D3200 32 track recorder. It is a true 32 track. The Boss BR1600 I tried was a 16 track, but in reality it was only 8 tracks with 4 stereo tracks dedicated to other functions. Track 15/16 is for the drums produced by the machine, although I was succesful in mixing down 3 drum tracks I recorded off my synth to track 15/16. The tracks were all panned to center, but when I bounced them to the stereo track, the kick drum, snare drum and hi-hat went to the left channel and the crash went to the right (not the way I had them set). Track 9/10 id dedicated to your mixdown. I couldn't get effects for the mic (reverb) to work on any channel except channel 1. I don't have a lot of patience when a product doesn't do what it says it does. So, I took it back and got the Korg (same price).

I will mostly be recording 1 track at a time. I want to be able to have drums recorded on several tracks (first because I can't play all the drums needed at one time. I also want each drum on a seperate track so I can pan them to different ares in the stereo field. This technique I learned from a home recording book. It explained setting instruments in the stereo field the same as if you were listening to the band on stage and hearing the instruments coming from different areas of the stage.

Oh yeah, virtual tracks... way too cool.

The Korg will record 16 tracks and play back 32 tracks at once at sampling rates of 48khz or 44.1 khz at 16 bits, or record 12 tracks and play back 16 tracks at 48khz or 44.1khz at 24 bits.

Edited to add:

Tony. Not true. The Boss did not have routing from an input to any channel (my Korg does). Input 1 went to channel 1 and so on. No direct recording to track 9/10, 11/12, 13/14, 15/15. This is why I say it is only an 8 track recorder The stereo tracks are set aside for mixing down (9/10), loops (11/12), onboard bass (13/14), and onboard drums (15/16). Although I did bounce to stereo track 15/16 but with poor results. Stereo track 9/10 is necessary for mixdown. If you have any thing on that track, mixdown will overwrite it. This was a $1300.00 unit (as is the Korg).
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Really ? I have two Boss units , a BR8 and a Micro BR and I can select track/input . And of course my Yamaha AW2816 is that and tons more with 8 on the fly record.

Oh well, so much for being an expert, I knew it wouldn't last long Smile

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Tony, if it was possible, it wasn't documented. The manual for the BR1600 wasn't very good. Anyway, I'm happy with the Korg (so far). It seemed like a real effort on the Boss to get anything to work (like effects).
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Roy Ayres · From: Riverview, Florida, USA, R.I.P.

"Virtual" is a word used in many disciplines, situations, etc. The simplest way to think of is is just to substitute the word "simulated" for it. With regard to "virtual tracks" that just means that the additional tracks are not real, but are simulated by the software.
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Brian McGaughey · From: Orcas Island, WA USA

I'm currently recording our band's demo on a Korg 3200. I've had great results once I got passed that tiny LCD screen...my only complaint.

To keep it simple, I do the same thing as you Tony, and not use the virtual tracks. Seems you'd need a notepad to document all your virtual takes. (Probably not a bad idea anyway).

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

It sure would be nice if you could plug a computer monitor into the unit. The thing I don't like the most is the contrast setting of the LCD. I can't seem to find a setting I am completely happy with.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Roy's comments about the definition of "virtual" is true.

The way digital recorder makers use it is incorrect, imo. That is what leads to the confusion.

All the tracks are real, it's just that some aren't currently assigned to the mixer.

As Richard said, a video monitor output would nice.
So would a computer interface that allows access to all the unit's features. Korg does that with their M3 keyboard.

I don't know of any affordable recorders that do this.

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