Handheld Tascam Tutorial

Initial Set Up

1. Press and hold the Home button to turn on the Tascam.
2. Check the battery indicator and replace if the battery is low.
3. Check to see if the SD card is actually in the device; if not, find one and insert it.

Empty the memory to ensure there’s enough space for your recording:

1. Press menu button to get to the menu
2. Use plus or minus buttons to scroll down to others, press enter
3. Scroll down to system, press enter
4. Scroll down to quick format, press enter. Exec, enter.
5. “All data erased. Are you sure?” Press enter and you’re done.

Press menu to get back to the record screen and press the Rec Mode button to choose an input.

Stay in “stereo” and then select your input under “source”.

Your source will be either “Internal microphone” or “External in 1&2” (your XLR 1&2).

Pressing menu again will bring you back to the home screen.

There are three methods of taking a recording in the Penthouse:

Plan to use the Tascam’s built-in mic as default because it is much easier and you can place it anywhere.

1. To record using the mic, all you need to do is press record twice to begin the recording.
2. Make sure to test it!

If the group specifically wants you to take a board feed:

1. Connect 2 XLRs between Stereo Alt Out on the back of the board and the Tascam
2. Press the little AB button near the master fader to enable the output
3. On the side of the Tascam, choose “Line” under the the Ext In selector
4. Test the mics and ensure you’re getting signal

If the group specifically asks you to get a recording from the hanging house mics:

1. Start in the patch bay and connect the “hanging house mics 2 & 3” to the AVP nearest your mix position
2. Connect two gender changers and XLRs from that AVP to the Tascam
3. On the side of the Tascam, choose “Mic+Phantom” under the Ext In selector.
4. Test the mics and ensure you’re getting signal

When the performance ends, press the stop button and eject the SD card.

Bring the SD card to the computer in the recording booth or at FOH and insert it into the USB SD card reader (or insert it into any cage laptop checked out).

Download the content to the Archival Audio file folder and use the naming convention as follows:

Year.Month.Date_Description_Engineer.mp3 (Example: 14.3.19_FOTA_Kyle.mp3)

Then, send the file to:

erinbrenner@uchicago.edu

1. Go to the website WeTransfer.com
2. Upload the recording to the site
3. Enter Erin’s email address (above)
4. Enter your email address press Send.

Now go put the SD card back into the handheld Tascam device and you’re done!