Yamaha MT100 User manual

YAMAHA
MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER
ENREGISTREUR DE CASSETTES MULTIPISTE
MEHRSPUR-KASSETTENDECK
OPERATION MANUAL
MANUEL D’INSTRUCTIONS
BEDIENUNGSANLEITUNG

CONGRATULATIONS!
Your MT100 Multitrack Cassette Recorder is a fine creative tool that will enable you to work with
sound in many ways. No other multitrack cassette recorder offers the straightforward simplicity and
ease-of-use of the MT100. Whether you need to record acoustic instruments or voice using micro-
phones, electronic instruments and sources via direct line, or a creative blend of the two, the
MT100 makes the process of building up your own sound extraordinarily smooth and simple. You
can simply record and remix four tracks, or use the multitrack “ping-pong” recording technique to
individually record up to ten independent parts — adding sound layer by layer until you create
exactly the arrangement and texture your imagination demands. The MT100 is just as easy to use
alone or with a band. And, because it’s a YAMAHA, you know that the MT100 will give you the very
finest sound quality and overall performance available.
In order to make use of the MT100’s many features and obtain maximum performance, we urge you
to read this operation manual thoroughly — and keep it in a safe place
for later reference.
CONTENTS
PRECAUTlONS
......................................... 1
THE CONTROLS AND CONNECTORS .................... .2
CONNECTlON EXAMPLES
................................ 7
ABOUT CASSETTE TAPES
..............................
8
THE RECORDING PROCESS
.............................
9
RECORDING THE FIRST TRACK ........................ .10
STEP 1: CHANNEL-TO-TRACK ASSIGNMENT
...........
.10
STEP 2: MONlTOR SETUP
............................ 11
STEP 3: SETTING RECORDING LEVELS
...............
.12
STEP 4: RECORD
...................................
12
OVERDUBBING
....................................... 13
PING-PONG RECORDING
...............................
14
A PING-PONG RECORDING EXAMPLE
................
.14
MIXDOWN
............................................ 15
USING THE AUX SEND/RTN LOOP
......................
.16
PUNCH-IN/OUT RECORDING
............................
17
MAINTENANCE
....................................... 18
BLOCK DIAGRAM
.....................................
19
SPECIFICATIONS
.................................... ..20

PRECAUTIONS
1. AVOID EXCESSIVE HEAT, HUMIDITY, DUST AND
VIBRATION
Keep the unit away from locations where it is likely to be
exposed to high temperatures or humidity — such as near
radiators, stoves, etc. Also avoid locations which are sub-
ject to excessive dust accumulation or vibration which
could cause mechanical damage.
2. AVOID PHYSICAL SHOCKS
Strong physical shocks to the unit can cause damage.
Handle it with care.
3. DO NOT OPEN THE CASE OR ATTEMPT RE-
PAIRS OR MODlFlCATlONS YOURSELF
This product contains no user-serviceable parts. Refer all
maintenance to qualified YAMAHA service personnel.
Opening the case and/or tampering with the internal cir-
cuitry will void the warranty.
4. MAKE SURE POWER IS OFF BEFORE MAKING
OR REMOVING CONNECTIONS
Always turn the power OFF prior to connecting or discon-
necting cables. This is important to prevent damage to the
unit itself as well as other connected equipment.
5. HANDLE CABLES CAREFULLY
Always plug and unplug cables — including the AC cord
— by gripping the connector, not the cord.
6. CLEAN WITH A SOFT DRY CLOTH
Never use solvents such as benzine or thinner to clean the
unit. Wipe clean with a soft, dry cloth.
7. ALWAYS USE THE CORRECT POWER SUPPLY
The MT100 should only be powered using the supplied
YAMAHA PA-100 AC Adapter. The use of other adapters
can cause serious damage to the MT100.
8. KEEP THE HEADS AND TAPE PATH CLEAN
To ensure consistent high performance and sound quality
from your MT100, it is important to clean the head and
tape path regularly (ideally before each recording ses-
sion). To do this, use a cleaning kit specifically designed
for use with cassette tape equipment.
9. USE ONLY HIGH-QUALITY CHROME CASSETTE
TAPE
The MT100 is designed for use with CrO
2
(chrome) for-
mulation tape, and will not provide proper performance
with any other type of tape. Always choose cassette tapes
from a reliable manufacturer.
1

THE CONTROLS AND CONNECTORS
— CONTROL PANEL —
— FRONT PANEL —
— REAR PANEL —
2 MT100 MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER

— CHANNELS AND TRACKS —
The terms “channel” and “track” are used in this operation manual to differentiate between the MT100 mixer section’s four
“channels” and the recorder section’s four “tracks.” “Track” is also used when referring to the four “tracks” actually recorded on the
tape.
Input Jacks 1 — 4
AUX SEND Controls
These four input jacks accept signals from any line-level
source such as an electronic musical instrument or a tape
player.
Inputs 1 and 2 also accept signals from electric musical in-
struments such as electric guitars and basses, or micro-
phones.
Inputs 1 through 4 are standard monaural 1/4” phone
jacks.
When a source is plugged into one of these jacks, its
signal is sent to the corresponding channel of the MT100’s
mixer.
The AUX SEND controls are used primarily when adding
effects such as reverberation or echo to the sound of each
channel or track. The AUX SEND control on each mixer
channel determines the amount of signal from that chan-
nel sent to the AUX SEND jack. The AUX SEND jack must
be connected to the input of an external signal processor
such as the YAMAHA R100 Reverb Processor (see “US-
ING THE AUX SEND/RTN LOOP” on page 16).
PAN Controls
Note: When no source is plugged into an input jack, the
output from the corresponding track of the MT100’s
recorder is automatically routed to that channel of
the mixer.
MIC/LINE Trim Controls (Channels 1 and 2 only)
The trim controls adjust the sensitivity of the channel-l
and channel-2 inputs to accept a wide range of signal
levels — from line to microphone. The trim controls are
used in conjunction with the channel-l and channel-2 fad-
ers to set the optimum recording level with a wide range of
sources (see “SETTING RECORDING LEVELS” on page
12).
Channel Faders
The channel faders are used to adjust the level (volume)
of the corresponding mixer channel’s signal, whether it
comes from a source plugged into an input jack or from
the MT100’s recorder section. The faders are used to set
up the optimum levels when recording, and to balance
(mix) the sound from the recorder’s tracks when playing
back a recording.
The PAN controls assign the signal from the correspond-
ing mixer channel to any desired position in the “stereo
sound field.” lf a PAN control is set to the maximum
“LEFT” position, the signal from that channel will appear
only at the left-channel MT100 output (ST OUT L). If the
PAN control is set fully RIGHT, the signal will appear only
at the ST OUT R output jack. If a PAN control is set to its
center position, then the signal from that channel will ap-
pear equally at both the left- and right-channel outputs,
and the sound will appear at the center of the stereo
sound field (at a point midway between the two stereo
speakers). Other PAN control settings place the sound at
positions roughly corresponding to the PAN control setting
by varying the level of the signal sent to the left- and right-
channel outputs.
The PAN controls can also be used during recording to
assign the signal from several channels to a single track of
the recorder section, or to assign a channel to a differ-
ently-numbered recorder track (see “CHANNEL-TO-
TRACK ASSIGNMENT” on page 10).
REC SELECT Switches
The REC SELECT switches are used when recording to
assign (send) the signal from each mixer channel either
directly to the corresponding track of the recorder or to a
different track via the PAN controls (see “CHANNEL-TO-
TRACK ASSIGNMENT” on page 10).
Note: When any of the REC SELECT switches are set to a
position other than OFF, the red indicator LED
above the transport REC button will flash, indicating
that the MT100 is set up to record.
3

MASTER Fader
The MASTER fader sets the overall output level of the
MT100 mixer section, and thus the level of the output
signal appearing at the ST OUT jacks. The MASTER fader
also affects recording level when any of the mixer
section’s channels are assigned to the recorder’s tracks
via the PAN controls (see “SETTING RECORDING LEV-
ELS” on page 12).
PHONES SELECT Switch
The MT100 permits convenient headphone monitoring via
a pair of headphones plugged into the PHONES jack. The
PHONES SELECT switch determines which signals are
sent to the PHONES jack for monitoring.
MONITOR: In this position only the output from the
recorder’s four tracks is sent directly to the PHONES
jack via the four MONlTOR controls.
MIX: Both the output from the recorder’s four tracks (via
the MONITOR controls) and the stereo output from
the mixer section are sent to the PHONES jack.
STEREO: Only the stereo output from the mixer section is
sent to the PHONES jack.
PHONES Control
The PHONES control independently adjusts the level of
the headphone signal, making it simple to set the most
comfortable monitoring level.
PHONES Jack
Any pair of stereo monitor headphones with an impedance
of between approximately 8 and 40 ohms can be plugged
into this jack. Headphone monitoring is the most conven-
ient way to listen to the MT100’s various signals, and we
recommend that you obtain a pair of high-quality monitor-
ing headphones for this purpose. The YAMAHA MH-100
are ideal.
AUX RTN Control
The AUX RTN control determines the level at which the
signal from an external signal processor fed by the AUX
SEND jack is returned and mixed in with the MT100’s
main stereo output signal. The output from an external
signal processor fed by the AUX SEND jack must be con-
nected to the AUX RTN jack (see “USING THE AUX
SEND/RTN LOOP” on page 16).
MONITOR Controls
The four MONITOR controls determine the level of the
signal from the corresponding recorder tracks which is
sent to the PHONES jack when the PHONES SELECT
switch is set to either “MONITOR” or “MIX.” The MONI-
TOR controls are primarily used to set up the optimum
levels for monitoring-recorded tracks while recording new
material (overdubbing).
METER Switch
The METER switch determines whether the four LED peak
meters display levels from the corresponding recorder
tracks when set to “4 TRACK,” or meters 1 and 2 display
the level of signals appearing at the mixer section’s stereo
outputs (the ST OUT jacks) when the METER switch is set
to “STEREO.”
LED Peak Meters
The four LED peak meters accurately display output levels
from the MT100’s four recorder tracks when the METER
switch is set to “4 TRACK,” of the first two meters (num-
bered 1 and 2) display levels appearing at the mixer
section’s stereo outputs (the ST OUT jacks) when the
METER switch is set to “STEREO.”
The LED peak meters are important for setting up the
optimum recording levels when recording new material
(see “SETTING RECORDING LEVELS” on page 12).
dbx ON/OFF Switch
The dbx switch determines whether the MT100’s internal
dbx noise reduction system is ON or OFF. For normal
recording and playback using the MT100, the dbx switch
should be turned ON. This provides a significantly im-
proved signal-to-noise ratio (as much as 85 dB) so your
recordings will sound cleaner and have much less tape
hiss.
For dbx noise reduction to be effective, it must be turned
ON both during recording and playback.
The dbx switch may be turned OFF when playing back
tapes that were recorded on other equipment and which
are not dbx-encoded.
PITCH Control
The PITCH control varies tape speed by 10%, making it
possible to “tune” material recorded on the MT100 to
match the pitch of musical instruments, or to slightly
lengthen or shorten the running time of a recording to
meet specific timing requirements. Tape speed is normal
when the PITCH control is set to its center click-stop posi-
tion. Tape speed is increased by sliding the control to-
wards the “+” end of the scale, and decreased by sliding
the control towards the “-” end of the scale.
4 MT100 MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER

TAPE SPEED Switch
The TAPE SPEED switch selects either the standard 4.75-
cm/sec cassette tape speed, or the MT100’s special 9.5-
cm/sec high tape speed. Use the standard (4.75) speed
when replaying tapes recorded on standard cassette re-
corders, or to obtain maximum tape economy. When you
want maximum sound quality, use the high (9.5) tape
speed. The improvement in sound quality provided by the
high tape speed is significant, and we recommend that
you use the high speed for all important recordings.
ZERO STOP Switch
The ZERO STOP switch provides a fast, easy way to lo-
cate a specific location on the tape. This is particularly
handy in multitrack recording, since it is necessary to re-
peatedly rewind the tape to the same point to record over-
dubs (i.e. record a new track while monitoring previously
recorded tracks). To use the ZERO STOP function, set the
tape counter (below) to “000” at the point you wish to
locate by pressing the RESET button. Then, with the
ZERO STOP switch set to ON, the tape will automatically
stop from the rewind or fast forward modes when the
counter “000” position is reached.
Tape Counter and RESET Button
This three-digit tape counter provides a handy index to
tape position. It’s a good idea to write down the counter
readings for important points of a recording, so you can
locate them easily afterwards. The RESET button resets
the counter to “000” at the current tape position.
Transport Controls
These light-touch electronic transport controls provide
smooth, sure control of all tape transport functions.
PLAY: Starts the transport running in the PLAY mode. The
green PLAY indicator LED lights during playback.
RECORD: Press the REC button to enter the “REC/
PAUSE” mode. If all the REC SELECT switches are
turned OFF, the red REC indicator LED will flash and
the orange PAUSE indicator LED will light. If any of
the REC SELECT switches are set to a position other
than OFF, both the red REC and orange PAUSE
LEDs will light continuously. In this mode the trans-
port is not yet running and recording has not begun.
From the REC/PAUSE mode, press the PLAY button
to actually start the transport running in the RECORD
mode (if any of the REC SELECT switches are set to
a position other than OFF), or the RECORD-READY
mode (if all the REC SELECT switches are set to
OFF). The red REC and green PLAY indicator LEDs
both light during recording. The red REC will con-
tinue to flash and recording will not occur if none of
the REC SELECT switches are set to a recording po-
sition.
Note: Only tracks for which the REC SELECT switch is set
to a recording position will be recorded when the
RECORD mode is activated.
Note: The RECORD mode cannot be activated if a cas-
sette is loaded from which the record-prevention tab
has been removed.
PAUSE: Temporarily stops playback or recording. The or-
ange PAUSE indicator LED will light when the
PAUSE mode is active. Press the PLAY button to
disengage the PAUSE mode and continue playback
or recording.
REWIND (REW) & FAST FORWARD (FF): These buttons
cause fast winding of the tape in the specified direc-
tion.
STOP: Immediately stops the transport from any of its op-
erational modes.
Cassette Compartment
Your cassette tape is loaded here. Use only high-quality
chrome (CrO
2
) formula cassette tape. Other types of tape
will not provide correct frequency characteristics and mini-
mum noise with the MT100.
First flip up the cassette compartment lid (a lifter tab is
provided at the right side of the cover), then insert the tape
with the open end of the cassette (the end at which you
can see the tape) facing the transport controls.Press the
back (closed) edge of the cassette down under the central
retaining finger at the rear of the cassette compartment,
then press the front (open) end down into the mechanism
— GENTLY! Close the compartment lid when ready.
Note: Since the MT100 uses the entire width of the cas-
sette tape to record four tracks, the cassette can only
be recorded on one side. If you attempt to flip the
cassette and record on the second side, you will
erase any previously recorded material.
PUNCH l/O Footswitch Jack
An optional YAMAHA FS-3 Footswitch can be connected to
this jack to permit foot-controlled punch-in and punch-out
recording (see “PUNCH-IN/OUT RECORDING” on page
17).
5

TAPE OUT Jacks
The four TAPE OUT jacks are direct outputs from the cor-
responding tracks of the MT100 recorder. These jacks
make it possible to feed the output from the four recorder
tracks to an external mixing console. The TAPE OUT jacks
can also be used to feed each of the recorder’s tracks to
external signal processors, the output of which can then be
returned to the MT100’s mixer inputs.
The TAPE OUT jacks are RCA pin types with a nominal
output level of -10 dB into a load of greater than 50 k-
ohms.
ST OUT R and L Jacks
These are the main outputs from the MT100, delivering the
stereo output signal from the MT100 mixer section. The ST
OUT jacks can be connected to a stereo sound system for
monitoring and listening, or to a second cassette recorder
when recording a stereo “mix” of a multitrack MT100 mas-
ter tape. The ST OUT R and L jacks are standard monaural
1/4” phone jacks with a nominal output level of -10 dB
when feeding a load of greater than 50 k-ohms.
AUX SEND & RTN Jacks
The AUX SEND and RTN jacks make it simple to use an
external signal processor (such as the YAMAHA R1OO
Reverb Processor) to add effects to MT100 signals. The
AUX SEND jack should be connected to the input of your
signal processor, and the output from your signal processor
should be connected to the AUX RTN jack (see “USING
THE AUX SEND/RTN LOOP” on page 16).
DC IN Jack
The DC output cord from the YAMAHA PA-100 AC Adaptor
supplied with the MT100 should be plugged in here. The
AC Adaptor should be plugged into a convenient AC wall
outlet.
Caution: Use only a YAMAHA PA-100 AC Power Adaptor
to power your MT100. Other AC adaptors can cause
faulty operation, and may even permanently damage
your MT100.
POWER Switch
Press the POWER switch once to turn power ON, a second
time to turn power OFF. When the power is ON, the
POWER LED above the LED peak meters on the MT100
top panel will light.
Note: If you are familiar with block diagrams of electronic
equipment, refer to the “BLOCK DIAGRAM” on page
19 for a full overview of the MT100 system.
6 MT100 MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER

CONNECTION EXAMPLES
— BASIC CONNECTIONS —
* Make sure the power to all equipment is OFF when making connections.

ABOUT CASSETTE TAPES
This unit is designed to be used only with Chrome-
position tape, and will not work properly with Ferri-
chrome tape formulations. CrO
2
tape (Bias: HIGH; EQ:
70 µ s) should be used. Also, the use of C-120 tapes is
not recommended because they exhibit poorer perfor-
mance, and can be the cause of equipment failure.
l Preventing accidental erasure of recordings
To keep from inadvertently erasing a prized recording, all
cassette tapes have record protection tabs along the top
edge of the cassette shell. If this tab is broken out using
a screwdriver or any other appropriate implement, it will
not be possible to record on the corresponding side of
the tape This will protect your recordings from accidental
erasure For 4-track recording, it’s necessary to break out
the tabs for both the A and B sides of the tape
When you’d like to record over a tape with the tabs
broken out, just cover the holes (where the tabs were)
with tape.
l PREVENTING ACCIDENTAL TAPE ERASURE:
l RECORDING OVER A TAPE WITH THE TABS BROKEN OUT:
l Taking up tape slack
If the tape is used when it is slack, or some portion of
the tape is out of the cassette shell, there is a risk it
may become tangled around the capstan or pinchroller.
In order to correct this, insert a pencil or ballpoint pen
into the center of one reel, and rotate to take up loose
tape slack.
l Storing cassette tapes
To prevent tape slack, fit a stopper into the tape or keep
tapes in their cases. Do not store tapes in direct sunlight,
or in places with high heat or humidity, as this may
damage the tapes. Also, keep the tapes away from
magnetic fields, such as near televisions or speakers,
because the recordings can be erased or sonically altered
to some degree.
8 MT100 MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER

THE RECORDING PROCESS
Recording with the MT100 is a very simple process. All you need is the MT100, a pair of monitor headphones, and an instrument,
microphone, or other signal source.
The multitrack recording process can be basically broken down into the following steps:
1. Record the First Track.
a) Channel-to-track Assignment.
b) Set Record Level.
c) Record.
2. Overdub the Remaining Tracks.
a) Channel-to-track assignment for each overdub.
b) Set record level for each overdub.
c) Record the overdub.
3. Ping-pong and Overdub More Tracks (If necessary).
4. Mixdown.
a) Set up for monitoring the mix.
b) Set up a rough mix and add effects.
c) Finalize and rehearse the mix.
d) Connect the MT100 ST OUT jacks to a stereo casette recorder.
e) Record (from the MT100 to the stereo cassette recorder).
These steps (and what the recording terms mean) will be described in detail below, so its a good idea to read through the following
sections in sequence in order to get a clear picture of the overall recording process.
9

RECORDING THE FIRST TRACK
STEP 1: CHANNEL-TO-TRACK ASSIGNMENT
The first step in making any recording is to assign the channel to which your instrument or other source is connected to one of the
recorder’s tracks.
Depending on what you are recording, you might want to record a single instrument or other source to a single track on the recorder,
or you might want to combine several instruments or other sources and record them on a single track. The MT100 offers two
“channel-to-track assignment” methods that can be used individually or combined to give you the track assignments that you need.
Direct Channel-to-Track Assignment Panned Channel-to-Track Assignment
With this method, an instrument or source connected to one of
the mixer’s channels is fed directly to the correspondingly
numbered track of the recorder, You can record a single track
like this, or up to all four tracks simultaneously.
The panned channel-to-track assignment method makes it
possible to assign several of the mixer’s channels to a single
recorder track, or single mixer channels can be assigned to
different track numbers.
For direct channel-to-track assignment, the REC SELECT
switch of the channel(s) to be recorded must be set to the
“number” position (1, 2, 3 or 4). For example, if the channel 1
REC SELECT switch is set to “1,” the channel 1 signal will be
sent directly to track 1 of the recorder. This applies in the
same way to all other channels and tracks.
Each of the REC SELECT switches has either an “L” or “R”
position. These correspond to the left (L) and right (R) chan-
nels of the mixer’s output. If a REC SELECT switch is set to
“L,” for example, any of the mixer’s channels can be assigned
to the correspondingly numbered track by setting its PAN
control fully LEFT. You could assign channel 1 to track 4, for
example, by setting the channel-4 REC SELECT switch to “R”
and the channel-l PAN control fully RIGHT.
The assignment shown in the diagram below is achieved by
setting the channel-4 REC SELECT switch to “R,” and setting
the PAN controls of channel 1, 2 and 3 fully RIGHT. The
channel-4 PAN control is set fully LEFT to prevent its signal
from reaching track 4 of the recorder.
10 MT100 MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER

STEP 2: MONITOR SETUP
Once your source is connected to an input channel and that channel is assigned to one of the recorder’s tracks, you should set up your
monitor system so that you can monitor the track as it is recorded.
Headphone Monitoring
Monitoring via a pair of headphones connected to the
PHONES jack offers the greatest flexibility and is recom-
mended for general recording. The PHONES SELECT switch
allows you to select the desired signal for monitoring as fol-
lows:
MONITOR: In this position only the output from the recorder’s
four tracks is sent directly to the PHONES jack via the
four MONITOR controls. The MONITOR controls are
used to set up the desired monitor “mix.” This setup is
ideal for general monitoring while recording because it
allows you to set up a monitor mix independently from
the channel faders. Material already recorded on any of
the recorder’s tracks is delivered to the PHONE jack via
the corresponding MONITOR controls as long as the
REC SELECT switches for the playback channels are
set to OFF. The sound of instruments
or other sources
assigned to any of the recorder’s tracks is also delivered
to the PHONES jack via the corresponding MONITOR
controls.
MIX: Both the output from the recorder’s four tracks (via the
MONITOR controls) and the stereo output from the
mixer section are sent to the PHONES jack.
STEREO: Only the stereo output from the mixer section is
sent to the PHONES jack. This setting is most useful for
mixdown of a completed multitrack recording, since you
want to hear the mix produced by the mixer section’s
channel faders and any effects applied using the AUX
SEND and RTN controls while mixing. Make sure that
no sources are plugged into any of the mixer’s inputs
while mixing, so that the outputs from the recorder sec-
tion are routed to the mixer section’s inputs.
Monitoring via a Sound System with Speakers
lt is also possible to use a stereo sound system with speakers
or a pair of powered monitor speakers (such as the YAMAHA
MS101 Monitor Speaker System) connected to the MT100 ST
OUT L and R jacks for monitoring. When monitoring via a
sound system in this way, only the stereo output from the
MT100 mixer section can be monitored. This is the same situ-
ation as monitoring via headphones with the PHONES SE-
LECT switch set to STEREO. The use of a sound system for
monitoring is therefore not recommended for general record-
ing, but is highly recommended for mixdown since it allows
you to monitor your mix under conditions that are closer to the
way your final tape will hopefully be heard — via a stereo
sound system and speakers.
Note: Speakers should not be used for monitoring if you will
be recording via microphones, since the monitor sound
will leak into the microphone(s) and spoil the recording.
11

STEP 3: SETTING RECORDING LEVELS
Setting optimum recording levels is vitally important to achieve the best possible recording quality.
1. Start with the channel fader on the channel to be used set
to its minimum (“0”) position, and the MIC/LINE trim control
(if you are recording via channel 1 or 2) set all the way to
LINE.
2. Once everything is properly set up play the source at the
highest (loudest) level that it will be played while actually
recording.
3. Set the MASTER fader to about “7” or “8” on the scale, and
gradually raise the channel fader until you begin to hear the
source sound and see the LED peak meter come to life. If
your source is an electric instrument (guitar or bass) or a
microphone and you are recording via channel 1 or 2, you
may also have to slide the MIC/LINE trimmer towards the
MIC end of its scale to get a sufficiently high meter reading.
Adjust the channel fader (and MIC/LINE trim control if ap-
plicable) so that the meter reading averages between
about “0” and “+3” on the scale. Ideally, the channel fader
should be set at about “7” or “8” on its scale to achieve the
above-mentioned meter reading. This is to ensure the best
possible signal-to-noise ratio and allow plenty of plus and
minus leeway for later adjustment. If the fader setting is
way off, try adjusting the volume control
on the instrument
or other source until you can get the optimum reading with
a fader setting between “7” and “8.”
STEP 4: RECORD
After assigning the input channel to a recorder track, checking the monitor settings and setting the optimum record level for the new
track, you’re ready to record.
1. Make sure that a cassette has been loaded into the cas-
sette compartment, and that it is wound to the point at
which you intend to start your recording. It’s a good idea to
press the counter RESET button to set the counter to “000”
at this point so that you can automatically locate the begin-
ning of the recording later using the ZERO STOP function.
2. Press the REC button and then the PLAY button to start
recording, wait a few seconds, and start playing.
3. When you’ve finished recording the track, press the STOP
transport button, turn the REC SELECT switch for the track
just recorded OFF, rewind the tape (the tape will stop auto-
matically at counter “000” if the ZERO STOP switch is ON).
12 MT100 MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDE R
4. Play back the recording (press the PLAY transport control)
and listen to the track to make sure that everything went as
planned.
Note: When recording the first track it is vital to record
some form of “count-in” prior to actually playing your
instrument! If you haven’t included a one- or two-
measure count-in in your first track, you’ll have a
heck of a time trying to coordinate the beginning of
your second track with the first.

OVERDUBBING
Overdubbing is the process of recording a new track (or new tracks) while monitoring previously recorded tracks. If you’re only
planning to record a maximum of four tracks, you can go ahead and overdub the second, third and fourth tracks. If you’re planning
to use the “ping-pong” recording technique to record more than four parts, however, record only up to the third track and then move
on to the ping-pong step (see “PING-PONG RECORDING” on page 14).
1. Plug the instrument or other source to be recorded into an
available channel input.
2. Make sure that the REC SELECTOR switches of previ-
ously-recorded tracks are set to OFF so that they aren’t
erased when the new track is recorded.
3. Set up the channel-to-track assignment for the new track.
4. Check your monitor settings to ensure that you can monitor
the previously recorded track(s) as well as the new track to
be recorded (the PHONES SELECT switch should nor-
mally be set to MONITOR if you are monitoring via head-
phones).
5. Set the recording level for the new track.
6. You can now “rehearse” the overdub without actually re-
cording by simply playing back the already-recorded
track(s) and playing the new part.
7. Make sure the tape is rewound to the beginning of the
piece and start recording.
These steps are simply repeated to overdub tracks 3 and 4.
13

PING-PONG RECORDlNG
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 MT100
mixer section. That would give you 4 parts recorded on track 4
of the tape. With the 3 tracks you still have available for re-
cording, 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
EXAMPLE: Recording tracks “1” through “10” using the Ping-pong process.
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 illustration).
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 be-
cause once they’re ping-ponged and new material 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.
A PING-PONG RECORDING EXAMPLE
The following is an example of how you would ping-pong material recorded on tracks 1, 2 and 3 onto track 4.
Here’s how the controls should be set:
l Input Jacks
Make sure that nothing is plugged into any of the mixer’s
input jacks.
l
Channel Faders
To begin with, set the channel 1 through 3 faders to about
“7” on their scales, and set the channel-4 fader to “0.”
l REC SELECT Switches
The channel 1 through 3 REC select switches must be set
to OFF, and the channel-4 REC SELECT switch should be
set to “R.”
l AUX SEND Controls
Set all four AUX SEND controls to MIN for the time being.
l PAN Controls
Since the channel-4 REC SELECT switch is set to “R,” the
channel 1 through 3 PAN controls bust be rotated full
clockwise (right) to assign the track 1, 2 and 3 signals to
track 4 of the tape. The channel-4 PAN control can be set
to center.
l AUX RTN Control
Set to MIN for the time being.
l PHONES SELECT Switch
Set to MONITOR so you’ll only hear signals from the
MT100 recorder.
l MONITOR Controls
1.
2.
3.
4.
Set the channel 1 through 3 MONITOR controls fully
counter-clockwise, and the channel-4 MONITOR control to
about center or a position that will provide the best monitor-
ing level.
Play back the tape (don’t press the REC button yet).
Gradually increase the channel-4 fader setting until you
can hear the tracks you’ve recorded and the channel-4
meter reads around “0” on the scale. Adjust the MONITOR
4 control for the most comfortable monitoring level.
Adjust the channel 1, 2 and 3 faders — carefully — until
you get the desired balance between the first three tracks.
You’ll notice that as you adjust the balance between tracks
the channel-4 meter reading might change considerably.
You’ll have to compensate for this as you set up the ping-
pong mix by adjusting the channel 4 fader.
When everything is set up perfectly, rewind the tape to the
beginning and start recording. Sit back and wait until the
ping-pong is complete, then stop the recorder. Now pIay
back the tape and listen to the ping-ponged track carefully.
lf something sounds odd, go back and repeat the ping-
pong process. You can do this as many times as neces-
sary until you get it right— then go on to the next step.
Overdub and, if necessary, ping-pong the remaining tracks.
14 MT100 MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER

Mixdown is the final stage in the recording process at which you transform, your multitrack master tape into a mono or stereo master
tape that is the final creative product. The process involves m-recording the multitrack tape, via the MT100’s mixer, onto a
conventional stereo tape deck while you finely balance the tracks to achieve just the right sound. Tracks can be faded in or out as
required, and refinements such as overall reverberation or equalization can be added using external signal processing equipment.
The mixer’s PAN controls can be used to position each track at the appropriate location in the stereo image, and you can even want
pan a sound from one channel to the other for dramatic effect.
Here’s how your system should be set up:
l Input Jacks
Make sure that nothing is plugged into any of the mixer’s
input jacks.
l Channel Faders
Set all channel to “0.”
l REC SELECT Switches
All REC SELECT Switches to OFF.
l AUX SEND Controls
Set all four AUX SEND controls to MIN for the time being.
l PAN Controls
Start with all PAN controls set to center.
MASTER Fader
Set to about “7” or “8” on the scale.
l AUX RTN Control
Set to MIN for the time being.
l PHONES SELECT Switch
Set to STEREO if you’ll be mixing using headphones. We
recommend using an external sound system or a pair of
powered monitor speakers (such as the YAMAHA MS101
Monitor Speaker System) for mixdown. in which case the
PHONES SELECT switch setting doesn’t matter.
l MONITOR Controls
Set all MONITOR controls fully counter-clockwise.
| METER Switch
4 TRACK.
l dbx Switch
If you started recording with the dbx switch ON, leave it
ON. lf OFF, it should stay OFF.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Sit in a comfortable, central position in front of your monitor
speakers.
Listen to, evaluate, and adjust the sound of each track indi-
vidually. This simply means raising the fader of a single
track, adding effects or other signal processing as required,
then repeating the process on the next track until all tracks
have been carefully checked. If you have an external signal
processing device such as the YAMAHA R100 Reverb
Processor connected into the MT100’s AUX SEND/RTN
loop as described in the following section (“USING THE
AUX SEND/RTN LOOP), it’s a simple matter to select the
desired effect on your signal processor and add the re-
quired amount of effect to each track using the AUX SEND
controls. The AUX RTN control must also be set to an ap-
propriate level.
When all tracks have been individually checked, bring all
channel faders up to about “7” or “8” on the scale and play
back the tape. Adjust the faders for the best overall bal-
ance. Now adjust the PAN controls to place each track at
the desired location in the stereo sound field. Now listen
carefully — too much or too little reverb on any track?
Readjust the AUX SEND controls to achieve the desired
effect. Balance not quite right? Keep readjusting until you
are satisfied. You should also rehearse any fades or pans
you plan to do while actually recording the mix.
When you’re sure everything is ready, prepare to actually
record the mix. To do this you’ll have to connect the MT100
ST OUT jacks to the inputs of a stereo cassette recorder.
Plug your monitor headphones into the stereo cassette
deck phones jack if you want to listen as you record the
mix, or simply leave them connected to the MT100
PHONES jack and listen with the PHONES SELECT switch
set to STEREO. Use the stereo cassette deck record level
control(s) and, if necessary, the MT100 MASTER fader to
set the optimum record level, then go ahead and record.
The MT100 MASTER fader can also be used to add a slow
fade at the end of the piece.
15

USING THE AUX SEND/RTN LOOP
The MT100's AUX SEND controls function like a secondary mixer that derives its input signals from the main mixer’s four channels
and combines them into a mono signal which is delivered via the AUX SEND jack (refer to the diagram below). You can use the AUX
send controls to create an “effect mix” which is entirely independent of the main mix, thus applying the required degree of effect to
each channel signal. The AUX SEND signal is sent to the input of an external signal processor (reverb, echo or other effect device),
and the output from the signal processor is returned to the AUX IN jack The level of the signal received at the AUX IN jack can be
adjusted using the AUX RTN control, and the resulting signal is combined with the MT100's main stereo output signal.
Since the returned effect signal is combined with the mixer’s stereo output signal, the AUX SEND/RTN loop is most ideally suited to
adding effects to individual tracks during the final mixdown process.
Note: Since the AUX SEND/RTN loop returns the effect signal
to the mixer section’s stereo outputs, effects can be
added to channels during ping-pong recording as long
as the panned channel-to-track assignment method is
used. The AUX SEND/RTN loop cannot be used to add
effects when recording tracks which have been as-
signed using the direct channel-to-track assignment
method.
16 MT100 MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER

PUNCH-IN/OUT RECORDING
Punch-in/out recording makes it possible to re-record a short segment of an otherwise perfect track in order to correct a mistake or
‘brush up” an important passage. You “punch-in” at the point where you begin recording the new segment, and “punch-out” at the
end of the new segment so that the previously-recorded material is not erased.
Punch-in/out Using the REC SELECT Switches
Footswitch Punch-in/out
1. Start the deck running —
a few measures before the sec-
tion to be re-recorded begins — in the record-ready mode
by pressing the REC button and then the PLAY button with
all track REC SELECT switches set to OFF. The red REC
LED will flash indicating that the transport is in the record-
ready mode. The PHONES SELECT switch should be set
to MONITOR so you can hear all the tracks.
2. At a convenient break in the track switch the track to be
corrected to the record mode (punch-in by switching the
REC SELECT switch for that track to the appropriate rec-
ord position) and start playing the new material to be re-
corded. The REC LED will light continuously as soon as
the REC SELECT switch is set to a record position.
3. At the end of the re-recorded segment switch the track
back to the play mode (punch-out by switching the REC
SELECT switch for that track to OFF). The red REC LED
will begin to flash.
1. Plug a YAMAHA FS-3 (optional) footswitch into the MT100
PUNCH l/O jack.
2. Set the REC SELECT switch for the track to be punched-in
to the appropriate record position, and press the REC but-
ton to activate the rec/pause mode. The red REC LED
should flash instead of lighting continuously. lf the red REC
LED lights continuously, press the footswitch once so that it
flashes.
3. Press the PLAY button to start the transport running in the
record-ready mode.
4. Press the footswitch to punch-in. The red REC LED will
light continuously.
5. Press the footswitch a second time to punch-out. The red
REC LED will begin to flash.
17

MAlNTENANCE
As a good general rule, the tape heads, pinchroller and
capstan should be cleaned before each recording, thus
ensuring the best audio quality.
After the deck has been used for a period of time, the
heads, pinchroller, and capstan will become dirty. This
increases noise and uneven rotation, leading to a
deterioration in sound quality. Therefore, periodic clean-
ing and demagnetization is a must to preserve optimal
audio performance.
Use cotton swabs and alcohol or head cleaning fluid
(available in most all audio stores) to clean the heads,
capstan, and pinchroller. Keeping the heads clean is
essential for good recordings. For demagnetization, use
a quality head demagnetizer, and follow the, instructions
carefully.
18 MT100 MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER