Yamaha MT3X User manual

AMAHA
MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER
ENREGISTREUR DE CASSETTE MULTIPISTE
MEHRSPUR-KASSETTENDECK
МТТ -з2<
OPERATION MANUAL
MANUEL D'INSTRUCTIONS
BEDIENUNGSANLEITUNG
4 оро LADO AN LOT COUNTER YAMAHA MULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER.
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MICILINE Y MICILINE 2

CONGRATULATIONS!
Your MT3X Multitrack Cassette Recorder is a fine creative tool that will enable you to work with sound in many ways.
Whether you need to record acoustic instruments or voice using microphones, electronic instruments and sources via
direct line, or a creative blend of the two, the MT3X 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 tech-
nique to individually record up to ten independent parts — adding sound layer by layer until you create exactly the ar-
rangement and texture your imagination demands. There’ s even a sophisticated auto punch-inlout feature that lets you
re-record a section of a previously recorded track with automated convenience. The MT3X is just as easy to use alone
or with a band. And, because it's a YAMAHA, you know that the MT3X will give you the very finest sound quality and
overall performance available.
In order to make use of the MI3X' s many features and obtain maximum performance, we urge you to read this opera-
tion manual thoroughly — and keep it in a safe place for later reference.
CONTENTS
PRECAUTIONS 7: cox tesa a oar ee PP ERE T eege 2
BEFORE- OPERATION 255555 м a ai 3
THE CONTROLS AND CONNECTORS ..................................... 5
CONNECTION EXAMPLES 22522 odin eS iG au ааа Тијана ва наст tin DOR ARN A 13
THE RECORDING PROCESS 2.2 nun ааа а Ya d ви 14
RECORDING THE FIRST TRACK ........................................ 15
STEP 1: CHANNEL-TO-TRACK ASSIGNMENT ........................ 15
STEP 2: MONITOR SETUP 22:2 22mm sale ued RC ed S 16
STEP 3: SETTING RECORDING LEVELS ............................ 17
STEPS RECORD Ar рала ie wav ees EE 17
OVERDUBBING ........................ КОКТО УКО Р УОК СО ГС 18
PING-PONG RECORDING ......................... ete aim уалы ры ыз 19
A PING-PONG RECORDING EXAMPLE ............................. 20
MIXDOWN ык асық ЫП ны He WAN ҚЫН МАЯ ҚБ ра 21
USING THE AUX SEND/RTN LOOPS ................ E Re И 22
PUNCH-IN/OUT RECORDING ...........:................................ 23
Manual Punch-in/out Using the REC SELECT Switches ................. 23
Footswitch Punch-in/out ........................................... 23
Automatic Punch-in/out .. :... hh hh neas 24
MIDI SYNC OPERATION ................. DE жаза Elte 25
MAINTENANCE
.......
e
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rus
BEER
UNE
26
SPECIFICATIONS `... 27
BLOCK DIAGRAM ... не EEN 28

PRECAUTIONS
. 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 loca-
tions which are subject to excessive dust accumula-
tion or vibration which could cause mechanical dam-
age.
. AVOID PHYSICAL SHOCKS
Strong physical shocks to the unit can cause dam-
age. Handle it with care.
.ОО NOT OPEN THE CASE OR ATTEMPT
REPAIRS OR MODIFICATIONS 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 circuitry will void the warranty.
. МАКЕ SURE POWER IS OFF BEFORE
MAKING OR REMOVING CONNECTIONS
Always turn the power OFF prior to connecting or
disconnecting cables. This is important to prevent
damage to the unit itself as well as other connected
equipment.
. 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.
. ALWAYS USE THE CORRECT POWER
SUPPLY
The МТЗХ is sold with the appropriate power specifi-
cations for the local area (power supply voltage and.
power consumption are listed on the bottom panel).
H you move to a different area that might have а
different AC mains voltage, however, be sure to
check with your nearest YAMAHA dealer before us-
ing your МТЗХ.
. KEEP THE HEADS AND TAPE PATH CLEAN
To ensure consistent high performance and sound
quality from your МТЗХ, it is important to clean the
head and tape path regularly (ideally before each
recording session). To do this, use a cleaning kit
specifically designed for use with cassette tape
equipment.
. USE ONLY HIGH-QUALITY CHROME
CASSETTE TAPE
The МТЗХ is designed for use with CrO2 (chrome)
formulation tape, and will not provide proper per-
formance with any other type of tape. Always choose
cassette tapes from a reliable manufacturer.
FCC CERTIFICATION (USA)
This equipment generates and uses radio frequency en-
ergy and if not installed and used properly, that is, in strict
accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, may
cause interference to radio and television reception. It has
been type tested and found to comply with the limits for a
Class B computing device in accordance with the specifica-
tions in Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC Rules, which are de-
signed to provide reasonable protection against such inter-
ference in a residential installation. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular in-
stallation. If this equipment does cause interference to
rado or television reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged
to try to correct the interference Бу one or more of the
following measures:
Reorient the receiving antenna.
Relocate the computer with respect to the receiver.
Move the computer away from the receiver.
Plug the computer into a different outlet so that com-
puter and receiver are on different branch circuits.
If necessary, the user should consult the dealer or an
experienced radio/television technician for additional sug-
gestions. The user may find the following booklet prepared
by the Federal Communications Commission helpful;
"How to identify and Resolve Radio-TV interfernce -
problem". This booklet is available from the U.S. Govern-
ment Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, Stock No.
004-000-00345-4.
This information òn- safety: is provided-to comply. with: U.S.A. laws; but should.be observed Бу users in:all countries. |

BEFORE
OPERATION
D
M
THE
DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN
TRACKS
AND
CHANNELS
The
words
“track”
and
“channel”
are
often
confused.
In
order
to
properly
operate
this
unit,
stand the meanings of these terms.
TRACK:
The
“band”
on
the
tape
itself
where
a
certain
signal
is
recorded.
The
tape
inside
a
cassette
has
four
different
tracks,
enabling
the
recording
of
four
distinct
signals.
For
conventional
recordings,
there
are
two
tracks
(ste-
reo
left
and
right)
on
each
of
the
tape.
it is necessary to under-
CHANNEL:
The
route
of
a
signal
input
or
output.
In
the
input
side,
this
unit
has
six
INPUT
channels
and
two
AUX
chan-
nels.
The
output
side
consists
of
one
stereo
channel
(made
up
of
two
mono
channels)
and
an
AUX
channel.
Ш
WHAT
IS
A
MULTITRACK
CASSETTE
RECORDER
?
The
difference
between
the
MT3X
multitrack
cassette
recorder
and
a
conventional
stereo
cassette
deck
is
shown
below.
CONVENTIONAL STEREO CASSETTE DECK
MT3X
MULTITRACK
CASSETTE
RECORDER
For channel 4
For channel 3
For channel 2
For channel 1
Track for channel 4 (track 4)
Track for channel 3 (track 3)
Track for channel 2 (track 2)
Track for channel 1 (track 1)
*-For left channel track on the B side
For right channel track on the B side
For right channel track on the A side
For left channel track on the A side
The
diagram
shows
how
a
conventional
stereo
cas-
sette
deck
records
and
plays
back
music.
The
four
tracks
on
a
cassette
tape
represent
the
left
and
right
(for
stereo)
sound
for
each
side
of
the
tape.
The
МТЗХ
uses
these
four
tracks
for
single-direction
recording
and
playback
on
only
one
side
of
a
cassette
tape.
Conventional
stereo
cassette
recorders
always
record
and
play
back
in
the
same
mode,
with
the
tape
side
(direction)
determining
which
two
tracks
will
be
used.
These
recorders
do
not
allow
separate
selection
of
tracks
for
recording
and
playback.
|
Multitrack
recorders,
however,
allow
you
to
record
ог
playback
tracks
separately
as
you
choose.
This
en-
ables
a
degree
of
recording
and
playback
freedom
not
possible
with
conventional
cassette
recorders.

Ш ABOUT CASSETTE TAPES
This
unit
is
designed
to
be
used
only
with
Chromeposition
tape,
and
will
not
work
properly
with
Ferrichrome
tape
formulations.
CrO2
tape
(Bias:
HIGH;
EQ:
70us)
should
be
used.
Also,
the
use
of
C-120
tapes
is
not
recommended
because
they
exhibit
poorer
performance,
and
can
be
the
cause
of
equipment
failure.
@ 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
imple-
ment,
it
will
not
be
possible
to
record
on
the
corre-
sponding
side
of
the
tape.
This
will
protect
your
record-
ings
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
уош'а
like
to
record
over
a
tape
with
the
tabs
broken
out,
just
cover
the
holes
(where
the
tabs
were)
with
tape.
е PREVENTING ACCIDENTAL ТАРЕ ERASURE:
Break off the tab
with a screwdriver
similar implenent.
A side tab
B side tab
$
•
RECORDING
OVER
A
TAPE
WITH
THE
TABS
BROKEN
OUT:
Cover the hole with
adhesive tape.
or
Ф 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.
€ 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
alterd
to.some
degree.

THE CONTROLS AND CONNECTORS
— CONTROL PANEL —
IULTITRACK CASSETTE RECORDER.
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— FRONT PANEL —
LINE 6 PHONES PUNCH ИО

Ө Input Jacks 1—6
‚ These six input jacks (MIC/LINE 1, MIC/LINE 2 and
LINE 3 through LINE 6) accept signals from any
line-level source such as an electronic musical in-
strument or a tape player. MIC/LINE jacks 1 and 2
CHANNELS AND TRACKS
The
terms
“channel”
and
“track”
are
used
in
this
operation
manual
to
differentiate
be-
tween
the
MT3X
mixer
section's
six
“channels”
and
the
recorder
section's
four
“tracks.”
“Track”
is
also
used
when
referring
to
the
four
“tracks”
actually
recorded
on
the
tape.
. also accept signals from electric musical instru-
ments such as electric guitars and basses, or mi-
crophones. Inputs 1 through 6 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 MT3X’s mixer.
MIC/LINE Trim Controls (Channels 1 and 2
only) |
The trim controls adjust the sensitivity of the chan-
nel-1 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-1
and channel-2 faders to set the optimum recording
level
with
a
wide
range
of
sources
(see
“SETTING
RECORDING LEVELS” on page 17).
TAPE-OFF-MIC/LINE
(TAPE-OFF-LINE)
Se-
lector
(Channels
1
through
4
only)
These selectors determine whether the input to the `
corresponding mixer channel is the output from the
correspondingly numbered track of the МТЗХ re-
corder section, or the channel MIC/LINE or LINE
input.
The
OFF
position
turns
the
input
to
that.
channel OFF. Channels 5 and 6 accept line-level
input only.
Ө EQLO & HI Controls
These
controls
permit
individually
modifying
the
re-
sponse
of
each
channel.
The
HI
and
LO
EQ
con-
trols function as follows:
Shelving
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100 200 500 ж 2k 5x 00k 20k
FREQUENCY (Hz)
Ө AUX 1 and AUX 2 Controls
The AUX controls are used primarily when adding
effects such as reverberation or delays to the
sound of each channel or track. The AUX 1 and
AUX 2 controls on each mixer channel determine
the amount of signal from that channel sent to the
AUX SND 1 or AUX SND 2 jack, respectively. The
AUX SND jacks can be connected to the input of
an external signal processor such as the YAMAHA
SPX900 Professional Multi-Effect Processor (see
“USING THE AUX SEND/RTN LOOPS” on page
22).

Ө PAN Controls
The
PAN
controls
assign
the
signal
from
the
corre-
sponding
mixer
channel
to
any
desired
position
in
the
“stereo
sound
field.”
If
a
PAN
control
is
set
to
the
maximum
“LEFT”
position,
the
signal
from
that
channel
will
appear
only
at
the
left-channel
MT3X
output
(ST
OUT
1).
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
out-
puts,
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
out-
puts.
The
PAN
controls
can
also
be
used
during
record-
ing
to
assign
the
signal
from
several
channels
to
a
single
track
of
the
recorder
section,
or
to
assign
a
channel
to
а
differently-numbered
recorder
track
(see
"CHANNEL-TO-TRACK
ASSIGNMENT”
оп
page
15).
LEFT
SPEAKER
RIGHT
SPEAKEP
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Ў. LEFT ——PAN—=RIGHT „
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Channel Faders
The
channel
faders
are
used
to
adjust
the
level
(volume)
of
the
corresponding
mixer
channel's
sig-
nal,
whether
it
comes
from
a
source
plugged
into
an
input
jack
or
from
the
MT3X'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
а
recording.
O REC SELECT Switches
The
REC
SELECT
switches
are
used
when
record-
ing
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
ASSIGN-
MENT” on page 15).
NOTE:
When
any
of
the
REC
SELECT
switches
are
set
to
a
position
other
than
OFF,
the
red
“Ф
REC”
indicator
below
the
corresponding
channel's
bar-graph
level
meter
(see
“CENTRAL
DISPLAY
PANEL”
on
page
11)
will
flash,
indicating
that
the
МТЗХ
is
set
up
to
record.
© SYNC Switch
When
the
SYNC
switch
is
turned
ON
(the
SYNC
in-
dicator
will
light),
the
input
and
output
to
and
from
track
4
of
the
MT3X
recorder
are
diverted
to
the
rear-panel
SYNC
IN
and
OUT
jacks.
The
SYNC
IN
and
OUT
jacks
can
be
connected
to
the
corre-
sponding
input
and
output
of
an
external
MIDI
con-
verter
unit
such
as
the
YAMAHA
YMC-10,
allowing
MIDI
sequence
recorders,
rhythm
programmers,
computers
or
similar
equipment
to
be
synchronized
to
playback
of
the
МТЗХ.

MIXER MASTER SECTION -
® AUX SEND 1 and AUX SEND 2 Controls
These adjust the overall output level of the AUX 1
and AUX 2 “mixes” set up using the corresponding
channel
AUX
controls:
AUX
SEND
1
sets
the
over-
all level of the AUX 1 mix signal appearing at the
AUX SND 1 jack, and AUX SND 2 sets the overall
level of the AUX 2 mix signal appearing at the AUX
SND
2
jack.
These
controls
should
be
used
to
opti-
mally match the AUX SND output level of the mixer
to the input sensitivity of the external signal proc-
essing device used.
AUX RTN 1 and AUX RTN 2 Controls
The
AUX
RTN
1
and
AUX
RTN
2
controls
deter-
mine
the
level
at
which
the
signal
from
an
external
signal
processor
fed
by
the
corresponding
AUX
SND
jack
is
returned
and
mixed
in
with
the
MT3X's
main
stereo
output
signal.
The
output
from
an
ex-
ternal
signal
processor
fed
by
the
AUX
SND
1
or
AUX
SND
2
jack
must
be
connected
to
the
AUX
RTN
1
(L/R)
or
AUX
RTN
2
(L/R)
jacks
(see
“US-
ING
THE
AUX
SEND/RTN
LOOPS"
on
page
22).
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 “MONI-
TOR” or “MIX.” The MONITOR controls are primar-
ily used to set up the optimum levels for monitoring
recorded tracks while recording new material (over-
dubbing).
PHONES SELECT Switch
The MT3X permits convenient headphone monitor-
ing via a pair of headphones plugged into the
PHONES jack. The PHONES: SELECT switch de-
termines 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 MONITOR con-
trols.
MIX: Both the output from the recorder’s four tracks
(via the MONITOR controls) and the stereo
m
THE
CONTROLS
AND
CONNECTORS
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
adjusts
both
the
level
of
the
headphone
signal
appearing
at
the
PHONES
jack
and
the
level
of
the
signal
appearing
at
the
rear-
panel
MONITOR
OUT
jacks,
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
convenient
way
to
listen
to
the
MT3X's
various
signals,
and
we
recommend
that
you
obtain
a
pair
of
high-quality
monitoring
headphones
for
this
purpose.
The
YAMAHA
RH-
series
Monitor
Headphones
are
ideal.
MASTER Fader |
The
MASTER
fader
sets
the
overall
output
level
of
the
MT3X
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
LEVELS"
on
page
17).

MULTITRACK
RECORDER
SECTION
Ф dbx ON/OFF Switch
The
dbx
switch
determines
whether
the
MT3X's
internal
dbx
noise
reduction
system
is
ON
or
OFF.
For
normal
recording
and
playback
using
the
МТЗХ,
the
dbx
switch
should
be
turned
ON.
This
provides
a
significantly
improved
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.
TAPE SPEED Switch
The
TAPE
SPEED
switch
selects
either
the
stan-
dard
4.75-cm/sec
cassette
tape
speed,
or
the
MT3X's
special
9.5-cm/sec
high
tape
speed.
Use
the
standard
(4:75)
speed
when
replaying
tapes
recorded
on
standard
cassette
recorders,
or
to
ob-
tain
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
rec-
ommend
that
you
use
the
high
speed
for
all
impor-
tant
recordings.
PITCH Control
The
PITCH
control
varies
tape
speed
by
+10%,
making
it
possible
to
*tune"
material
recorded
on
the
MT3X
to
match
the
pitch
of
musical
instru-
ments,
or
to
slightly
lengthen
or
shorten
the
running
time of a recording to meet specific timing require- .
ments.
Tape
speed
is
normal
when
the
PITCH
control
is
set
to
its
center
click-stop
position.
Tape
Speed
is increased
by
sliding
the
control
towards
the
“+”
end
of
the
scale,
and
decreased
by
sliding
the
control
towards
the
“—
end
of
the
scale.
ZERO STOP Button
The
ZERO
STOP
button
provides
a
fast,
easy
way
to
locate
a
specific
location
on
the tape.
This
is
particularly
handy
in
multitrack
recording,
since
it
is
necessary
to
repeatedly
rewind
the
tape
to
the
same
point
to
record
overdubs
(i.e.
record
a
new
track
while
monitoring
previously
recorded
tracks).
=
To
use
the
ZERO
STOP
function,
set
the
tape
counter
(below)
to
“0000”
at
the
point
you
wish
to
locate
by
pressing
the
COUNTER
RESET
button.
Then,
with
the
ZERO
STOP
function.
ON
(the
ZERO
STOP
“ON”
indicator
in
the
central
display
panel
will
light),
the
tape
will
automatically
stop
from
the
rewind
or
fast
forward
modes
when
the
counter
“0000”
position
is
reached.
AUTO PUNCH UO Button
This
button
activates
the
MT3X’s
automatic
punch-
in/out
function,
making
a
simple
operation
to
re-
record
any
section
of
a
previously
recorded
track.
When
the
AUTO
PUNCH
I/O
button
is
pressed
—
after
the
punch-in
and
punch-out
points
have
been
specified
using
the
AUTO
PUNCH
MEMO
button
(below)
—
the
AUTO
PUNCH
I/O
“I/O”
indicator
іп
the
central
display
panel
will
light,
indicating
that
the
AUTO
PUNCH
МО
function
is
ready.
If
the
transport
is
now
set
running
in
the
record
mode
in
the
normal
way,
the
record
mode
will
automatically
be
entered
only
during
the
specified
section
of
the
selected
track(s).
See
“Automatic
Punch-in/out”
on
page
24
for
full
details.
AUTO PUNCH MEMO Button
This
button
is
used
to
specify
the
start
and
end
(punch-in
and
punch-out)
points
for
the
MT3X's
AUTO
PUNCH
1/0
function.
While
running
the
tape
in
the
playback
mode,
press
the
AUTO
PUNCH
MEMO
button
once
to
specify
the
punch-in
point
(the
AUTO
PUNCH
МО
"MEMO"
indicator
will
flash),
and
then
again
to
specify
the
punch-out
point
(the
AUTO
PUNCH
1/0
“МЕМО”
indicator
will
light
continuously).
See
“Automatic
Punch-in/out”
on
page
24
for
full
details.
|
COUNTER RESET Button
The
COUNTER
RESET
button
resets
the
elec-
tronic
tape
counter
to
“0000”
at
the
current
tape
position.
|

@ Transport Controls
These light-touch electronic transport controls pro-
vide smooth, sure control of all tape transport func-
tions.
PLAY: Starts the transport running in the PLAY
mode. The green “PLAY” indicator in.the cen-
tral display panel 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 indica-
tor will flash and the green PAUSE ‘indicator `
will light. If any of the REC SELECT switches
are set to a position other than OFF, both the
red REC and green PAUSE indicators will
light continuously. In this mode the transport
is not yet running and recording has not be-
gun.
From the REC/PAUSE mode, press the PLAY
button to actually start the transport running in
THE
CONTROLS
AND
CONNECTORS
REWIND
(REW)
&
FAST
FORWARD
(FF):
These
buttons
cause
fast
winding
of
the
tape
in
the
specified
direction.
STOP:
Immediately
stops
the
transport
from
any
of
its
operational
modes.
Cassette Compartment
Your cassette tape is loaded here. Use only high-
quality chrome (CrO2) formula cassette tape. Other
types of tape will not provide correct frequency
_ characteristics and. minimum noise with the MT3X.
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 —
the RECORD mode (if any of the REC SE-
LECT 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 indica-
tors both light during recording. The red REC
indicator will continue to flash and recording
will not occur if none of the REC SELECT
switches are set to a recording position.
GENTLY! Close the compartment lid when ready.
NOTE: -
Since the MT3X uses the entire width of the cassette
tape to record four tracks, the cassette can only be
recorded on one side. If you attempt to flip the cas-
sette and record on the second side, you will erase
any previously recorded material. .
NOTE:
Only tracks for which the REC SELECT switch is set
to a recording position will be recorded when the
RECORD mode is activated.
Ф PUNCH UO Footswitch Jack
An optional YAMAHA FS-1 Footswitch can be con-
nected to this jack to permit foot-controlled punch-
іп and punch-out recording (see *PUNCH-IN/OUT
NOTE:
RECORDING"
on
page
23).
.
The
RECORD
mode
cannot
be
activated
if
a
cas-
2D
sette is loaded from which the record-prevention tab
has been removed.
PAUSE: Temporarily stops playback or recording.
The green PAUSE indicator will light when the
PAUSE mode is active. Press the PLAY but-
ton to disengage the PAUSE mode and con-
tinue playback or recording.
-ioe

CENTRAL DISPLAYPANEL
|
a Ф
REC E EE
@ Recorder Track Level Meters
These
four
vertical
bar-graph
type
peak
meters
accurately
display
output
levels
from
the
MT3X's
four
recorder
tracks.
The
track
level
meters
are
important
for
setting
up
the
optimum
recording
lev-
els
when
recording
new
material
(see
"SETTING
RECORDING
LEVELS"
on
page
17).
LEFT
and
RIGHT
Master
Stereo
Level
Me-
ters
The
horizontal
LEFT
and
RIGHT
level
meters
show
levels
on
the
MT3X
stereo
master
buss
—
so
you
have
an
accurate
visual
indication
of
overall
pro-
gram
signal
level.
Electronic Tape Counter
The
MT3X's
electronic
four-digit
tape
counter
pro-
vides
a
handy
index
to
tape
position.
It’s
a
good
idea
to
write
down
the
counter
readings
for
impor-
tant
points
of
a
recording,
so
you
can
locate
them
easily
afterwards.
SERES
@ Mode Indicators
The
“©
REC"
indicators
below
each
vertical
track
level
meter
show
which
tracks
are
ready
to
record,
the
“REC,” “PLAY,”
and
“PAUSE”
indicators
show
the
current
transport
mode,
the
ZERO
STOP
"ON"
indicator
lets
you
know
when
the
ZERO
STOP
function
is
ON,
and
the
AUTO
PUNCH
I/O
“I/O”
and
“МЕМО”
indicators
tell
you
the
current
status
of
the
AUTO
PUNCH
UO
function.

_ВЕАВ РАМЕ 002
THE
CONTROLS
AND
CONNECTORS
SYNC ST OUT. TAPE OUT:
К ӨРҮҮЧҮ
© ©
С
@ TAPE OUT Jacks
The
four
TAPE
OUT
jacks
are
direct
outputs
from
the
corresponding
tracks
of
the
МТЗХ
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
re-
turned
to the
MT3X’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 МТЗХ, deliv-
ering the stereo output signal from the MT3X 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
MT3X
master
tape.
The
ST OUT R and L jacks are RCA pin types with a
nominal output level of -10 dB when feeding a load
of greater than 50 k-ohms.
– 12 -
® SYNC IN and OUT Jacks
These
jacks
can
be
connected
to
the
correspond-
ing
input
and
output
of
an
external
MIDI
converter
unit
such
as
the
YAMAHA
YMC-10,
allowing
re-
cording
of
an
FSK
synchronization
signal
on
track
4
of
the
MT3X
recorder
section
(the
MT3X
SYNC
switch
must
be
ON).
The
recorded
sync
signal
can
be
used
to
synchronize
MIDI
sequence
recorders,
rhythm
programmers,
computers
or
similar
equip-
ment
to
playback
of
the
МТЗХ.
AUX SND 8 RTN Jacks `
The
AUX
SND
(1
and
2)
and
RTN
(1
and
2)
jacks
make
it
simple
to
use
external
signal
processors
(such
as
the
YAMAHA
SPX900
Professional
Multi-
Effect
Processor)
to
add
effects
to
MT3X
signals.
The
AUX
SND
1
or
2
jack
should
be
connected
to
the
input
of
your
signal
processor,
and
the
output
from
your
signal
processor
should
be
connected
to
the
corresponding
AUX
RTN
jacks.
Stereo
AUX
RTN
jacks
are
provided
for
both
AUX
RTN
1
and
2,
providing
compatibility
with
the
wide
range
of
high-
performance
mono-in/stereo-out
signal
processors
currently
available.
Dual
AUX
SEND/RTN
loops
afford
extra
signal
processing
versatility.
(see
“US-
ING
THE
AUX
SEND/RTN
LOOPS"
on
page
22).

Ө
MONITOR
OUT
L
and
В
Jacks
Ф
POWER
Switch
|
These
jacks
deliver
a
line-level
version
of
the
same
Press
the
POWER
switch
once
to
turn
power
ON,
a
signal
that
appears
at
the
PHONES
jack,
and
thus
second
time
to
turn
power
OFF.
the
signal
can
be
selected
using
the
PHONES
SE-
LECT
switch.
The
MONITOR
OUT
level
is
con-
trolled
by
the
PHONES
control.
The
MONITOR
OUT
jacks
can
be
used
to
feed
a
power
amp/
speaker
system
for
open-air
(i.e.
non-headphone)
monitoring.
NOTE:
№
you
are
familiar
with
block
diagrams
of
electronic
equipment,
refer
to
the
“BLOCK
DIAGRAM”
on
page
28
for
a
full
overview
of
the
MT3X
system.
CONNECTION
EXAMPLES
—
BASIC
CONNECTIONS
—
Stereo cassette deck
t 4
External
effect
unit
o
be
used
for
mixdown
OUTPUT:
L
AUX RTN
L
AUX OUT
SE EE
MIDI MID! instrument
converter
YMC-10
>
- Footswitch
FS-1
PHONES
Microphones
and electronic
instruments
Monitor
headphones
FRE

THE RECORDING PROCESS
Red
Recording
with
the
МТЗХ
is
a
very
simple
process.
A
minimum
of
equipment
will
allow
you
to
create
fairly
sophisti-
cated
recordings:
the
МТЗХ,
а
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.
с) Finalize and rehearse the mix.
d) Connect the MT3X ST OUT jacks to a stereo cassette recorder.
е) Record (from the МТЗХ 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.
-14-

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
МТЗХ
offers
two
“channel-to-track
assignment”
you
the
track
assignments
that
you
need.
©
Direct
Channel-to-Track
Assignment
With
this
method,
an
instrument
or
source
connected
to
опе
of
the
mixer's
first
four
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.
For
direct
channel-to-track
assignment,
the
REC
SE-
LECT
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.
MIXER
SECTION
RECORDER
SECTION
TRACK 1
methods
that
can
be
used
individually
or
combined
to
give
@
Panned
Channel-to-Track
Assignment
The
panned
channel-to-track
assignment
method
makes
it
possible
to
assign
several
of
the
mixer's
chan-
nels
to
a
single
recorder
track,
or
single
mixer
channels
can
be
assigned
to
different
track
numbers.
Each
of
the
REC
SELECT
switches
has
either
an
“L”
or
“А”
position.
These
correspond
to
the
left
(L)
and
right
(В)
channels
of
the
mixer's
output.
If
a
REC
SELECT
switch
is
set
to
“L,”
for
example,
any
of
the
mixer's
six
channels
can
be
assigned
to
the
correspondingly
num-
bered
track
by
setting
its
PAN
control
fully
LEFT.
You
could
assign
channel
1
to
track
4,
for
example,
by
set-
ting
the
channel-4
REC
SELECT
switch
to
“R”
and
the
channel-1
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,
3
and
6
fully
RIGHT.
The
channel-4
and
channel-5
PAN
controls
are
set
fully
LEFT
to
prevent
their
signal
from
reaching
track
4
of
the
recorder.
MIXER
SECTION
RECORDER
SECTION
TRACK
1
TRACK
2
TRACK 3
TRACK 4
- 15-

о
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.
@ PHONES or MONITOR OUT Monitoring
Monitoring
via
a
pair
of
headphones
connected
to
the
PHONES
jack
or
a
sound
system
connected
to
the
MONITOR
OUT
jacks
offers
the
greatest
flexibility
and
is
recommended
for
general
recording.
The
PHONES
SELECT
switch
allows
you
to
select
the
desired
signal
for
monitoring
as
follows:
MONITOR:
In
this
position
only
the
output
from
the
recorders
four
tracks
is
sent
directly
to
the
PHONES
and
MONITOR
OUT
jacks
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
record-
ing
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
PHONES
and
MONITOR
OUT
jacks
via
the
corresponding
MONITOR
controls
as
long
as
the
REC
SELECT
switches
for
the
playback
channels
are
set
to
OFF.
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
and
MONITOR
OUT
jacks.
STEREO:
Only
the
stereo
output
from
the
mixer
sec-
tion
is
sent
to
the
PHONES
and
MONITOR
OUT
jacks.
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.
Ф
Monitoring
via
a
Sound
System
Connected
to
the
ST
OUT
Jacks
It
is
also
possible
to
use
a
stereo
sound
system
with
speakers
or
a
pair
of
powered
monitor
speakers
(such
as
the
YAMAHA
MS101
Powered
Monitor
Speaker)
connected
to
the
MT3X
ST
OUT
L
and
R
jacks
for
monitoring.
When
monitoring
via
a
sound
system
in
this
way,
only
the
stereo
output
from
the
MT3X
mixer
sec-
tion
can
be
monitored.
This
is
the
same
situation as
monitoring
via
headphones
with
the
PHONES
SELECT
switch
set
to
STEREO.
The
use
of
a
sound
system
for
monitoring
is
therefore
not
recommended
for
general
recording,
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.
- 16 –

STEP 3: SETTING RECORDING LEVELS
Setting
optimum
recording
levels
is
vitally
important
to
achieve
the
best
possible
recording
quality.
. 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.
. Once everything is properly set up play the source
at the highest (loudest) level that it will be played
while actually recording.
. Set the MASTER fader to about “7” ог “8” on the
scale, and gradually raise the channel fader until
you begin to hear the source sound and see the
LEFT and/or RIGHT level meters 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
applicable)
so
that
the
meter
reading
averages
between
about
“0”
and
“+3”
on
the
scale.
The
channel
1
or
2
CLIP
indicator
should
either
not
light
at
all,
or
light
only
occasionally
on
high-level
peaks.
Ideally,
the
chan-
nel
fader
should
be
set
at
about
“7”
or
“8”
on
its
scale
to
achieve
the
above-mentioned
meter
read-
ing.
This
is
to
ensure
the
best
possible
signal-to-
noise
ratio
and
allow
plenty
of
plus
and
minus
lee-
way
for
later
adjustment.
If
the
fader
setting
is
way
off,
try
adjusting
the
volume
control
on
the
instru-
ment
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
me
new
track,
you're
ready
to
record.
1.
Make
sure
that
a
cassette
has
been
loaded
into
the
4.
Play
back
the
recording
(press
the
PLAY
transport
cassette 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 “0000” at this point so that you
can automatically locate the beginning of ‘the re-
cording later using the ZERO STOP function.
. Press the REC button and then the PLAY button to
Start recording, wait a few seconds, and start play-
ing.
. 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 automatically at counter
"0000" if the ZERO STOP function is ON).
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
опе-
or
two-
-measure
count-in
in
your
first
track,
you'll
have
а
heck
of
a
time
trying
to
coordinate
the
beginning
of
'
your
second
track
with
the
first.
- 17-

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 19).
1. Plug the instrument or other source to be recorded
into an available channel input.
2. Make sure that the REC SELECTOR switches of
previously-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 SE-
LECT switch should be set to MIX). |
5. Set the recording level for the new track.
6. You can now “rehearse” the overdub without actu-
ally recording 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.
- 18-

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
NOTE:
1,
2,
and
3,
for
example,
and
then
re-record
these
Ping-ponging
is
a
critical
step
because
the
tracks
to
tracks
onto
track
4,
using
the
mixer
controls
to
set
up
be
ping-ponged
must
be
mixed
perfectly
before
you
the
right
balance
between
the
3
original
tracks.
You
can
go
on
to
recording
the
subsequent
tracks.
This
now
have
a
“mix”
of
the
first
3
tracks
on
track
4,
and
is
because
once
they’re
ping-ponged
and
new
mate-
lacks
1,
2,
and
3
are
available
for
more.
recording.
rial
has
been
recorded
on
the
original
tracks,
their
That's
already
the
equivalent
of
6
"tracks"
on
your
4-
|
balance
and
individual
sound
cannot
be
changed
track
recorder.
While
mixing
the
first
3
tracks
down
unless
you
go
back
and
record
the
original
tracks
all
onto
track
4
you
can
also
mix
in
a
live
instrument
via
over
again.
the
MT3X
mixer
section.
That
would
give
you
4
parts
recorded
on
track
4
of
the
tape.
With
the
3
tracks
you
stil
have
available
for
recording,
that's
a
total
of
7
NOTE:
12
tracks.
Now,
if
you
record
only
2
of
the
remaining
It
is
recommended
that
you
record
using
the
9.5
Om
tracks
and
ping-pong
these
to
track
3
while
mixing
in
sec
tape
speed
with
dbx
ON
if
you
plan
to
combine
another
live
instrument,
you’ll
have
4
parts
on
tracks
4,
tracks
using
the
ping-pong
technique.
Under
Some
3
parts
on
track
3,
and
2
tracks
available.
That's
a
total
conditions,
use
of
the
4.75
cm/sec
tape
speed
with
of 9.
Following
this
procedure
it
is
actually
possible
to
noise
reduction
OFF
will
cause
feedback
when
a
record
up
to
10
individual
tracks
without
re-recording
previously
recorded
track
is
re-recorded
onto
an
ad-
any
single
track
more
than
once
(refer
to
the
illustra-
Jacent
track.
tion).
EXAMPLE:
Recording
tracks
"1"
through
"10"
using
the
Ping-
pong
process.
Ping-Pong
1,
2
and
3
Ping-Pong
5
and
6
to
я
Record
parts
1,
2
о
track
4
while
add-
Ser?
3
while
adding
Move
8
to
track
2
Record
10
the
last
and
3.
ingpatt4.
——
——
part
4.
Record
parts
5
and
6.
Record
part
8.
while
adding
9.
art,
TRACK
1
Bere
TRACK
2
[-
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ТВАСК
4
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1,2,3+4
12,344
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_
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