If a recording's playback speed or tempo needs to be faster or slower, the VS-2480's COMP/EXP (compression/expansion) function can be used to change this. The following article will guide through using the COMP/EXP function to change a recording's playback tempo/speed. You will first mix down all tracks to one stereo track using the Mastering Room and then this stereo mixdown track will be compressed (faster) or expanded (slower).
Notes:
- If you're using an external VGA video monitor, press and hold the SHIFT button and then, while holding this button, press UTILITY. This will put the unit in internal LCD mode.
- The VARI PITCH function is for monitoring purposes only and can't be recorded.
Mixing Down in the Mastering Room
- Press the CDRW MASTERING button.
- CURSOR to "Mastering Room" on the screen and then press ENTER.
- CURSOR to "MASTERING ROOM" and turn the TIME/VALUE dial to select "On".
- CURSOR to Status and select "Rec".
- Be sure that "CDR Rec MODE" is set to "Off" and is not set to "On".
- Notice the field labeled "V.Track". This indicates where the mixdown will be recorded. The default is "23/24-16" (track 23 virtual track 16 and track 24 virtual track 16) and does not need to be changed.
- Press PLAY and make any settings needed so that the song/recording sounds the way you like. This includes any fader volume, pan or effects settings.
- Press REC and then press PLAY. The mixdown will begin and what you hear will be recorded to the track shown in "V.Track". Again, this defaults to "23/24-16" (track 23 virtual track 16 and track 24 virtual track 16).
- After the song is done, press STOP.
- To listen to your mix, change the STATUS of the Mastering Room from "Rec" to "Play".
- Push "Play". You are now hearing your 2 Track Mix.
- Set MASTERING ROOM to "Off".
Setting Up the Mixdown Tracks
- Be sure that the MASTERING ROOM is set to "Off".
- Press the TR 1-16 button above the red MASTER fader..
- Bring down the volume of all track faders 1 through 16.
- Press the TR 17-24/FX RTN button.
- Bring down the volume of track faders 17 through 22. Leave track faders 23 and 24 up.
- Press the CH EDIT button for Track 23.
- CURSOR to "V.Trk" and turn the TIME/VALUE dial to select the V.Track that was selected in the Mastering Room before mixing down (in step 6 above). For example, if "23/24-16" was selected in the "V.Track" section of the Mastering Room, select V.Trk 16 here:
- Press the CH EDIT button for Channel 24 and select the same V.Trk as Channel 23 above (so that they are identical).
Compressing or Expanding the Mix
- Press the TRACK button.
- Press F6 until "Region" appears on the screen.
- CURSOR to COMP/EXP on the screen and then press ENTER.
- Press F1 ("Sel Trk") to select the track to be compressed or expanded.
- CURSOR to tracks 23 and 24 and press F3 ("MARK") to place a checkmark next to both tracks.
- Press F1 ("BACK").
- Use the CURSOR dial to make the following settings:
IN: This is the beginging of the REGION you want to expand or compress. Set this to the beginning of the recording at 00h00m00x00f00.
OUT: This is the end of the REGION you want to expand or compress. Set this to the end of the recording.
TYPE: Set this to "Slow" or "Fast"--depending on the current tempo of the song.
TO: This is the parameter that the OUT point will stretch to (expand or compress). If you want to speed up the recording, set this to before the OUT point. If you want to slow down the recording, set this to after the OUT point.
PITCH: Set this to "Fixed" so that the pitch of the recording doesn't change.
AMP: Leave this at 100%. - Press F5 ("OK") and then press ENTER.
- Press PLAY to hear the change.