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MPC Sync Track | |
Article from Electronic Soundmaker & Computer Music, July 1984 |
Yazoo for forty quid
Chris Everard tells you why you cannot live without MPC's latest box of tricks.
The Sync Track is very small and devastatingly easy to use. Its in a very durable case which funnily enough is built more robustly than the Roland units its meant to link up to (the 606 and 303 being almost made entirely from aluminium effect plastic!).
The Sync Track takes the syncro-pulse from any one of the Roland units and then amplifies and modifies it into a smooth thin pulse which it then relays via the jack output onto a track of tape. The process is then reversed when syncing up other units (or even the same one to its own signal) and I must say, its a very good design indeed.
I used the Sync Track with my TR606 and two TB303's and found that I could build up very complicated pieces within a very short time. Because you always have the sync pulse at hand on tape, actually recording the last instruments is not necessary. I better explain hadn't I? Say you want to record a drumline and three lots of different sequences and all you've got is a TR606 and one TB303, well, you first laydown your basic tracks which will consist of the drumline and tape sync pulse (courtesy of the Sync Track) and then rewind the tape, you feed the tape pulse back from the machine and into the TB303 sequencer (though its possible to go via the 606 for other applications) and record the desired sequence, then you can do the same thing again and again until all three sequences are laid down — however, if you're on four track or eight track, you can economise on the number of tracks on the recorder you use by leaving the last sequence off tape and just running it 'wild' through the mixer everytime the machine is rewound. Obviously, there are a thousand and one uses for the MPC and some very clever things are possible.
After the initial period of nervousness and nail crunching worry (about six to eight sessions for expectant engineers) tape sync multitracking becomes very easy and straightforward, in fact another way of life! The MPC Sync Track is one of those things that has endless uses, I've even figured out a way of syncing my cassette deck up to my multitrack machine using it! Full marks to MPC for a clever, affordable lifesaver, every kitchen should have one!
MPC Sync Track
(EMM May 84)
Sync or Swim? - MPC Sync Track
(HSR Sep 84)
Browse category: Synchroniser > MPC Electronics
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Review by Chris Everard
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