Thread: How do i use the following equipment to its max use?

Over the years I have accumulated the following equipment. Over the years I have used it to create both instrument and instrumental with vocal tracks for my own performance use using a minimum amount of equipment and without paying an arm and a leg. WHAT I HAVE LEARNED TO DO OVER THE YEARS, I'VE TAUGHT MYSELF AND I AM NOT "INDUSTRY TRAINED". I am trying to determine whether the same equipment is enough to produce others while creating a product comparable to industry standards.
I currently have: Korg 88 WORKSTATION with the max sample cards installed---YAMAHA MOTIF XS7 with max sample card memory installed------SO I WON'T HAVE TO USE A LABTOP I PURCHASED A Tascam DIGITAL PORTASTUDIO 01FX WITH COMPACT REWRITABLE DISC----I find labtops very unstable sometimes and the previous equipment can store the information just like a computer can.

Since I purchased the KORG and MOTIF which gives me the capability to upload and process everything I HAVE NEGLECTING IN USING THE FOLLOWING ITEMS--
AN M-AUDIO MOBILE PRE, USB PRAMP AUDIO INTERFACE/W PHANTOM POWER AND INFACE MIDI CABLE WIHICH I'VE NEVER USED----AN M-AUDIO TAMPA PREAMP WITH TEMPORAL HARMONIC ALIGNMENT, WHICH I'M NOT EVEN SURE HOW TO USE AND ENHANCE A RECORDING [JUST BEING HONEST]----2 "ROKIT" POWERED AMPS----1 PHANTOM POWERED MIC-----1 DYNAMIC PERFORMANCE MIC----AUXILARY EQUIPMENT INCLUDES --- A SONY CD RECORDER, SMALL MP3 RECORDER, A SMALL POCKET MICRO BR DIGITAL RECORDER which is actually a very flexible device for around $130.00 bucks.
So, How do I maximize this equipment to produce for myself as well as others?
Also, I realize I will probably need more recording mics but Is there still some equipment I need to purchase?

Your equipment is extremely limited for "producing others". First of all, the TASCAM only records two tracks at once? It has a limited number of inputs? Depending 'what' of others you want to produce...that may be enough for a demo, if they are also solo artists who want to use, say, samples and stuff with a vocal, or an acoustic guitar/singer. You'll run into a brick wall with band. You'd need at LEAST a mixer, and good real-time mixing skills to record a full band down to only a two-track stereo mix. Remember...once everything is mixed to two tracks (level, pans, EQ's, etc.) you are extremely limited in further processing, and completely limited in further mixing amongst the instruments/vocals.

Computer interfaces and software allow MUCH, MUCH more flexibility in available tracks to record to at once, individual track processing, mixing (levels, EQ's, pans, individual tracks' effects, etc.)

DAWs with good MIDI integration (Cubase, Sonar, etc) also allow you to record MIDI data in from the keyboards, and trigger the keyboards' sounds...AND any other sounds you may have in (or out of) the computer, such as samples (keyboard and software), high-quality soundcards, outboard sound modules, etc. You can also do VERY intricate MIDI data manipulation to control all kinds of things in devices...like filters, cross-panning, levels manipulation, modulations and pitch bends and a ton of other stuff, including sending patch changes, etc. You can also copy the data in one MIDI track, and create one or more tracks to play the same performance using a different sample/sound. Maybe you like two snare drums' sounds, but neither is exactly right. Maybe one is snappy and crisp, but lacks body...and another has body, but is dull? Use both, and mix to taste.

You don't even have to commit any MIDI parts to audio until all the "real" audio has been recorded, so that will give you options to, perhaps, find other samples/instruments to fit around the audio better, instead of trying to destructively EQ the crap out of the audio to fit into the MIDI sounds. The MIDI parts will play along just fine, with the DAW audio as master.

It's easy to copy and paste parts...or entire verses, choruses, etc.

While the TASCAM may have some processing (compressors, reverbs, choruses, etc.) it's very likely you could get better-sounding software ones relatively inexpensively...with even more control and features. Heck, there may even be some free ones that will outperform the ol' TASCAM effects?

Track editing and functionality, throughout, will be much, much easier on a computer screen with relatively easy access to many function screens than menu'ing your way through the TASCAM.

You are limiting yourself with your setup. Can you do recordings? Sure. You are limited to how much you can do at once. You are limited to only what the TASCAM offers as far as mixing/effects/etc.

It all depends on what you want to do, and how satisfied you are with limited functionality and effects/mixing choices.

You can squeeze demo material out of that, sure. That's what most people use them for. That, or as handy scratchpads to capture ideas, etc.

Good luck,

Kapt.Krunch