Master Mix on Fostex Digital 8 track

[Rusty]

Any Fostex users out there? I forget my model number - 8 track recorder (4 tracks at a time) with CD burner. I'm seeking advice regarding the order in which the tracks should be recorded and how they should be mixed. I have some M Audio speakers - which tend to sound "muddy". I'll get a mix that sounds good in the headphones only to have it sound like crap through the speakers. Trackwise - I usually start (first 4 tracks) with drums (electronic pads or "key" drums) - centered; bass - also centered; vocal - centered and either a guitar or keys track - panned slightly to one side or the other. - I'll bounce these to the tracks 1-4 bus, then add other guitar, vocal etc. I always pan bass/drums/vocal to center. - Anyway, this is how I've been doing it. Does anybody have a method or system that works best?

Thanks!
"Rusty"

 

[pcrecord]

With limited tracks, the modo of many engineer have been mix and dumping or bouncing as you say.
I have hard time accepting mono drums with any setups.. You can record the drums on 4 tracks, mix the tracks and record the result on a pair of tracks then you are ready to record more. (assuming it's an acoustic drum, 4 tracks is not bad if the placement is right.. If it's an electronic drum, L/R is enough unless you want to have the bass drum and snare seperatly and the rest on a 2 tracks L/R.. More control.
2 guitars for left and right then 1 track for solo then dump it to 2 tracks (you then have 2 for drums 2 for guitars) you can then record the bass and 3 more tracks vocals and/or keys...
That will be my way to go. They've all done it, beatles and many others..

Good thing about this is you need to commit to your decisions at each step. People tend to run around the tree way to much with computers these days...

If your monitors aren't helping you either adjust your room with treatment or get better speaker.. Maybe some bass traps would remove some of the muddyness your room gives you.. Nothing worst than having tools working against you !
Anyway that's my 2 cents nothing is wrong about how you do it, except keeping bad speakers around if that's the case.