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The External Multi-Track Recorder

You might hate the touch of a computer and it's unforgiving cold sound, the way it's fan blows, the way the backlit pixels on the screen hurts your eyes, how you must constantly use that evil mouse or headache causing trackpad. Most of all, you just don't wanna work on the damn computer, basically you want to go more of an analog way with a external multi-track recorder aka audio workstation. These will not just be able to record your microphones through it's inputs and let you hear the outputs through your monitors, they also may be able to export your completed file directly to CD (or digital media card, but you'll need to read it off a "computer") basically getting rid of the need for a computer altogether. In todays technology, the onboard mixing and mastering that you'll be able to use inside this beast compares to computers any day. You'll be able to use your external rack equipment directly to it and give yourself less headache and maybe more satisfaction. Many people nowadays just think computers have way too much going for them, plus the VSTs and other plug-ins they like are far beyond the reach of most of the multi-track recorder's. Another con is that they cannot be upgraded (well, with their memory yes.) so a couple years behind bars or in a coma and you may be far behind in times wondering why everybody is using DVDs or some other format for audio and not those obsolete things you use to love called CDs (remember vinyl and cassette tapes).

RECOMMENDED EXTERNAL MULTI-TRACK RECORDERS (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)


Tascam DR-1 Portable Digital Recorder
Price: $399.99


Tascam DP-02CF Portastudio
Price: $399.99


Boss BR-600 Digital Recorder
Price: $399.99


Fostex MR16HD/CD Digital Recorder with CD burner
Price: $499


Korg D3200 32-Track Digital Recording Studio
Price: $1299.99


Yamaha AW-2400 24-track audio workstation
Price: $1599.99