How to resolve AdBlock issue? TASCAM’s Model 12 used by John Allen
John Allen is a dynamic live looper (one-man band) at the crossroads of performance, innovation, and education. Known for his looping talent, he has captivated audiences and performed for industry professionals from Los Angeles to Miami to New York. His style features a wide range of musical genres and a contagious energy from the moment he steps on stage. As a licensed educator, he offers one of the most exciting, interactive looping workshops available today. Like most musicians, he uses a variety of equipment from multiple manufacturers, but his TASCAM Model 12 Recording Mixer / DAW Controller, Portacapture X6 Portable Audio Field Recorder, and DR-10L Compact Recorder with Lavalier Mic are at the heart of everything he does.
Stardust: An Immersive Music Experience is a live show created by Allen that takes a visual and aural journey through the cosmos. This unique show features a live, improvised score performed in real time with vivid 4K space footage in planetariums and theaters nationwide. As an educator, Allen conducts live looping and music workshops at high schools, colleges, and conservatories nationwide. He shared his experience with his TASCAM equipment and discussed the benefits it brings to his activities.
“I use the Model 12 to record my planetarium show,” Allen explained. “I noticed using a direct recording from my loop station didn’t adequately document the room’s sound, which is very much a part of my show’s sonic fingerprint. The reverbs and delays didn’t really have a chance to breathe. I brought in the Model 12 to capture not only the direct audio out of my loop station, I also set up room mics and ran them into the Model 12. This gave me an incredibly accurate capture of my performances and how the ‘room sound’ is very much part of the show. With the Model 12’s captured audio, audiences can also go to my online store and purchase the show they attended.”
When asked how the Portacapture X6 figures into the equation, Allen said, “I use the Portacapture X6 for content creation. Much of the voiceover work for my online content, tutorials, and trailers for my show are done on the X6. The X6 makes it very easy to record on location outdoors as well as for tradeshow appearances when I’m not spoiled with a controlled environment.”
Allen uses his DR-10L for tutorial creation on his YouTube channel. “The DR-10L’s compact design and low-profile aesthetic make it easy to wear on camera when a more traditional microphone would be in the way of a particular shot,” he explained.
The TASCAM Model 12’s rich feature set enables many different applications. When asked about the system’s key features that make it so well suited to his type of use, Allen said, “I am not a ‘studio head’ by any standard. What the Model 12 enables me to do is have a very flexible and easy-to-use platform to record my shows. I am a fan of the top-down design and its ability to record everything to a SIM card makes it easy to drop into a DAW as needed. TASCAM’s Model 12 provides some very high-tech solutions in a very manageable, easy-to-understand way. When it comes to transporting the system, the weight of the Model 12 makes it easy to take to shows and its setup is equally easy. Best of all, the system’s onboard digital features are readily available on a moment’s notice when needed.”
As for content creation, the TASCAM Portacapture X6 plays an important role in Allen’s ability to craft the ideal audio passages. “I have used the Portacapture X6’s Podcast feature to capture voiceover audio for use in my tutorial and for doing product demos for companies,” he explained. “I have created a customized setup that enables me to plug my loop station into the X6 and easily record. It has been a treat to travel around the country - easily and consistently capturing various atmospheric sounds such as a street corner, a mountain lake, or an airport lobby. Equally important, it’s very easy to get your audio off the X6. This has enabled me to edit audio in airport lobbies, hotel pools, and on planes.”
As musical electronics are used in a myriad of ways, operational questions frequently arise. Here too, Allen was very complimentary of TASCAM’s customer support services, “The TASCAM team has treated me extremely well since day one. The tech support team explains things in very easy terms and turns what could be a highly technical conversation into a warm, creative exchange. A product is only as good as the team that supports it, and TASCAM does a great job nurturing its relationship with its artists. I have had numerous conversations with the TASCAM team. They make it easy to get the support you’re looking for.”