Although the Korg D3200 is a 32-track recorder, each of those 32 tracks has 8 "virtual" tracks that can be used for recording. This is especially useful if you want to record and keep several takes of the same musical part. Each take is saved on a different virtual track, and when you are ready to mix your song, you can pick the best take or edit together the best parts of each one to create your ideal take.
If you are going to be recording and editing multiple tracks, you need a consistent tempo to work with to be able to synchronize all of the tracks. The D3200 has a built-in drum machine feature called "Session Drums" that allows you to choose from multiple preset drum patterns or compose your own custom drum patterns at the tempo of your choosing. If your song is to be an acoustic song without drums or percussion, it is still worth using this feature to ensure that your song's tempo is consistent. When it comes to mixdown, you can simply erase the recorded drum track, and you will be left with a song that has perfect time.
Recording electric guitars via amplifiers may deliver good results, but it can also disturb the neighbors. Instead, ditch the amp and plug your guitar cable directly into the Korg's high-impedance jack (conveniently marked "Guitar In"). This will amplify your guitar signal via a built-in amp modeling effects suite that allows you to choose from an array of classic amplifier and speaker cabinet combinations.
Since the Korg D3200 is an all-in-one multitrack machine, it is ideal for recording on location. Recording a live performance is as simple as carrying the D3200 to the venue, plugging in microphones and hitting the "Record" button. You can also take your recorded tracks to other studios to collaborate with other musicians, by converting them to .WAV files and burning them to a CD-R using the Korg's built-in CD-R/RW drive. This .WAV format CD can then be imported into any multitrack recording system at any location.
When songs are saved, the Korg's internal calendar stamps the file with date and time information. This is a great organizational tool in that it updates every time a particular song is worked on. You can set the calendar by pressing the SYSTEM/MIDI key and then clicking the "Control" tab. This opens the calendar dialog box, which allows you to set the year, month, day and time.
Protecting a song from being accidentally erased or overwritten is as simple as pressing the "SONG" key and then clicking the "Protect" button. A "lock" icon will appear next to the song name, indicating that the song cannot be edited in any way. When a song is protected, the "Record" button will not engage, so all valuable song data will remain safe.
The Korg D3200 has a specific shut-down procedure that must be followed to safeguard your recording session. This process saves all data recorded during the prior session, so be careful, and ensure that you do not simply turn off the power via the main power switch, which results in losing the audio tracks.