The Tascam 2488MK-II has 24 physical track channels and unlimited virtual tracks for recording. You can also import WAV files to these tracks in mono or stereo mode. The key to getting a good recording on these tracks without distortion is to record your instrument without it going past 0db on the digital display meter on the recording. For mixdown purposes, put the main channel at -6db and add any effects that you want to the mix. The 2488MK-II allows you to do this through its multi-effect processor on board or through an external unit.
If you want to record more than 24 tracks but have run out of room, the 2488 MKII will allow you to "bounce tracks" to a sub channel. Let's use an example of strings and horns. If they are on separate tracks, you can "bounce" these tracks to the sub channel and then pan strings to the left of the stereo field and horns to the right of the stereo field. When you play back the tracks through headphones, you'll hear the strings to the left side of the headphones and horns to the right side of the headphones. You can also add equalization to the sub channel.
During a recording, you may mess up a bass line, keyboard progression or drum groove. You can keep going and come back and "punch in" the part that you want to record over again without going back to the beginning. Wherever you made the mistake, you can punch in that measure and then punch in how long you want to play over that progression. You must also set a lead time or prep time in the mixer before you get to the punch in point. The punch out point is simple where you choose to stop recording. These points are established by the "SET IN" and "SET OUT" commands.
Pre-Mastering is the process pf balancing out your mix with effects and processors while avoiding clipping (sound distortion). To get a nice pre-mastered mix, you want to set the main channel fader to -6db. The reason why you want the main channel fader set to -6db is to avoid clipping once you add effects, such as reverb, chorus or any effects that will boost the signal. You must perform "SET IN" and "SET OUT" functions, which tell the process to start pre-mastering from the beginning of the recording (SET IN) to the end of the recording (SET OUT). Once the points are set, you can press the master button and the 2488 MK-II will create a pre-mastered audio file.
Lets say that you want to take a drum track that you created in another digital audio workstation, such as FL Studio. You can render the drum track (preferably in mono) and import to the 2488MK-II. To do this, the USB function that established communication from the MK 2488-II must be open. You can transferred the files from your computer to the MK 2488II hard drive that is on the Windows screen and import that file to a channel in the mixer. Stereo file transfers are established by CD-ROM located on the MK 2488-II.