Grundig TK 20 - Advanced Recording Techniques; Optimizing Microphone Recordings; Recording Radio Broadcasts

First:
Second:
Third:
Fourth:
Fifth:
Sixth:
Now to learn a little more
You have recorded your voice and made yourself at least slightly
familiar with the controls. You know that your TK20 is working
and that you can operate it. Don’t worry if at this stage you
forget things. In a very short while you will be using the controls
with complete confidence.
One or two additional items then, about getting good recordings
from the microphone:
Keep the Microphone as far as you can from the tape recorder. The Micro-
phone is sensitive and keeping it too close to the ‘TK20 makes it pick up
.‘‘background”’ noises.
You may have found that when you turned the Recording Level Control (A)
beyond a certain point a “howl” is emitted from the Speaker. This is due to
acoustic feed-back. You can stop it simply by switching off the Speaker with
the right-hand knurled knob (B). Try it now. You will find that in addition to
rotating clockwise and anti-clockwise this knob also moves up and down. Pull it
up and it switches off the Speaker. But remember to push it down again when
you want to play back.
If, while you are recording, you want to pause for a few seconds you can do
this by turning the Selector Switch (C) to the position marked with a red dot.
This gives you a temporary stop. The tape spools will stop until the control is
turned back to position ». No break or interruption will be registered on the
tape.
Try the Position Indicator. You will notice that as tape runs through, the numerals
on the Indicator (F) move. If you memorise or make a note of the Indicator
reading at which your recording began you can always go back to that point
when you wish to play back.
The knurled disc (G) enables you to set the numbers to zero (000) when you
start a fresh tape.
When playing back ... .
The Recording Level Control (A) becomes the Volume Control.
The knurled knob (B) becomes the Tone Control.
You may perhaps find it more convenient to set your Recording Level before
making a recording without having to hold down the appropriate Input
Selector Button (D) at the same time. You can do this quite easily by rotating
the Selector Switch (C) from its stop position (O) to the Temporary Stop (e).
With the tape stopped in this way you can adjust the Recording Level Control
(A) until at the loudest passages the two sections of the Magic Eye (E) just
meet but do not overlap. To start your recording you must now turn the
Selector Switch from (O) to the Temporary Stop (@).
The best thing to do now is to familiarise yourself with the
controls and experiment with the various settings until you
achieve first class recordings all the time.
You won’t waste tape—you can use the same section over and
over again. Each new recording automatically erases the previous
one.
7
Now for music
How to Record Radio Broadcasts:
There are three ways of recording music from the radio:
(A) By microphone placed in front of the radio loudspeaker,
(B) By connecting the TK20 to a lead from the extension
loudspeaker sockets on the back of the radio.
(C) By means of a Diode Connection (see page 13).
Take (A) the simplest method, first. Place the microphone
in front of the loudspeaker cabinet and arrange the TK20 so
that it is as far awayfrom the microphone as the lead allows. Switch
on the radio and adjust the volume and quality to suit your
taste. Switch on the TK20 by turning knob (B), clockwise, and
with the same knob (B) pulled up, switch off the TK20 speaker.
Now push the Input Selector button marked Q (microphone)
and hold it down.
Rotate the Recording Level Control (A) slowly until the two
illuminated sectors of the Magic Eye just touch at the loudest
passages.
Whilst keeping the Input Selector button Q down, turn the Selector
Switch to pw. This will lock button Q and commence the
recording.
You need do nothing now until you have recorded all you want.
How to Rewind the Tape: When you have finished making your
recording, that part of the tape which carries it has been trans-
ferred from one spool to the other and before you can listen to
what you have recorded you have to send the tape back to its
original position. All you have to do is to set the Selector Switch
(C) to position « and your tape will run from right to left at
fast speed. Let it run until the numbers on the Position Indicator
are the same as when you began the recording.
To Stop the Rewind: Move the Selector Switch (C) to position
O and wait until the tape has stopped running.
How to play Back: Push down knurled knob (B) (to switch on the
TK20 speaker). Move the Selector Switch (C) to position >
and the playback will be heard through the TK20. Adjust tone
and volume to your liking.
Practice will Help: Once again you will want to experiment and
have a few practice runs to get the best results and become
familiar with the technique. Remember you can keep using the
same tape over and over again.