1. Never record at the beginning of the tape. If you record at the start on a portable the beginning will not play back on a full size machine. Leave at least one minute of blank space at the front.

2. If you have a choice use 44.1kHz instead of 48kHz sample rate for your mixes. Most consumer machines can be modified to record at 44.1kHz from the analog inputs. This gives you more control over the final quality. If you use 48kHz it will have to be sample rate converted in mastering.

3. ALWAYS REWIND before removing a DAT from the machine. 99% of the time the machine will eat the tape while you are in the middle of the tape. If you put a tape in the machine that is not rewound and continue a recording, the start IDs will not number correctly.

4. Even if you are at the beginning of a new tape, REWIND before your initial recording. If the DAT machine does not sense that it is at the beginning of the tape it will not record absolute time. This coupled with ID numbers missing makes it impossible to find the correct song when mastering.

5. Although not mandatory, it is a good idea to put tones at the start of your master DAT that is going to mastering. Use tones from your console through the same chain as the audio when mixing. This will tell the mastering engineer whether there is any balance or level problems with the mixes. Do not copy tones from another tape unless it was with the same mix setup for the same album and they are copied digitally.

6. If you put tones on your tape, do not put a start ID on the tones. 30 seconds of 1kHz at one minute into the DAT with the first song at two minutes (with start ID). The tone level, -14, -15, -16, -18, -20 the level doesn't matter as long as you say what it is. If it is coming from your console, set the tone to read zero on your console meters and let it read whatever it reads on the DAT machine.

7. Don't send your only copy to the mastering facility. Make a digital copy fro backup.

8. If you have to use pause to edit together the final mixes, leave at least 10 to 15 seconds before and after each tune. The mastering room guy will tighten up the spaces the right way. If you want to show exactly what the spacing should be, send a second DAT tape or even a cassette with the spaces the way you want them so the mastering engineer can use it as a guide.

9. Clean your machine regularly. Once a month is good. A cleaning tape played for 10 seconds will do the trick. If there isn't a DAT repair place in your town, a video repair shop can clean your heads more thoroughly than you can with a cleaning tape. Once the heads get clogged it is usually to late to clean the machine.

10. If your machine is moved from one place to another and has been in a cold car or storeroom, let the DAT machine acclimate to the new location for 30 minutes before you put a tape in the machine.

11. ALWAYS put the DAT tape back in its DAT case between uses. You'd be surprised how many people carry around DATs without their little protective boxes.

12. Finally, LABEL your DATs and the boxes. Write down the start IDs and what is at each ID. Put a meaningful title on the J card and put the same title on the DAT tape itself using the sticky label that comes with the tape.

Thanks
Roger Nichols