Austin, TX (May 31, 2023)—Tascam products, particularly the Portastudio 244 four-track recorder, have become integral to the unique sound of Austin-based rock trio Annabelle Chairlegs.
According to lead vocalist and band founder Lindsey Mackin, who has been writing and recording her own music since landing in Austin close to 10 years ago, “I’ve been using the 244 for over six years and I got the Model 12 [Integrated Production Suite] about two years ago. I record most of the time when I am writing music, as it helps me ‘visualize’ the direction that I’m taking. Most everything I am working on, whether released or not, will end up on the Tascam 244. It may also make its way on to the Model 12, depending upon what I want to add to the track or what kind of sound I’m looking for.”
AG Got Beats, and a Tascam Model 12
Mackin performs and tours regularly and, after releasing two full-length albums, an EP and some singles, album number three is on the way. Further, she is just starting to record her fourth record. “The 244 is my primary recording tool; I’ll be releasing a new album later this year titled Heavy Sleeper, and on that project, I worked with an engineer in a recording studio,” she says. “We ended up using a mix of songs I recorded on the 244 and some that were captured at his studio—Dandy Sounds in Dripping Springs, Texas. In my mind, I was going to re-record all the tracks, but ended up wanting to use the tracks from my 244 as the foundation of the record. Being an analog recorder, I think the 244 has such a dreamy and warm quality, and I really wanted to hold on to that. I couldn’t let it go.”
She continues, “I love recording analog and I tend to get less distracted when using the Portastudio, as it lets me focus on the creative aspects as opposed to the technical. I also love the natural compression that the tape provides. It brings magic to mixing and makes it more like a performance, which I think is amazing and important. With the 244, the noise reduction is always on, which I love. I think that’s part of the 244’s charm. Everything sounds so good! I tend to stay on the 244 for as long as I possibly can.”
