BR1600: Countoff?

[FunkDaddy]

Is there anyway to get a countoff before recording starts? It does it automatically when you are programming drums lol but I'd like to get 1 going into recording guitar. I've scoured the manual front to back and can't find anything

[72fender]

If you can't count-off in your head, you have to use the metronome. The recorder can't possibility know that you need a count-off. Maybe you should use a punch-in/out pedal.

[sp_clark]

you can just create a sequence that has whatever 'count' drum sound you want and place it in the measure(s) prior to the one you want to record guitar. That is what I've found to be the easiest way to do it.

steve

[72fender]

That was my first thought, but the impression I got was that he didn't want to have to 'create' a drum pattern. I usually have a one bar count-in and I use a footswitch so that I don't have to take my hands off my guitar.

[FunkDaddy]

No, that's what I usually do, I'm fine creating drum patterns. I was just wondering if there was a way to get a 1 bar count-off before recording starts.

As for the recorder "not knowing" that I need a count-off, why is it that there is a countoff when you are programming drum patterns?

It's not exactly an un-common musical idea to have a 1 bar countoff

[sp_clark]

Hey Fender, what kind of pedal do you have, where did you get it, and what does it allow you to do? I am always 'struggling' with starting/stopping, record on/off etc with my hands and then trying to get them back in position on the guitar in time to do whatever it is I'm doing. Have recently thought about looking into a pedal to take care of some of this for me.

Steve

[welldonep]

I may be misunderstaning the original question, but one of things that i find so useful about these recorders (BR8, BR1180, and the 1600), is that they are very easy to use ... for instance, the auto punch in/out feature is rather simple, and if I understand the question correctly, should take care of this without the need for a punch-in pedal. The tempo map will allow you to use the metronome for the first bar or two (providing you with as much count-in as you need), then set the auto-in at the following bar, etc. I hope this helps, but again, I may be misunderstanding the question.

cheers!

-p

[72fender]

Steve, I have Roland DP-2, you set it up first in Util - Systems to be either a start/stop or punch-in/out. Like welldonep said, the auto punch works good.

FunkDaddy, I used several types of recorders and never seen one with auto-count-in. You could create a loop with a 4 bar count-in and use that.

[sp_clark]

I believe you can set the 'drum' track (15/16 usually) to metronome, and then have it 'play' either constantly (whethere or not recorder is playing) or WITH the recorder play button. However, I also believe it will continue until you shut it off with the track button (in the first scenario) or hit the stop button on the recorder.

Fender, thanks for the info...I don't really need it for punch in/out, because as was mentioned, that function is easily handled hands/feet-free. Stoppin and startin is what I am interested in, but it would also be good to be able to toggle the Record button with a footswitch. I sometimes put the recorder in a loop with the A/B button, with the punch -in/out INSIDE that loop somewhere. The section plays continuously, allowing you to practice and record over and over. But....the record button (obvioulsy) goes OFF at Punch OUT, so to get it back on, ya gotta take the hands off the guitar, hit the button at the beginning of the repeated loop, and then put them back. No big but a foot switch would be good for that function.

[WGB]

I've had exactly the same question with the BR1600. I upgraded from the BR1180. On the 1180 you could set a metronome for one bar then the drums would come in. From what I see in the BR1600 you can either set the 15/16 track to metronome OR drums — but not both. I'd like to know the answer to this question too.

[72fender]

I still don't understand what the big deal is about the countoff issue. I guess it's because I went from using a Fostex X-10 4tr cassette to a BR-8 (which didn't have the countoff option) to a VS-880EX, still no countoff option, to the BR-1600. On the BR-8, I midi sync a DR-5 drum machine, use my start/stop pedel, pressed the pedel, counted off a bar and started recording, I do the same with BR-1600.