Songs recorded on the BR1600

[sp_clark]

Here are a couple of (non-original) songs that I recorded in my apartment, on the BR1600CD. The midi data for the drums was sequenced in Magix Studio Deluxe Midi Studio (pc software), as was the Bass, with the audio coming from a Boss DR670 Drum machine. That audio was then recorded down to different tracks on the 1600. There are a couple of rhythm and lead guitar tracks in each song, all recorded by me from a 1975 Martin D18 acoustic guitar. The 'electric guitar' sounds are created by applying various patches to the acoustic. The guitar was mic'd with an AKG C1000S. All the lead and harmony vocals are me, recorded through an AKG C3000B large diaphragm mic. I am NOT a good guitar player, but I have been impressed with what can be done on this machine with a little hard work.

Check it out and let me know what you think. Drift Away is a little 'long' (ya think??? :-) ), but i just kept playin and makin up stuff....I'll probably shorten it.

Thanks for listening.

steve


http://www.mattym.com/media/steve/Dr...Away%209v5.mp3

http://www.mattym.com/media/steve/Li...usic%209v8.mp3

[72fender]

Great job on both songs! Nice harmony work on Drift Away too. There's weird bass overtone on 'Listen to the Music', but otherwise a good recording.

[sp_clark]

Fender...thanks for the input... I think I have the eq on the BASS way too high.. I don't have a sub with my monitors, and I have found that I mix with too much bass...NEED a sub so I can start 'hearing' it better in the mix. I appreciate the input.

Steve

[narellan45]

Great job on the songs. I was impressed with Doby Grey's "Drift Away". I am thinking of purchasing a BR 1600CD, what do you recommend? Are you very satisfied with your machine?

I intend to use the internal drums and bass. Was there a reason you did not use these yourself?

narellan45

Originally Posted by sp_clark

Here are a couple of (non-original) songs that I recorded in my apartment, on the BR1600CD. The midi data for the drums was sequenced in Magix Studio Deluxe Midi Studio (pc software), as was the Bass, with the audio coming from a Boss DR670 Drum machine. That audio was then recorded down to different tracks on the 1600. There are a couple of rhythm and lead guitar tracks in each song, all recorded by me from a 1975 Martin D18 acoustic guitar. The 'electric guitar' sounds are created by applying various patches to the acoustic. The guitar was mic'd with an AKG C1000S. All the lead and harmony vocals are me, recorded through an AKG C3000B large diaphragm mic. I am NOT a good guitar player, but I have been impressed with what can be done on this machine with a little hard work.

Check it out and let me know what you think. Drift Away is a little 'long' (ya think??? :-) ), but i just kept playin and makin up stuff....I'll probably shorten it.

Thanks for listening.

steve


http://www.mattym.com/media/steve/Dr...Away%209v5.mp3

http://www.mattym.com/media/steve/Li...usic%209v8.mp3

[sp_clark]

I LOVE the BR. I am VERY new to recording of any type, let alone digital, so the learning curve was steep for me. There were several things I didn't like in the beginning, but most of them were either my own ignorance, or things I've learned (and accepted) to work around. There remain only a small handful of things I'd like to see changed, but overall it meets my needs. The drums....now THAT's a good question. I struggled and struggled with this on the BR, but it was one of those 'ignorance' things. It was only after I bought the drum machinie (DR670) that I 'learned' how patterns are supposed to be created and edited etc. I really don't 'need' the drum machine, but I will say it is easier to program the patterns OUTSIDE the BR. I actually do this with pc software, and THAT is MUCH easier to do than on the BR. However, if budget is tight etc, you CAN created the needed patterns for both bass and drums with no external equipment required.

Thanks for listening, and if you have questions about the 1600, I'd be happy to share what I have learned.

steve

[carlglo]

Hi all, I've been holed up in my basement studio trying to correct the many faux paux's and mistakes I made in the beginning with my br1600. Mainly too many crashes and all drums at 127. (Duh!) I have two questions,1. Has anyone figured out how to use compressors on both the 1-8 and the 9/10-15/16 side at the same time for mixdown? Is there a solo selection so I might hear only the one track during mixdown without having to pull the sliders down on all the other tracks? Thanks for all replys.

Carlglo

[sp_clark]

I think the compression on 1-8 and 9/16 are mutually exclusive, and you cannot do both concurrently. THAT SUCKS! Also, there is no 'soloing' capability that I'm aware of on the BR. You can mute all the tracks you don't want to hear, but if I understand your question right, those tracks would NOT get mixed (bounced) if you did that. I DO wish the BR had a solo button for each track.

[ButchP]

G-d bless you sp.....how you have the patince with that machine. It was one of the main things I looked for when I got my "other" brand.They can't cover all the bases but they should be able to see the holes.I'm suprised they have been doing this for so long and still leave out common sense things.

I wish mine left off the drum machine to boost some of their weakness's but I have to admit(like I've been squemish) I'm so glad i didn't get one of those things.

The Roland manuals and my basic requiremnets X'ed the 1680 and 1880 right away when I was looking and it doesn't look like they've changed much.

I'm blown away by the amount of foks that think it's great.Sound quality wise almost all digi recording is capable of about the same level depending on other factors.To me it's ...Am I bogged down by the logistics and limitations ..if so...then it's not worth it to me. I' just want to record and keep as much of my hair as I can...

I pointed out to a guy who was in the market the reasons I"D steer clear of this unit. But he had too many folks turn him. I guess peer pressure is stronger than common sense

Okay I think I'm done with my Roland bashing. good luck guys......

BP

[ecktronic]

Overall sound is nice, but the electric guitar doesnt sound very good. The vox sounds really good. Did you go direct into the BR with the electric guitar. Acoustic guitar sounds quite good. Could do with more spaceing though.

[sp_clark]

The electric is actually a Martin D-18 with an electric effect applied....can't remember which one. There are at LEAST two reasons why the gtr sounds bad....ONE, I can't play worth a sh*t, TWO, it's not an electric ! :-) Yeah, I just plugged it straight in for those parts...the rhythm gtr was mic'd with an AKG C1000S. I have recently gotten a Fender Strat HH and am getting a little better results with it. Still have a LOT of improving to do with the guitars...I'm a singer, not a player...wish I was both! :-)

Here's my latest. The first solo gtr riff is still off the martin acoustic, the rest is off the strat.

Thanks for listening!


http://www.mattym.com/media/steve/Le...Cry,%209v5.mp3

[cooker]

Carlglo....I found this excerpt from Boss somewhere along the way,hope it is what you need...cooker

Use 16 Compressors at a time on the Boss BR-1600CD.

The BR-1600 has 8 channel compressors for your Tracks. You can assign these compressors (these are the ones that live under the "COMP" button) to either Tracks 1 — 8 or Tracks 9 — 16. But what if you want compressors for all your drum tracks and your vocals? No problem, just "borrow" the 8 compressors that live under the COSM Effects and assign them to tracks. Here's how:
Press MULTI-TRACK.
Press EFFECTS.
Press the F3 Button (LOCATION). Select TR 1-8.
Press ENTER. This assigns the Compressors and EQs normally dedicated to the Inputs to Tracks 1 through 8.
Press EXIT.
Press COMP in the CHANNEL EDIT section.
Press F3 for Track Select. Set the LOCATION value to Tracks 9-16 by pressing F3 again.
You now have 16 Compressors available for mix down.

[sp_clark]

Damn this forum is awesome!

steve

[metalj]

sp clark, great job on the vocals and the entire track. I have a few questions i hope you can help me out with.

1) did you use any external preamp with your vocal mic or was it just plugged straight in to the bosses?
2) can you let me know what effects or settings you used on the vocals?

very clean sounding !!! great job man. you have given me some inspiration dude.

MetalJ

[sp_clark]

MetalJ,

No preamps used. Just plugged into the XLR's, dialed the input knob to about 5 o'clock, and sang away. The only thing I do on the vocals is eq and reverb, though I will sometimes apply a doubling effect on harmonies.

There are a couple of 'electric guitar' patches I applied to the martin acoustic in Listen to the music. They were Patch 57 and 33. On Drift away, it was patch 53, screamin tweed, and on Let Her Cry it was patch 32 and 41.

hope that helps.

steve

[metalj]

Originally Posted by sp_clark

MetalJ,

No preamps used. Just plugged into the XLR's, dialed the input knob to about 5 o'clock, and sang away. The only thing I do on the vocals is eq and reverb, though I will sometimes apply a doubling effect on harmonies.

There are a couple of 'electric guitar' patches I applied to the martin acoustic in Listen to the music. They were Patch 57 and 33. On Drift away, it was patch 53, screamin tweed, and on Let Her Cry it was patch 32 and 41.

hope that helps.

steve

thanks, the main thing i need are some decent mics for vocals, so i was just wondring if you got that clean of a sound with just the mics you listed and the bosses pre amps.

of course a great voice helps too which you've got.

thanks
for answering my questions, if I can ever help you as well please call on me.

[metalj]

im not sure if youll see this SPclark, since this thread is a little on the dated side, but. i was wondering what input you used on your vocals for these tracks?

did you actually use the "vocal" input and use a user patch that you made, or a patch that is already in the unit, or did you use the "multi track" input and record the vocals dry through one of the 8 inputs?

once again, im very impressed with your vocal recording. very clean and smooth. I would like to model my next recording after what you did with the vocals.

thank you once again
metalJ

[sp_clark]

MetalJ,

I use different tracks for vocal depending on what I've put down prior to recording the vocal. However, I don't use any pre-defined or user patches for vocal, just record them through 1 of the 8 inputs, and then tweak a little with reverb and eq. That's it. There have been one or two occurrences where AFTER the vocal has been recorded, I applied a pitch correction patch, but normally I just re-record the bad section. The only time I would NOT re-record it, is if it were several days later, and it becomes really difficult to get the exact sound I had during the original recording.

Hope that helps.

steve

[Dannyc]

Pretty darn good, especially the vocals and harmony parts. I just purchased a BR-1180 and I am still on step one and would love to have some input from you if possible.