A question...

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ÆNEMA

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I play acoustic guitar and I sing, I've got songs written and it's about time I'm able to put them on my computer to be able to send around and burn onto a CD.

I'm set on getting the Boss BR-532 Digital 4-Track. I've read a lot about it and its exactly what I want. I can record guitar and vocals simultaniously which is perfect.

My question is that the output is MIDI, so if I were to transfer what I recorded on the multi-track onto my computer, would I need a soundcard with a MIDI input? Also, how would I go about transfering the songs onto the computer, is there a program I would need?

This is really the only thing I need cleared up, so thanks in advance.
 
The MIDI output must be for synching via MIDI Time Code, unless there are MIDI parts sequenced on the Boss two. Does it have bass and drum sounds that you can set up?

This is a common source of confusion so I'll put my next comment in italics: You can't transfer the audio that you record via MIDI. MIDI Data does not include digital audio data.

To transfer what you record to a computer there are a couple of optins depending on what kind of i/o the Boss unit has. If there are direct outputs for each of the 4 inputs, you could use a 4-track interface like a Delta 44 to transfer all 4 at once. If it only has a stereo output and you want to transfer the individual tracks, not the stereo mix, it's tricker, you'll have to send them across track by track, but a simple stereo soundcard would suffice. For either ot these approaches you would need multitrack recording/editing software. If you just want to transfer a mix for making an MP3 or burning a CD, a stereo soundcard will be fine, and a simple stereo recording/editing program would suffice.
 
Well the BR-532 has a digital output which is said to be "for mastering to computer or stand-alone CD burner". What does this mean?

A similar digital 4-track recorder (korg pandora) lets you transfer the data via a USB cable.
 
If you get a soundcard that has s/pdif or in otherwords a digital input, than you can hookup to it with a digital coax cable and transfer your audio from your boss to your PC.
 
I noticed the BR-532 uses those "smart media" cards for storage. What the heck are those? I'm wondering if there's any way you can transfer your tracks to the computer using those things (?) I used to have a BR8, and there was software you could download from Boss' web site that allowed you to transfer tracks on your BR8's zip disks to wav files on your computer.
 
There are Smart Media readers available that hook up to a PC via USB...
 
Hmm.. i'm wondering which would have better sound quality, transfereing with the smart media cards or the s/pdif input. Would it make a difference?
 
In theory, there would be no difference. Unfortunately, we don't live in the world of theory. What you need to find out is what format the files are stored on on the SmartMedia cards. Chances are prett good that it is a standard format like .wav.

But even if it is, you may not be able to extract "session" information from the card that will be of any use in any other multi-track ausio app. What this information would tell you is where your files start (assuming they don't all start at the exact same spot), where you have made edits or copies or cuts, and where punch-ins and fades go.

Now, if you have an audio card that has S/PDIF inputs, you can easily transfer two tracks at a time, or a stereo mix. However, to get lockup between 4 tracks transferring them 2 at a time, you will need to use some sort of MIDI timecode lockup to get the tracks aligned right. This should be no problem, and is most likely described in the user manual for the Boss unit.
 
Smart media cards and readers are not cheap. Even using the digital i/o you will probably be limited to transfering 2 tracks at a time.

Those little multi tracks are great if you travel or just want to make rough song demos. But if you want to do any serious recording you will quickly hate being limited to 4 tracks and having a crappy mixer.

Before you buy consider a good sound card and software for your computer. For the same price you could get 2 or 4 simultaneous record channels and 24+ total recording channels. All of this at a much higher quality than you'd get on the Boss.
 
So what you guys are telling me is I would more then likely be better off skipping the boss unit and using my computer?

I'm not looking for top of the line sound anyways, I want the analoge 4-Track sound, but in a format so I can have it on my computer in Mp3 and .wav format.
 
dude

dude, no. a smartmedia drive is only 24 bucks at best buy. the br-532 comes with a smartmedia card. you hook up the smartmedia drive to your computer. you record all your shit on the br-532. then you take the smartmedia card and insert it into your drive. using the downloaded free program from boss, you convert your files to wav then burn to cd. or you can load the wav files in another software you have and edit them.

technically the br-532 is like a sound card. it converts the sound to digital, you can then put it on your computer, edit it, and burn to cd. to only differance is the boss is not connected to your computer, its easier, and just as expensive as a sound card and software you would need to buy.

alot of people like sound cards and computers because they also use midi, but if you play guitar, you do not necessarily need midi. another plus with the br-532, is its very easy, just like a 4track tape recorder, plus no computer soundcard hassles, especially if you have a shit slow computer.

plus with the boss, you can buy a external cd burner. the digital outs can then be connected to the burner and you can digitally burn direct to the cd from the br-532. no computer needed. ive seen these cd burners on music sites for around 300 bucks.
 
Well, I'm representing the "Can the four track" idea and go for the soundcard and software based multitrack recording.

I understand that you don't necessarily need the best possible recording, but it's not just about that.

Being in the fully digital realm affords you FLEXIBILTY! Much more than you could EVER get out of your 4 track. Adding effects, cleaning up noise, better EQing and more overall control. Plus, I think that after you get into it more, you'll find that maybe you do want more tracks without adding generations of noise, and add some drums or beats. With all the easy to use sample based software out there, you could easly add some strings or acoutics drums and bass to the mix!

All things considered you may never use it for more than what you say, but for the same price <or even less!> wouldn't you like the option?

Just my three cents

Space
 
There seems to be a couple of misconceptions here.

BR-532 will not give you any analog warmth. It is a digital recorder with a cheap mixer and convertors. In fact it will probably sound much less warm than a good 24bit audio card.

If you are going to use your computer at all than it pays to have a good soundcard. A good soundcard can be had for less than $200.

Compare the $/MB cost of smart media to data CD or a new HD on your computer and you will see that smartmedia is about 1000x more expensive. If you are going to use it just to transfer data than you might as well get a device with a firewire or USB port. 16bit 44khz audio takes up 10mb per mono minute. Do the math for a 4 track 3min song and you've already run out of space on the card.

The BR would be a fine unit for somebody who demanded portability and all in one recording for simple song demos. But once you put a computer into the equation you are better off spending money on a soundcard and a real mixer. You dont need smartmedia cards, you dont need to sync anything and you get MUCH better quality for about the same price.
 
i would recomend a sound card too. the 4tracks idea sound good, and in theory are good, but are total shit, if you mess w/ the computer anyways, go with total computer and let it do it better. if you like simplicity, the 4 track is nice, but it involves complicated transfer to computer, the only thing is if you have a completely external cd burner you rund the digital outs to directly to the cd, but then, you might as well invest in a good computer instead and get totally more versitility, and quality.
 
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