PRACTICAL
GUIDE TO THE
EDIROL R-44
Amazing 24 bit/192 kHz ultra-high sound quality!!
Easy to transport!! Lightweight 4-channel recorder!!
4-channel simultaneous recording techniques are
thoroughly explained!!
2
Compact 4-channel Recorder
The functions needed for 4-channel
recording have been condensed into a unit
the size of a palm. With just one R-44, you
can perform complete 4-channel
recording. It weighs a mere 1.3 kg, even
with four AA batteries and an SD card.
R-44 Features
Obsession with Quality
You can record at 24 bit/192 kHz, far better
than the 16 bit/44.1 kHz for CDs.
44.1 k H z
192 k H z
Sampling frequency
more than 4x higher than a CD
SD Card for Longer Recording Times
The R-44 uses a SD card (also supports
SDHC cards) for its recording media. Over
two hours of a CD-quality recording can be
saved on a 2GB SD card. And you can record
for four hours with four alkaline batteries or
four nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) batteries.
It can even be used outdoors.
Highly Visible, Easy-to-see Screen
The organic EL display ensures high
contrast, wide viewing angle, and fast
screen response. You can see all the data
easily, even in the outdoors or in concert
halls. The level meter responds quickly for
stress-free level adjusting.
Linking to a PC
With USB 2.0 (high speed) support, you
can transfer sound data to a PC with a
single USB cable. The data can then be
played on software that comes standard
with the PC.
Some PC environments may not play
24-bit recordings.
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2
Applied Technique
3
Appendix
Situation Practical
Use Technique
1
1
Situation Practical Use Technique
Situation 1 : Recording Acoustic Instruments .......................... p. 4
Situation 2 : Recording Band Performances .............................. p. 8
Situation 3 : Recording Concerts ................................................... p. 10
Situation 4 : Recording Outdoor Sounds ................................... p. 14
2 Applied Technique
Application 1 : Recording Sound for Video ............................... p. 16
Application 2 : Editing Your Recordings to
Create a CD or DVD .............................................. p. 17
3 Appendix
Microphones /
Di erence Between Sensitivity and Volume ............................. p. 19
Options ................................................................................................... p. 20
R-44 Speci cations ............................................................................. p. 20
PRACTICAL
GUIDE TO THE
EDIROL R-44
4
2
Applied Technique
3
Appendix
Situation Practical
Use Technique
1
Recording Acoustic Instruments
1
Using the R-44 allows you to realistically record a variety of
instrumental performances.
We introduce several recording tips here.
Preparing to Record
• Connect two microphones (DR-80C) to the R-44.
• It’s convenient to use a microphone stand.
• Turn [PHANTOM] ON.
For details, refer to the owner’s manual.
Record Settings
We recommend the following settings for making a CD.
Input Select Analog
Sets the mode to record with external microphones
Rec Freq. 44.1 kHz
We recommend 44.1 kHz if you want to make a CD
You can use 88.2 kHz for higher quality and perform accurate dithering to CD later
Rec Bit 16 bit
Rec Mode STEREO × 1
Setting to use one stereo system (2 channels) to record
Pre Recording
OFF
No need to set this
Project Name Date
If you set the date, it is easy to know the recording date and time
For details on how to make recording settings, refer to the owner’s manual.
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Matching the
Recording Levels
The rst step in recording is to determine the input
level by matching it to the loudest sound to record.
Play the phrase that is the loudest so the R-44 level
meter goes as high as possible, and then adjust the
[SENS]/[LEVEL] input level knobs so that the R-44
level meter falls just short of the C (clip level) on the
right when the maximum volume is reached.
Volume is too loud if the
C (Clip Level) lights up
Sensitivity is too high if the
channel name lights up
When the input level is too low, the dynamic feel of the
sound is lost; when it is too high, the sound becomes
distorted (pops and clicks and other noise occurs).
For details on setting the input level, refer to the
owner’s manual.
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Aiming the
Microphones
The microphone records sounds for the right ear and
left ear separately. So, it is important to directly face
the person or instrument you are recording. Also,
as you move closer to the sound source, you get a
crisper sound; as you move away, you get a softer
sound because you also record the room echoes.
Bright
Soft
Adjusting the
brightness
and softness
See “Instrument Recording Techniques” on p. 6 of
this guide for how to record di erent instruments.
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Situation
1
2
3
Turn [PHANTOM] ON
5
PRACTICAL
GUIDE TO THE
EDIROL R-44
2
Applied Technique
3
Appendix
Situation Practical
Use Technique
1
4-channel Recording
Since you can record on 4 channels simultaneously, you can try setting microphones in di erent locations
around the instrument.
For example, you can record near the instrument (on-mic) and far from the instrument to record echoes
(o -mic) at the same time. You can then adjust the volume for each to create a mixed sound.
Recording a Grand Piano
Unlike smaller instruments, the piano produces sound throughout the instrument and emits sound in
di erent directions. So, it can be di cult to record a piano. But, you can use the 4-channel simultaneous
recording feature to record sound from di erent directions and distances. Then, you can mix-down to
create a piano recording that matches the genre of the performed song. Also, it is important to balance
the “sound of the string,” “sound from the body,” “sound re ected from the sound board,” and “sound of the
hammer hitting the strings” when recording a piano. In other words, the trick to recording a piano is to set
microphones in di erent locations to compare di erent sounds.
An example of setting the microphones is shown here.
As shown in the illustration, set a total of four microphones (use condenser microphones): two to record the
string sound and two to record the sound re ected from the sound board. In particular, test changing the
position and angle of the microphones recording the string sounds to adjust the range of the recording and
the balance of the sound from the strings and sound board and also try changing the distance to adjust the
balance between the sound of attack and reverberations to get the cleanest recording.
R-44 Setting : Rec. Mode in STEREO X 2
Adjust the spacing between the microphones
to get the range you want to record
Sound
of the
string
Sound reected
from the
sound board
Sound of
the string
Sound reected from the sound board
Regulate the sound quality
by changing the height
and angle of the microphones
Sound of the string
Regulate the sound vibrations
with the distance and position
of the microphones
Recording Drums
The drum is an instrument that plays sound in several di erent directions. We recommend using
simultaneous recording with four channels.
Start by placing two microphones above the drum (condenser microphones) and one microphone each
on the bass drum and snare (dynamic microphones), for a total of four recording locations. You should
use microphone stands above the drum and place the microphones at a height of about 2 meters. At this
height, the sound from the entire drum set can be recorded. For the bass drum, place the microphone in
front aimed at the place where the beater hits. For the snare, you should place the microphone about 10
cm above the snare so you can cleanly record only the sound of the snare. You’ll be able to easily emphasize
just the bass drum sound by adjusting the volume of each channel if you use this setup.
R-44 Setting : Rec. Mode in STEREO X 4
About
2 meters
About
2 meters
Where the
beater hits
About
10 cm
6
2
Applied Technique
3
Appendix
Situation Practical
Use Technique
1
Instrument Recording Techniques
Aim from
the front
Aim from
slightly below
Pop Guard
Sound Hole
Set at an angle from the fret side
Aim from the front
Point-blank
Record the sound
of the guitar or bass directly
Capture the sound as heard in the room
Move apart a little bit
Guitar Amp/
Bass Amp
Place slightly off-center
from the speaker
LINE
OUT Jack
COMBO
INPUT Jack
STEREO
Standard
phone plug
Standard
phone plug
First, the microphone is basically aimed directly at the
front of the sound hole. However, you can also adjust
the distance and angle to the sound hole to nd a
sound that you like. When placing the microphone
at an angle, we recommended doing so from the fret
side. This gives you a cleaner recording.
Although you can use a dynamic microphone, we
recommend using a condenser microphone to get a
cleaner recording.
Ideally, you should choose a place, such as a studio,
where noise isn’t introduced from the surroundings. If
recording in a room, try to choose a room that doesn’t
have environmental noise (automobile noise or city
noises) and that has the sound re ection that you want.
Although the basic position for the microphone is
directly in front, it is OK to aim it from slightly above or
slightly below. This is because sound comes not only
from the mouth but also from the head. Although you
can use a dynamic microphone, we recommend using
a condenser microphone to get a cleaner recording. If
some breathing noise is recorded, try using a window
screen or pop guard. You can also try changing the
direction or angle of the microphone.
When playing through a guitar amp or bass amp at
a studio, it is important to use the actual volume and
settings used for performances. Place the microphone a
little o -center from the speakers and aim it from pointblank range. Be sure to use a dynamic microphone that
can withstand vibrations. If you want the recording to
give the feel of playing in a room, use two microphones
at distances to record in stereo. However, be careful
because if you set the microphones too far, there is too
much re ected sound and the sound contours become
blurred.
If you are recording in a room, you can also using line
recording by connecting an e ecter with an amp
modeling feature or an amp to the R-44 by cable. This
is because units that have amp modeling are designed
to produce realistic sound even with a line connection.
You can record electronic instruments like synthesizers,
organs, samplers, or rhythm machines by connecting
the instrument’s line output jack directly to the R-44
combo input jack. Some digital synthesizers have
e ecter or mastering features, so the line recordings
can faithfully reproduce the created sounds.
You can record instruments played through an
ampli er by considering the distance to the amp, just
as with the electric guitar.
Synthesizer or Organ
Vocals
Acoustic Guitar
Electric Guitar or Bass
This section describes where to place microphones for various instruments.
For more about dynamic microphones and condenser microphones, refer to “Microphone Type”
on p. 19 of this guide.
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