Roland AN User Manual

Hard Disk Recorder

© 1998 Roland Corporation

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the
written permission of ROLAND CORPORATION.
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

The cover illustration shows a Roland VS-880EX Digital Studio Workstation with
the optional Roland VS-CDR CD Recorder, two Roland MA-12 powered monitors,
and the VS-880EX TurboStart Video.

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1

Just as word processors have revolutionized the writing process, digital
hard disk recorders (HDRs) are giving musicians unprecedented creative
freedom in the production of their music.

Imagine being able to...

...record as many tracks of a guitar solo as you

want without having to erase one take.

...listen to your song in many different

arrangements and choose the one that you or your
producer likes best.

...boldly experiment, knowing that your original

recordings are safe and mistakes can be ‘undone’.

...record, mix and add effects all in one digital unit.

This creative flexibility is what

Hard Disk Recording is all about.

This guide discusses the issues and power of Hard Disk Recording and
will help you to:

• Understand the basics of digital recording,

• Learn about different kinds of digital recorders,

• Understand how hard disk recording is different from
other types of digital recorders, and

• Understand the basics of how recording works on HDRs
and where your music “goes.”

You will see the incredible benefits of such features as: random access;
virtual tracks; and pointer based, non destructive editing.

You will also learn about integrating HDRs with effect processors and
MIDI devices, and how easy it is to understand and use HDR systems.
This second edition has even added the latest concepts and terms to keep
you up to date.

Most importantly, this guide will be your doorway to HDRs, showing you
how much control they can give you, empowering you to expand your
creativity and make your music sound its best.

An Introduction to Hard Disk Recording

2

Every recording process converts audio to something.

Analog tape
Recording on analog tape converts
audio to constantly changing magnetic
fluctuations.

Although this process has been in use
for many years, it has some inherent
problems:

• Hiss on original tape and more in each copy

• Wow and flutter of tape media

• Degradation of tape over time

• Maintenance: regular cleaning and adjustment

• Linear access: to get from Introduction to the Ending, you must
go through all of your verses and choruses

Digital Recording
Just like music on an audio CD, digital
recording changes sound to numbers.

This process has some distinct advantages
over analog recording:

• No hiss, no wow, no flutter: virtually
no noise at all

• Copying with no degradation: you’re only copying
numbers

• Lots of processing options (reverb, delay, etc.) with no loss of
sound quality

• Some have random access locating: to get from the Introduction to the
Ending, just jump there instantly!

What IS Digital Recording?

HDR’s have extremely high quality audio

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There are several forms of digital recording:

• Digital Tape Recorders (such as Alesis ADAT®& Tascam DA-88®)

• MiniDisk Recorders

• Hard Disk Recorders

Digital Tape Recorders

Record digitally onto tape.
Advantages:

• Cheap media

Disadvantages:

• Linear access: to get from Introduction to the Ending, you must
go through all of your verses and choruses

• Destructive recording: lose the originals when you record over a track

• No UNDOS

• Impossible to copy from one section to another using one unit

• Limited editing without multiple units

• No virtual tracks

• Require you to buy external mixer and effects processors

Basically, they are very high quality “typewriters” (more on this later).

MiniDisk Based Systems
Record onto a data-type MiniDisk.
Advantages:

• Low cost

Disadvantages:

• Most are limited to 4 tracks

• Destructive recording without
multiple levels of undo

• Use analog mixers so there is
degradation when bouncing tracks

• No on board digital FX

• Track level copying or editing is either impossible or takes additional
time or disk space. See page 10 - 12 for more details.

• Can’t lock multiple units to increase the number of tracks

Different Forms of Digital Recording

4

Hard Disk Recorders (HDRs)
Record digitally onto a Hard Disk. Recording to hard disk has many
advantages over the other types of digital recorders. For the remainder of
this booklet we will focus on HDRs. These recorders really open the doors
to your creativity.

Types of HDRs
There are two basic types of Hard Disk Recorders: Computer Based
Recorders, and Dedicated (Stand-alone) Hard Disk Recorders.

Computer Based Recorders
Advantages:

• Graphics

Disadvantages:

• Expensive

• Require advanced computer knowledge

• Usually require a powerful computer,
cards, cables, and external hardware

• Often less stable than dedicated units

• Not portable

Dedicated Hard Disk Recorders
Stand alone systems designed specifically
for audio recording and editing. Dedicated
HDRs range from units that are basically
recorders alone, to workstations (all-in-one
boxes with mixers with faders and knobs
and digital effects).

Advantages:

• Great dollar value

• Familiar layout and controls

• Easy to learn and use

• Extremely stable

• Portable

• Exceptional sound quality

• Multiple units can be easily sync’d to increase the number of tracks

Types of Hard Disk Recorders

8 Audio
Tracks

Sync

16 Mixed
Audio
Tracks

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Let’s answer this question with an analogy:

What’s the big difference between a typewriter and a word processor?

When you write something on a piece
of paper with a typewriter, it’s there to
stay. If you want to change the order of
the words, add a paragraph in the
middle of the page, or correct a mistake,
you are out of luck. You have to start all
over again. This is similar to analog or
digital tape.

Word processors give you the creative
freedom to move paragraphs, copy sections,
insert new material, easily fix mistakes, or
save several versions of a document.

That’s one of the biggest differences
between hard disk recorders and linear
recording, either digital or analog tape.

HDRs enhance your creativity. They allow
you to re-organize your material, fix
mistakes and try different ideas to see how
they might sound.

Read on to find out about some of the great features HDRs give you,
including:

• Random Access

• Virtual Tracks

• Non destructive, pointer based editing

• Digital mixing

• Digital effects

• SMPTE, MIDI, and extensive syncing options

What’s the Big Deal About Hard Disk Recording?

HDRs allow you to try many ideas with your music.

6

Dedicated HDRs with digital mixers are easier to use than any type of
tape recorder and mixer combination.

Just plug in and start recording, just as you would on an old fashioned
tape recorder.

You record right onto tracks just like a tape recorder. When you are
finished recording, you can listen to what you recorded and record more
material on other tracks.

This process is quite simple because the HDR takes care of all of the work
without you having to worry about it!

How Do I Record Music With an HDR?

Recording music with HDRs is very easy

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Recording is as easy as 1, 2, 3!

Recording to an HDR is similar to any tape recorder!

It is also easy to integrate HDRs with:

• Drum Machines (using MIDI)

• Keyboard sequencers

• Computer sequencers

• Video

• other forms of recorders, such as Digital Tape recorders

How Do I Record Music With an HDR?

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