Boss BR1200 issue

[Pine]

Does anyone out there know what would suddenly prevent tracks 11/12 from recording a mix?

[64Guitars]

Not sure. The only clue I could find in the manual is that, after you bounce your mix to tracks 11/12, you have to save the song by holding down the STOP button and pressing the REC button. The screen will prompt you with "Save Current?", then you should press the ENTER/YES button.

The manual says "If you turn off the BR-1200CD without saving the current song, the track recorded by bouncing will be lost. It is important, therefore, that you save your songs regularly. Furthermore, if you intend to create an audio CD later on, you must save the bounced mix-down track at this time."

When you're in Bounce Mode and you've selected tracks 11/12 for the destination, what colour is the track 11/12 button? It should be red and flashing when it's armed for recording. When you press the PLAY and REC buttons to begin recording, both of those buttons should light up. Do they? If only PLAY lights up, then you're not recording. If you try to press both buttons simultaneously, you might actually press PLAY first by a few milliseconds. In that case, it will be in Play Mode, not Record Mode. So it's best to always press REC first, then press PLAY to start recording.

Manual references:

• Bounce: https://static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/BR-1200CD_OM.pdf#page=82
• Song Save: https://static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/BR-1200CD_OM.pdf#page=70

[AndyR]

I occasionally had this happen on the BR1600. It would usually be one of the things that 64 highlights.

I had a little mental check list to run through before I pressed PLAY on a bounce:

• Make sure you're in Bounce mode (though missing this would cause a different problem).
• Make sure you've pressed the RECORD button and it's lit up and flashing red.
• Make sure you've armed the track that you want to bounce to, it's lit up and flashing red.

For me, it was points 1 and 3 where the BR was causing me troubles with "sticky buttons"
The MODE button and the track buttons for 3, 11/12, and 13/14 were starting to become unresponsive.
Other buttons were too: the ZERO, the MARKER |<< on the transport controls, and the EXIT and the ENTER/YES buttons.

They all caused problems, but the track buttons meant muting during playback was becoming troublesome... and so was arming for recording.

The way I'd been used to using it was a quick tap tap tap on the buttons in the correct sequence, without looking at the machine.
If a button was sticking, obviously it won't have done its job.
So I was either not recording, recording the wrong thing, or recording on a different track than I was intending...

I'm not at all sure this is what your problem is, though?
Unless it's the first "sticky button" problem you've experienced and it's your 11/12 track button and you can't arm the track?

If it is the onset of "sticky buttons", I didn't find it as terminal as some discussions about it make it sound. It's really annoying, but I didn't find it was the end of the world... I believe it's just dirty contacts - I could clear it by blowing hard on the button while repeatedly (gently) clicking it. Also, the problem would be greater if I hadn't used the machine for a while, but would ease/clear during a few hours heavy use.

[Woodlake]

If it is the onset of "sticky buttons", I didn't find it as terminal as some discussions about it make it sound. It's really annoying, but I didn't find it was the end of the world... I believe it's just dirty contacts - I could clear it by blowing hard on the button while repeatedly (gently) clicking it. Also, the problem would be greater if I hadn't used the machine for a while, but would ease/clear during a few hours heavy use.

I recently picked up a BR1600 that appears to have had some heavy usage. 33 of the button were "sticky" and did not react on the 1st push. A couple were very difficult to get working at all.
The problem is that the tactile switches used in them have a limited life (it's a LOT of pushes though!). You find the most used buttons do go first like the transport controls and Yes/No. Luckily it is quite an easy fix if you are handy with a soldering iron. You can buy the exact replacement switches (Panasonic) very cheaply. I replaced all 33 and I've never soldered an electronic board before. Just takes a bit of time and patience. It was more daunting to dismantle the machine to actually get at the board!
So the moral of the story, is if your BR does have sticky buttons - its a relatively cheap and easy fix!

[Pine]

Many thanks 64, Andy, and Woodlake! Very timely and useful info. I think the issue is resolved and may have been a combination of things. Sticky buttons I've encountered and a total lock up x2 over the years. Talking the unit apart and soldering in new switches takes a braver soul than me! Good to know tho. I think my own personal issue is more lack of use than overuse. At the rate I record anymore, the unit will probably outlast me, but if it does, I have a brand new Tascam DP008EX waiting in the wings. I'm hoping to finish up a Native American Flute album this year. Thanks again for all the great suggestions and support. I really appreciate it.