Micro BR-80

[64Guitars]

The original Micro BR is the only BR that can export directly to MP3. It's really not a critical feature since converting to MP3 (or any other compressed format) should always be the very last thing you do. I don't own a Micro BR but if I did, I'd never use the MP3 export. Instead, I'd always export to WAV format. Then I'd load the WAV file into Audacity or some other DAW to trim the ends, apply a fade out (if desired), and normalize the levels. These final edits should not be done directly on an MP3 file, so WAV is the correct format to use. After the final edits are done, it's easy to export the finished song from Audacity in MP3 format.

You can download Audacity from the following site (get version 1.3.14 rather than 1.2.6).

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

The BR-80 comes with SONAR X1 LE which, I'm sure, can also convert to MP3, though perhaps not straight out of the box. You may need to download and install an MP3 encoder. Maybe cuthbert or one of the other BR-80 owners can clarify this.

And, as mentioned, there are standalone MP3 conversion tools available which aren't part of a DAW. For example:

http://www.nch.com.au/switch/index.html

http://www.dors.de/razorlame/

However, since you'll usually want to do your final edits (trimming, fades, normalizing) in a DAW anyway, it's usually most convenient to use the DAW for your MP3 conversion after the edits are done.

[strummer10]

Thanks for your replies. 64 Guitars, that makes a lot of sense. I loaded Sonar LE last night and it looks very impressive (if not a little daunting for someone like me). Another daft question but would people use Sonar to create drum beats? Can you import to the MBR80? I'm a pretty terrible musician so I don't really need anything other than the 4/4 that the MBR80 provides but I just wondered what others use Sonar for (but perhaps 64 has answered that). Thanks again.

[eric]

Hi,

I'm sorry I quickly went though the 28 pages of this thread but just wanted to know if this is confirmed that the BR 80 cannot provide the reamping feature that was part of the Micro BR.
What I mean is that in the MBR I could record dry (but monitor with effects) and then freely apply COSM on my recorded track.
I cannot find this feature on my new BR80 and I must say I will be very disappointed if this is confirmed.
We all have different ways of recording music. As far as I am concerned, I usually get new ideas based on the particular sound of my guitar tracks. I found very handy to quickly record a new idea (without taking too much care about the original sound) and then tweak it in order to improve it and get more ideas from my new sounds.
In short, reamping is part of my writing process and I really miss it on the BR80

Hope I'm wrong and this is hidden somewhere

Thanks for your answers.
Eric

[cuthbert]

You're not wrong - that feature was known as Effects Location on the Micro BR, and the BR-80 does not have it (at least not yet).

On the BR-80, the COSM effects can only be applied on the microphones or 1/4" input (but annoyingly, not the 1/8" line level input) while playing/recording. You cannot record "dry" while monitoring effects, nor apply an effect to a track or pair of tracks and then bounce it. On the other hand, you can do these things in the bundled Sonar software later via VST plugins if you bring your tracks in there, so maybe it's a wash.

Personally, I rarely recorded with effects or bounced them on my Micro BR - I usually brought my tracks into Audition for better control of mixing, and for VST effects. But others do like to do more production in the recorder, and in that case it's a minus for the BR-80.

[eric]

Ok thanks,
hope they will add this feature in a firmware upgrade...

[Ludek]

I unpacked mine yesterday and having read diligently all the discussion here I want to express my private opinion: I used to have Micro BR some time ago. I loved it but gave it away. Why? 4tracks are never enough and I was bored more and more spending so much time freeing only a single stereo track in the bouncing process. I neve liked its COSM effects and the SD card capacity was limited to one GB. And now? Eight tracks. The COSM fxs are amazing to my ears. I hear the lamp warmth in many of them! I think the new DSP is on a completely new level. E-band seemed to me a feature I can miss first. But then I jammed with some tracks and was impressed. It' s really the tool improving my soloing ability. And what' s fascinating me even more - having used the E-band editor I' ve imported all the Beatles' songs, in the next step imported them  into the MTR mode and then made decent covers adding other guitar and voice tracks. Finally muted the boys and -wow, I' m good!
Batteries are drained a littly bit more quickly then I' d expected but two sets of decent capacity recharging AAs will do the job. Some people here think that the routine of taming this little amazing beast are completely different from Micro BR. May be but everything' s so simple for the one who had Micro in his hands.. Realy no need to worry. I don' t want to return to discussion that has developed here regarding the time signature as I (though playing classical guitar too) haven' t missed it yet but lack of true and straightforward count-in feature made me search this forum and find a solution which works but .. Nevertheless I praise those who created this device. This is realy something I need when sitting before the screen with all the complexity of Props Reason (hail to the king) makes me tired.
And my little contribution to the SDHC card compatibility- I use the TDK 8 GB with no error during live recording so far.. I go back to spend some more time with my new friend. Ludek Prague

[64Guitars]

Roland Germany is now offering their free "Sounds der Helden" (Sounds of Heroes) for the BR-80 (also available for the BR-800, VS-20, eBand JS-8, GR-55, and several other Roland products). It's a zip file of a BR-80 backup containing 30 custom effects patches designed to emulate the guitar sounds from popular recordings.

http://www.soundsderhelden.de/uebersicht.html  (Google translation)

and here are the installation instructions:

http://www.soundsderhelden.de/download/SDH-BR80.pdf  (Google translation)

[mocomain]

Thanks for re-posting this link, as I had downloaded it before I even had the BR-80 and had forgotten all about it! All I did once the BR-80 was in Storage Mode (via the USB connection), was to access the new downloaded Roland folder, then the BR0 sub-folder, then rename the new song (that contains all the new guitar presets)...and copy it into my current song folder. After I disconnected the USB cable and rebooted the BR-80 back into MTR Mode, I chose the new song (that contains all the new COSM guitar presets)...and copied each new preset into a User preset location. Incredibly easy & everything sounds great!

Michael

[strummer10]

Michael, I tried doing as you suggested bu I cant find the new song on the BR80.  I'm using the mother-in-laws computer so perhaps it might have something to do with that but essentially, i downloaded the file, expanded using WinZip, opened the Roland folder, opened BR0 and renamed the song and then copy and pasted that into BR0 on the BR80. Does this seem right?  Perhaps I need to install a driver, but the BR80 is recognised on the computer etc. As far as I understand, I am looking for the new song in the list of songs, press COSM and then scrolling to Song Patch and they should be there? Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

[strummer10]

Please ignore my post above, I'm a complete idiot! I hadn't been saving the file with a .BR0 at the end. That's all that was missing. Very pleased with some of the sounds. Highly recommend people download this.