Some months ago my cousin gave me a ‘Roland/Boss BR-1180 Multi-Track Recorder’ he told me that I would need to read the instructions thoroughly as it is quite a complicated machine with lots of built-in features. He went on to say that there were some parts of this device that he still hadn’t figured out and he’d had this unit for some years. I glanced through the manual and my eyes glazed over, this was clearly going to take some time and some sort of a degree in sound technology! At the end of the day, I’m a musician and just wanted to get on with the process of recording.
I did a quick internet search to see if there were any guides or tips online and came across the ‘Roland DVD Instruction Manual’ for the Boss BR-1180, so I decided to purchase this. I was not disappointed! The whole set up is explained and demonstrated by David Wills who is a professional Sound Engineer having worked with some leading music artists.
The DVD takes the form of a course and you are presented with a menu which links to various chapters in which David takes you through step by step, explaining and demonstrating the various features and bells and whistles. This means you can easily jump in and out of needed or relevant sections.
I took some notes as I watched and enjoyed David’s relaxed style. He is never patronising and explains things thoroughly and gives reasons for the various settings and things to look out for and experiment with. Not only is David a fine sound guy but also a great musician. He demonstrates step by step, how to make your very first recording right through to the mixing and mastering stages. That said, David doesn’t attempt to ‘wow’ with his guitar playing but simply focuses on giving you the help you need to apply various effects and get the best sound from your instrument. Within weeks I found I was recording and producing my own material. My cousin was amazed at the results. ‘I never got it to sound as good as that!’ he told me. Whenever I got stuck on something I would simply refer back to the DVD. Sometime after this I decided to upgrade my device to the Boss BR-1600 CD. I wasted no time in seeking out the ‘Video Guide’ for this. On this occasion however I noticed that there was an online course available by David Wills. The advantage of this means that you can access your training guide anywhere, from your PC, Tablet or Mobile. I can now sit in my music room with the BR-1600CD in front of me while accessing the instruction guide from my mobile or PC. It’s also available instantly, no need to wait for a DVD to arrive. I somehow feel I’ve got to know David now as I’ve been through these guides so many times. He’s like a fellow bandmate giving you a hand. Being shown how to do something is a lot quicker than struggling through a complicated manual that’s for sure. If you want to take things further then ‘ProAudio expert’ offer follow up training on all aspects of sound engineering. All that remains is for me to say Thank You David for your help and to assure any fellow players or budding sound engineers out there – you won’t be disappointed!
