Roland VS-1680 V-XPANDED Instruction Manual

1998 Roland Corporation U.S. VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions Faxback # 21067 Page 1
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November 4th, 1998
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The VS-1680 has redefined recording power
since its release in early 1998. Features such as
16 playback tracks, 256 Virtual Tracks, 24-bit
audio recording, nonlinear editing, digital mixing,
and effects processing (optional) packed into a
compact table-top workstation have made the
VS-1680 one of the most popular audio recorders
of all time. The purpose of this document is to
answer some of the questions most commonly
asked of the Roland Product Support department
by VS-1680 owners in regards to its operation.
We will cover the following topics in this document:
I. How do I control the Stereo Tracks independently?
II. Why do I hear my inputs all the time?
III. What is the Fader/Mute button used for?
IV. How do I burn audio CDs?
V. How do I restore the mixer parameters to the
factory settings?
VI. How do I create a Tempo Map?
VII. How do I use Automix?
VIII. How do I create a User Template with EZ Routing?
IX. How do I bounce tracks?
X. How do I bounce tracks with effects?
XI. Why cant I hear my effects?
XII. How do I use the Scrub and Waveform display
features?
XIII. How do I record a stereo signal?
XIV. How do I know how much time is left on my hard
drive? / How many megabytes does my song use?
XV. How do I import VS-880/VS-880EX songs?
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®ÂØÒÅÎ Supplemental Notes VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions
Tracks 9-16 on the VS-1680 are configured as Stereo
Tracks but they can be controlled independently. To do
this, the Channel Link function must be turned off.
Tracks 9, 11, 13, and 15 can then be controlled from
the front panel just as tracks 1-8 are. Tracks 10, 12, 14,
and 16 can be controlled by holding the SHIFT button
and adjusting the desired front panel control. For exam-
ple, holding SHIFT and moving the 9/10 fader will adjust
the level for track 10 but not track 9. The following pro-
cedure will guide you through the process of recording a
mono signal to track 16.
1) Press the TRACK 15/16 SELECT button so that
Track Mixer [TR = 15/16] is displayed (Fig. 1).
2) Use the CURSOR buttons to select Link and use
the TIME/VALUE dial to select OFF.
3) Hold the SHIFT and Track 15/16 STATUS buttons
and press the Input SELECT button for the input you
wish to record (it will begin to flash).
4) Hold SHIFT and press the Track 15/16 STATUS
button until it is flashing red.
5) Use the appropriate INPUT SENS knob to set the
recording level as desired.
6) Press REC followed by PLAY to begin recording.
7) Press STOP when you are finished.
8) Press PLAY to hear the results. Hold SHIFT and use
the Channel 15/16 fader to adjust the playback
volume of track 16 as desired.
The PAN ON/OFF switch is used to determine whether
or not a track or input is sent to the mix buss. This para-
meter should be checked when you are either hearing a
track or input that you dont want to hear or when you
are having trouble hearing a track or input that you
should be hearing. The default setting for this switch is
ON, even for the inputs. This is why it is possible to
hear your inputs even if they are not routed anywhere.
1998 Roland Corporation U.S. VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions Faxback # 21067 Page 2
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I. How Do I Control the Stereo Tracks Independently?
II. Why Do I Hear the Inputs All of the Time?

®ÂØÒÅÎ Supplemental Notes VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions
Use the following procedure to adjust the PAN ON/OFF switch:
1) Press the desired INPUT or TRACK SELECT button.
2) Use the CURSOR buttons to highlight the parameter
beneath PAN (in the upper right corner of the display).
3) Use the TIME/VALUE dial to select ON or OFF as
desired. For example. If you are trying to prevent an
input from being heard at the mix outputs, you would
set this switch to OFF.
4) Repeat steps 1-3 for any additional tracks or inputs
as desired.
The Fader/Mute button (Fig. 2) is used to determine
whether the faders control the track levels or the input and
effect return levels. When the Fader/Mute button is set to
IN, faders 1-8 control the analog input levels, fader
9/10 controls the digital input, fader 11/12 controls the
stereo in level, and faders 13-16 control the effect return
levels. When the Fader/Mute button is set to TR,
faders 1-16 will control the levels for tracks 1-16 respec-
tively. Use the following procedure to set the faders to
control inputs or tracks:
1) Select a song and press PLAY.
2) Press the FADER/MUTE button so that IN is lit.
3) Use the faders to adjust the levels of the inputs and
effect returns as desired.
4) Press the FADER/MUTE button so that TR is lit.
5) Use the faders to adjust the levels of the tracks as
desired.
The VS-1680 allows you to take a project from its begin-
ning stages all the way to a finished CD. What steps
need to be taken to produce a finished CD? A general
description of the recording process might be as follows:
ÜRecording Basic Tracks
ÜEditing your Tracks
ÜMixing your Tracks
ÜMastering your Tracks to a Final Stereo Mix
ÜPreparing your Stereo Mix for CD
This section covers some of the common questions that
arise during the CD preparation phase of the recording
1998 Roland Corporation U.S. VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions Faxback # 21067 Page 3
Why Do I Hear the Inputs All of the Time (continued)
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III. What is the Fader/Mute Button Used For?
IV. How Do I Burn Audio CDs?

®ÂØÒÅÎ Supplemental Notes VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions
process. If you havent already, you will need to mix
your songs down to a two track stereo format. You can
do this by recording to an external device such as a
DAT machine or cassette deck or by bouncing your
tracks down to a stereo pair within the VS-1680 itself.
If you are unsure of the procedure for bouncing tracks,
refer to section IX on page 11.
How Do I Choose Which Tracks are Burned to the CD?
CDs are a stereo format. This means that you will
always designate two tracks (left and right) to be
burned onto the CD-R. Use the following procedure to
designate a left and right track for creating a CD:
1) Hold SHIFTand press F1 [SONG] and
the Song Menu screen will be dis-
played. If it is not, press F6 [EXIT].
2) Press PAGE until CD WT appears
above F3.
3) Press F3 [CD WT] to display the CD
Write Ready? screen.
4) Press YES and Store Current? will
be displayed. If you have made any
changes to your song that have not
been saved, press YES;otherwise,
press NO.
5) Press F1 [SelTr] to display the
Select Track screen (Fig. 3).
6) Use the TIME/VALUE dial to select the track (and
Virtual Track) that will become the left side of the
CD and press F3 [Sel L]. For example, if your stereo
mix is recorded to Tracks 15 and 16, you will high-
light 15-1: V.T 15-1 and press F3 [Sel L] to desig-
nate Track 15 (V-Track 1) as the left track of the CD.
7) Use the TIME/VALUE dial to select the track (and
Virtual Track) that will become the right side of the
CD and press F4 [Sel R].
8) Press F1 [Back] and the tracks you selected will be
displayed under L-Ch Source Track and R-Ch
Source Track. You can now continue with the CD
Write procedure on page 121 of the VS-1680
Owners Manual.
1998 Roland Corporation U.S. VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions Faxback # 21067 Page 4
How Do I Burn Audio CDs? (continued)
FFiigg.. 33 CCDD--RR TTrraacckk SSeelleecctt SSccrreeeenn

®ÂØÒÅÎ Supplemental Notes VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Set CD Markers?
When writing multiple songs to the CD at once, it is
important that CD markers are created at the beginning
of each song. Otherwise, your audio will be combined
into one long song on the CD. The VS-1680 automati-
cally creates the first CD marker at 00h00m00s00f. You
will need to create CD markers for any additional songs.
Use the following procedure to create CD markers:
1) Locate the VS-1680 to the point where the audio
for your second song begins.
2) Hold PLAY/DISPLAY and press TAP.
3) Locate the VS-1680 to the beginning of the third song.
4) Hold PLAY/DISPLAY and press TAP.
5) Continue this procedure for any additional songs.
Why Does my CD Sound Different than the VS-1680?
If the songs on the CD you burn sounds drastically dif-
ferent than they do when played on the VS-1680,
remember that mixer settings such as fader level,
effects, and EQ do not translate to the CD. Use the fol-
lowing procedure to listen to your song as it will be
recorded to the CD:
1) Solo the tracks that you have selected as the left
and right CD tracks.
2) Press the FADER/MUTE button so that TR is lit
and set the faders for the selected tracks to 0dB
(the bold line approximately two-thirds of the way up).
1998 Roland Corporation U.S. VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions Faxback # 21067 Page 5
How Do I Burn Audio CDs? (continued)
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®ÂØÒÅÎ Supplemental Notes VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions
3) Press the TRACK SELECT button for the track
selected as the L-Ch Source Track so that the
Track Mixer screen is displayed.
4) Use the CURSOR buttons to highlight the Link
parameter and use the TIME/VALUE dial to select On.
5) Use the CURSOR buttons to highlight Pan
parameter (under the pan knob icon) and use the
TIME/VALUE dial to select 0.
6) Use the CURSOR buttons to highlight the EQ Sw
parameter and use the TIME/VALUE dial to select Off.
7) Use the CURSOR buttons to highlight the EFX 1
parameter and use the TIME/VALUE dial to select
Off. Do the same for EFX 2, 3, and 4.
8) Use the CURSOR buttons to highlight the EFX Ins
parameter and press YES. Use the TIME/VALUE dial
to select Off for EFX 1. Do the same for EFX 2, 3,
and 4.
9) Use the CURSOR buttons to highlight the ATT
parameter and use the TIME/VALUE dial to select 0dB.
10) Press AUTOMIX so it is not lit.
11) Press the TRACK STATUS button for the track
selected as the L-Ch Source Track until it is in
Play mode (green) and set its fader to 0dB. Bring the
remaining channel faders all the way down.
12) Set the master fader to 0dB. Reset your song to the
beginning and press PLAY to hear your song as it
will sound on the CD.
The VS-1680 gives you the ability to revert all your
mixer and system parameters back to their original fac-
tory settings. This is convenient if you want to reset the
mixer and system settings to their original values with-
out having to adjust each parameter manually. This is
also a good function for troubleshooting when you hav-
ing difficulties that appear to be mixer related. Use the
following procedure to initialize the VS-1680 mixer and
system parameters:
1) Hold SHIFT and press F5 [SYSTEM] and the
System Menu page should be displayed. If it is
not, press F6 [EXIT].
2) Press PAGE so that INIT is displayed above F1 (if
necessary).
1998 Roland Corporation U.S. VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions Faxback # 21067 Page 6
Listening to a Song Before Burning the CD (continued)
V. How Do I Restore the Mixer Parameters to the
Factory Settings?

®ÂØÒÅÎ Supplemental Notes VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions
3) Press F1 and Init Mix/Sys Prm Sure? will be dis-
played.
4) Press YES and Initializing...Please Wait will be dis-
played.
5) Press PLAY/DISPLAY to return to the main play screen.
The VS-1680 allows you to create a tempo map
that controls tempo and meter changes throughout
your song. This is very convenient when you are
integrating the VS-1680 with a MIDI sequencer.
Use the following procedure to create a Tempo
Map.
1) Hold SHIFT and press F5 [SYSTEM] and
System Menu page should be displayed.
If it is not, press F6 [EXIT].
2) Press F6 [SYNC]. If SYNC does not appear above
F6, press PAGE followed by F6. The Sync/Tempo
page should be displayed (Fig. 4).
3) Press F3 [Tmap] to display the Tempo Map screen
(Fig. 5).
4) CURSOR down to the current tempo setting
(e.g. q=120) and use the TIME/VALUE dial to
select the desired starting tempo for your song.
5) CURSOR down to the beat setting (e.g. 4/4) and use
the TIME/VALUE dial to select the desired time
signature.
6) Press F2 [NEW].
7) Use the CURSOR buttons to highlight the
tempo setting and the TIME/VALUE dial to
select the new tempo.
8) CURSOR down to the measure setting and use
the TIME/VALUE dial to select the measure
where you want the new tempo to begin.
9) CURSOR down to the beat setting (e.g. 4/4) and use
the TIME/VALUE dial to select the desired time signa-
ture.
10) Repeat steps 6-9 for any additional tempo and/or
time signature changes as desired.
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1998 Roland Corporation U.S. VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions Faxback # 21067 Page 7
Restoring the Mixer Parameters to the Factory
Settings (continued)
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VI. How Do I Create a Tempo Map?

®ÂØÒÅÎ Supplemental Notes VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions
Why Doesnt it Change the Audio?
The Tempo Map can alter the tempo and meter of MIDI
sequences. It can not, however, do the same for audio
recorded on the 1680. For this reason, it is important to
create your Tempo Map before you begin recording any
acoustic instruments whenever possible and to record
while listening to the metronome. It is possible to alter
the playback speed of recorded audio by using the Vari
Pitch and/or Time Compression/Expansion functions.
The automix function of the VS-1680 allows you to per-
fect your final mix before you commit to a master DAT
tape or CD. Instead of manually riding the faders while
you are recording to your master tape, automix allows
you to record mixer changes such as level, pan, effects
type, etc. You can even automate the mixer settings for
the inputs which is helpful, for example, when you have
synchronized a keyboard or drum machine and you want
to mix it in with the audio tracks without actually
recording it. There are three main types of automixing
available on the VS-1680: realtime, snapshot, and grada-
tion.
Realtime
Realtime automix allows you to record fader movements
as you make them. This is very convenient for perfect-
ing your track mixes before you record them down to
two tracks. Use the following procedure to create a real-
time automix:
1) Press AUTOMIX so it is lit (Fig. 6).
2) Hold AUTOMIX and press the INPUT and/or TRACK
SELECT buttons for any inputs or tracks that you
want to automix so that they are flashing.
3) Reset your song to the beginning and adjust the
faders as desired for the start of the song.
4) Hold SCENE and press REC to enable realtime
automix mode.
5) Press PLAY and adjust the faders as desired.
6) Press STOP when you are finished. Reset your song
to the beginning and press PLAY to hear the results.
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1998 Roland Corporation U.S. VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions Faxback # 21067 Page 8
Creating Tempo Maps (continued)
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VII. How Do I Use Automix?

®ÂØÒÅÎ Supplemental Notes VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions
Snapshot
Snapshot automation allows you to recall settings such
as fader levels, effect send levels, effect types, and pan-
ning at a specific point in time. This is useful, for
instance, when you want to change effects during your
song. Use the following procedure to create a snapshot:
1) Press AUTOMIX so it is lit.
2) Reset your song to the beginning and adjust the set-
tings as desired for the beginning of your song.
3) Hold SCENE and press TAP to create a snapshot of
your initial settings.
4) Advance the VS-1680 to the point in time where
you want these settings to change and adjust them
as desired. Then, hold SCENE and press TAP.
5) Repeat step #4 to create additional snapshots as
desired.
6) Reset your song to the beginning and press PLAY to
hear the results.
Gradation
Gradation allows you to designate two snapshots and
have the VS-1680 automatically fill in the mixer settings
between those two points to create a smooth transition.
This a very handy tool for creating fades. Use the follow-
ing procedure to create a fade out using gradation:
1) Press AUTOMIX so it is lit.
2) Advance your song to the point in time where you
want the fade out to begin and adjust the fader
levels (including the master fader) as desired.
3) Hold SCENE and press TAP.
4) Advance your song to the point in time where the
fade out should end and pull the master fader all the
way down.
5) Hold SCENE and press TAP.
6) Hold SCENE and press PREVIOUS and Gradation
Marker #000 - #001? will be displayed.
1998 Roland Corporation U.S. VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions Faxback # 21067 Page 9
Using Automix (continued)
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®ÂØÒÅÎ Supplemental Notes VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions
7) Press YES and the VS-1680 will create a fade out
between those marker points.
8) Reset your song to a point before the first marker
and press PLAY to hear the fade out.
The User section within EZ Routing can be a huge time
saver. It can greatly simplify the set up process for
recording or mixing configurations that are frequently
used. These user programmable routing configurations
allow you to set up the VS-1680 exactly the way you
need, step by step, for a particular task. Then, when
you need to perform that same task in the future, you
just select that User template and your custom setup
will be recalled automatically. The following example will
show you how to create a User routing template for
recording inputs 1-8 to tracks 1-8 with a compressor
effect inserted on each input.
1) Press EZ ROUTING so it
is lit.
2) Press PAGE so that
INPUT is displayed
above F2.
3) Press F2 [INPUT] to dis-
play the Input Mixer
Settings (Fig. 7).
4) Use the CURSOR but-
tons and the
TIME/VALUE dial
to set the Send for
inputs 1-8 to tracks 1-8.
For example, the Send
for input 1 would appear
as 1/-.
5) Use the CURSOR buttons and TIME/VALUE dial to
set EFX 1 to INL for input 1 and INR for input 2.
6) Use the CURSOR buttons and TIME/VALUE dial to
set EFX 2 to INL for input 3 and INR for input 4.
7) Use the CURSOR buttons and TIME/VALUE dial to
set EFX 3 to INL for input 5 and INR for input 6.
1998 Roland Corporation U.S. VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions Faxback # 21067 Page 10
Creating a Fade Out With Gradation (continued)
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VIII. How Do I Create a User Template in EZ Routing?

®ÂØÒÅÎ Supplemental Notes VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions
8) Use the CURSOR buttons and TIME/VALUE dial to
set EFX 4 to INL for input 7 and INR for input 8.
9) Press F3 [TRACK] to display the Track Routing screen.
10) Use the CURSOR buttons and TIME/VALUE dial to
set the Send for tracks 1-8 to MIX.
11) Use the CURSOR buttons and TIME/VALUE dial to
set the Status for tracks 1-8 to REC.
12) Press F4 [EFX] to display the Effect
Settings screen (Fig. 8).
13) Use the CURSOR buttons and
TIME/VALUE dial to select P096
Dual Comp/Lim for Effects 1-4.
14) Press F6 [Save] and the Routing Save
screen will be displayed.
15) Use the CURSOR buttons and
TIME/VALUE dial to enter a name for
this User Template (e.g. 8ins w/comp).
16) Press F5 [Write] and your template will be saved.
17) Press PLAY/DISPLAY to return to the main screen.
Use the following procedure to recall your User Template:
1) Press EZ ROUTING so it is lit.
2) Use the TIME/VALUE dial to highlight your User
Template.
3) Press PAGE so that EXEC appears above F4.
4) Press F4 [EXEC] twice. Apply this Routing? will be
displayed.
5) Press YES to apply your User Template.
Bouncing tracks is common recording technique used to
free up additional recording tracks or prepare a song for
CD production by combining (bouncing) audio recorded
on multiple tracks to a single track or stereo pair of
tracks. Then, new material can be recorded to the origi-
nal tracks. On the VS-1680, you can record new tracks
without recording over the original material by recording
on new Virtual Tracks. Plus, because the bouncing is
performed digitally, you are not adding noise each time
you bounce tracks. Use the following procedure to
bounce tracks 1-14 to tracks 15 and 16.
1) Press the TRACK 15/16 SELECT button.
2) Use the CURSOR buttons to highlight the Link icon
and use the TIME/VALUE dial to select ON.
1998 Roland Corporation U.S. VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions Faxback # 21067 Page 11
Creating a User Template with EZ Routing (continued)
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IX. How Do I Bounce Tracks?

®ÂØÒÅÎ Supplemental Notes VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions
3) Hold the Track 15/16 STATUS button and press CLEAR.
4) Hold the Track 15/16 STATUS button and press the
TRACK SELECT 1-14 buttons consecutively so that
they are flashing.
5) Press the Track 15/16 STATUS button until it is set
to source mode (orange). Press the STATUS buttons
for tracks 1-14 until they are set to play mode(green).
6) Press PLAY and adjust the level and pan settings for tracks
1-14 as desired. Press STOP when you are finished.
7) Press the Track 15/16 STATUS button until it is set
to record ready mode (flashing red).
8) Reset your song to the beginning and press REC
followed by PLAY.
9) Press STOP when your song is finished playing. Now,
tracks 15 and 16 will contain a stereo mix of tracks 1-14.
10) Reset your song to the beginning, turn off tracks 1-14,
and press PLAY to hear the results. Make sure that the
EQ switch and all effects sends for tracks 15 and 16
are turned off. This will ensure that the bounced ver-
sion of tracks 1-14 sounds the same as the original.
If you are using effects, it can be beneficial to include
the output of the effects processor when you bounce
tracks. This is sometimes referred to as printing the
effects. By printing the effects you make them a perma-
nent part of the audio. By doing this you can free up the
effect processor to be used on a different track, or to
add a different effect on the same track. Use the follow-
ing procedure to bounce tracks 1-14 to tracks 15 and
16, with effects.
1) Assign tracks 1-14 to any of the available effects
processors (1-4) as desired.
2) Hold the Track 15/16 STATUS button and press
CLEAR.
3) Hold the Track 15/16 STATUS button and press the
TRACK SELECT 1-14 buttons consecutively so that
they are flashing.
4) Hold the Track 15/16 STATUS button and press the
EFF RTN button for all of the effects processors that
are being used. For example, to record Effect 1 to
tracks 15 and 16, hold the TRACK 15/16 STATUS
button and press EFFECT 1/3 RTN.
1998 Roland Corporation U.S. VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions Faxback # 21067 Page 12
Bouncing Tracks (continued)
X. How Do I Bounce Tracks with Effects?

®ÂØÒÅÎ Supplemental Notes VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions
5) Press the Track 15/16 STATUS button until it is set
to source mode (orange). Press the STATUS buttons
for tracks 1-14 until they are set to play mode (green).
6) Press PLAY and adjust the level and pan settings for
tracks 1-14 as desired. Press STOP when you are
finished.
7) Press the Track 15/16 STATUS button until it is set
to record ready mode (flashing red).
8) Reset your song to the beginning and press REC
followed by PLAY.
9) Press STOP when your song is finished playing.
Now, tracks 15 and 16 will contain a stereo mix of
tracks 1-14 with the effects included.
If you have routed a track or input to one of the internal
effects processors (using the optional VS8F-2) and are
having difficulty hearing the output of the effects
processor, the problem can usually be traced to one of
three scenarios: Your effects are either inserted on
another track or input, the output of that effects proces-
sor is routed to a record buss instead of the mix buss,
or your master effect return for that effect is set to
zero.
If you have inserted an effect on a certain track or
input, you cannot use that effects processor on any
other track or input. Use the following procedure to
ensure that Effects 1-4 are not being used as insert
effects:
1) Press the INPUT 1 SELECT button to display the
Input Mixer screen.
2) Use the CURSOR buttons to highlight the EFX Ins
icon and press F6 [PRM.V].
3) Use the CURSOR buttons and TIME/VALUE dial to
set the Sw parameter to OFF for all inputs.
4) Press the TRACK 1 SELECT button to display the
Track Mixer screen.
5) Use the CURSOR buttons and TIME/VALUE dial to
set the Sw parameter to OFF for all tracks.
1998 Roland Corporation U.S. VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions Faxback # 21067 Page 13
Bouncing Tracks with Effects (continued)
XI. Why Cant I Hear My Effects?
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tthhee TTrraacckk 1155//1166 SSTTAATTUUSS,, SSHHIIFFTT,, aanndd EEFFFF 11//33 RRTTNN
oorr EEFFFFEECCTT22//44 RRTTNN bbuuttttoonnss ttoo aassssiiggnn eeffffeeccttss 33
aanndd//oorr 44 ttoo bbee rreeccoorrddeedd oonn ttrraacckkss 1155 aanndd 1166..

®ÂØÒÅÎ Supplemental Notes VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions
6) Press the MASTER EDIT/SOLO button to display the
Master Block screen.
7) Use the CURSOR buttons to highlight the EFX Ins
icon and press YES. Use the TIME/VALUE dial to
select Off for Effects 1-4.
Routing the outputs of the effects processors to a
record buss is common when bouncing tracks. If you do
not return the outputs of the effects processors to the
mix buss, the effects might not be heard the next time
you try and use them. Use the following procedure to
ensure that the outputs of the effects processors are
sent to the mix buss:
1) Hold the TRACK 1 STATUS button. If the EFFECT
1/3 RTN or EFFECT 2/4 RTN buttons begin to flash,
press them so that they stop flashing.
2) Repeat this procedure for tracks 2-16.
Another common reason for being unable to hear an
effects processor is that the master effect return for
that effect is set to 0. Use the following procedure to
check the master effect returns:
1) Press the MASTER EDIT/SOLO button to display the
MASTER screen.
2) Use the CURSOR buttons and the TIME/VALUE dial
to select the desired return level for EFX 1-4 (100 is
the default value).
The Scrub and Waveform Display functions of the
VS-1680 are extremely useful when performing track edits
such as cut, copy, and erase. The Waveform Display helps
you find exact edit points in your audio by providing a
graphic representation of a particular audio waveform. The
Scrub function allows you to hear that edit point by play-
ing back a loop (with a resolution as fine as 25ms) of your
audio. You can control the audio that is being looped by
selecting the track you want to hear and using the dial to
move the audio back and forth across the now line (the
solid line that runs across the middle of the Waveform dis-
play). To use the Scrub and Waveform Display functions
effectively, it is important that you understand the control
parameters used in each function.
1998 Roland Corporation U.S. VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions Faxback # 21067 Page 14
Why Cant I Hear the Effects? (continued)
XII. How Do I Use the Scrub and Waveform
Display Features?

®ÂØÒÅÎ Supplemental Notes VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions
Setting the Scrub Length
There are two parameters that can affect the precision
in which you can scrub audio in the VS-1680: the Scrub
Length and the position of the cursor in the time display
(Fig. 9). The scrub length controls the size (in millisec-
onds) of the section of audio that is looped and can set
as low as 25ms or as high as 100ms. The default value
is 45ms and that seems to work best for most applica-
tions. Use the following procedure to adjust the Scrub
Length:
1) Press STOP if the VS-1680 is currently in play mode.
2) Hold SHIFT and press SCRUB and the Scrub
Length screen will be displayed.
3) Use the TIME/VALUE dial to adjust the scrub length
as desired.
4) Press PLAY/DISPLAY to return to the play screen.
The position of the cursor in the time display will control
the amount of time advanced with each turn of the
TIME/VALUE dial. You can set the dial to advance in
hour, minute, second, frame, or even subframe incre-
ments. You can also set it to advance by measures,
beats, or markers. Setting the cursor under the frame
portion of the time display will work best for most edit-
ing applications. Use the following procedure to adjust
the position of the cursor in the time display:
1) Press PLAY/DISPLAY so that the main play screen is
displayed.
2) Hold SHIFT and press the UP CURSOR (PANE5
)
button until the time portion of the display is selected.
3) Use the LEFT/RIGHT CURSOR buttons to place the
cursor under the desired increment for advancing
the time display. For example, if you want the
VS-1680 to move one frame at a time when the
TIME/VALUE dial is turned, the time display would
be as follows: 00h00m00s00f00.
1998 Roland Corporation U.S. VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions Faxback # 21067 Page 15
Using Scrub and Waveform Display (continued)
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ooff tthhee ttiimmee ddiissppllaayy ttuurrnn tthhee TTIIMMEE//VVAALLUUEE ddiiaall..
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ffrraammeess.. TToo aaddvvaannccee tthhee ttiimmee ddiissppllaayy iinn ssiinnggllee
ssuubbffrraammee iinnccrreemmeennttss,, hhoolldd SSHHIIFFTT wwhhiillee yyoouu
ttuurrnn tthhee TTIIMMEE//VVAALLUUEE ddiiaall..
FFiigg.. 99 SSccrruubb LLeennggtthh

®ÂØÒÅÎ Supplemental Notes VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions
What do the X and Y Parameters do?
The VS-1680 allows you to zoom in and out on both
the amplitude (level) and time values of the Waveform
display. The default zoom values for amplitude and time
are 1 and 16 respectively. These values work well for
most editing applications. Use the following procedure
to adjust the zoom controls on the Waveform display:
1) Press PLAY/DISPLAY so that the main play screen is
displayed.
2) Use the UP/DOWN CURSOR buttons to select the
track to be viewed in the Waveform display and
advance the song to a point where there is audio
present on that track.
3) Press F5 [WAVE] to view the
Waveform display (Fig. 10).
4) Use the F1 [ZOOM+] and F2
[ZOOM-] buttons to zoom in
and out on the amplitude (level)
portion of the display (vertical).
5) Use the F3 [←→] and F4 [→ ←]
buttons to zoom in and out on
the time portion of the display
(horizontal).
6) Press F5 [WAVE] when you are finished to close the
Waveform display.
Recording a stereo signal is nearly identical to recording
a mono signal with the exception that you will need to
use two inputs and two tracks. The easiest way to
record a stereo signal is to link the source (inputs and/or
tracks) and the destination tracks. Tracks 9-16 are set
up from the factory as stereo linked tracks so, if you are
recording to these tracks, all you will need to do is to
link the source inputs (or tracks). Use the following pro-
cedure to link tracks 3 and 4:
1) Press the Track 3 SELECT button.
2) Use the CURSOR buttons to highlight the Link
icon.
3) Use the TIME/VALUE dial to select ON.
4) Press PLAY/DISPLAY to return to the main play
screen. You can now use the Track 3 fader to con
trol the volume of tracks 3 and 4.
1998 Roland Corporation U.S. VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions Faxback # 21067 Page 16
Using Scrub and Waveform Display (continued)
FFiigg.. 1100 TThhee
WWaavveeffoorrmm DDiissppllaayy
XIII. How Do I Record a Stereo Signal?

®ÂØÒÅÎ Supplemental Notes VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions
While you are recording with the VS-1680, it will be
important to know exactly how much recording time is
available to you on the current hard drive (or, more
accurately, the current partition of that drive). The
VS-1680 will allow you to view this information in one
of the following forms:
Remaining Time - The amount of available time shown
in minutes and seconds.
Capacity MB - The amount of available space shown
in megabytes.
Capacity % - The amount of available space shown
in percentage.
Capacity Event - The amount of events available for
recording/automix.
Use the following procedure to select the format for
showing the amount of available space on the current
drive:
1) Hold SHIFT and press F5 [SYSTEM]. The System
Menu should be displayed. If it is not, press F6 [Exit].
2) Press F1 [SYSPM] followed by F2 [Prm 2].
3) Use the CURSOR buttons to highlight the Remain
Display icon and use the TIME/VALUE dial to select
the desired format (time, megabytes, percentage, or
events).
4) Press PLAY/DISPLAY to return to the main screen.
5) Hold SHIFT and press PLAY/DISPLAY until the name
of the current song is displayed. The amount of
space left on the drive will be indicated next to
REMAIN in the format selected in step #3
(Fig. 11).
How Do I Know How Big My Song Is?
In addition to viewing the remaining space on your hard
drive, it will also be important to know how many
megabytes your songs use. Use the following procedure
to view the size of the current song in megabytes:
1) Press PLAY/DISPLAY.
2) Hold SHIFT and press PLAY/DISPLAY until the name
of the current song is displayed (Fig. 12). The size
of the current song will be displayed in megabytes
next to Size: under the song name.
1998 Roland Corporation U.S. VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions Faxback # 21067 Page 17
FFiigg.. 1111
TThhee RReemmaaiinniinngg TTiimmee
DDiissppllaayy
XIV. How Do I Know How Much Time I Have Left On
My Hard Drive?/ How Many Megabytes Does My Song Use?

®ÂØÒÅÎ Supplemental Notes VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions
If you have songs created on a VS-880 or VS-880EX
that you would like to edit on the VS-1680, you will
need to convert them to the VS-1680s format using the
Song Import function. If your VS-880 or VS-880EX
backup is not in a playable form (e.g. DAT, CD-R, or on
a Zip disk in archive format), you will need to recover
that material on to a VS-1680 formatted drive first. Use
the following procedure to recover a VS-880 or
VS-880EX DAT backup:
1) Connect the digital output of your DAT machine to
the VS-1680s digital input (DIGIN1 for coaxial or
DIGIN 2 for optical).
2) Load the DAT tape that contains the desired song
and set the tape to playback from the beginning of
that song backup.
3) Hold SHIFT and press F6 [Utility] to display the
Utility Menu.
4) Press PAGE so that DATRc appears above F1 (if
necessary). Press F1 [DATRc] to display the DAT
Recover screen.
5) Use the CURSOR buttons and TIME/VALUE dial to
select the appropriate Digital In Source (DIGIN 1
for coaxial or DIGIN 2 for optical).
6) Use the CURSOR buttons and TIME/VALUE dial to
select the song to be recovered under Source Song.
1998 Roland Corporation U.S. VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions Faxback # 21067 Page 18
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!
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XV. How Do I Import VS-880/VS-880EX Songs?

®ÂØÒÅÎ Supplemental Notes VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions
7) Press F4 [Exec] and Store Current? will be dis
played. If you have any changes in the current song
that have not been saved, press YES. Otherwise, press
NO.
8) When Please Play DAT is displayed, start playing
your DAT machine.
9) When Please Stop DAT is displayed, stop your
DAT machine and press YES on the VS-1680.
10) Press PLAY/DISPLAY to return to the main play screen.
In order to edit a VS-880 or VS-880EX song on the
VS-1680, you must use the Song Import function to
convert it to a VS-1680 formatted song. Use the follow-
ing procedure to import a VS-880 or VS-880EX song
into the VS-1680:
1) Hold SHIFT and press F1 [SONG]. The Song Menu
should be displayed. If it is not, press F6 [Exit].
2) Press PAGE until IMPORT is displayed above F4.
3) Press F4.
4) Use the CURSOR buttons to highlight the VS-880 or
VS-880EX song you wish to convert and press
F4 [MARK].
5) Repeat step #3 for any additional VS-880 songs
that you wish to convert.
6) Press F4 [EXECUTE]. A new copy of the selected
song(s) will be created in the VS-1680 format. At
this point, you can erase the VS-880 version of that
song(s) if desired.
1998 Roland Corporation U.S. VS-1680 Frequently Asked Questions Faxback # 21067 Page 19
Importing VS-880/VS-880EX Songs (continued)
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