Roland VS-880EX User guide

This Application Guide provides step-by-step procedures and important information about day-to-day use of the
VS-880EX in actual applications.
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APPLICATION GUIDE 1.0
EX
©2000 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.

Table of Contents
Table of Contents 3
Table of Contents
Purpose of this Guide...................................................................................................................... 7
How to use this Guide..................................................................................................................... 7
Refer to your VS-880EX Owner’s Manual & Quick Start ................................................................ 7
Icons & Symbols ............................................................................................................................. 7
Conventions Used In This Manual ............................................................................................... 8
Chapter 1: Laying a Foundation
Introduction to Multitrack Recording.................................................................................................. 9
Multitrack Tape Recording (Linear)..............................................................................................9
Tracking Session....................................................................................................................... 9
Overdub Session ...................................................................................................................... 9
Mixdown Session.................................................................................................................... 10
Audio Post Production for Video ............................................................................................... 10
Random-Access Hard Disk Recording........................................................................................ 10
Pointer Based Editing .............................................................................................................. 11
Summary of VS-880EX Terminology................................................................................................ 12
VS-880EX Commonly Asked Questions ........................................................................................... 16
Chapter 2: Understanding Your VS-880EX
Understanding Your VS-880EX....................................................................................................... 19
Sections of the VS-880EX......................................................................................................... 19
Important Concepts to Understand.................................................................................................. 20
Understanding The Mixer ........................................................................................................ 20
A Mixer Analogy .................................................................................................................... 21
The VS-880EX Mixer ............................................................................................................... 22
Using the [FADER/EDIT] Button................................................................................................. 22
Mixer Effect Routing ................................................................................................................ 24
Now Time.............................................................................................................................. 24
Virtual Tracks ......................................................................................................................... 25
Finding Your Edit Points........................................................................................................... 26
Editing Resolution ................................................................................................................... 27
Using Waveforms To Edit ........................................................................................................ 28
Undo & Redo ......................................................................................................................... 28
Nulling - (Faders & Pan Controls).............................................................................................. 28
Important Navigational Rules & Skills to Master ............................................................................... 30
[PLAY (DISPLAY)] Button........................................................................................................... 30
Transport Buttons .................................................................................................................... 30
[SHIFT] Button......................................................................................................................... 30
[CH EDIT] Buttons ................................................................................................................... 30
[STATUS] Buttons .................................................................................................................... 30
[PARAMETER] Buttons.............................................................................................................. 30
[CURSOR] Buttons................................................................................................................... 31

VS-880EX Application Guide
4
[YES] / [NO] Buttons .............................................................................................................. 31
TIME/VALUE Dial ................................................................................................................... 31
VS-880EX Demo Songs ................................................................................................................. 31
VS-880EX Connections.................................................................................................................. 32
Comments On VS-880EX Connections ...................................................................................... 34
Phantom Power....................................................................................................................... 34
Creating A New Song .................................................................................................................. 34
Naming A Song ........................................................................................................................... 35
Defining Default Settings.......................................................................................................... 35
Save Your Song to Disk Often ........................................................................................................ 36
Sample Setup ......................................................................................................................... 37
Chapter 3: Recording Applications
Record A Single Piano Track From A Synthesizer .........................................................................................39
Play A Piano Track And Add Markers & Locators.........................................................................................40
Using Locator Banks................................................................................................................ 41
Record Vocal With Mic And External Compressor........................................................................................42
Record 5 Guitar Tracks Using Virtual Tracks ................................................................................................43
Listening To A Guitar Using Internal Effects..................................................................................................45
Recording A Guitar ‘Dry’ While Listening With Effects..................................................................................46
Recording A Guitar ‘Wet’ With Internal Effects ............................................................................................47
Record A Guitar On Tr. 1, Record The Effects On Tr. 2 .................................................................................48
Punching In And Out - Manual (with Undo & Redo)......................................................................................49
Use Auto-Punch For Punch In/Out ..............................................................................................................51
Loop Recording .......................................................................................................................................52
Sync To A MIDI Sequencer Using MTC (MIDI Time Code) .............................................................................54
Sync To A MIDI Sequencer Using MIDI Clock ..............................................................................................56
Sync To An External Sequencer Using MMC ...............................................................................................57
Recording From A Digital Source ...............................................................................................................59
Recording Multiple Inputs To 2 Tracks As A Stereo Mix.................................................................................60
Recording Multiple Inputs To A Single Mono Track .......................................................................................61
Record 4 Mics, Using Internal Compressor, To 1 Track .................................................................................63
Using the Serial Insert Path........................................................................................................................63
Using the COSM Microphone Simulator .....................................................................................................64
Using the Voice Transformer ......................................................................................................................64
Creating a User Template With EZ Routing..................................................................................................67
Chapter 4: Overdub Applications
Add A Guitar Track To The Existing Piano Track...........................................................................................69
Bouncing Tracks 1-6 To Tracks 7-8 .............................................................................................................70
Using The Internal Effects When Bouncing ..................................................................................................71
Using The Aux Bus As A Headphone Monitor .............................................................................................72
Combining Lead Vocal Tracks Into One Using [Mute] ...................................................................................72
Making A New Version of Your Song .........................................................................................................75
Switching the Virtual Track Bank ................................................................................................................76

Table of Contents 5
Chapter 5: Editing Applications
Use {Cut} To Shorten Your Song .................................................................................................................77
Use {Erase} To Eliminate Unwanted Material ...............................................................................................78
Use {Insert} To Add Space Into An Existing Recording ..................................................................................79
Use {Move} To Place Guitar Part in New Location ........................................................................................81
Use {Move} & Sync Point - Align Music With Narration ................................................................................82
Use {Copy} To Create A Drum Loop ...........................................................................................................84
Use {Copy} To Re-Use A Vocal In Multiple Verses .........................................................................................86
Chapter 6: Mixdown Applications
Mixing 8 Tracks To Stereo Analog Outputs..................................................................................................89
Mix 8 Tracks To Stereo DAT - Digitally ........................................................................................................90
Mixing 8 Tracks With Internal Effects To Stereo Output .................................................................................91
Using Mute During Mixdown ....................................................................................................................92
Using Scenes To Help With Mixdown.........................................................................................................93
Mixing 8 Tracks and External Source To 2 Track DAT ...................................................................................94
Using External Effects During Mixdown ......................................................................................................95
Use Virtual Tracks To Re-Use The Internal Effects...........................................................................................96
Listen To More Than One Virtual Track Simultaneously..................................................................................97
Process Entire Mix With Internal EQ And Compressor ..................................................................................98
Backup Your Song to DAT .........................................................................................................................99
Recover Your Song from DAT...................................................................................................................100
Automated Mixing Using a MIDI Sequencer..............................................................................................101
Automated Mixing Within the VS-880EX (3 methods).................................................................................103
Creating A Tempo Map ..........................................................................................................................104
Using the Sync Track (3 methods) ............................................................................................................105
Preparing a Song for CD Burning ............................................................................................................108
Writing One Song to CD ........................................................................................................................108
Writing Multiple Songs to the CD at Once ................................................................................................110
Backing Up Your Hard Drive to CD-R........................................................................................................110
Loading Songs From CD-R ......................................................................................................................112
Chapter 7: Tips and Advanced Applications
Tips & Features........................................................................................................................... 113
Using The ‘Narration’ Effect ................................................................................................... 113
Using the [SHIFT] Button to Speed Up Operations..................................................................... 113
[SHIFT] + [PLAY (DISPLAY)] Displays Waveforms in Edit Modes ................................................. 113
[SHIFT] + [SONG] Displays Song Information .......................................................................... 113
Use [SHIFT] + [SCRUB] to Change The Scrub Length................................................................. 113
Use [SHIFT] + [SYSTEM] to Toggle Int / Ext Sync...................................................................... 113
Use ‘Archive’ Copy Mode to copy to multiple ZIP disks ............................................................. 113
Vari-Speed Functions in Scrub Mode....................................................................................... 114
Keep Original Tracks When Bouncing .................................................................................... 114
Use the Correct Scrub Direction.............................................................................................. 114
Use a Longer Scrub Preview Length......................................................................................... 114
Change Track Status Quickly ................................................................................................. 114
Use Locators For Editing Functions .......................................................................................... 114
Use [NUMERICS] for Precise Time Code or Measure Location ................................................... 114

VS-880EX Application Guide
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Record First Using the Metronome .......................................................................................... 114
Display Shows Scrub or Preview Type..................................................................................... 114
Additional Equalizers in the Built-In Effects ............................................................................... 115
Additional Recording Time..................................................................................................... 115
Synchronizing Your VS-880EX ............................................................................................... 115
Stereo Grouping / Channel Linking ........................................................................................ 115
Automation .......................................................................................................................... 115
SMPTE time code and the VS-880EX ....................................................................................... 115
Sync multiple VS-880EX’s together................................................................................................ 116
VS-880EX with a Digital Sampler ................................................................................................. 117
Sync VS-880EX to Analog Tape Recorder...................................................................................... 118
Sync VS-880EX to ADAT ............................................................................................................. 119
Sync VS-880EX to DA-88 ............................................................................................................ 120
Sync VS-880EX with Computer Sequencer..................................................................................... 121
Sync VS-880EX to Drum Machine or MIDI Sequencer ..................................................................... 122
Sync VS-880EX to Video ............................................................................................................. 123
Chapter 8: Appendix
Glossary of General Audio and Recording Terms........................................................................... 125
More About SCSI ....................................................................................................................... 136
The SCSI “Chain” ................................................................................................................. 136
SCSI ID Numbers.................................................................................................................. 136
SCSI & IDE........................................................................................................................... 136
SCSI Cables......................................................................................................................... 137
SCSI Termination .................................................................................................................. 137
“ACTIVE” Terminators ........................................................................................................... 138
Terminator Power.................................................................................................................. 138
Test For Internal Termination................................................................................................... 138
Double Termination............................................................................................................... 138
SCSI Summary...................................................................................................................... 139
Erasing the Demo Songs.............................................................................................................. 140
Updating the System Software...................................................................................................... 141
Blank Track Sheet ....................................................................................................................... 143

Table of Contents 7
Purpose of this Guide
This Application Guide details many of the common concepts and procedures associated with recording
and editing with the VS-880EX. It has been written for users new to the general world of recording and
specifically to digital hard disk recording.
After general information on recording, it concentrates on using the VS-880EX in real world recording
situations. Each situation or application is broken down into three simple sections:
Why? Why someone might want to do the task that is being described.
What? A general description & overview of the task to be accomplished.
How? The actual step by step button pushes required to complete the task.
How to use this Guide
All references to Owners Manual in this guide refer to the VS-880EX Owner’s Manual.
Refer to your VS-880EX Owner’s Manual & Quick Start
This guide does not replace your VS-880EX Owner’s Manual or the VS-880EX Quick Start. Keep them close
at hand for additional support.
Where applicable, this guide will direct you to specific pages in the owner’s manual or the quick start for
additional information or clarification. Page number references may differ slightly, depending on the date
your document was printed. If you do not see what you are looking for, you may have to look a few pages
before or after to find the correct page.
The LCD displays pictured in this manual may vary slightly from the actual display on your VS-880EX.
Icons & Symbols
Special icons are placed in the left margin throughout this guide to draw your attention to important
information about your VS-880EX.
This WARNING icon points to critical information about issues that may
affect the operation of your VS-880EX or your recorded song data.
A NOTE adds clarification to a specific point or attempts to explain a concept
in a different manner.
This TECH INFO icon points to information that is specifically technical in
nature.

VS-880EX Application Guide
8
Conventions Used In This Manual
Buttons
•Actual front panel buttons are indicated in square brackets [ ].
•Some buttons have more than one button name. These indicate the function that the button
performs when [SHIFT] is pressed or when in a different mode. When giving only the
“secondary” function name would make it difficult to know which button is indicated, both
button names will be given, with the current function given first.
Example: [SOLO (EZ ROUTING)], [EFFECT 1 (CH EDIT button 7)]
•The VS-880EX has two buttons marked PLAY. In this manual, these are distinguished as
follows.
1. [PLAY (DISPLAY)]: the button at the lower right of the LCD screen
2. [PLAY]: the button to operate the recorder ‘transport,’ located in the lower right corner.
Mixer Channel
•In the mixer section, a knob/button/indicator/fader of a specific channel is usually indi-
cated by adding the channel number. Example: the PAN 1 knob, FADER 3.
Commands
•Capitalized text, surrounded by braces, { }, indicates a command that the VS-880EX can
execute. Example: {MOVE}
Tracks
•The VS-880EX has two banks of 8 Virtual Tracks for each actual primary recording track.
When displayed, the LCD indicates the primary recording track as the first number and the
virtual track as the second number. This guide will use the same convention. For example,
Tr. 2-5 will always indicate primary recording track # 2, virtual track # 5 (see Virtual Tracks
- Application Guide page 27). For the purpose of this guide, we will assume that Virtual
Track Bank “A” is selected (see Switching the Virtual Track Bank - Application Guide page
74).

9Chapter 1: Important Information
Introduction to Multitrack Recording
In order to maximize the usefulness of your VS-880EX, a basic understanding of the typical recording
process is very helpful. Since there are many books available covering the history of recording, we will not
discuss it here. We will, however, review a few modern recording techniques that you might find helpful
when planning your next recording session with the VS-880EX.
Multitrack Tape Recording (Linear)
Modern multitrack recording techniques allow the recording engineer an increased level of creative control
beyond the direct to mono or stereo recording of the past. In the early days of recording, every musician
and singer had to all assemble in a studio at the same time. Every part of the song was recorded
simultaneously, directly to a mono or stereo recording. One major problem of this technique was that if
any individual musician made a mistake, everyone had to do the recording over again from the beginning.
The entire recording process changed dramatically with the introduction of multitrack recorders. These
recorders provided ‘multiple tracks’ on a single piece of recording tape. For example, a 4 track recorder
was just like having 4 mono recorders stacked on top of each other. Each track was distinct from the others.
This allowed for recording different instruments on different tracks, even recorded at different times.
With this technique, a mistake in the piano part could be re-recorded on its individual track without
affecting the other instruments. Probably the most famous recording using the early 4 track analog
recorders was “Sergeant Pepper” by the Beatles in 1967. George Martin actually used two, 4 track analog
recorders. All the music was recorded on the four tracks of the first machine. These four tracks were
combined together into a final stereo music recording on the first two tracks of the second recorder. That
left two tracks open on the second recorder for the vocal parts. The vocals were recorded on the second 4
track machine, long after the orchestra musicians had left the studio. The stereo music tracks and the
vocals were then combined into the final stereo recording that is still popular today.
Modern digital tape recorders are available in configurations of up to 48 individual tracks on a single piece
of recording tape. Synchronization techniques provide the ability to lock multiple recorders together
providing for a relatively unlimited number of available tracks.
Tracking Session
Modern recording sessions are usually broken down into three basic components:
1. Tracking (original recording).
2. Overdubbing (adding of additional instruments and vocals).
3. Mixing (combining of all the recorded tracks into a final mono or stereo format).
The tracking session is first. In a music session, this usually means recording the basic rhythm instruments.
For example, bass, drums, piano, guitars, and maybe a scratch vocal track. The scratch vocal is recorded
along with the rhythm instruments to allow the musicians to hear something similar to the final vocal
track. This scratch track is usually erased when final vocals are recorded.
Overdub Session
Once original tracking has been completed, the overdub process begins. Additional instruments,
background singers, and vocals are added to the multitrack tape by overdubbing. The originally recorded
rhythm tracks are played back through a cue system (usually headphones) to the overdubbing musician.
Their musical part is recorded in sync with the original tracking instruments.
Chapter 1: Laying a Foundation

10 VS-880EX Application Guide
Overdubbing may consist of many musicians adding new tracks to the recording simultaneously or maybe
it will be a single vocalist. Overdubbing means to record new tracks of music in sync with music that has
been previously recorded. If you were to record music on the left channel of a cassette deck, rewind the
tape, and then record your voice on the right channel, you would be overdubbing the voice, using the
recorded music as a guide.
Mixdown Session
Once all the tracks of the music have been recorded, they must be mixed together into some type of release
format. For example, if the release format is CD, the tracks would be mixed into a final stereo recording. If
the release format is a movie, the tracks might be mixed into a final multichannel format such as left,
center, right, and surround. Whatever the final release format, the original recorded tracks must be mixed
(combined) together specifically for that format.
Audio Post Production for Video
The post production process for adding audio to moving pictures is similar to recording music. However,
the audio usually must be recorded while it is synchronized to the picture requiring that the audio
recorder and the video recorder be ‘locked’ together electronically.
Random-Access Hard Disk Recording
Traditional multitrack tape recorders are ‘linear’ recording devices. You begin recording at a place on the
tape and record your song in a linear fashion along the length of the tape until the end. Just like with a
typewriter, you can go back and correct a mistake, however, you lose the original in the process. For
example, the piano player can go back and re-record over the top of his or her original recording, but the
original is lost forever. What if the original was the best performance? Of course, a new piano part could be
recorded on a blank track, keeping the original track untouched. However, you quickly run out of tracks
for recording the other instruments.
The VS-880EX adds a new dimension to traditional multitrack recording. This is the concept described as
Random Access or Non-Linear. Instead of recording your song on a linear piece of recording tape, the
recording tracks of your music are turned into digital data and this data is stored on some type of storage
device such as a hard disk drive. The term random access means that you can access the data (music)
stored on the hard drive in a random manner. For example, let’s assume that you have recorded a song on
your VS-880EX consisting of 2 Verses, 1 Chorus, 1 Verse, and the ending. If, for example, you wanted to
start the song with the chorus on a traditional tape recorder, you would have to physically cut the piece of
tape containing the chorus and splice it in front of the first verse. If you didn’t like it, you had to replace
the section of tape back to its original location.
However, the VS-880EX provides random access to all parts of your song. For example, you just instruct
the VS-880EX to play the chorus first, then the first verse, etc. If you didn’t like it, you just instruct the VS-
880EX to change the order as many times as you wish. Since it is not physically moving your song or re-
recording anything, you can rearrange your song a thousand different ways without ever using any
addition memory from the hard disk. This ability to “randomly access” all the parts of your song, allows a
new level of creative editing capability not available with traditional tape recorders.