Zoom R20 User manual

You must read the Usage and Safety Precautions before use.
Quick Tour
The Operation Manual can be downloaded from the ZOOM website (www.zoom.jp/docs/r20).
This page has les in PDF and HTML formats.
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The HTML format can be read with web browsers and is designed for reading on smartphones and tablets.
Multi Track Recorder
© 2021 ZOOM CORPORATION
Copying or reprinting this manual in part or in whole without permission is prohibited.
You might need this manual in the future. Always keep it in a place where you can access it easily.
The contents of this manual and the specifications of the product could be changed without notice.

2
Inserting SD cards
Supported recording media
SDHC: 4–32 GB
SDXC: 64–512 GB
Connecting output devices
Headphones
Turn powered monitors off before
connecting them.
Powered monitors

3
Turning the power on
Tighten until the screw lock
cannot be turned more. Power
will not be supplied if this is
not tightened completely.
ZOOM ZAD-1220
AC adapter
Turn on the power monitors after
starting up the R20.
The power will automatically turn off if the R20 is
unused for 10 hours. If you want to keep the power
on always, turn off the automatic power saving (Auto
Power Off) function.

4
Setting the date and time
Creating projects
Templates include preset rhythm
loops. Select the desired template.

5
█ Home Screen
Track type
buttons
Track number/type
Rhythm track
Synth track
Recording/playback
bars and beats
Tempo and time
signature
Track switching
button
Screen switching
button
Recording/play-
back position
Rhythm loop included when
using a template
Scroll the screen to view
other tracks and bars

6
Recording
█ Connections and preparation
Connected equipment Connector and setting
Guitar/bass with passive
pickups (direct connection) INPUT 1 ( )
Guitar/bass with active pick-
ups, synth or other electronic
instrument
INPUT 1 ( )
INPUT 2
Dynamic mic INPUT 1–4
INPUT 5–8 ( )
Condenser mic INPUT 5–8 ( )
Make sound and adjust so does not
quite light at maximum volume.
Press so that it lights.
Make sound and
adjust the fader.
Use the
MASTER fader
to adjust the
overall volume.

7
█ Using effects
Select a track to use an effect on.
Add a to select a patch memory.
• Tap to return to the previous
screen.
• Patch memories store the effects
used, their order, on/off states and
parameter settings.
Specic effect settings can be changed.

8
█ Recording
Tracks with lit will be recorded.
Press when stopped to set the recording/
playback position to the beginning.
█ Playing recordings
Adjust levels with the
MASTER fader and faders
for tracks to be played.

9
█ Using tracks 9–16 (switching tracks)
Select which tracks receive audio
from INPUTS 1–8 and can be oper-
ated with the physical controls.
Tracks 1–8 can be operated.
Tracks 9–16 can be operated.
█ Switching screens
Track view
This is the normal recording/editing screen.
Since recorded waveforms and their posi-
tions can be examined easily, this is useful
for thinking about song structure and editing.
Level meter view
This screen shows the level meters and
faders for all tracks. This is useful for
recording multiple channels simultane-
ously and adjusting the mix.
Previous fader position
Physical fader position
After switching track groups, for
example, the positions of physical
faders will be applied again after
they have been aligned once with the
bright positions.

10
█ Changing track contents
Recorded data can be moved between tracks. For example, before recording a guitar or bass
directly with INPUT 1 (using Hi-Z), clear track 1 by moving previously recorded data from it to
a different track.
█ Making individual track settings
Double
tap
Make settings for each track.

11
Editing projects
Waveforms and MIDI notes added to
recorded tracks are called “regions”.
The R20 has audio, rhythm and synth
regions that can be edited to create
projects.
█ Moving regions
Highlight
█ Extending regions (looping)
Tap once
rst
█ Editing regions
Double
tap
Regions

12
█ Adding regions
Audio
Double
tap
Synth
Double
tap
Rhythm
Mixing down
Projects can be mixed down to stereo WAV les.
Since the project plays back while recording the mixdown, adjusting the faders during play-
back will affect the levels.
█ Adjusting the mix
While listening to playback,
adjust the faders to balance
the levels as desired.

13
Mute tracks.
Output sound only
from selected tracks.
Mute/solo functions
█ Mixing down
Switch to level meter view.
Tap so that it becomes red.
Start playback to begin creating the mixdown
le.
All fader movements during playback will affect
the mixdown le.
End mixing down.
The mixdown le will be saved in the “AUDIO”
folder on the SD card.

14
Functions of parts
①Input jacks
Use INPUTS 1 and 2 to connect mics,
keyboards and guitars. These support XLR
and 1/4-inch phone (unbalanced) plugs.
Use INPUTS 3–8 to connect mics and
keyboards. These support XLR plugs.
②Hi-Z switch
Turn Hi-Z on/off for INPUT 1. Turn it on as
necessary for the connected guitar or bass.
③Input PEAK indicators/GAIN knobs
Use these input gain knobs to adjust input
signals. Adjust them so that the PEAK
indicators do not light.
④Track indicators
These show whether the channel inputs
and the faders are connected to tracks 1–8
or 9–16.
⑤Track REC buttons
Press these buttons to enable recording on
tracks. Buttons light red when recording is
enabled.
⑥Channel/MASTER faders
Channel faders: These adjust individual
track signal levels in a range from −∞ to
+10 dB.
MASTER fader: This adjusts the signal
levels output from the OUTPUT jacks in a
range from −∞ to +10 dB.
⑦PHANTOM switches
These turn +48V phantom power on/off.
Turn these on when, for example, connect-
ing condenser mics that support phantom
power to INPUTS 5–8.
⑧Touchscreen
This shows various types of information
and allows operation by touch.
⑨Other buttons
CLICK: This turns the metronome on/off.
The indicator lights when it is on.
REW: This moves the playback position
one bar back. Press and hold to search
backward.
FF: This moves the playback position one
bar forward. Press and hold to search
forward.
STOP: This stops recording/playback. Press
when stopped to move the recording/play-
back position to the project beginning.
PLAY: This starts/pauses playback of
recorded les. The indicator lights during
playback and recording.
REC: This starts recording. The indicator
lights during recording.

15
①Power switch
This turns the power on/off.
②DC12V AC adapter connector
Connect the dedicated AC adapter (ZOOM
ZAD-1220) here.
③PHONES output volume knob
This adjusts the headphone output volume.
④PHONES output jack
Connect headphones here.
⑤OUTPUT jacks
Connect these to a power amplier, a PA
system or powered monitor speakers, for
example.
①REMOTE connector
Connect a ZOOM BTA-1 or other dedicated
wireless adapter here. This enables wire-
less operation of the R20 from an iOS/
iPadOS device using a dedicated app.
②USB (Type-C) port
Using this, projects can be cop ied to and
imported from USB ash drives, and USB
MIDI keyboards can be connected and
used to play synth sounds.
Connecting a computer also makes the
following possible.
• Using the R20 as an audio interface
• Using Guitar Lab to replace R20 effects
• Using the R20 as a card reader
• Using the R20 as a DAW controller
③SD card slot
This supports cards that meet SDHC/SDXC
specications.
Other functions
Project options Projects can be renamed, duplicated, deleted, rendered, and exported to USB storage.
Wave Editor Waveform editing functions can be used in audio and rhythm regions. The Time Stretch
function allows the lengths of regions to be changed without changing the pitch.
Snap The positions of regions and notes (synth sounds) can be snapped to the ruler shown.
Stereo Link Adjacent even and odd-numbered tracks can be handled as stereo tracks.
Convert to Audio All regions on a track can be converted to a single audio le. This can be used to avoid
limits on the number of regions and the use of effects and synths.
Add WAV and SMF les
from the SD card or USB
storage
WAV and SMF (Standard MIDI File) les on the SD card or USB storage can be added as
new regions.
Marks Memos can be added at the beginnings of bars. The overall structure of a song can be
managed easily by adding memos to each part.
Metronome The metronome functions include pre-count, sound selection and separate volume
adjustment for PHONES and OUTPUT jacks.

Z2I-4323-03
ZOOM CORPORATION
4-4-3 Kanda-surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062 Japan
zoomcorp.com
Synth
The R20 has an internal synthesizer. Notes can be input by connecting a USB MIDI key-
board and performing them in real-time or by using the piano roll on the touchscreen. In
addition, SMF (Standard MIDI File) les can be imported as regions.
Physical controller When connected by USB to a computer or similar device, the R20 buttons and faders can
be used to control DAW transport and mixing operations.
USB audio interface When connected by USB to a computer or similar device, the R20 can be used as an
audio interface with up to 8 inputs and 4 outputs.
Guitar Lab connection A computer can be used to add effects that are distributed online as well as to edit and
back up patch memories, for example.
SD card reader
When the R20 is connected to a computer, data on the SD card can be checked and copied.
Operation from iOS/
iPadOS devices
By connecting a BTA-1 or other dedicated wireless adapter to the R20, an iOS/iPadOS
device with a dedicated controller app can be used to operate the R20 wirelessly.
Product names, registered trademarks and company names in this document are the property of their respective companies.
iPad and iPadOS are trademarks or registered trademarks of Apple Inc.
iOS is a trademark or registered trademark of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the USA and other countries, and it is used under license.
All trademarks and registered trademarks in this document are for identification purposes only and are not intended to infringe
on the copyrights of their respective owners.
Troubleshooting
Sound is not output or the volume is very low
→ Check the connections to the monitoring system and
its volume settings.
→ Conrm that the volume setting of the R20 is not too
low.
Cannot hear sound from a mic or other connected
equipment or the volume is very low
→ Check the orientation of the mic or the volume set-
tings of the connected device.
→ Check the R20 gain settings.
→ Check the R20 fader settings.
→ Check the R20 output level settings.
→ Check the R20 phantom power settings.
Cannot record
→ Conrm that track REC buttons are lit red.
→ Conrm that the SD card has open space.
→ Conrm that an SD card is loaded properly in the card
slot.
→ If “SD card protected!” appears on the display, the SD
card write-protection is enabled. Slide the lock switch
on the SD card to disable write-protection.
Sound input through INPUT 1 is very noisy
→ Check the Hi-Z switch setting.
Cannot hear recorded sound or the volume is very
low
→ Conrm that the track faders are not too low.
→ Conrm that the tracks are not muted and that other
tracks are not soloed.
Not recognized by computer when connected
→ Conrm that the USB cable being used is not
designed only to provide power.
→ The operation mode must be set on the R20 to allow
the computer to recognize it.