BOSS BR-1200CD Digital Multitrack Recorder

Before you start

The BOSS BR-1200CD is a standalone digital multitrack recorder, so recording and playback run on the device itself rather than through a computer. The CD-R/RW drive is used mainly for backing up song data and creating audio CDs, not as the primary recording medium. Prepare the unit before a session: connect the supplied AC adapter, connect microphones or instruments to the appropriate inputs, connect headphones or monitor speakers, and insert a supported CD-R/RW disc if you plan to back up data or burn an audio CD.

Check that phantom power is enabled only when a condenser microphone requires it. Dynamic microphones and most instrument connections do not need phantom power. Keep the input level controls low while connecting cables, then raise them gradually during a level check. To avoid losing work, save your song after recording or editing and make a CD backup before doing anything that could overwrite the song data.

Step-by-step instructions

Create a new song and set the tempo

• Press the song/rhythm or song arrange button, depending on the screen shown by the recorder.
• Choose the option for creating a new song and confirm when the recorder asks for confirmation.
• Open the tempo/rhythm settings and set the tempo for the song before recording rhythm-guided parts.

The BR-1200CD is based on a compact multitrack workflow. It is not necessary to use every track in a song. Start with only the tracks required for the current take and leave unused inputs muted.

Connect an input and record a track

• Connect a microphone or instrument to an available input and set the corresponding input select switch to mic, line or guitar as appropriate.
• Turn the input sensitivity or level knob down, then raise it while performing at the loudest expected level until the input meter reads strong but does not stay in the clip area.
• Assign the input to the track you want to record. On the BR-1200CD this is normally done by selecting the input/track routing for the current recording track.
• Press the track button so it is armed for recording, then rewind to the position where the take should begin.
• Press record and play together, or the transport record control as shown by the recorder, then start performing.
• Press stop when the take is finished. Listen back before recording another pass.

Use a separate track for each pass that may need independent level, pan or effects treatment later. If a take is flawed, undo the recording or record over it only after deciding that the previous pass is not needed.

Mix and bounce

• Play the song and adjust each track fader, pan and EQ until the balance sounds stable.
• Add effects to individual tracks only where needed. Reverb and delay can make a mix less clear when applied to many tracks at once.
• Select the mastering or mixdown/bounce function and choose the destination tracks or stereo master as shown by the recorder.
• Rewind to the start of the song, begin the bounce and let the recorder run through the material without moving faders unless you are deliberately performing a live mix.
• Check the resulting mix at a moderate monitor volume and compare it with the original tracks before deciding whether to keep it.

Check the output

Play back the completed mix from the beginning and listen for clipping, unbalanced low end, hidden tracks or sections that jump in level. The recorder's level meters are the primary guide; if the stereo output meter reaches the clip indicator, reduce the loudest track or the master level and repeat the bounce.

When creating an audio CD, use a final stereo mix rather than a rough bounce. After burning, test the disc in another CD player or computer if possible, because a disc that verifies in the recorder may still be difficult to read in a worn or incompatible player. A disc finalized by the BR-1200CD is more likely to play in ordinary CD players than an unfinalized disc.

Confirm that song data has been saved and that any backup contains the expected song. The audio quality is limited by the recorder's recording format, input quality and monitoring path, so use the internal check as a consistency test rather than as a replacement for listening on full-range speakers.

Common problems and next steps

If no sound is recorded, check that the input is assigned to the armed track, the input select switch matches the connected source, phantom power is on for a condenser microphone, and the track fader is not preventing monitoring. A common error is arming one track while the input remains routed to another.

If the display reports a hard drive or CD error, stop writing to the disc and check whether the media is scratched, dirty or not supported by the recorder. Do not keep retrying a failed burn without changing the disc or freeing space. Back up important song data before troubleshooting storage problems.

If the mix sounds dull or crowded, remove effects from low-frequency tracks, narrow excessive stereo spread on bass-heavy parts, and reduce tracks that occupy the same frequency range. Re-record a problem track with a better input level instead of relying on heavy EQ or compression later. Work in short saves and backups so that any change can be reversed without losing the complete song.