Boss' Guitarist-Friendly BR-8 Digital Studio 8-Track

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February 14, 2000 -- BOSS is proud to announce its first foray into hard disk recording with the introduction of the ultra-affordable BR-8 Digital Recording Studio. Built with an eye towards guitarists and songwriters, this easy-to-use 8-track random-access tabletop digital recorder offers a host of professional features including Virtual Tracks, onboard COSM guitar and bass amp models, built-in Zip® drive, and a user interface that takes the mystery out of digital recording.

In the tradition of Roland’s V-Studio Workstations, the BOSS BR-8 offers eight primary recording tracks and 64 Virtual Tracks—all with superb sound quality and random-access editing features. Eight tracks can be played back simultaneously, while two different inputs (i.e. Guitar and Mic 1) can be recorded simultaneously. All audio is recorded to the internal 100 MB Zip® drive, providing a low-cost, transferable recording medium with virtually limitless storage capacity—just pop in a new disk.

The BR-8 was developed to make recording so intuitive that even first-time users can make high-quality recordings without opening the manual. An icon-based graphic LCD guides users through the entire recording process—just plug in and start recording. The BR-8 is so smart, in fact, that it can select the optimum effect algorithm depending on the type of instrument connected to its input.

The onboard effects algorithms are diverse enough to accommodate any type of recording source—be it a guitar, keyboard, or vocal microphone. In addition to a host of studio-quality reverbs, delays and chorus, the BR-8 offers Roland’s acclaimed COSM-based guitar and bass amp models for incredible "direct" recording. And the BR-8’s effects processors are very flexible, allowing a variety of insert effects—such as guitar amp models and vocal multi’s—to be used along with a dedicated high-quality reverb processor and an additional delay processor, for a total of up to four simultaneous effects. Additionally, an optional external pedal can be used to control various effects parameters in real time.

Because it’s a BOSS, the BR-8 offers several unique features guitar players are sure to appreciate. For starters, there’s a built-in chromatic tuner that makes tuning fast with visual confirmation from the LCD. An innovative Rhythm Guide makes recording fun using a variety of onboard backing rhythm patterns, while the Phrase Trainer facilitates learning by slowing down guitar licks (and other audio phrases) to half the normal speed without affecting the pitch. A Center Cancel function can even remove vocals for singing or playing along with previously recorded tracks.

Connections to the BR-8 include two 1/4" microphone inputs (Balanced TRS), a dedicated 1/4" guitar/bass input, and an RCA-type stereo line input. Outputs include an RCA-type stereo line out, 1/4" stereo headphone out, and a stereo digital out (optical type). A footswitch jack, expression pedal input and MIDI output round out the BR-8’s impressive specifications.

For more information, visit Roland on the web at www.rolandus.com.