Thank you Gaz. Watched your videos for a week. My R20 arrived last night and it is a blast. Very easy to bring my Axe FX into it with my guitar. Updated the firmware to 3.0 and brought in audio files. Great work on these videos!

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

Thank you, glad to hear that the videos have helped. Enjoy that new R20 and happy recording!

Dude this was the answer i needed! I had to do the stero link thing, now i can import my mpc beats easily thanks!

Hi Gaz, I'm not sure I finished my email to you as it vanished while I was composing. Your excellent tutorial and advice saved the day. Without you I'd be aimlessly wandering blindly in the forest! Great stuff - thanks Dan.

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

Hey, always happy to pass on what I've learned to a fellow multitrack user. Glad the videos are working for ya so you can get back to focusing on what's fun...recording new music!

Wow, thanks so very much! A couple of hours of frustration has ended with your stereo track fix for me! I still have issues with my R20 - user experience and lack of knowledge and available information - that has me on the verge of returning it. But you may have saved the day as far as that is concerned, thank you.

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

You're welcome! There are quite a few features on the device, but I've definitely had to tinker with it to figure out how to get stuff to work...or work to my liking. Glad to hear the videos are helping. I'll try to keep them coming on a regular basis.

@michaelking42

Жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar Yes I see I'll be coming back for more tutorials. The manual is bloody awful. I'm curious...my R20 only arrived a few days ago and the touch screen is clunky...I still have the clear protector on it. Does this touch screen get a lot better when that film comes off? I've kept it on for now, thinking I may return it Thanks again for putting these videos up.

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

The touchscreen is better when you take the film off. I wouldn't say a lot better, though. Not like a smartphone. Better than a car's infotainment center touchscreen. I'd say similar to a cheap 7" or 8" Kindle Fire tablet. You have to get used to having an accurate, but light touch for multi-touch operations, in particular. I think it got a tiny bit better after firmware updates, so be sure to do that if you are keeping the device. Also, I find it works significantly better with a cheap disc-type stylus, which I demonstrated here: kzread.info/dash/bejne/nquamZOap8zXnco.html

8:55 Was stumped at importing stereo. Thanks to this video Im able to move forward!

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

Happy to help!

Thanks so much for this one. I used it to import tracks into my r 12. Worked perfectly!

@GazRendar

3 ай бұрын

Yeah, the menus and process are basically the same for the R20 and R12 regarding track imports. Glad to hear the video helped!

This is a great series. I am really tempted by this device to use both as a mixer, when creating, and also to finish tracks. I tend to work in a DAWless way, although recently I've been playing with FL Studio Mobile.

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

The R20 does offer a nice, DAWless solution to record and edit your music and apply effects in one package. You just turn it on and a few seconds later you are focused on recording. Mixing is fairly intuitive too. However, if there is an area of weakness with the R20, it is in finishing/mastering tracks. It's just limited. You can use it's Mix Down feature and apply a universal Send Effect patch during the mix down. This allows you to combine things like an EQ, a compressor, and maybe a reverb. But I just haven't a perfect blend of effects that truly allow you to get a great, final stereo master for a song. I get things that sound good, but just not quite as awesome as you can get with a DAW that has a mastering plug-in. So just keep that in mind if you are thinking about buying an R20. I hope Zoom gives us some mastering patches for the R20 via Guitar Lab in the future...

@DavidDeLuge

Жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar thank you for the detailed reply. I'm very tempted...

Thank you for this, sir, easy to follow and successfully updated!

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

You're most welcome!

Thank you! Far superior to the method Zoom suggests (which doesn't seem to work for me and lots of other folks on the interwebz).

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

Happy to help!

You give more detail on this item than Zoom does, thank you!

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you....always happy to help fellow multitracker users!

Thanks for your videos; great content. I import drum tracks that are in an audio format into Zoom r20. Your video made it easy. However, if I'm connected to my ipad via the bluetooth connection from the adapter, I am not able to import audio (all options are grayed out and will not respond to touch). I must shut the recorder off and restart and as long as I do not reconnect to my ipad the import audio function works perfect, just as you presented in your video . I hope they fix this in the next update. Again, thanks for your videos; so much easier to use the recorder because of your instruction.

@GazRendar

2 ай бұрын

You are correct. I've been meaning to make a short video about my experience with the iPad app after a year. One of the limitations is that once you connect to the iPad app, you occupy all of the USB bus data. So you cannot use the USB port for a flash stick or for a MIDI controller.

WOW!!! I want to make you feel how momentous this is for me. In the first 5 minutes of this video, you answered my very specific question without even trying. What I mean to say is that I was a little bit stupid before, and now I'm smart and know how to do stuff with my Zoom R20 that I actually want to do. All I had to do was watch, listen, and pay a little attention. I have a long (45 minute) live recording of my trio--in which I am the drummer, and being the recording tech is a side job--recorded all as one project. I want to break it up into songs, and send the songs to the other guys. Now I see that I can mix the 7 45-minute tracks, then save sections of it (songs) to the SD card, where it will be stored as .wav audio files of songs. From there, the songs can go into my computer, and I could master them in Audacity (because I have a mastering profile already set up in Audacity) and then when I send them to my bandmates, they will think I'm some kind of recording wizard. Of course, I am a wiz now. I watched a really good video. One thing comes to mind: you probably get a lot of questions from new users of the Zoom R20 because it doesn't come with a full operating manual. The full manual is available as a PDF to download. Even then, not everything in the manual is easy to understand like your videos are. So, a question for you: would you consider letting Zoom use your videos as their official tutorials? I think their help desk people probably get way too many questions that could be easily-answered by your great, practical videos. I mean, definitely ask them to pay you for your knowledge and time, etc. but I see where such an arrangement could benefit Zoom, and you, and lots of home recordists. Or just keep things the way they are, and if anyone asks me how to get the most out of their Zoom recorder, I'll send them to your KZread channel. 16 stars for this video, and those stars are in two banks of 8.

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

Again...glad the videos are helping you focus on the fun stuff...making and recording music. And I'm sure you can see, once you put the SD card into your computer you can view all those individual .WAV files for each track. They work well if you import them into any DAW and continue your editing and mastering work there. I actually contacted Zoom about potentially reviewing their products and also making more KZread videos about them...and no response yet. If they get back to me, I'll be sure to make some videos about the whole process talking to them. However, in terms of being on the Zoom payroll? I don't know if I would want to do that because it would make it harder for me to call them out if there are bugs or broken features on their devices. I want to be able to give KZread viewers honest, unbiased opinions.

Nice you delivered as promised! Thanks great work!

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure. Just trying to help! :)

@PPM820

2 жыл бұрын

Def bro! Can you believe i highlight the region in white and it wont loop for me? If i drag it down the timeline it plays but it ends at whatever bar its pointing to. I want it to loop right on the spot without having to drag it. Thats what i call looping like MPC LIVE does.

Without your help I would be in serious stress, Thanks!!

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

Happy to hear that the videos are helping

Wow! This is awesome! Thanks for sharing this!!!

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

You're most welcome

Thank you Gaz, that did the trick - we have lift off ! In my haste to actually completing my first project, I have yet to get a grip on track editing, moving and copying. Which of your tutorials do you suggest I focus on ? Also, any suggestions on the EQing and mastering of tracks. My first project has turned out a "bit muddy and bassy". Thanks as always - you're the man !

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

Happy to hear things are working for you. I made a whole playlist, Zoom R20 Multitracker Tutorials, on my channel. If you look for the playlist, you should be able to see about 20-ish videos in there and pick and choose what you are interested in. I would make sure you understand how the markers work, because that will make your life easier as you start to navigate around 4-minute long songs. kzread.info/dash/bejne/h6R_2tZudKnPlLw.html And from there having a handle on the touchscreen editing tools will aid your music production. kzread.info/dash/bejne/qHyAqs2bZb2sdJs.html

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

And for EQ and mastering, those are two videos I haven't been able to make yet, but they are on the to-do list. You get a 3-band EQ that you can manipulate in the track settings, and that EQ is independent for each track. I wish it was a 5-band, but it at least gives you something. In terms of mastering, I'm sad that Zoom did not include some pre-set mastering patches. I've been experimenting with a patch that includes a compressor, a sonic exciter, and some reverb. I hope to get something posted in the next month or so about that. I've fallen behind on my posts due to some problems at work plus I've been sick...things have slowed me down, but hope to get some new content up there soon.

You promised and you have done it. Thanks a lot friend. I did not understand for what purpose you do the mix down? To export the final audio file you must render and is it enough?

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

You are welcome! If you simply render the tracks it will blend them together without you having any control. If you Mix Down, you will be able to hit record and listen to the song in real time. While the song advances, you can adjust the faders to control how much volume on track 1 contributes to the final mix compared to how much volume on track 2 contributes to the final mix. It would allow you to increase the volume a little bit during a chorus, and turn volumes down during the bridge, as an example. Also...if you use Mix Down you can also select an effect to use, like a Chorus or Delay to brighten up your final stereo mix down file.

Your videos are great. Could you do a video on how you use the CR 20 as an audio interface with a program such as logic pro?

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

I haven't used it as a DAW controller too much yet. But I'll see what I can do!

And thank you for these videos.

Another great video, thanks. When I get a Zoom R20, I don't have to read the manual anymore! 😉

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

Happy to help!

This is great-thanks Gaz! Anyone know how to find the tuner in this thing? No mention in the manual so maybe their isn’t one?

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. There is a tuner -- and it's good! In this video goto 11:25 where I am editing the Send Hall effect. You'll notice that tuning fork icon on the left side of the Zoom screen. You just touch that and it takes you to the tuner. You set it as regular chromatic tuner so that natural notes (white piano keys) are perfectly centered in the middle of the tuner, or there are settings to have sharps and flats centered. If you are a guitar player there is also a setting for drop D tuning. Setting 1 as a regular chromatic tuner works is basically all you need though because you can still see if you are a perfect half step sharp or flat. I had a mic picking up a viola and it worked for that too.

Hey man, once again, great video. Do you have any idea how long can an audio file be to import it. I mean what's the limit, cause I want to import a back track of about 45 minutes, but the R20 won't let me, so I want to split them into individual audios so I can import them.

@GazRendar

5 ай бұрын

Thanks! You are near the default limits of the R20 if your audio file is 45 minutes long. The R20 is limited to 50 audio regions total per project, and it's also limited to 1350 bars (measures). If you leave the R20 at it's default 120bpm that gives you a little over 40 minutes of record time for the project. I haven't done this myself, but as a possible solution... I would try to slow your project bpm down to 50 bpm or something, then try to import the 45 minute long file. Maybe that will work?

Very helpful video. Quick question. I did a final mixdown but how do you play it back as a stereo wav file and how is it saved on the sd card because it does not seem to appear in my projects menu as a saved mixdown and only shows the current project.

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, I really need to make a mix down video because it's an odd process. After you mix down the new stereo track will end up in the AUDIO folder of your SD card. To listen to it you'll need to import it into a blank stereo linked track within the project, or I typically drop it into an all new blank project.

@Superclunk6

Жыл бұрын

Ah ok I see, I was just about to check the sd card in the computer to see if it saved. Almost, but not quite a stand alone recorder. Good thing it is an interface as well and comes with Cubase LE for downloading. Thanks again.

Hi Gaz, after quite a few passes I have finally completed a balanced and satisfying master take. The sound is so different on the R20 and my computer setup. It really is a shame that there are no mastering tools to finalize the projects. Is it a good idea to retain the track info of each project on the SD card or should I only keep it on my computer (or both places ) ? Ok, onto song # 2 !! Take care and get well soon. Thanks as always for leading the way, Dan.

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

If you finished a song, I always back up that project folder somewhere just in case...on the hard drive of my computer or on a flash drive. You can just pop the SD card into your computer and copy the whole project folder to a second location. I also have been using a 64GB SD card and it's allowed me to keep most of my projects on the card as well, just in case I want to go back to something while I have the R20 powered on.

Grazie..video molto utile😊

hi thanks for this tutorial it's great!!! I have a question is there anyway to make track routing? ex: 8 track playing at the same time, but track 1 is only playing on the phones line while the others are playing in the line out.

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome. No, I don't think so. You can mute or solo individual tracks by pulling out out the track sub-menu. However, whatever you choose will send the sounds to both the headphones and the line out. You can adjust the volumes of the headphones separately, but not what gets sent to headphones vs. line out. The only thing that has a specific setting there is the click track. That you can send to only headphones or only line out, or to both.

@icedash80

2 жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar thanks, the only option is R8 or R24.

Thanks! Great video! Soo.. If I will use first 3 tracks for playback (stereo guitars and metronome) - I will have only 5 tracks left for the recording of my drumming? Because I need 7 channels to record drums and 3 channels for playback. Is it possible, what do you think?

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

It just depends on how you set up your recording, and how many instruments you think you need to record in stereo. The R20 has 16 mono tracks. You have plenty of flexibility to convert some, or all of those tracks into stereo-linked tracks. And you can also choose to mix down a combination of tracks into a single, stereo track. So....to start, you could record a mono metronome track and stick that on Track #16. Then you could use 7 mono tracks to record your drum kit - put those on Tracks #9-15. Now you have Tracks #1-8 to record guitars, bass, vocals, etc. You can start to record your guitars and vocals. After you start recording and you find yourself running out of tracks, you can save that as "Project01" (so all the recorded tracks are backed up and kept separate), then copy the whole thing as a new "Project01B." Now Mix Down your 7 drum tracks into a single stereo track. Then delete the mono drum Tracks #9-15 in Project01B and re-import that Mixed Down stereo drum track into Tracks #14&15. You've now freed up Tracks#9-13 for more recording. If you later find that you don't like the drum mix, you can always go back to Project01 and re-Mix Down the drum tracks.

@Reabilitator

Жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar Thanks so much for so detailed answer! If I understand correctly, If track 1 armed for recording - you will still hear track 9 if there is an audio on it. Thanks!

Can the bit depth and sample rate on the r20 be changed? All of my files i would like to in port are either 16bit 44k,or 24 bit 48k?...The r20s 24/44k is a bit of a odd duck as far as standards go!

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

24 bit at 44kHz isn't too odd. I've seen it used in quite a few multitrackers. But in v1.0 and v2.0 of the firmware, your only options are 16 bit at 44kHz and 24 bit at 44kHz. I wish they would add a 48kHz, at least, but I don't know if the chip architecture in the device is capable of 48kHz or 96kHz where it can show up in a future firmware update. Zoom's more professional series of F recorders sometimes offer 32 bit up to 96kHz. So Zoom does make stuff at the higher bit depth and sampling rate....maybe more choices will make it to the R20? I dunno...just trying to stay hopeful.

Excellent video, thank you! Could you also pull those files via the USB if they are on your laptop? As oppose to moving the SD card back and forth?

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome! You cannot run a USB cable between your laptop and the R20 and just transfer the files without an SD card in the R20 because you cannot access the onboard storage of the R20 (that's just for the synth sounds, effects, and onboard drum loops). The R20 needs audio files to be on the SD card or a USB flash drive...you can't even create a project without an SD card or USB flash drive connected. But if you do not have an SD card reader conveniently available on your laptop, you can load files to a USB flash drive and go back and forth that way...assuming you have a USB flash drive with a type C connector. Or you can leave the SD card in the R20 and then run a USB cable between the R20 and your laptop and essentially use the R20 as an SD card reader for your laptop to transfer files back and forth to the SD card that way.

@RyGuyLikesFrenchFry

2 жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar Thanks again for taking the time to explain. You are saving people a lot of time & frustration with your generosity.

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

Happy to help

Thank you!

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

You're welcome!

Can I delete the files in the audio folder after I'm done or do I need to keep them in there? (Asking because I'm trying to put all my songs on my old studio onto this studio so I have allot of wavs to convert.

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

Sorry, I just realized I missed this comment from a couple weeks ago. Yes, after you Add Audio File and bring the audio file into that specific project as a mono or stereo track, you can delete it out of your Audio folder. The project will keep a copy of the Audio File in the project's main folder.

@crowkillingpoe

2 жыл бұрын

@@GazRendarthanks

Hi I have a question about the Adapter : is it accept V220 ? thank you

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

I'm in the US, so in the box I received a standard 110V AC adapter that plugs into the wall. I'm guessing it would work with a conversion adapter? And in different regions I have to imagine ZOOM sells the R20 with region-specific wall adapters.

Dude. Thank you.

@GazRendar

Ай бұрын

You are most welcome!

Hi ! great video... I'm wondering wether I could use this device to play backing tracks with my band... It seems it features more than I need, but I'm a bit worried about project loading time... Also considering 1 single project with markers, but we play 4 hours in a row, would the device handle it ? What do you think ?

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

The device isn't going to be able to handle a 4 hour project. There is a limit to how much audio it can handle, and it's like 1300 measures (bars), which at 120 bpm gives you maybe 40 minutes or so? You could probably create a series of projects that maybe had 3 or 4 songs, loaded up consecutively within each project, and put markers in there to help you time your show. I guess that would work. However, I would only recommend doing that if you ALSO want to use the device to record songs or an album when your band is practicing to maximize the value of your purchase. It depends on what your needs are and how many backing tracks you are using. Are they just drum tracks? If so, you could get by with something more compact and simple, like a ZOOM H1N or H4N, record what you need and use that for playback. Or frankly, just mix all those tracks down to consecutively numbered mp3 files and put them on a phone or iPod or a cheap tablet, hook it up to your PA system, and play them that way as a playlist.

@JunkSoap

2 жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar Thanks for your answer. No, it's for more than a 2track out... Plus click sent to IEMs... And, hell I'll never use a small device as small as H1n or iPod on tour !!!!!! Easy to lose, break, and read a tiny screen while playing on a big stage with powerful light shows and led walls behind me :D Not to mention the connectivity... iphone -> camera kit -> mini jack to jack ----> DI -----> PA.... No, these are solution for home use, not for pro gigs... ;) I'm trying to find a cheaper solution than redundant mac playback setup, plus trying to avoid computers on stage. Multitracks look perfect for this, but the loading times are a big concern.

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

I gotcha. Yeah, I can't recommend the R20 for what you are trying to pull off. There are load times...not horrible, but they exist. And the click track on the R20 is subpar at best. You can't use it to sync to other equipment. I'm not sure what the ideal solution is for you...if I think so something, I'll let ya know.

So I have a 64 GB SD card and have hundreds of wav files. They are all the correct bit/ sample rate but I can only see about 10 of them show up on the zoom even though the SD card has hundred of files on them. Does the zoom limit how many you can have on the unit even if you have a big enough SD card to store a lot of them?

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

Hmmm...really? I've had more than 10 wav files show up on my card for importing purposes. You placed all the .WAV files in the AUDIO folder, right? The other thing that I noticed is that there is some kind of limit on number of characters for the file name. I think more than 10 or 12 characters and the file might not show up. Additionally, I think there are some special characters that trip up the R20's file explorer system. So one thing you can test is to try to shorten some file names, and maybe remove some spaces and special characters and see if a few more files show up. Finally, you could try to have the R20 format the SD first, then load all the files into the AUDIO folder and see if that helps? I'll test out a few things on my end and see if I can figure out what limitations might exist.

@AndresLopez-eo5rr

Жыл бұрын

@Gaz Rendar yes they are in the audio folder and all my sd cards are formatted to the r20. It might be the file name that's the issue so I'll try that out. Thanks!

Hello! I want to pull tracks from R20 to the computer for processing and then return them back to the project. But when I save a track with the original name and parameters to the SD, the project does not see it and I have to import this track into the project. Is there any way to replace the original track with the one processed in the project folder so that when the project is opened, the track appears in its place?

@GazRendar

3 ай бұрын

Sadly, no. If you want to take R20 tracks (.WAV files) and edit with them on your computer, and then bring those tracks back to the R20, you'll need to go through the re-import step to make that work. After you re-import that track, then you can go back and delete the original track that you had in the project. I'm not Zoom tech support (I'm just a random dude with multitrackers), but I'm pretty sure the reason it doesn't work is that there is an extra meta data file associated with the project. It keeps all the extra information about the .WAV file separate - timing/spacing of audio regions, overall start and stop times, marker locations, etc. Once you open that .WAV file and do anything to it on your computer, you've slightly changed the .WAV file. So when you save that .WAV file to the R20's project folder, even with the exact same name, the meta data file for the project "can't figure out where things are in that .WAV file anymore." That's true even if the changes were subtle. Since the R20's meta data file can longer recognize that .WAV file as being part of the project, it doesn't associate it with the project. You'll need to stick your computer altered .WAV file into the AUDIO folder of the SD can and then re-import it. Sorry. Hope that explanation helps...

@andrushkoandrushko

3 ай бұрын

@@GazRendar Hello! Thank you very much for your reply! I have already managed to do as I wanted and I will now tell you how it works. I realized the most important mistake I was making, which is why I couldn't do it. You cannot turn on R20 without a track in the folder - in this case, R20 remembers that the track is not there. To make it work, you need to copy the track, process it, save it in mono/24/44.1 format, give it exactly the same name and put it in the project folder instead of the old track. After that, you can turn on R20 and the processed track will be in its place. After processing, my track becomes one second longer, I do not know why. Changing the length of the track does not affect the R20 to see it, but I still shorten the track to the original length when I convert from stereo to mono on the website in the online converter.

@GazRendar

3 ай бұрын

Good to know, thanks! I might try to test that out myself.

what sdxc do you use and what speed is it extreme speed what number mb 150 500

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

Nothing fancy. It's a class 10 card, UHS-1. I think maybe 80Mbps read and 15Mpbs write. It has plenty of bandwidth for 24-bit 44.1kHz sample rates. If it was 24-bit 192kHz sample rate maybe the card would be a little slow, but even then it could probably handle it. You don't need a super fast card. An SD card that can capture HD video is likely going to be more than enough speed.

Let’s say the song already recorded is at (e.g.) 100BPM, does the imported file have to be at an the exact tempo to work? Thank you.

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

The short answer is no. You can import it and it will work. The long answer is that it depends on how you want to edit things in your song. If your song is at 100 BPM and your imported audio file is more like, 110, it might not matter. Once you drop in your imported audio file to a track, it will be there next to the other tracks you already laid down. What will be off is the way the newly imported audio file matches up with the 100 BPM grid timeline at the top of the screen. But if the imported audio is just some kind of background noise, like a hum or something, it's no big deal. Or you can record and edit without really looking at the grid timeline. You can just record freely and it's fine. It's just easier to edit if you can quantize and snap to grid. Additionally, if your imported timing is close to the song's timing, you can try to time stretch/shrink the audio file into 100 BPM. That is an option as well.

@JohnMark61355

2 жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar Thank you.

Whats your opinion on the audio quality being 44.1k and 24bit? Is there a better multi track recorder? Personally I still like the zoom r20.

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

24-bit doesn't bother me at all. You can record with 24-bit and make anything sound good with that, from a budget multitracker to a DAW with a nice interface. 44.1kHz is maybe the biggest limitation of these multitrackers. I think it still sounds good, but when I'm recording Pocket Operators and an OP-Z or Volcas, those things are already kind of lo-fi, so it doesn't make a difference. Even guitar sounds ok, especially once you are applying some effects. If I was recording string quartets, I think I would find the sound to be "hollow" on the R20. Same with really powerful, dynamic vocals. The R20 might just result in a recording that feels like something is...missing...for instruments or vocals with broad frequencies and dynamics. Is there a better multitracker is highly subjective, though. It really depends on what your needs are and how you plan to use the device. If you just need to record guitars/bass/drums/vocals and you are going to bring those tracks over to a DAW for editing and mastering, you could get yourself an H6 Handy Recorder which will do 96kHz and be set. Or if you are fine with having a moderately powerful laptop around, a $250 interface, maybe with a a decent preamp and DAW software you like has the potential to get better sounding recordings. If you are only using synths to make digital music, a DAW or something like the 1010 Bluebox is probably better. However, if you want to record a variety of instruments and vocals with a stand-alone box, and you want to build songs with it...edit...arrange....copy and paste verses and chorus parts...then the R20 does a nice job. Or if you need portable power and only 2 inputs at a time with just 8 tracks then R12 might be the way to go. The R20 and the R12 are not perfect devices. That's why the are both usually under $400. They have strengths, but there are plenty of limitations to consider. I would never recommend these budget recorders for everyone - but for someone like me, I've mostly been happy with the R20 and what it offers. Suits my needs just fine. Here's some of my (admittedly lo-fi) examples of things 100% recorded, edited, mixed, and mastered on the R20 kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZpWNlaWpk93HZdY.html kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZJeq1rSNm66rnKw.html

@supjay3945

Жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar thanks! I was looking for multitrack recorder for vocal and instrument to be recorded at the same time and perhaps add on top of it and the R20 does what I need. Thanks for the response!

Hey Gaz! I hate to keep bothering you about this thing, but,... this one thing is driving me crazy. I recorded drums, bass, guitar and vox on 5-16,(drums on 15-16, bass on 14-13,) so on... I'm attempting to edit and cut out some noise and imperfections and I keep getting a notification: Region Full! To add a new region, delete the existing region. I still have 1-4 free, and I'm also trying to record some vox harmonies onto 1 and get the same message. On another recording I did, I was able to use every track without issue.

@GazRendar

4 ай бұрын

Yeah, you do have 16 tracks, but you are also limited to 50 audio regions and/or 80 synth regions for your projects. If you did a mix down of a couple tracks, each with multiple regions, into a single stereo track and then re-import that into your project, that will help. Or you can render a track in the track settings and do same thing that way (albeit without real-time fader control). I explain it in this video: kzread.info/dash/bejne/e6OT2ZaRaNbFn7A.html

Are you able to assist by shedding light on the difference between the Mix Down and Render functions on the R20?

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

Yeah...this has definitely been on my to-do list to make a video. I need more time to make content! Briefly... I would just use the render function when you have fully completed synth track, or at least a complete synth pattern created. You could render that synth track, which is a MIDI track, into an audio track (a .WAV file). This is an automated process. You can then import that track back into the project as an audio file. You'll want to use mix down to make a final stereo mix. This is a manual process. You have to select mix down and then hit record...you'll use the faders in real time to mix your tracks down into a single stereo .WAV file. You can then use that as your final version for your song, or you could re-import that into a new project and layer new tracks over that, or chop it up and remix it, etc.

@PaulKocurek

Жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar Thank you so much for the prompt response, Gaz: I forgot about rendering the Synth Track to a WAV in order to free up another Synth Track for recording. So if the rendering is automated then it would not allow for fader adjustments during the translation. So is there anything to be gained for the loss of those adjustments, i.e., less noise in the rendered track than if the Synth Track had been "mixed" manually to a WAV file? Or is it just the convenience of automation or... ? Your videos on the R20 helped me select it as our studio of choice and we are loving it! Thanks and Happy Holidays!!

I'm having this issue importing a wav file. It says 'wrong number of channels, please select a track with the same number of channels?'. Thanks for the help!

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

That usually happens when you are either trying to import a stereo .WAV into a mono track. If you are trying to import into Track #1, first try to stereo link Track #1 and #2 together. Then test the .WAV file import. **You can see that in this video at about the 8:20 mark. The alternative problem can occur too - you are trying to import a mono .WAV file into a stereo track.

@Badfield66

2 жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar Gosh I missed that part of the video! Now I feel silly lol. I appreciate you :)

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

@@Badfield66 No worries, man! As long as you got it figured out and have the .WAV import working for ya that's all that matters.

It keeps telling me that the wav. File im inserting is the wrong number of channels. What should I do?

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

Go to about 8:21 in this video and watch. Lemme know if that explains what you are experiencing. If not, you can reply and I'll try to help.

@cloudplayzvr8962

Жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar Thank you! I forgot to stereo link them together.

So Gaz, here’s something….I seem to be the poster boy for R20 issues, but anyhoo 😄 this has happened a couple of times (and I updated the firmware to 2.40) where I record something, and I play it back, and it’s not there. I hit stop, press play again, and voila! it reappears and stays for the duration of the playback. But I can go back to the beginning of the track & it may or may not initially be there until I hit stop & play again, at which point the track reappears 🤔 Is there another firmware update that will solve this, or do I just have to cross my fingers that the track will show up when I go to mixdown?….

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

That's weird, and I haven't seen that yet. There was a known error where if you dropped several audio regions on the same track that it sometimes would magically lose 1 or more audio regions somehow. But that was supposed to be fixed in the v1.0 - v2.0 update. For right now, I guess I would recommend that if you get the track or audio region to temporary appear again, to copy it and paste it onto a fresh track. See if it disappears from the fresh track, or if it stays visible. If it stays visible, I might power down and turn on the R20 again, go back and then drag that copied audio region that is visible on the fresh track back to the original track you wanted it on so it doesn't permanently disappear on you. I'll keep a look out for any bugs like that.

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

I've been trying hard to create that bug, and I stumbled upon something... If I record a stereo track with a send effect on...it's rare...but after I record at least a 30 seconds of audio...if I hit Stop, and then Stop again kind of quick (to send me back to the beginning), I lost that fresh recording. I only had it happen to me twice, and I can't recreate it on command. But after seeing it, my recommendation is that when you hit Stop to end that recording, wait a good 2-3 seconds before hitting Stop or any other buttons.

@Ghoopty

Жыл бұрын

You’re the best, Gaz. Thanks again! I haven’t been able to record in a little while, but I will this weekend, and I’ll keep that in mind. You rock! 🤘

Can you edit the effects while playback?

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

You can, but I wouldn't say it's practical if you are trying to do it in real-time, like during Mix Down. It does work if you turn on an effect for like, input #1 going to Track #1 and you want to preview the distortions or reverbs you are applying on your guitar or something.

Question: I have recorded songs using my Zoom R16. I assume that if I simply take the SD card from the R16 and insert it into the R20 I can add to or edit those tracks. Am I correct? Are the songs upwardly compatible?

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

No. I don't think you'll be able to just take your R16 SD card and move it into the R20 and have all your projects there. I don't have an R16, but I'm guessing when you use an SD card the R16 creates a ZOOM R16 folder, then a PROJECTS subfolder inside of that and then all the separate folders for each one of your projects you've made on your R16. The R20 places project folders in the root of the SD card, so doubt the R20 will be able to find your projects (folders) if it's coming from the R16. What you can do is just move any audio files into the AUDIO folder. Once you pop the SD card into your R20 and open a project, then you'd be able to import all your .WAV files. I'm guessing you are asking because you want to do most of your recording on the R16 and then pop the SD card into the R20 to do some editing there. It'll work, but you'll have to unfortunately use a computer between those two steps to move some files into the Audio folder and then do the mono and stereo audio import that I showed in my video here.

@TheValleyChannel

2 жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar Thank you for your quick response. ...and thank you for sharing your knowledge. Your answer makes sense. I can see how that would be done. I have about 50 songs I've recorded on my R16. I love it. It has been great, but I can see how much better the R20 would be for me. I have been using the R16 to record, then export everything into a DAW program on my computer for a final mixdown. The DAW program is over-kill for what I do. My mixes are simple and don't require much. Plus, I don't relate very well to all of that Digital Hoopty Doo. I'm an old analog guy. I'm more comfortable with knobs and faders. The R20 appears to be very intuitive and simple to learn. It combines the feel of analog with a simple DAW. I plan to trade up to the R20 and build on the tracks I've already created and do my mixdowns there as well.

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

I go back to analog 4-track recorders and then I've always been using digital multitrackers instead of DAWs, so I hear ya. What you are describing is very doable. You just have to move your R16 audio tracks as .WAV files into the root AUDIO folder of the SD card for your new R20. Take the time to label/rename the .WAV files on a computer. Then spend some time creating new, empty projects with the R20, import the appropriate .WAV files as tracks into the R20 projects and then you're good to go. It'll take you an afternoon to get it all sorted out, but then you'll be on your way with way more editing capabilities than the R16 had. Coming from the R16, the biggest trade off is that you'll lose some combo inputs. You'll only have two 1/4" inputs on the R20...just keep that in mind before you buy it.

Hi, I am having problems adding my audio WAV file. It states "Different number of channels! Select the file that matches the number of channels in the track." May I know how to rectify this issue? I have been trying for hours now :(

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

You probably are trying to drop in a stereo file onto a mono track. Goto point 8:15 in this video to see if that's the error you are getting and how to address it. If you still have problems let me know and I'll try to help.

@brennen4156

Жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar thank you so much! I was panicking and didn't notice this section of the video. Thank you for highlighting this! God bless

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

Glad I could help. Happy recording!

hi, sometimes when you load a stereo wave track, listening on headphones you hear an annoying background noise that can be traced back to a vinyl needle

@GazRendar

3 ай бұрын

Did the stereo wave track originally come from a vinyl sample? Either way, if you have subtle background noise you can go into the track settings (after your stereo import) and turn on the noise gate. It's not that powerful, but it can clean up some low level hum. Worth a try.

@rockforever6891

3 ай бұрын

@@GazRendar thanks

How can I import a stereo WAV audio file from an SD card to a separate tracks) to begin a new project on my Zoom R24 recorder?

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

Import a stereo .WAV file into an R24? I'm sorry, I'm actually not sure. I've only used an R24 briefly, years ago. On the R20 it's easy to do as I demonstrate in this video, but you do have to load that stereo file onto 2 linked tracks.

@howlinwolf73

2 жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar Bummer. But thanks for the reply.

Gaz , when I mix down onto a usb and upload onto my laptop, all the tracks are separate. I can’t seem to find why they aren’t mixing down into one track. In the Audio file it says it’s empty , and the Data file has all the wave files separate. What am I not doing correctly? Thanks

@GazRendar

8 күн бұрын

So you are doing all your recording on a USB thumb drive instead of an SD card? The folder structure is slightly different if you use a thumb drive vs. SD card. With a thumb drive, you should first see a folder named ZOOM R20. Inside that is a folder named PROJECTS. And inside that folder will be separate folders with project names and inside those folders will be meta data project files along with individual tracks saved as .WAV files. If you performed a mix down (you hit the record button for the whole song while the Mix Down option was highlighted on the Fader View screen) then on the thumb drive your 2-channel stereo mixed .WAV file should be located in ZOOM R20 --> AUDIO and the file name should be the projectname001.WAV. Subsequent mix down takes should be 002, 003 and so on.

@pml3659

7 күн бұрын

@@GazRendar Aughh.. key word “ Stereo”. I didn’t select that when creating my tracks - and I’ll try using the SD card instead of the thumb drive. 🙏 thank you

how to export the entire tracks to play on a windows media player like a normal song???

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

If you goto Fader view, at the top there is an option to Mix Down. When you select it, it becomes red. Then just hit record to play the multiple tracks from the song from beginning to end, adjust the faders in real time and apply an optional send effect patch if you want. The resulting file should be a 24-bit / 44.1kHz .WAV file that is stored in the AUDIO folder of the SD card. That's a simple stereo .WAV file in a rather standard format that should be playable by almost any media player of the past 15 years. You can mix down one track or 16 tracks, or anything in between. The result will be a stereo .WAV track in the AUDIO folder that should work with software like Windows Media Player.

Could i use the same process for the Zoom R12...?? And thanks for all the videos man btw! :)

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

Yeah...I've been slacking in making tutorial videos specific to the R12. I have to get on that. But yes, the file import process is similar on the R12. It works best if you just load up whatever .WAV files you want to use in the AUDIO folder of the SD. It's a little harder to use the USB-C port for import on the R12 because you are usually using it for power delivery. That's the main difference.

@utropiks4617

11 ай бұрын

@@GazRendaramazing, just got one this week and will try mess around with it, very excited and surprised with the small size but huge enough possibilities to work on a less is more kind of zen approach to record my own music, hope your upcoming videos with the r12 specific can shine even more light on it for my projects, 🙏🏽 obrigado ☺️

Your channel should have more subscribers. (And I'm sure it will get them eventually). What are your thoughts on the R20 so far? I'm a bit torn. Love the great audio quality, but coming from the R24, I can't help but feel disappointed by the removal of all the good stuff. ;-)

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

It's a slow, long climb to 1,000 subs. But that's ok. I started out just making dorky video game covers for fun and never thought I'd get anywhere near monetization. I accidently found some success doing R20 tutorials because I wanted a multitracker that had more than 2 inputs (coming from my R8) and just decided to kinda keep going whenever I have free time to make more tutorials and video game covers. My thoughts on the R20 are mostly positive, but it depends on frame of reference. I actually view the R20 as a successor to the R16, not the R24. The R8 and R24 had more features than the R16 and Zoom still sells the R8 and R24. The old me who played in a rock band and only cared about recording live audio takes of guitars, bass, drums, vocals, some keys would have loved the R20. The newer (solo) me who is just starting to explore synths and digital music sometimes gets frustrated with partially-baked R20 features and workflow issues. I mean, when you take a step back and think about it...having a piano scroll MIDI grid on a touchscreen for creation and editing on a 16-track stand alone recorder for $299-$399 is super cool. It has built-in synth sounds. That's all great they packed those features in there. But the synth sounds are so limited and you can only adjust velocity? The framework is there for Zoom to greatly improve the existing features, but I don't know if they will do it. I mean...how long did it take you to create that that short multitrack tune using the piano scroll and your NanoKeys? That had to take awhile, it's tedious, and there is only so much you can do with the sounds. If they eventually make a SynthLab that is like GuitarLab for the R20, I think there is tons of potential for this thing as a universally loved 5-star budget multitracker. Right now it's probably 2-4 stars for everyone. 2-stars for synth people and 4-stars for traditional rock band people. I'm going to try to be optimistic that ZOOM cares about the R20 and will continue to improve it with firmware updates...but man, the wait could be long...

@mr_floydst

Жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar Exactly my thoughts - the framework is there and now it needs some TLC ;-) Zoom completely overhauled the ARQ-96 with a firmware update some years ago in an attempt to save it and it was a good groove box afterwards. R20 could be such a great device, the hardware is superb, but the software is lacking. BTW took me 3 years to get to 1k subscribers. Just keep on posting good videos like this one... All the best. :-)

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

The ARQ was such unique, odd device, especially for Zoom. By the time Zoom figured out what to do with it they discontinued it. Hopefully they learned some lessons and can apply some of their better ARQ synth ideas to the R20. I'm debating ordering sort of a spiritual successor to the ARQ-96 and possibly using it on my channel. We'll see. Right now the R20 just slightly misses the mark. Has so much potential but it's software is indeed holding it back. And I just can't help but wonder what it would have cost them to simply put combo jacks for inputs 3&4. Those don't carry phantom power anyway. Having two more 1/4" input options plus some improved software could make the thing so good. I'm still trying to be optimistic.... Wow, took you 3 years to get to 1k subs? I would have figured it would have been a lot quicker for you. I've only been watching your content for the past 6 months or so, but your attention to detail with your video editing is top-notch. I'm trying to develop that video planning and those editing skills over here. Hope you get to 13k and beyond quickly!

If you add a stereo track I think you can't pan the 2 tracks separate. Am I right?

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

Hmmmm....I forget. I'll test it later and get back to you. I do know that you can mix down two mono tracks into a stereo track and set the pan levels prior to that mix down...I've definitely done that and the pan settings are then "embedded" in that resulting stereo track that was created from the mix down.

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

I tested it and you're correct. There is only one pan control for a stereo track. Once it's stereo linked, you do not have individual pan control over tracks 1 and 2 for stereo track 1/2.

@leonprovincie8472

2 жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar Thanks for checking.

After you mix down,where is the newly mixed song located?

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

It shows up as an audio file that has the same name as the Project Name.WAV while you are on the R20. On the SD card when you plug it into your computer, it shows up in the Project folder.

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

I just wanted to correct myself...if you do a mix-down the ProjectName.WAV file shows up in the root AUDIO folder of the SD card. The individual tracks will show up in the Project Folder.

@vapourtrails86

2 жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar Hi there. I've had terrible luck finding files that I'm pretty sure I mixed correctly. The red mixdown light turns off as soon as I click record--not sure if that's supposed to happen. I wind up with all of the stem files in the project folder, but nothing in the audio folder, and no complete song anywhere. It's been pretty frustrating. Just wondering if you have any ideas. Thanks!

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

@@vapourtrails86 Hmmmm. That sounds a little weird. You used the Mix Down feature while in the mixer view and cannot find that final stereo mixed file on the SD card? I think SD card and USB stick put the files in slightly different places. I'll try to test a few things this weekend and maybe post a tutorial video about mono and stereo recording vs rendering vs mix-down and where your files end up.

How do you record in stereo ?

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

To record in stereo, you first need to touch a track number on the track screen. So say you touch the actually number 1 on Track 1. Then touch Track Settings at the top. Scroll down to link stereo tracks. Once you do that Track 1 will become stereo linked to Track 2. It will look like a fatter track in the track view. Now if your inputs are using input 1 and input 2, you arm the linked tracks 1&2 and hit record. You'll record a stereo audio file. It's pretty easy once you know where to look.

I believe Zoom will need to do a firmware asap my unit was not letting me import 8 wav files into the sd card but when i try to add audio file only 3 of my wav files show up sometime they all show up and sometimes they dont. Its hit or miss. As far as looping goes i want to highlight and loop 2 bars right on the spot of my wav file without having to drag it all the way down the time line so that it loops right in place at 2 bars and it wont do that. Im hoping the firmware improves the looping and import functions. Otherwise the unit works for me and records perfectly.

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

Hmmmm.....I haven't exactly had those issues you are describing. I did have one .WAV file that could not be imported by the R20, but everything has been ok. Granted, almost everything else I've created was on an R8 and I bought it over to the R20. For the looping, it can work, but it depends on what you trying to loop. I've mostly kept my audio regions to 2 bars or 4 bars and then I drag that out to have it repeat. If you are trying to loop smaller regions within a region, have you used the Split feature to chop up a sample or loop into a smaller piece first, then loop it? I'm hoping ZOOM keeps making firmware updates for years on this thing. It's brand new and it works...but I can see it as a foundation for something way cooler if they can fix a few things and make some existing stuff better.

@PPM820

2 жыл бұрын

Ok the wav files i figured out you have to name them differently then how there named once i explode them from the MPC LIVE so im good there. Got to figure the looping part out or just takes a little more practice on my part. Thanks for your informative comments as always. Lets hope Zoom for some nice firmwares soon.

dope!

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

Now on one of the audio files I get “ different number of channels: select the file that matches the number of channels in the track.” What does that mean?

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

Goto 8:18 of that video and it will show you that error and what you need to select.

@PianoMan-hx3ev

Жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar Hahaha!! Just saw that video moments ago!! Your channel Is awesome!!! ✨

@PianoMan-hx3ev

Жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar 💯

@PianoMan-hx3ev

Жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar I put the files into the audio folder and it is now giving me the error message that they’re NOT THERE. I’m about ready to send this thing back to Sweetwater and go back to ProLogic 9.

@PianoMan-hx3ev

Жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar The last project it worked. I do t get what I’m doing wrong now.

Metroid 1986 is probably the best console game ever made.

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

I'm not going to argue too much with that...but I did think Super Metroid was pretty fantastic when it first came out.

@PianoMan-hx3ev

Жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar Yes, excellent title. You should check out the Metroid randomizer...

Great explanation.. Q: When you mix down, can you mix them to lets say 15-16 ( and use it like a bounce) so you can add more tracks? Or can you take the master and then assign it to other tracks like the Livetrak L-8?

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

The nice thing is that you do not have to think of it like a bounce feature or worry about running out of tracks, like you would on an older multitracker. You can think of it more as a computer and a DAW. Just use the mix down feature on any 2 or more tracks. That will result in a stereo .WAV file on the SD card. If your project name is ZOOM001, then the stereo .WAV file will be called ZOOM001.WAV. Simply do what I did in this video and drop that stereo track anywhere you want...tracks 1/2 or tracks 13/14, etc. The most obvious application is if you use 6 mics to lay down a live drum track. Then you could mix down those 6 tracks into a single stereo .WAV that you could drop into tracks 15/16 so you could have 14 tracks to work with for the rest of the song. But any track you make can be quickly saved as a .WAV file at any time using the render feature. Once you have a track saved, you can temporarily delete if off, say, track 4, but it's on the SD card as a .WAV file so you can bring it back at any time. So you never really run out of tracks. The only real limitation is that you can only have a max 16 tracks active at any time for playback or mix down.

@Rhyminrichie

2 жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar Thanks for the reply.. Now I’ve gotta get one! lol

The zoom r20 doesn’t see the 44.1 24-bit files. Says the usb is empty. What could be wrong here?

@PianoMan-hx3ev

Жыл бұрын

I just figured it out. The file has to go in the AUDIO folder the R20 creates when you insert the usb drive into it. 🌟

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

Yes. 100%. You do have to put those files into the AUDIO folder to get it to work.

@PianoMan-hx3ev

Жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar 💯

@PianoMan-hx3ev

Жыл бұрын

@@GazRendar Should all my files be in stereo, using 2 tracks each?

@GazRendar

Жыл бұрын

It's up to you. You can use all stereo or all mono or a combination of both. The R20 gives you enough flexibility to mix and match. Personally, I try to have all my drums mixed into a stereo track. Then I might have my main acoustic rhythm guitar as a stereo track. Everything else I usually keep mono, just to give me more independent tracks to work with.

Justice unit let you import MP3s at any rate and wav wish this unit had zoom's version of Auto-Tune vocal presets those that don't really know how to mix vocals

A++

@GazRendar

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!