R-07 Practical Guide Instruments

Do you worry about any of these things?

  • Getting the proper mic placement means I can’t reach the recorder from behind my instruments.
  • Digital recorders are complicated to use.
  • I don't understand about signal-to-noise ratio or setting gain levels.
  • What else do I need to make great-sounding recordings?
  • I wish I could loop and/or slow my recordings to hear them more accurately.

Hands-Free Control Lets You Focus on Your Performance

The R-07 has a built-in thread mount, allowing you to attach the optional OP-MSA1 adaptor and mount the recorder on a mic stand. In addition, you can wirelessly operate and monitor all recording functions from your playing position using the remote-control app on your smartphone or Apple Watch. And by adding a pair of Bluetooth headphones, you can listen to your recorded performance wirelessly as well.

Once you’ve positioned the R-07 in the best place, you don’t need to touch it again until you’ve captured the performance you’re looking for. Just focus on your playing and let the magic happen!

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Never Miss the Perfect Take

The ideal recording level can be set automatically using the rehearsal feature, which is easily accessed with a dedicated button on the top panel. For added insurance, you can engage the R-07’s audio limiter, and also simultaneously capture a backup recording at a slightly reduced level.

Built-in Tuner and Metronome

The R-07 has a built-in chromatic tuner, so you can always check your tuning before recording. There’s a metronome as well, an essential tool for practicing in tempo. When recording, the metronome sound is muted from the built-in speaker but continues playing through your headphones, giving you a personal guide to keep your takes in perfect time.

Powerful Playback Tools for Practice and Learning

Going beyond recording, the R-07 is also a great companion for learning music. To start, import the WAV or MP3 songs you want to work on. Then use the A/B function to loop specific song sections, or slow down the recording by as much as 50 percent to learn difficult phrases.

Basic Recording Procedure for Instruments

  • 1. For the quickest setup, press SCENE and select “Instrument.” It’s also possible to set the recording parameters manually if you prefer.
  • 2. Place the R-07 in the desired position.
  • 3. Press the REHEARSAL button and play into the R-07 to automatically set the optimum recording level.
  • 4. Start recording.

Acoustic Piano

Tips:

  • While smaller instruments tend to project sound in a focused direction, the piano’s design produces sound from all around. Since the R-07’s built-in stereo mic is omnidirectional, it’s especially good at capturing the piano’s expansive sound field.
  • Position the microphone to maintain a balance between the piano’s strings and soundboard.
  • You can adjust the balance between the piano’s attack and sustain characteristics using distance. Experiment with different distances to achieve the cleanest recording.

Drums

Tips:

  • Position the R-07’s mic to capture the best overall balance of the entire drum kit. Pay close attention to the volume balance between the bass drum and snare drum.
  • Raise the mic above the level of the bass drum to keep projected air from reaching the mic and distorting the sound.
  • Point the mic in a straight line along the plane of the bass drum and snare drum (as shown in the diagram). This will place these drums together in the center of the stereo image, creating the most balanced sound.
  • Experiment with the position and distance to get different sounds. Placing the R-07 farther away from the drum kit will bring more of the room space into the sound. In some cases, recording the drum kit from behind the player will provide the roundest overall sound.

Acoustic Guitar

Tips:

  • Point the R-07’s mic directly toward the face of the guitar. The goal is to achieve the best balance between the sounds produced by the strings and the body.
  • Avoid pointing the mic directly at the guitar’s sound hole. This will produce an unbalanced sound with too much low and low-mid frequency content.
  • A tried-and-true starting point is to aim the mic where the neck joins the body. This is likely to give you the most balanced sound, particularly for strumming. You might also try pointing the mic at or slightly behind the guitar’s bridge for a warmer sound.
  • Setting the mic about 6-12 inches away is a good start, providing a clear sound with good definition. For a more spacious sound, try moving the mic farther away from the guitar.
Preview Acoustic Guitar Demo (MP3 Streaming) Acoustic Guitar recorded in rehearsal studio. Get Recording Examples (24-bit/96 kHz WAV) Go to Download Page

Electric Guitar and Bass

Tips:

  • Point the R-07’s mic directly toward a speaker in the guitar or bass amp.
  • For the brightest sound, point the mic at the center of the speaker cone. For a darker sound, point the mic somewhere between the center and edge of the cone.
Preview Electric Guitar Demo 1 (MP3 Streaming) Electric Guitar with JC-120 clean sound recorded in rehearsal studio. Preview Electric Guitar Demo 2 (MP3 Streaming) Electric Guitar with JC-120 chorus sound recorded in rehearsal studio.
Get Recording Examples (24-bit/96 kHz WAV) Go to Download Page

Wind Instruments

Tips:

  • When recording a solo horn, pointing the mic directly at the bell will probably produce a harsh sound. Instead, angle the mic slightly off-axis for a softer, more pleasing tone.
  • Woodwind instruments, like the saxophone, produce sound from both the bell and the keys. In addition, when all the keys are pressed, the sound from the bell changes. In these situations, place the mic slightly down and to the left or right for a smooth recording.
  • When capturing two or more horns playing at once, move the R-07 back far enough to capture a good balance between them.
Preview Saxophone Demo (MP3 Streaming) Saxophone recorded in rehearsal studio. Get Recording Examples (24-bit/96 kHz WAV) Go to Download Page

String Instruments

Tips:

  • Like recording an acoustic guitar, the goal of recording a string instrument such as a violin or contrabass is to place the mic in a position that captures a good balance between the string sound and body sound.
  • The mic distance has a big effect on the sound. To capture some room sound in your recording, place the mic facing the instrument about 6 feet/2 meters away. Bringing the mic in about 3 feet/1 meter away will produce a clear, detailed sound. For a more spacious sound, move it out to about 12 feet/3.5 meters.
  • While monitoring the sound through headphones, adjust the mic height for the desired tonal balance. Lower heights will produce a fuller sound with more lows, while raising the mic will produce a clear and open sound with more bow attack.
Preview Cello Demo (MP3 Streaming) Cello recorded in rehearsal studio. Get Recording Examples (24-bit/96 kHz WAV) Go to Download Page

Electronic Keyboards and Drum Machines

Tips:

  • It’s easy to record the stereo sound of an electronic instrument like a synthesizer, organ, electric piano, or drum machine. Simply connect it directly to the R-07’s MIC/AUX IN jack using a Y-cable (as shown in the diagram) and use headphones to monitor the sound as you record.
  • If you amplify your electronic instrument through built-in speakers or an external amplifier, you can alternately capture the sound with the R-07’s stereo microphone.

R-07 Product Information

  • *The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Roland is under license.
  • *Qualcomm is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries, used with permission. aptX is a trademark of Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd., registered in the United States and other countries, used with permission.
  • *Complies with the definitions of Hi-Res audio as recommended by the Japan Audio Society. The Hi-Res logo is a trademark and is licensed from the Japan Audio Society.