Be prepared when inspiration hits, with the Micro BR!
Wouldn't it be great if you could schedule inspiration? Just pencil some creative flow into your day-planner for next Saturday afternoon between 1:00 and 3:30, then whip out a few new songs. We all know it doesn't work like that. Inspiration usually hits when you're in the middle of a million other things. You're on the train or at the grocery store or walking your dog and you realize you're humming a catchy new melody. You're on the tour bus, driving to the next town, and that happy accident you had during your last guitar solo has you thinking about a cool new riff. One minute it's here, and the next, it's gone. You can't expect inspiration to wait around, so you've got to be ready when it strikes. The Micro BR digital recorder from Boss is small enough to take anywhere, and has the features you need to flesh-out all your spontaneous ideas.
A fully functional recording studio in the palm of your hand
While most handheld digital recorders only offer simple audio capture and playback, the Micro BR is a complete, self-contained multitrack studio. Boss found a way to fit four-track recording, editing, and mastering into a device about the size of an iPod. Combined with multiple inputs, onboard effects, MP3 support, and more, you can create anything from a simple scratch demo to a fully produced, ready-to-distribute song. Whenever a new idea pops into your head, you can save it for later polishing, or sculpt it into something more while it's still fresh in your mind.
All the ins and outs
The Micro BR offers easy input for all your sounds. Use the 1/4-inch jack straight from your guitar or bass, and get on-pitch with the built-in tuner. Acoustic instruments and vocal tracks can be added with the onboard microphone. This is also a great way to save your ideas for later. Sing in the tune, strum out a quick chord progression, or even leave a "note-to-self" with details about the mood you want to set, tempo, bass part, or anything else. You can go back and clean it up at your convenience. Alternatively, the mic/line miniplug input will handle external microphones, keyboards, and CD/MP3 players. Plug in your instrument-of-choice, adjust the gain for a strong input level, and use the transport controls to lay down the track. The stereo miniplug output with dedicated volume control lets you monitor all your music through headphones or external speakers.
No shortage of groove
You may be thinking, 'that's great for guitars and vocals, but what about drums?' You could mic-up your drum kit with a mixer and route the output to your Micro BR, but that's not exactly portable. Fortunately, Boss includes a special rhythm function to help you build the groove. You can select any of the 293 drum patterns from nine different styles to establish the pocket and maintain the tempo. Loop a single pattern continuously, or use the built-in arranger to trigger different patterns for the intro, verse, chorus, and bridge. Even better, this rhythm function is independent of your recording space, so you can build the beat without sacrificing any of your multitrack capabilities.
Build complete songs with multitracking
With multitracking, you can explore all aspects of your composition. The Micro BR lets you record up to two simultaneous tracks, with support for four playback tracks. Start with the special "fifth-track" and program your drum groove. Lay down the bass on track 1, and the rhythm section is starting to shape up. Add a chord progression with guitar or keyboard on track 2, then tie it all together with the vocal melody on track 3. Use the last track for texture, mixing in backing vocals, guitar solos, or even horn-stabs with the internal microphone. Each track offers eight virtual tracks, providing a total of 32 channels of stored audio. Mix and match bass lines, vocal harmonies, and guitar solos until you find the perfect combination. Imagine walking around with all those tracks in your back pocket! The Micro BR makes it possible.
Onboard effects
No multitrack studio is complete without a healthy set of effects, and Boss stocked the Micro BR with a full assortment. These legendary COSM amp models and effects add color and depth to all your parts, polishing your songs to perfection. You'll find crunchy distortion, creamy chorus, spacey phasers, lush reverb, and more to spice up vocal and instrumental tracks. Experiment on the virtual tracks, and see which ones fit best. You also have the flexibility to add these effects as you record, or during mixdown. If you already know you want a certain type of delay, for example, go ahead and add it in. You may find a previously recorded track could use some extra EQ or compression, though. Insert these effects during mixdown, and tweak them until you've got everything sounding just right.
Tight editing control
Making mistakes is all part of the process, but the Micro BR's editing features help your final product sound flawless. You can punch-in and punch-out as you record, fixing little mistakes immediately. Use the manual setting to overdub on-the-fly, or set automatic punch-points if you think you'll need more than one pass. You can also copy and paste inside a track, or from one track to another. Lay down your chord progression, for example, then copy the phrase as many times as necessary to build the song. With short patterns for the verse and the chorus, you can create a tight, steady groove in seconds. This same technique is great for getting the most out of every track. Why waste a whole track, just for the the guitar solo? Record your vocal harmonies on a virtual track, then cut and paste them around the solo. Add some extra guitar texture, and your songs get even bigger. With a little creative organization, you can fill any silent spots with the subtle details that make your music come alive.
Don't forget to master
Once everything is recorded and mixed, bounce it all down to two tracks. You can then use the Mastering Toolkit to smooth out the stereo image and prepare it for distribution. The Micro BR lets you take your musical ideas from concept to completion, without ever leaving the interface. This "one-stop-shop" approach means you can work quickly and efficiently, taking advantage of every creative opportunity you encounter.
Storage and power
So, where does all this audio go? Boss includes a 128MB SD card for convenient, portable storage. It will hold more than one hour of recorded audio. The slot accepts a maximum 1GB card, giving you over 13 hours of record time! That's about three hours of four-track recording. You can produce a full-length CD, and still have room left over for bonus tracks. Store your music in WAV format for the best quality, or MP3 format to maximize space. The Micro BR also has a mini-USB port to connect with any Mac or Windows computer. Archive all your audio to hard disk, or prepare your mastered tracks for distribution on CD or across the web as MP3's. While we're on the subject of capacity, two AA batteries provide up to six hours of continuous use. For longer projects, Boss offers an optional AC power adapter (not included).
More cool functions
Beyond its impressive recording capabilities, the Boss Micro BR is a helpful practice tool. You can use the rhythm function like a metronome, experimenting with different grooves as you improve your timing. If you're more interested in learning cover songs than working on original material, this device can help there, too. Use the USB port to import your favorite MP3 files, and you can learn the tunes at your leisure. The Center-Cancel feature removes lead vocals and guitar solos from stereo MP3's, so you can sing and play along, karaoke-style. Having trouble with a particularly tricky riff? No sweat. The Micro BR lets you time-stretch MP3's without changing the pitch. Slow that slippery lick down until you've got it nailed, then jump back up to speed and try it in real time. Those blistering solos aren't quite so intimidating when you can break them down like this. Expand your set list with covers and originals, take the monotony out of your practice sessions, and record your next CD, right from your guitar gig bag. The Micro BR from Boss does it all!
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