Yep! It's not for everyone, but I feel like to some people, it has it's clear cut merits.

i agree, especially for getting ideas down, so easy to get it goin and start layering tracks We got a boss br8 when I was 18 years old in 2002 and wrote so many things with it for many years then went to daw, which is great for drums and fine editing etc also preamp and plug-in options, I had bought the R8 a few years ago and never was inspired to mess with it but now that I'm settled in my first home I'm going for it!! Seeing your stuff about the r12 I love the new features with daw editing, upgraded preamps, midi and updatable effects, but missing everything else seems off, it would be worth 400$ easy to combine the units together better I want one eventually but am working with the R8 because of it many superior options, and cause I already have it here lol But, now that you've had the R12/R20 a while, what do you think in comparison to the trusty R8!? 🎸🥁💫

@@ejRecording The BR8 was a beast! Did all of my first recordings on one of those back in '02 as well! Just picked up an R12 and am interested in getting back outside of the box.

thats awesome! @@peytondowdy1892

Exactly. It's a good songwriting tool for that type of creative work flow and you don't need a computer to do that. Can chop things up and splice them together directly on the device. If you do hit record and let it run, note that it will stop recording after it reaches 1350 bars, or 40-45 minutes on default settings. I explain the work-around to that here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/f9WPqpeJndnDn4E.html

@@GazRendar Thanks for the tip!

Thank you!

Thank you!

You're most welcome. Hope the R12 works out well for you. Happy recording!

Thanks, Floyd! Yeah, it does match up a little better to what the R8 offered compared to the R20 developing from the R16. But considering the portable advantage that the R12 has with battery/size, I'm still surprised Zoom ditched the built-in mics that the R8 had. To me it's starting to feel like Zoom is taking 2 or 3 steps forward with the R20 and R12's, mainly with the potential of the touchscreen, but at the same time they are also taking 1 step back, too. Like, just put combo jacks across the board for the R20. And don't lose the built-in mics for the R12. Losing the pads and sequencer from the R8 to R12 doesn't bother me so much because there are so many good, cheap drum machines/sequencers now compared to 12 years ago...but the built-in mics? How much would have manufacturing costs been for Zoom to keep the mics in the R12 or combo jacks in the R20? Questionable business decisions there...ya'know?

R8 mics are the best feature. Zoom missed a very important feature on these newer machines,

Does this have the different click setting sounds like the R20?

Thanks so much. Happy to hear the overview video helped. I can definitely see where the R4 can be useful to some users, but it's still going to be limited in it's ability to do any light editing within tracks. I'm interested in it, but being able to make some songs without any DAW needed is why I use the R20 and R12. Happy recording!

@@GazRendar I have received the R12 a few days ago and it is exactly what I needed. I have already gotten more done than ever before. Perhaps even better than the R20 would have been for me, as the input routing is more flexible, which is great for working with synths and also because it is battery/USB powered. About the R4, it is a nice unit too and I will keep it, as it is more portable. It has many of the editing capabilities of the R8 from my research. While it has no copy and paste, it has trimming, punch-in, bouncing, undo and changing files behind a track is possible. There are send and insert effects and an EQ. It can normalize and convert to different bitrates during master export. Of course there are fewer channels and only a ready-made collection of drum tracks, but it is quite impressive how much editing can be done this way on the go.

I was on the fence about getting the R12. Really, if someone already has an R20 there isn't much reason to also get an R12, but I did it more for the channel. And...with my work flow I can take advantage of the battery power. Much easier to casually record a guitar or Pocket Operator while just kinda sitting on the couch now. I was concerned about the smaller screen...but you know, it's not so bad. So far I'm able to do what I want to do with it. I'll post more content as I use the device.

yeah...I rarely used the built-in mics on my R8. But now that I don't have them on the R12 or my R20, I do miss the convenience they offer when I'm using an acoustic guitar and just want to lay down a quick riff so I don't forget it.

Thank you so much. Happy my videos are helping!

I hear ya. This video was truly meant as an unboxing and first impressions video. Honestly, when I made it I thought it might reach 2,000 views if I was lucky. I didn't expect it to become one of my most watched videos. What you saw there is me using the device right after I opened the box without reading the manual. At this point, I've made nearly 40 videos about the R12 and R20 that address specific questions in more focused ways. If I haven't made a video about the R12 that you have a question about, I might have addressed your question with the R20 - which is likely going to be very similar to how you would access those features on the smaller R12. You can flip through the playlists for each to see if you can find answers to some of the questions you've had. Good luck! Zoom R12 tutorial playlist: kzfaq.info/sun/PLJfZ2yw2Bc7YLLe-DMUdiy0ZhrdQIbqkC Zoom R20 tutorial playlist: kzfaq.info/sun/PLJfZ2yw2Bc7apzujemOKk8aiTRfJvZfmR

Just go into the Track Settings (touch the number 1 on Track 1 to see the contextual menu at the top of the screen) and then scroll down to where it says Stereo Link. Turn it on and Track 1 should become Track 1/2 as a stereo pair. You can stereo link any two tracks that are next to each other.

Happy to help...thanks for watching!

You're welcome!

You're welcome!

And also as usual...thanks for always coming back to watch the channel!

Not in the traditional sense, like how you could with a footswitch on the Zoom R8. If your vocals are on Track 8, you could simply hit play a little before the "messed up section" and then when it gets there you can hit record to record over the messed up section with a fresh take and then hit record when you are done. So it's like a manual punch I/O. For vocals you can actually pull that off. If you are playing guitar with two hands that's tough. Otherwise, as another work around I would hit record on Track 7 and then lay down fresh vocals in the area where Track 8 is messed up. Then you can use the touch screen to trim up the fresh take on Track 7, cut out the messed up part in Track 8, and then move that audio region from track 7 into the spot in track 8.

Yeah, I those Tascam devices are nice, especially the Model 12. However, those things are HUGE and HEAVY and about twice as expensive compared to the tiny R12. I think the R12 is marketed as a very inexpensive 8-track recorder that can run off batteries or a USB power supply. The advantage is portability. If you don't need the portability, and you can afford a more expensive recorder, I definitely recommend that you buy a more expensive recording device.

Bro me too, this r12 I bought, I can’t even get my music on cd with this thing. I got the Tascam dp32 with the cd burner and I got the model 16 and I have no problem putting my music on cd with both of these. But that r12 it’s always some error message popping up on the computer when I try to put the music on cd. I got to sell this r12 mess

Without seeing your exact set-up it's a little difficult to know where you are encountering problems. Also, please note that I'm not Zoom tech support...I'm just a dude who uses the R12 and R20 for my little hobby recording projects...but there are a couple things to consider: 1) If you are using the R12 as an audio interface, the 2in/2Out setting is the one that seems to work best for pretty much all devices. I haven't had much luck using that 2in/2Out iPad setting, even when using an actual iPad. 2) If you hook it up to a Mac laptop, make sure the laptop is plugged in. Sometimes if you use a laptop and you connect the R12 via USB-C...and you want the USB-C cable to also provide power, it doesn't work unless the laptop is plugged in. Also, I get a more stable interface connection if I pop in the AA batteries in the bottom of the R12. 3) I've had limited success when using a USB hub in between the R12 (as an audio interface) and computer or iPad. So avoid USB hubs is my recommendation when you want to use the R12 as an interface. 4) When you say you go back into another menu and it cuts the connection...do you mean a menu on your Mac? Or a different screen/menu on the R12? Once you make the connection as an interface for the R12 to the computer, you can't really move around into various project settings on the R12. You're just in the fader view screen and all you can really do is change up the input-to-track routing. You can't back out and try to go into effects menus or track view, doing that cuts the interface connection and turns the R12 back into a stand-alone recorder. 5) I'm sorry but I don't have a Mac at this time, so I haven't tested the R12 with a Mac mini or laptop yet. I've only used it with iPhones and iPads really, and I tried it a couple times with a Windows 11 computer, so I'm not sure about any potential hidden Mac settings you might have to adjust to make it work better...

You can do a couple things: 1) Take your microSD card to a computer. If you have a DAW, you'll be able to find all your individual tracks and you can mix and master in your DAW to a final stereo .WAV file that you can use anywhere. 2) Simply hit PLAY on the R12 and use the monitor or headphone out to record your song to anything else or play it live through speakers. 3) Master a final stereo track on the R12. For this you need to go to the Fader View screen and tap MIX DOWN. You'll then be able to hit REC on the R12 and it will play your project (song) in real time. Adjust your faders to get the mix that you want. You can also add a send effect patch during the mix down process (I typically use a patch of EQ-Comp-Exciter or EQ-Comp-Reverb) to master the song. The result will be a stereo .WAV file that will be placed in the AUDIO folder of the SD card. You can put the SD card in your computer and transfer it to anything, or burn a CD or something.

It's nothing special. I recommend you get a capacitive stylus that has a disc tip (instead of the rubber nub ones). The brand I use is called MIXOO on amazon, they are less than $10. I like them because they have a little bit of weight to them that makes it easier to register an accurate hit. Here is a video about the different types of styli I tried, just with the R20. But it works the same on the R20 as the R12: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ot2WapSS3M_VnZs.html

@@GazRendar Many thanks Gaz 🤗 Stylus pen and not one of those for iPad ✅ I have bought Zoom R12 and will get it tomorrow and I want to get a pen too.. 👍🏼 Looking forward to recording on it and especially also that you can use usb power bank.. Thanks for your reply and your good videos 🙋🏻‍♂️ John 😎

You are welcome. Happy recording!

@@GazRendar Just made this 👉🏼 Hi Gaz, It's me who is Starman and as I said I would buy the Zoom R12 and here is one of my first recordings 🤗 But it was a challenge to get everything set up correctly and yet a huge plus to have my iPad connected and it requires an Apple USB 3 Lightning camera adapter and it is important to update the firmware before it works.. Thanks again for your good channel and info.. 😎🙋🏻‍♂️👍🏼🎸 kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Y7Z4a9l1sKiqpJs.htmlsi=TdV7l94AhU0OBf2C

Unfortunately, no built in mics for the R12 or the R20. If you are recording vocals and you want them to sound good, I highly recommend you get a decent microphone for that. At least a Shure SM58 or something in that price range. If you just want to record ideas from an acoustic guitar or simply get some lyrics down, you could always make a DYI "built-in" mic for $20-25 with these recorders: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/r7GBadOdrbvafZ8.html Thanks for the sub!

Yeah, 4 inputs would have been nice on this compact unit. But I do like the battery powered option...that's the big plus here. Otherwise you're better off with the R20 for more inputs/more tracks.

@@GazRendar do you find the R20's mostly XLR inputs to be an odd fit for your usual PO and OP-Z devices? I imagine you'd have to stock up on TRS to XLR converters

I really haven't had a total road block moment with the R20 yet due to it's inputs. I bought a couple of these $20 HOSA cables with male stereo 3.5mm TRS on one end, that then split into two mono XLRs. And those cables totally work for POs and the OP-Z. I only have 6-ft cables, but I haven't noticed any grounding hiss or hum that people complain about when you sometimes go from 3.5 or 1/4" jacks to XLR. I think if you run long cables you might have noise problems. But so far, so good.

Oh yeah...back when companies were putting CD burners into their multitracker units! I didn't have that particular Fostex unit, but I definitely remember seeing it at Guitar Center next to Roland's higher end VS series with CD burners and thinking how cool it would be to burn a CD straight from the multitrack recording. In hindsight, I don't think those built in CD burners were worth it. You were better off dumping the files into a computer and burning the .WAVs from there. They were cool though!

I still have mine and I’m currently using it. I had to basically hot rod mine I put in a bigger hard drive a plextor 60 and replaced the buttons which is an all on one unit and straight bitch to replace and took 3 days to format 3 DAYs MAN! But it works great lots of memory . As you know the buttons on these are not responsive sometimes and take some muscle to get them to work! This is the only short coming of my fostex and one of the reasons why I’m checking out this zoom unit. I also have 2 tascam a 2488mkII and a DP24. The 2488 still works but my first eight channels ( in the machine ) are frozen in the middle I can move the faders but the ones on the grid don’t so from 9 to 24 I can use. My DP was my ❤ but it broke it when it stop producing sound. No sound will come out of it! It will load,play,record etc just no sound will come out of it! I’m afraid to have it repaired as that might cost more than what I paid for it ! So I’m looking at this zoom unit for one I’m on a serious budget and can’t afford to get a model 12 or the R20 so I’m willing to give this joint a try!

For the most part, yes. You can set up a Seq Play playlist and control the routing of tracks for the R12's outputs. But you would need to adjust the timing of beginnings and endings of your recorded songs on the R12 for timing purposes while playing live. There would be some trial and error needed there.

It really depends on what you want. The R8 is still serviceable, some 12-14 years after it's initial release. However, I don't think Zoom is manufacturing any more of them. You can still find some new at places, and can find them used everywhere. I still have mine and I use it once in awhile. The R12 is good, too, but it all comes down to features for the price. If you record something...what do you do after? Do you need to lay down multiple tracks? Do you need to edit - splice, copy and paste - sections of audio (like copy a chorus and paste it 2 more times)? Do you want a wide range of effects to use? If yes, then you probably want to go with a true multitracker like the R8 or R12 (or some of the Tascam Portastudios, though watch out because some of them are only 16-bit). But if you mostly want a simple battery powered recorder with decent built in mics and you plan to do any editing on a computer later and don't need much in the way of effects, then I would strongly consider a handy recorder. If you kinda want a handy recorder with a good, but not great mic, but has 32-bit recording the option to bounce tracks, and has more effects than other handy recorders, the new R4 can be an interesting choice. If you are just looking at R8 vs. R12, the R12 has more effects options (through Guitar Lab) and it's easier to edit audio regions. But the R8 has built in mics and better rhythm options with it's sequencer. Battery life is similar with both, but it's easier to use a USB battery bank with the R12, which is what I prefer to use with it. And if you need to add a "built-in" mic to a recorder or mixing board that lacks mics, you could always build one your self, albeit they don't always sound as good. See this video for a $20 solution: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/r7GBadOdrbvafZ8.html

I really don't know what the logic or rationale was, but Zoom decided to add a +4 to the tracks for this generation of multitrackers. For naming purposes, their previous generation of multitrack recorders simply used the letter "R" (I think...multitrackeR) and the number of tracks. So there was a R8, a R16, and a R24. The R16 became the R20 for this generation and the R8 became the R12. I'm hopeful that Zoom is making a true flagship model and adding in more features for what might hypothetically become a "R28?" I hope they don't simply make an R20 that has 24 tracks, I'd like to see improvements made across the board. But we'll see what Zoom does, if anything. Zoom also has their Handy recorder line, and those devices start with an "H," along with the number that sort of coincidences with the number of mics and/or inputs and/or tracks that are available. Zoom's line of field recorders starts with "F" and a number that is usually related to the number mics/inputs/tracks afterward.

You can hear the effects while you record. You can choose to record the effects onto the strings during recording, or you can record dry and apply the effects after. Here's a video about the effects with the R20, but it's basically the same for the R12: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rquSibKQsZnQaYU.html

There's nothing wrong with that. Especially if you need more inputs than the R12's two.

I haven't done a true scientific comparison, but by an ear test I think the R12 and R20 preamps are the same. If I had to guess, I bet inputs 1 and 2 on the R20 are the exact same inputs and preamps on the R12. Perhaps there are some subtle differences with inputs 5-8 on the R20 compared to the R12's two inputs, but I'm not picking up any bad noises or hums on either device. And it doesn't matter if I'm using synths, guitars, bass, mics with vocals or mics in front of guitar amps/speakers. I do think the inputs/preamps on the R12 and R20 are slightly brighter and better compared to the older R series (R8, R16, R24). I really need to run some kind of preamp test with the R12 and R20 and make a video about it because it has been a popular question lately. Thanks for watching and for the video ideas!

@@GazRendar Thanks for the quick and detailed response -- keep up the good work with your reviews!

Hi...the R12 is definitely going to be different from your old Fostex. The R12 and R20 are a step away from those multitrackers of the past 30 years and one step closer to a DAW (but still far from a DAW). Your questions don't have firm right and wrong answers, though. You can use the drum loops on the R12. Personally, I think they are fine to start playing something (for me, with a guitar or synth). Just pick your tempo first, then pick out a R12 drum loop. Once you drop that drum loop into a track, touch the audio region that is the drum loop so the region is highlighted. You'll see a white tab at the end of it. Simply touch...then drag that white tab out as long as you like. It'll repeat the drum loop over and over for that length. You can also use a drum machine. I use my $100 PO-32 Tonic for that and it works just fine to give me something a little more customizable for my backing drums. The effects are on the R12 can be ok, but you'll want to load more with the free software, Guitar Lab. I still will use effects pedals too. So if you have an effect pedal you like, just plug your guitar or synth into that effect pedal first, then plug that into the R12. I didn't make a video specifically for the R12 with Guitar Lab, but I made a video with the R20. The process is very similar: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hruRia2h1sy7qmw.html I have made 7 videos for the R12. But I've also made 30+ for the R20. Besides the inputs, the R20 and R12 are very similar with their internal software. Feel free to look through my R12 and R20 playlists for tutorials that may answer your questions: kzfaq.info/sun/PLJfZ2yw2Bc7YLLe-DMUdiy0ZhrdQIbqkC kzfaq.info/sun/PLJfZ2yw2Bc7apzujemOKk8aiTRfJvZfmR

@@GazRendar thank you for your response, I appreciate it… after a lot of research and reading I think I have figured it out but likely have much to learn. Your video is the best one out there Gaz. Keep up the great work and May God bless you and yours.

You can only use 1 effect at a time. So if you were using say, a reverb as a send effect, and applying that to your drums and rhythm guitar tracks, that's all you can use. You can't keep applying that reverb send effect to your drums and rhythm guitar while applying a distortion to your lead guitar. You can use insert effects to record with that effect applied, and that's what will be recorded. So you could record your lead guitar with an insert effect distortion onto like...Track #8. That's the sound that was recorded to 8. Then you could switch the 1 effect patch to the reverb again for your drums and rhythm guitar. Or if you are happy with the drums and rhythm guitar with that particular reverb, you could individually Mix Down the tracks while the reverb is being applied to create all-new versions of drum track and rhythm guitar tracks that now permanently have the reverb applied. Then just import those tracks into your project and keep building your tracks to complete your song.

You can import .WAV files into Tracks of a project on the R12. But there are a couple things you have to do 1) the .WAV files need to be 24-bit / 44.1kHz 2) the .WAV files need to be placed in the AUDIO folder of the microSD card 3) you have to make sure you know if you are importing mono or stereo tracks and how to handle them differently Here's a video about importing .WAV files on the R20, but it's mostly the same process on the R12. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gLOdndWcytS3aKc.html

@@GazRendar Ohhhh Man, *THANK YOU*!! I have been literally pulling my hair out over this, about ready to give up. Zoom should pay you for these incredible videos (never occured to me that the R12 & R20 might have similar ways of doing things), because they truly dropped the ball with their user manual on this. 👎🏼👎🏼 It worked like a charm, exactly what I've been searching for, again thank you so much Gaz 👍🏻👍🏻

Glad to hear the tips helped, and yes, probably 90% of the content I made about the R20 can be applied to the R12 since it all runs on the same kind of software with a similar touchscreen layout. Happy recording!

Unfortunately, that doesn't really exist on the market right now. At least not for a true multitracker unit. There are mixing board hybrids that will record multiple tracks (but no editing) at 24/96kHz (like Zoom's L-series). And there are handy recorders that will do 24/96kHz and some even at 32/96kHz. Honestly, I've done plenty of recording at 44.1kHz and it's not bad. And even going up to 96kHz sample rate can sometimes cause the sound to almost be...too artificial/digital. I do wish Zoom and Tascam had 24/48kHz as the base default across all of their product lines, plus then have some flexibility to go from 16/44.1kHz to 32/96khz. One can only hope that's where we are headed...

@@GazRendar 88,2 and 96K require less filtering... so less "digital" artifacts... So... I wait!!! Thanks!

Yep. I bought mine from Sweetwater and noticed that as well. There doesn't seem to be any bluetooth hardware built into the device, at least based on firmware 1.00 listed options. And there is no expansion slot for the BTA-1. So my guess is that "feature" is Sweetwater's error and not Zoom's. I don't see Zoom advertising a companion app on their website...so I wouldn't get your hopes up that one is developed for the R12 unless they make some kind of USB-C bluetooth dongle for it.

Sadly, no. You only have those two combo inputs. At least with firmware v1.00 you cannot, like, hook up a mixing board or an audio interface via the USB-C and gain more inputs. I don't really see Zoom adding that feature in future firmware either...I think they would suggest you just move up to the R20 to get 8 inputs. If you buy the R12, you are only getting 2 inputs.

@@GazRendar thanks, you actually answered the question right after watching this video, since I found your unboxing of the r20 after that. Now I know what I'm going to get!

Thanks for the sub! I did look at the Spire Studio because I do like iZotope's mastering software. It's been a while since I looked at it, but I thought it was discontinued or going to be discontinued? Regardless, it just wasn't for me. Sure, the Spire records at a sample rate of 48kHz instead of the R-series limit of 44.1kHz, but it just doesn't have the feel that I'm looking for. For me, I greatly prefer physical faders. Software touchscreen faders are just...eh. And while I don't mind pairing an app, I don't want to have to use my phone or an iPad every single time. I like the convenience of just turning on the dedicated box, plugging in a guitar, and hitting record within 20 seconds and everything is just in that one box. For me, the R12 and R20 and even my old R8 do that. In terms of being able to edit your tracks, like copy/paste/trim, the R12 and R20 are the best out there right now. Other multitrackers like the old Zoom R series and the Tascam Portastudio line allows you to copy/paste/trim too, but it's a pain to do it without the nice color touchscreen. For just recording, you could get some of the cheaper, smaller Zoom handy recorders or go with Tascam's line and then invest in a DAW to doing your editing and mastering work. That's honestly the best way to go if you don't want to get a USB interface that feeds your instruments straight into your DAW. But if you want any level of basic track editing in a computer-free box, I think the R12 and R20 are the best right now.

@@GazRendar thanks for the follow-up and advices. The Spire Studio certainly is under the radar, but they actually released a v2 apparently (with only minor improvements over v1). It’s a curious hybrid between an all-in-one box and a software, which is why I think we don’t see it more often. For recording it’s really great and plain simple, I use it without pairing it to the phone, and then I connect to the app later when the session is over, and it retrieves the recording and does the imports automatically, which is a neat feature, as just like you I prefer to have everything ready and in a box. The main thing is like about it is the « soundcheck » functionality and the mixing ones that use Izotope softwares to automatically optimize the sound quality (mic gain, mixing etc), so there’s truly almost nothing to do when you want to keep it as straight as possible. So I’ll keep using it but the R12 editing capabilities are better, so tempting to try that route for really keeping it computer-free, portable and immediate. Thanks again for the quality of the video, rare to find such clarity and articulation and at the same time focus in product reviews!

You can sort of connect the R12 to a DAW with a USB cable, but that is a more complicated method. There is a fairly easy way to import your recordings into a DAW. Record your tracks within a project on the R12. Then just take the microSD card out of the R12 and put it into your computer. You should see the SD card and then be able to find the specific folder for that project. Within that project folder you'll find individual .WAV files for the individual tracks. Just copy those tracks into your DAW for further processing/mixing. Please note that those .WAV files will be at 24-bit/44.1Hhz. I haven't used Studio One in a long time, but you might have to run a conversion to 24-bit/48Hz depending on your Studio One settings. However, if you have an up-to-date version of Studio One, I'm guessing you can just drag those .WAV files into tracks in your DAW and it should just work immediately.

The R20 would need one of those bigger types of battery banks that have a standard 2-prong AC wall-outlet. The R20 has a AC adapter that plugs into a wall and delivers the power via a wire that has with a circular electrical (center negative, I think) pin that has a unique screw-on mechanism that secures that power wire to the R20's power input. The R20 cannot be powered by it's USB port, even if you had a more powerful "quick charge" type of adapter that delivers 15V+ of USB power for current phones and tablets.

Sure, I would use 48kHz if it was available. The larger file sizes aren't really a problem for large SD cards these days - not like it was 12 years ago with the older R-series. But, I do think that the recordings still sound pretty good at 24-bit / 44.1kHz for the price point of these multitrackers.

Nope

It is less crowded because it has a sliding fader as opposed to the DP-008EX which uses a knob to control the levels. But, the DP-008EX does have a dedicated physical knob for reverb and another one for panning. I do wish the panning control wasn't buried in the R12's menu and they instead had a knob for it.

Short answer - no. You can't just take the card out of the R8, put it into the R12 and expect it to work. On top of that, the R8 takes a full-size SD card and the R12 using a microSD card. So you'd have to be using a microSD card inside an adapter sleeve while it's in the R8. However, if you bring your R8 card over to a computer first, you can spend a little time moving R8 project files around and organize them in a way that they can be imported into new projects on the R12. The most straightforward way is to just move all your R8 tracks as .WAV files into a microSD card's AUDIO folder in the root directory. After you pop in the microSD card and create projects on the R12, you can import audio files into R12 tracks. So...it's doable, but it's not a simple plug'n'play process.

@@GazRendar I see what you mean. Thanks for the information. Very helpful.

Thanks!

Yes. They released firmware updates 2.0, then 2.1, and then 2.3. 2.0 was the big one as it allows you to use an iPad with an app to control the Fader view screen. It's sort of nice, but it doesn't really add any new functionality. On top of that, you need a USB cord to make it work, whereas the bigger R20 works with an iPad app through bluetooth. Firmwares 2.1 and 2.3 were stability improvements and bug fixes. If you bought an R12, you should upgrade it to v2.3 to get those bug fixes. Here's how to update the firmware: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qJOna9BzqZbUhok.html

@@GazRendar thanks for the detailed info!! I subscribed the other day 👍 will be getting the r12 for new preamp sound quality and touch editing screen

If I'm doing things that are 100% MIDI with a MIDI keyboard, I can record in a DAW and feel like I'm making progress, but I greatly prefer a straightforward, tactile multitrack recorder for my little hardware synths, guitars, bass, vocals, etc. The R12 does that, and I like that it works well on USB battery banks. You will have to get around a little jank with the touchscreen as it feels more like an older stand-alone touchscreen GPS unit than an iPhone, but once you get used to it (have to tap slowly and precisely) it works just fine. The best styluses are ones that have that clear disc at the bottom and they work a little better if they have some weight to them. The one I typically use is by some brand called MIXOO. It's like $8 on Amazon. You have some options for compression. Each of the 8 tracks has the option to use track-based compression or noise gate or a limiter. Those features are ok to start with, but probably not as tight as you might prefer. If you want real compression you'll want to dig into the dynamic effects patches and use one of them. You'll have more customizable control with those and they work better for vocals and drums than the simple track based compressors.

Hey bro i have a question i just got my r12, its cool so far..... Here is my current road block. I made a beat in my mpc one, saved it as a .wav file to a sd card in the audio folder. I select a track (track 3 for instance) in the r12 and select ADD AUDIO.. i find it in the sd card and press the + button (i can preview the beat and it plays) but when i press + to actually add it in to my project the R12 says this.... "DIFFERENT NUMBER OF CHANNELS! Select a file with the same number of track channels" I have NO IDEA what this is telling me to do? Its just one long track, one long .wav file. Any idea what im doing wrong?@@GazRendar this is a real problem right now i cant get around it, id love to record my first track tonight but i cant seem to get a beat to load, so weird, it sees the file, i can preview it, but it gives me that damn message and idk what it means

It's likely one of two things. First, you need to make sure the file you are importing is 24-bit 44.1Khz (default R12 setting). Or it's 16-bit if that's what you set your project to. Second, it's likely an incompatibility between mono and stereo files. Here's a video I made for the R20 about importing files, but the settings are mostly the same for the R12. It's probably a helpful watch for the whole video if you are frequently importing files, but I recommend you at least check out the video starting around the 8:10 mark and see if that clarifies it for you: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gLOdndWcytS3aKc.html

@@GazRendar thanks I'll try it. I had the correct sample rates selected. It's the amount of tracks part that confused me

For the faders....is it a true processing delay using the faders? I personally haven't experienced that. However, when you are in a project (song) and you set the physical faders where ever....say Track #1 fader is at -2dB...and then you go to the next song and you move Track #1 fader to -6dB and back out to the main R12 menu...when you return to the first song either through the project or through Seq Play playlist the volume for Track #1 will be saved at -2dB and a ghost fader will be at that mark in the Fader View even though your physical fader is down at -6dB from the second song. In order to adjust the volume, you need to move the physical fader up to -2dB where it "grabs" the ghost fader and THEN you can adjust the volume on Track #1 on that first song to something different. Is that the delay you are experiencing? For the playlist...you do have to pay attention to how much dead space you leave at the end of individual projects. If you have one region on one track that goes a little longer than anything else in the song, even if it's quiet and has nothing in that region, that will be there as one song moves to the next in the Seq Play. If you do have a lot of songs in the playlist, that can cause the processor to slow down as it gets a little warm. Sadly, there is no mute button, but at least you could put some kind of footswitch in between the monitor or headphone out and whatever speakers you are using to mute it. For more Seq Play explanations you could check out this video: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qNd2h6R6qMm1kqM.html

@@GazRendar Thanks for taking the time to post such a comprehensive reply, Gaz. Yep - that's the issue. Looking in the touchscreen, I can see the ghost faders. That makes perfect sense. My playlist now only contains stereo mixes so I'll trim any silence... and not expect lightning-fast transitions, as the whole thing is approx 1 hour long. I'll check out the video now 🙂

Yeah, me too! I've had my eye on a Bluebox for awhile, but they never go on sale and never show up used...or at least not for a true used price. I'm also interested in the TX-6 for the same reasons, but that's an even crazier price. The obvious comparison is that the Bluebox should excel at recording multiple sync'd hardware synths at the same time. But it's going to be hard to record with guitars, basses, and true vocals with mics using the Bluebox. The R12 does a nice job for guitars, basses, and vocals...but it's not easy to record with multiple hardware synths (one hardware synth, stereo-out is totally fine). I record two Pocket Operators at the same time with the R12 and I manage. Or a PO and a Volca Keys. But it's not easy to sync, and continue to keep things sync'd during overdubs and layering tracks. The Bluebox should do a much better job with keeping things in sync. I also think the Bluebox defaults to 48kHz sample rate whereas the R12 is 44kHz. So if you recorded synth tracks on the Bluebox and wanted to import them into the R12 (to then record guitars or something) you wouldn't be able to do it. On the TX-6 you can set it's sample rate to 44, 48, or 96kHz...so if you set it to 44kHz on the TX-6 you could eventually import those hardware synth tracks into the R12 to then record vocals or guitars or whatever. If I get a few more hardware synths I'm definitely going to take a longer look at the Bluebox or TX-6, though.

@@GazRendar I hear you, I have only hardware synths so I’m probably going to go the 1010 route. I do like the r12 too, it seems promising.

For the most part...yes, that's correct. Apples to apples, if you want a multitrack recorder and can get the R12 at $299 vs. $349 for the R20, almost everyone should choose the R20. I think smaller form factor and battery power are the only reasons to go with the R12 if the $50 difference doesn't matter to a buyer. But I just started using the R12 and I don't have a good feel for any other subtle differences yet. The no MIDI isn't surprising, since ZOOM hasn't been focused on MIDI-based equipment in well, forever. But there are some differences that separate it from the R20...smaller form factor, battery power, physical effects fader, Sequence Play, and maybe some differences with the way you can handle the click track (I'm just exploring that).

Within the Project Settings there is a setting that just says "Snap" You can turn it off and that will give you more freedom to move your audio regions around. Additionally, you may want to think about using a cheap, $8 disc-type stylus. It improves my accuracy. I made a video about it with the R20. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ot2WapSS3M_VnZs.html Finally, if you still can't quite get your tracks to line up, you can change the tempo to something really fast. That will functionally add in more gradations in the timeline so you can move regions around. The software kind of wants to move regions into increments of 32nd-notes. If you need finer movement, make the tempo faster, move the region, then switch your tempo back. Depending on what other regions you have, this can temporarily mess up some other timings and settings, so I recommend you make a copy of your project before trying it out. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gLKZZ92WzM3GoWg.html

I'm not aware of Tascam having any new portastudios? Most of their models are 7-12 years old. Some of the smaller portastudios max out at 16-bit dynamic range and the R12 records at 24-bit, which I think is a noticeable advantage. The most direct comparison to the R12 is probably the DP-03SD, which is over 10 years old. I'm pretty sure the DP-03SD only records at 16-bit depth. The other immediate advantages of the R12 over that Tascam is that you can power the R12 with a USB cord/battery bank and you can use the touchscreen for more intuitive editing of your tracks, directly on the device. The DP-03SD does have built-in mics for quick recording, though, which the R12 does not. Of note, the larger 24 and 32 track portastudios do record at 24-bit depth. Those are good multitrackers, and you can edit tracks directly on the device - I just think the touchscreens of the R12 or R20 are better for audio editing without a computer. If you are just going to use the multitracker to record and then import all your files to a computer/DAW for editing and mastering, then the touchscreen editing of the newer Zoom devices doesn't really matter.

I used a 3.5mm TRS stereo breakout cable to two mono 1/4" TS plugs. So it broke up the stereo output of the OP-Z into two mono signals that I ran into inputs 1 and 2 of the R12. You can do that with the Digitone's headphone out as well, although there you would need a 1/4" TRS stereo breakout cable. But with the Digitone you can just run 1/4" TS to 1/4" TS mono cables for the line level L and R outs into the two inputs of the R12.

I think the preamps are fine for use in normal recording environments. I actually don't think I've plugged a SM57 into the R12, but I have used a SM58 for some vocals and it works. When recording dry I'd say the gain is usually between 40-70%, depending on singing volume or if I'm trying to pick up an acoustic guitar or something. I think if you were trying to capture a SM57 in front of a speaker cabinet that was cranking out an electric guitar, but you were also hoping to capture a quieter bass guitar cabinet nearby, you might have trouble balancing that dynamic range in one mic while adjusting the gain...but that's gonna be tough for most recorders or mixing boards. An SM57 simply positioned in front of a strumming acoustic guitar or in front of a speaker cabinet? I don't think you'll have any problems with the gain or generating preamp noise.

​@@GazRendar from my experience, the preamps are not that powerful, so to get a good signal out of an acoustic with an SM57 strummed gently, the preamps need to be pushed to 75%-100%. I have opted for a Klark Teknik mic booster to give the signal abit of a boost and it works well for this application.

I have had the R8 for like, 13 years and I still use it today and I still like it. Some things in the R8 are not that intuitive: like it's drum sequencer or sample pads. You can trim, copy, and paste with the R8, but it's a chore because you have to carefully place markers for most of those actions. If you didn't spend the time learning those features on the R8, then you won't miss them on the R12 because the R12 does not have them. What you might miss are the built-in stereo mics that the R8 has. I really wish they included at least 1 built-in mono mic on the R12. With zero built-in mics on the R12, it's not the fully capable portable recorder that it could be. But if you watched this video and you think you understood my general workflow from turning the unit on to setting up the input routing, to applying effects and hitting record, then I do think you'll find the R12 to be a far more intuitive experience than the R8. However...you might want to either trade in your under-used R8 first, or maybe wait for the R12 to go back on sale to $249 again.

@@GazRendar yeah I really havent learned how the markers and stuff work yet because it seemes like a hassle Im more familiar with the Daw-like structure so the workflow on the R12/20 seems more like ”home” to me. I understand that the built-in mic on the R8 is a very smart thing but I dont think ill really use them anyways. Im mainly gonna use the Unit as a songwriting tool to learn how to write songs, so i Will mostly have a guitar plugged in DI anyways. Is there auto punch in/out on the R12/R20 or do you not need it when the workflow is more daw-esque? Could you just Place a ”start record” marker on the screen where you want to punch in? Thank you so much for the reply!

@@GazRendar and would you recommend the R20 or the R12? As i said ill use it mostly as a sketchbook/practice and songwriting tool for my guitar playing

Sadly, with firmware version 2.00 for the R12 and 3.00 for the R20 there is no real way to do a punch-in/punch-out for recording or toggle effects on/off...like how you can with the footswitch control on the R8. You can sorta get by without punch-in/punch-out on the R12 and R20 because it's easy enough to record a new short audio region on a open track, then splice out the part you don't want on the original track, and add in the new recorded region to that original track. That's doable on the touchscreen. That said...I do with they just included punch in and punch out controls with the markers.

It kinda depends on your budget and what you are looking for...and how it complements your existing gear. Because you may find that a handy recorder like an H4n works well for your needs. If you just want to lay down some tracks conveniently with your guitar, and you have your own stomp box pedals, then an H4n could be a good option (or one of Tascam's handy recorders). I think if you want a multitrack recorder where you can do more than just quickly record something ---where you want to use built-in effects and you want to do some light editing where you copy and paste and shift audio recording regions around to start to truly build songs, then the R12 or R20 can work well for you. Beyond that, if you think you'll want sometimes record more than 2 instruments at once, then the R20 becomes more attractive than the R12. But if you don't really need to record more than 1 or 2 things at once and you can get by with just 8-tracks and you want maximum portability, then the R12 is better. Between the two of them, you might want to try to wait for a $249 sale for the R12 or a $349 sale for the R20.

You are not really confused. You got it correct. This device is a stand-alone multitrack recorder with 2 inputs plus basic DAW features for mixing, editing, and adding effects. You don't need a computer or software...everything is in this device. The advantage here is simplicity and speed. You can turn on the R12 and use a built-in drum loop to get a rhythm going within 30 seconds, and then plug in a guitar and start to lay down melody tracks with or without effects. There is no computer to boot up or USB interface to turn on in a drop down menu and no settings to mess with. It's just simple multitrack recording. However, if you want, you can ALSO hook up the R12 to a computer and use it as a 2 in 2 out interface to record audio to your computer and DAW. There is a minor limitation with that, though...most interfaces that cost $100 or more will allow you to record at 24-bit / 48kHz. Some record at even 96kHz. The R12 maxes out at 24-bit / 44.1kHz.

I should also honestly point out that any moderately powerful computer with a decent DAW and a good interface will offer more options than the R12 or R20. What you get with the R12 and R20 is a computer free way to record and build songs. Both the R12 and R20 are good, especially when you consider they are budget buys, but they will always pale in comparison to $1,200 worth of computer, DAW software + plug-ins, and a USB interface.

R8 mics though. Game changer for acoustic guitar players.

The R12 doesn't have a feature that is called "bounce" like so many multitrackers of the past have. However, you can essentially bounce tracks. Let's say you filled up all 8 tracks and need to open up some space. You can use the Mix Down option in the fader view. Select that. Then pick which tracks you want to bounce....so say you want to bounce Tracks 1- 4 together. Start by muting Tracks 5-8. Go to the beginning of the song and hit Record. Use the faders to adjust the volume of tracks 1-4 in real time. Stop when done. That mixed down file will be stored in the AUDIO folder of your SD card. Then I recommend copying the whole project into a brand new project -- this way you'll retain all your original content. Within your copied project, now delete Tracks 1-4. After you delete them, then import your mixed down "bounced" track that contains the original content from Tracks 1-4. Your Mix Down track will be a stereo track, however, so you'll need to import it to say, Track 3+4. However, that will free up Tracks 1 and 2 now for you to add new instruments and stuff.

Yeah, the R20 definitely has a notably bigger footprint than the R12. Recommendations all depend on what your recording needs are. If you want to multitrack record, edit your audio tracks on the device, and use built-in effects, you probably need to look at something like the R20 or older R24. However, if you only need to have a multitrack recorder AND you do not plan on editing the tracks directly on the device AND you do not care about built-in effects, then I would look at the Zoom H6 or the Zoom L-8. Both are multitrack recorders and they can even record at 24-bit with 44.1, 48, or 96kHz sample rates. They just don't have much in the way of on-board editing features or effects when compared to the R12 or R20. But if you are taking those individual recorded tracks and simply using the SD card to bring them to a DAW on your computer for further editing, then the H6 or L-8 could be ideal choices for you.

@@GazRendar thanks a mill, very helpful. Yeah looks like the L8 or H6 would be handiest I'll check them out, thanks 👍🏻

@@GazRendar you mention the H6 but not the L8. Is there a reason for the preference? I really need to record acoustic guitar - a lot - so I was thinking about going that route as well. Or the R8, but I imagine the H6 - H8 mics are worlds better? Thoughts?

@@BobbyPollution In the comments I often mention the handy recorders (like the H6) or the mixing board hybrids (like L8 or L12, or even Model 12). For each person it really depends on what you need and what your budget is. If you are recording acoustic guitar, and you want to the convenience of having built-in mics, then something like the H4n or H6 might be best for you. If you have an acoustic with pickups, then it could be easy to use the L8. If you get the R8, or R12, those only have two inputs - but the R8 has built-in mics and they both have a decent suite of effects that work well with guitars. The handy recorders and L-series are mostly limited to reverbs and delays for their effects. In your case, if you only need 2 inputs and would like a built-in mic, but would benefit from some extra effects you might actually like the new R4. Floyd Steinberg just released a new video about it a couple days ago, you might want to check it out and see if that's the right fit for you?

@GazRendar Yes I actually have an L8, I missed not having mics, a tuner, and drum patterns, and also as you can't route tracks I kept having to unplug and switch inputs, and they are tight by the way. Otherwise I like having multiple headphone amps as well as physical eq controls. (Though I really want a four knob eq like the Model 12.) But my biggest need now is probably to record acoustic guitar on the spur of the moment, so I was looking at the H4n and L6 as well.... but the R4 yes, saw that. I'll check out the vid. Thanks for such a quick and clear reply!

Not with the R20 since you cannot power the R20 through the USB port. You would need one of those large battery stations that have full-sized power outlets since the R20 needs 12V and maybe 2-3A. It's not really practical and is really the only main advantage of the R12 over the R20 - that portability.

Usability, I think the R12 (or R20) is always going to be better than most iPads (or computers) plus a USB interface plus software. That's because everything in one box for the R12 and that one box just records and lets you lightly edit audio. That's it. An iPad or computer are designed to do a bunch of things, one of them can be recording audio...but you have to boot up software and have power supplies and USB cables and dongles. The R12 is just straightforward, simple audio recording. I haven't used a Motu interface. I've only used Presonus, Focusrite, and Tascam interfaces...but the sonic quality of all those has to be pretty similar. Those interfaces have the potential to sound better than the R12 because those interfaces can record at 24-bit/96kHz. The R12 maxes out at 24-bit/44.1kHz. Honestly, I sometimes think 96kHz sounds a little too digital and somehow over processed at time, but I do wish the R12 gave me the option to record at 48kHz. That would have been a nice, slight bump in audio processing quality. If you are using a DAW, even GarageBand on the iPad...you can do more than you can do with the R12. That will always be the case. The R12 does a nice job of letting you record some ideas, layer them with different tracks, and then do some of that light split/copy/paste type of editing that you need to actually make something that sounds like a song. If that's all you need, then the R12 is nice for turning it on (can even run off AA batteries), plugging in a guitar, and hitting record. You can just lay down tracks mostly in a fuss free way and add some effects to it. But if you really want to chop things up into small audio regions and lay down complicated sets of many patterns across 8 or more tracks, a DAW will always give you more options than a stand-alone multitracker.

@@GazRendar Thank you very much! Really appreciate your input. I am looking to speed up recording of a couple of audio tracks (Nylon guitar lead&rhythm via microphone, Bass and percussion via keyboard). Some editing (punch ins, splitting) might be necessary. Does the R12 do an auto-X-fade of two audio snippets? Still have my VS880EX collecting dust 🙂 The steep learning curve after a period of no use was a true pita, but the converters sound quite good and it had all the connectors you could wish for: co-ax, optical, trs, rca, MIDI,... The quickest way to record so far was with my Yamaha MT120S, ages ago. I am not a big fan of ordering and returning. So I am a bit afraid of how I will like the audio quality of the R12. Had an Apogee Duet at one point, which definitely had a (very usable) sounding. Almost no EQing was necessary after recording. Another consideration: Zoom R8 sells at the moment in my country for 179, the R12 for 299. Is it worth the difference?

I had the Roland VS880EX 20 years ago when I was a kid and made an entire album on it with my band. It had a tough learning curve, but I think out of all the multitrackers I've used over the years I...emotionally...liked it the best. At the time, the on-board Roland/Boss effects were sounds that I gravitated towards and I liked how everything came together on it. I also used the SPDIF digital out to mix down in realtime to my computer's sound card to get a high-quality final stereo .WAV file that I used to burn CDs with. It was pretty awesome. That said...it was a MASSIVE pain to trim up tracks/regions and try to copy and paste them to re-use them for like, a chorus over and over. The R12 or R20 is a night and day upgrade over usability compared to the 880. I never used a Yamaha, but my first multitrack was a Fostex 4-track that recorded to cassettes. Very easy to just record an idea, but very difficult to try to turn anything into a true song with it. I still have my R8 and I like it. It's still a good multitracker and I think it's easy to plug something in, hit record, and lay down a track. It's more difficult to try to trim up audio and then copy and paste choruses over and over, though. It's easier to do that work on an R12. However, the R8 does have a footswitch input that allows you to do some punch in/out recording, or you can use it to toggle effects on/off in realtime. The R8 also has two built in condenser mics that are serviceable, so if you want to quickly record a nylon acoustic guitar, that's an easy way to do it. I do think the R12 (and the R20) sound slightly better, slightly brighter than Zoom's previous generation of multitrackers. It's subtle, though. You can check out Floyd Steinberg's channel...he made a video a comparing the preamps of the older R24 to the R20. That will be similar to an R8 to R12 comparison. At $299, I think the R12 is an ok purchase. But to get value out of it, you have to know that you are going to use the touchscreen to trim up audio regions and copy and paste them around to build up your rough ideas into 3-4 minute songs. If you just want a multitracker to record 3 or 4 tracks...and then you are going to move those tracks to a computer for final mixing, or to send to bandmates so they can continue to work on the song, you could be better off with a handy recorder. But as of v2.00, the R12 does not offer punch-in/punch-out and it doesn't do auto-crossfades like any DAW does. You can still manually crossfade with the faders, and you don't need punch-in/punch-out as much as you think because you can just lay down a quick audio region on another track and then trim it up, and use the touchscreen to insert it into the track that you want while you cut out the previous back take on the old track. All that said, the R12 in the US has gone on sale for $249. I think it's a better value for a lot more people at that price than $299. So an R8 at $179 vs. R12 at $299...the R8 might be better for your needs. But with the R12 at $249? If you want to do a little track editing, the R12 might be better if it's on sale. I have no idea if it's going to go on sale again, though.

@@GazRendar While reading your answer, the price of a R8 dropped to 159. I really like the idea of recording my nylon string guitar with the internal mics, as you suggested. And, for some reason, I do prefer the quarter inch headphone jack a lot. Pulled the trigger 🙂 Thanks again, your input really helped.

So, the R8 is a good unit. However, I was more impressed back in 2001 by my Zoom PS-02, which was quite amazing at the time. Will stick with my old iPad and Cubasis for the time being. I'd love to try a SD Mixpre with musician plugin, though.

Yes. It's the same limited options, though. Bell, Click, Drumsticks, Cowbell, Hi-Q all with a strong down beat on the first note of the measure.

@@GazRendar Thank you. That’s pretty cool.

Ha! I can't stand those screen films. Plus, there is some funky glare with them when zooming into the screen with the camera. Those protective films gotta go, yo!

@@GazRendar Yeees ! but it is so satisfying to watch when it is peeled of the screen. You should have included this peeling off in your video as a visual asmr session. Nice toy anyway. I will order it to Santa this year.

Ha, that's a good idea! Next time I buy a piece of gear with the peel off screen protector I'll turn it into an ASMR youtube short. At least I know that video will get one view from you.

The R12 only has the 2 inputs, so you can only record 2 Tracks at a time. That's either 2 mono tracks or one stereo-linked track. By contrast, the R20 has 8 inputs and can record 8 tracks simultaneously.

Yes. In the Fader View there is the option to MIX DOWN. Simply select that, activate the tracks you want to bounce, hit record, and then adjust the faders in real time to get the bounce mix you want. It will bounce into a stereo track that winds up in the AUDIO folder of the SD card. Just re-import that back into the project and continue working on your song. It's ideal if you have 4-6 tracks to record acoustic drums, then you can bounce them all down into a single stereo track to free up the other tracks for the rest of the song components.

@@GazRendar Great, thanks a lot!

Yes. You need to supply your own microSD card for the R12. It will start up without a microSD card present, but you won't be able to create a project without one. All files record to the microSD card.

@@GazRendar great. Thank you.

Unfortunately no. As of firmware 2.00 you can only assign one tempo/signature to a project. You can record whatever timings you want with a "freeform" record, if you will. So if you can record a drum track first that goes start to finish for the whole song, and maybe switches from 4/4 to 3/4 for a bridge part, then back to 4/4 for the last chorus and outro you can do that. You just have to record that without a click. Then you can listen to the drum track to do the rest of your recording with no metronome. Have to let your drum track act as metronome track in that scenario. Not ideal, but it works.

@@GazRendar Thank's for answering. Can I set where the sound goes? Track 1/2 out on main output and Track 3/4 out on Phones only?

Is there output routing? I want to set track 1/2 to main output and track 3/4 to phones only

Or the click audio comes from one of the tracks, so the track containing the click track goes through phones only.

For the most part I stick with SanDisk. Even though they cost a couple dollars more than the cheap knock-off brands, the microSD and full-size SD cards always seem to work for me no matter what. They work in the R12 and R20. They work in my camera and camcorder. They work in my computers. They work in my Nintendo Switch. I don't think I've ever had a SanDisk SD card fail on me for the past 15 years.

You can only have 1 active synth track at a time. You can make the full track, render it into a .WAV file, then create a fresh synth track and repeat the process. But right now, the synth sounds are not that exciting. At best I'm using one synth track just to make some filler sounds, like just using whole notes, to fill up space. The sounds are not that great for carrying the main melody or anything. For effects you can only apply one global send effect patch at a time. For the 8 tracks on the R12 you can choose to have all of the tracks use the send effect, or just one, or anything in between. But they all have to use the same send effect.

@@GazRendar I wonder if in the R24 one can apply different effects simultaneously, e.g.: Guitar amp in track 1 and another guitar amp in track 2. I am not sure if the R24 wouldn't be a better choice for me. The R24 has more simultaneous imputs and tracks while running on batteries. But I am not sure as to how many Hi-Z inputs are there in the R24. It would make no use having 8 inputs if only one can be a guitar/bass input. It's the same as having both inputs if one can only record 1 guitar at the same time.

I don't have the R24 (I have the similar, but smaller R8), so I can't comment with complete confidence here. I believe you have some more freedom when it comes to the number of simultaneous effects that you can use on the R24, but I think there are rules. Like, you can have one effect for Tracks 1-8, a different one for Tracks 9-16, and a different one for Tracks 17-24. However, I think there is something where you can only do that if one grouping is using EQ effects, another is using compression effects, and another is using like reverb or distortion? So yeah, the R24 has some more flexibility, but also more rules with the types of effects that you have to follow. With the newer R12 and R20, some of those effects rules are now cooked into the Track Settings as each track has it's own choice of compression, limiter, or noise gate. You can only choose one of those three per track. But Track 1 can have noise gate and Track 5 could have compression, and so on. From there, you can only choose one effect patch for insert or send effects. I'm pretty sure that on all the devices...R8, R24, R12 and R20...they each only have one dedicated Hi-Z switch on Input 1. That's it. So you can only plug in one passive guitar at a time. I have a bass with active humbucker pick-ups and I can plug it directly into Input 2 and play, but that's sometimes a little weak. Even my bass has a better working volume range with the Hi-Z input. However, if you have an direct line in box you can use any input. Or a small preamp or mixing board. Or I often use a multieffect pedal between the guitar and multitrack recorder and then you don't need Hi-Z. My take is that if you are a guitar player and want to use any of R-series, they work well. I actually think they work best for guitar-centric bands, or singer-song writer types. But if you are a guitar player you probably already have some effects pedals that you like and you'll still want to use for serious recording. I think there are some nice effects built-into the R-series recorders as a convenient plug-n-play option, but sometimes I want a little different sound. Especially when it comes to distortions...I wish the R-series had a few more distortion types and variations.

Yes. But the .WAV files need to be 24-bit/44.1kHz. Here's how to import .WAV files on the Zoom R20. It's a similar process on the R12: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gLOdndWcytS3aKc.html

@@GazRendar Thank you very much

I would have liked a bigger screen, but after 1-2 weeks of using it, it's not as bad as I thought. I can still perform the basic copy, paste, split, trim functions on the smaller screen with a decent amount of accuracy. I'm trying to make a video that will have a direct comparison between the R20's screen and the R12's screen.

Sorry. If I zoomed in closer on that small screen my old camera struggled to keep it in focus when I went between the different track view, fader view, and menus. That video is about a year old. I got a newer camera since then that does a little better job holding focus.

Yeah, the lack of punch in/out is somewhat confusing. Seems like an easy thing to add in the marker sub-menu. I wish it was there, but I don't miss it too much. However, auto-punch in/out isn't really needed with the R12. If you recorded something on say, Track #4, and you want to fix a small part, you can still just hit Play and then as soon as it comes up to the mistake part, you can hit Record, play something on your guitar and fix it, and then hit the Record button again to stop the new recording. It's punch in/out, but it's manual because you have to hit the Record button to do it. But you can functionally do the same thing by hitting Play so you can hear Track #4...but set up Track #5 to record. As soon as you get to the mistake part, just play the correct part and record it to Track #5. When you are done, use the touchscreen to splice out the mistake on Track #4, and then just trim up your fresh recording on Track #5 and insert it into Track #4. That works too. It's much more a tried and true multitracker than FL Studio. It has some elements of a DAW, and those elements are nice to have on a touchscreen, but its' not even close to the power of FL Studio or another serious DAW. The R12 is very easy to record on. It's simple and no fuss. I find recording audio tracks in FL Studio far more cumbersome.

Guess im a nobody 😢

Sorry, I know they can be annoying. I'm just trying to get to ~$50 a month in Adsense funds to reinvest and support the gear, equipment, and software subscriptions (mainly Adobe) to keep the channel going.

@@GazRendar Thanks for the reply, and please understand that if I happen to get another recommend to watch, one of your videos I'll forget and post the same thing again lol. I'll spare the huge rant that I have regarding midroll ads, but I don't think you make more that few cents off them since no one watches them, correct me if I'm wrong. I let all opening and closing ads run in support of whatever I'm watching, but I skip vids when midrolls start.. have a great day.

I simply appreciate people watching my videos and providing constructive comments, like yours. Rants are always fine if they are coming with good intentions. I fully understand the vast majority of people just skip or close banner pop-up thingies, and that's totally ok. I've only been monetized for 3 months now, so my analytics sample set is incredibly small. Based on what I can tell, it looks like maybe mid-scroll ads are about 15% of my revenue, which again, I'm just trying to get to about $50/month - which is right around where I've been. Adobe costs $30/month (Photoshop, Premiere, Audition) which I use to make the videos and then I hope to get $20-30 extra a month to pay off the Canon M50 camera I recently bought for filming. That's basically it. I know I'm never going to make any money from time, planning, and effort. I don't plan to waste 30-60 seconds in every video asking people to support me with a patreon or something. That's not my intent. I just do it as a hobby because I think it's fun to make silly papercraft video game covers and then also try to help other DAW-less, multitracker musicians out there when I have the free time to do so. I do try to keep most of my videos to about 10 minutes or less, which minimizes the number of mid-video ads, but some of the bigger topics, like a First Impression video or big tutorial just kinda take longer for me to explain. Again, I appreciate you watching and your feedback and understand where you are coming from. At the moment I'm probably going to keep the full monetization settings "on," simply because where I'm at, an extra $4 - 6 a month is the difference between making it to my $50/month "goal" or not. If the channel grows a little over the next year and I can comfortably just break even on basic costs of running the channel, I'll be happy to reassess my monetization settings and scale back ads.

@@GazRendar ditch Adobe and get Vegas - one off purchase - more than enough features for your content... Lets hope one day they will put 8 stereo inputs on our phones...