I’ve been using the Roland R-07 in my #vanlife field recording projects for two years now and it’s been an absolute game-changer for my work as a sound designer and my personal Scapes projects, where I resynthesize the sounds of nature.
While field recording is its specialty, the R-07 has become a bit of a Swiss Army knife in my audio toolkit—both on the road and at home. With the ability for remote control via mobile phones and even the Apple Watch, it’s extremely versatile for recording applications requiring social distance. Thanks to the introduction of the 1.10 firmware and higher, you can link multiple units for extremely complex recording tasks. Additionally, this allows the device to serve as a USB audio interface with integrated microphones and peak limiter.
In this feature, I’ll share my experiences with some of the R-07’s coolest tricks and provide a few insights into making the most of this remarkable little gadget.
Leverage Your Home’s Acoustics
Most people are familiar with the classic trope of vocals sounding “better” when singing in the shower. A big part of that effect is the tile in a shower. The enclosed space has acoustic properties that enhance a singer’s voice.
Some ambitious home producers may move their laptop (with interface and microphones) around their house, searching for the “perfect sound.” The R-07’s portability and stereo mic array can be set up anywhere instantly.
With it, you can leverage the various acoustic properties of each of your rooms. If your living room is carpeted with a comfy couch and chair, that space will be more muted. You’ll have a brighter, more reflective space if your kitchen or bathroom includes tile.
You may even have space to create your own unique room reverb, if you’re lucky enough to have a large open plan or a loft apartment. Using careful planning, you can play a mix into your stereo and record the ambience. Try using a dynamic mic on your guitar amp, then add the R-07 as the stereo room mic for added depth.
Pro Tip:
When you transfer the R-07 recording back into your DAW, you’ll need to manually realign the file with the rest of the tracks in your mix. While it might be counter-intuitive, this can actually be a plus. It allows you to slide the timing of your recording against other instruments. In the case of reverb or acoustics applications, this becomes a hands-on form of pre-delay. The key is to listen to your song via headphones while you record your overdub on the R-07. This will ensure your best takes fit into the track.
Record Your DJ Sets Directly From Your Mixer
I’ve seen countless friends record their DJ sets from the mixer to an audio interface connected to their laptop. While this approach certainly works, with a stereo eighth-inch to dual RCA cable, you can use the R-07 to record DJ sets directly from your DJ mixer. Then, you can transfer the files back to your laptop for editing or mastering. This output jack is on the front of the R-07, so it’s easy to miss if you’re not aware of it.
The portability and robustness of the R-07 also make this great for recording gigs—or moving the unit to the room where your DJ rig resides.
USB Audio Interface
Speaking of laptops, Roland’s 1.10 firmware update lets you use the R-07 as an audio interface for your MacBook or iOS-based device (when connected via Apple’s Lightning-to-USB Camera Adapter). So, if you usually do all your production “in the box” you still have access to a top-notch stereo microphone pair. Likewise, via the above cable, you retain the ability to record hardware synths and drum machines.
Pro Tip:
The R-07’s Scene menu includes options for specific recording applications, including Instrument, Vocal, and a variety of more specialized tasks like “Loud Practice” if you’re recording band rehearsals.
Capture your Freestyles. Then Use Them in a Track.
While many hip-hop vocalists rely on mobile phones for recording ideas that pop into their heads, that quality is rarely good enough for a finished take. If you have an R-07 and a quiet environment, track your vocals wherever you are and then import the results into your DAW. You can even give them to your producer as a guide track for the finished vocal.
Even if you don’t have a quiet environment to record, you can sometimes nail the perfect take and use the ambience to give your track more flavor. Alternately, once you get the vocals into a DAW, apply a noise gate to remove any background noise between lyrics. That trick will work as long as you’ve got a clear, upfront vocal recording.
Socially Distanced Recording Sessions
Also included with the 1.10 firmware update is the ability to link multiple R-07s and control them from a single iOS or Android device. This is great for advanced field recordings or recording a single source from multiple stereo perspectives. In addition, it’s also an effective way to manage socially distanced recording sessions, thanks to the Bluetooth amenities of the device.
If everyone in your band has access to an individual R-07, you can designate one person’s phone to control up to four devices. Doing so, will allow you to create multitrack recordings with all tracks in sync. At that point, you can import the .wav file from each unit into a DAW for mixing.
Sample the House
From iconic acts like Depeche Mode to innovators like Björk, sampling real-world audio can often lead to groundbreaking production effects. One of the obvious applications is to sample kitchen utensils for use as percussion. Their metallic construction is great for bells and other sharp transients.
That said, a wooden spoon on a couch makes a great kick drum sample if you tune it downward. Plastic food containers sound remarkably like bongos. Rubbing two pieces of paper together works as a shaker or, with an envelope applied, a hi-hat.
If you’re into harder, more industrial textures, head out to the garage or your driveway. A few years back, a friend of mine and I removed the wheels from some of the storage racks in my garage. I ran to get the R-07 and started recording. Thanks to its onboard limiter, I captured more than a few extremely loud clanks and impacts for later use in sound design.
As for loops, they’re everywhere. Listen to your washing machine, dryer, or dishwasher and you’ll quickly realize that they’re all creating rhythms. Fold these sounds into your tracks to give them something “extra.” The secret is to alter your way of listening to the everyday sounds of life. There’s a symphony happening around you when you switch to a more mindful, receptive state.
Sample Your Yard
When I introduced the Scapes art form at my presentation on sound at Ableton Loop in 2017, I had no idea the impact it would have on the music and gaming industries. Whenever someone asks about my inspirations and sources, I point to my work in field recording on the road, camping in my van. These recordings became so much easier once I got the R-07.
On my various adventures, I always bring the unit with me on hikes and at night at the campfire. When I hear something awesome, I hit record. Being able to control the unit from my phone and Apple Watch (major wow-factor on that feature) allowed me to get extremely close to birds and other wildlife, which made for some great recordings.
Even if you’re not trying to resynthesize nature, you’ll be amazed by the intricate sounds of birds, insects, and critters in your backyard or at local parks. There’s a ton of creative inspiration in nature recordings, for both musical and Foley applications.
ASMR
Autonomous sensory meridian response—or ASMR, for short—has become something of a buzzword lately. Some people have unusually positive reactions to certain types of very soft sounds including whispers, rustling paper, or food preparation. If this is an area of interest for you, the R-07’s ability to capture extremely close-miked sounds is a total win.
Again, the onboard limiter is essential for working with the high input volumes required to capture these ultra-quiet acoustic sounds. ASMR may have a specialized audience, but if you’re fascinated by this phenomenon, you’ll need a capable and portable tool for recording these delicate textures.
