Zoom R12 Multi Track Portable Recorder, with Touchscreen, Onboard Editing, 8 Tracks, 2 Combo Inputs, Effects, Synth, Drum Loops, Battery Powered, and USB Audio Interface

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You can then choose which finance term you'd like to apply for, and change your deposit if you wish. For quick editing, the little touchscreen is fine, but if you want to go deep, you'll probably want to transfer all those recordings to a DAW. As a control surface, the transport controls and faders make it easy to adjust and control your software during production. The Zoom R12 has send effects with their own dedicated channel and fader, offering reverb, chorus and delay. With the R12, it's easier than ever to record, edit and mix songs in the location of your choice, so you can focus on the music.

Zoom unveil R12 MultiTrak - Sound On Sound Zoom unveil R12 MultiTrak - Sound On Sound

Connect a MIDI keyboard via the USB-C port and you can play the R12’s onboard FM synthesizer which offers eight-voice polyphony, 18 different synth sounds and one PCM drum kit. The hardware layout is easy to understand even if you’re a complete newcomer to recording: the front panel is dominated by that touchscreen plus a bank of 10 faders for track levels, effects and master level. You can lay down eight tracks, and those recordings are visualized as blocks of audio on a timeline, just like in a regular Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) app like Logic or Ableton Live. The Zoom R12 has none of that nonsense, and more importantly, it is always there, ready to carry on from where you left off.This is why musicians often connect hardware controllers to their laptops, but with the R12, you can forego the computer altogether. The contents of this article are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or part, whether mechanical or electronic, is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publishers. In addition, the R12 features an internal synthesizer with 18 sounds +1 drum kit, playable via a MIDI keyboard connected via USB-C. In addition to the compressor effect on the two input channels, all eight playback channels have a pan control and 3-band EQ.

Zoom R12 - EU Version - ZOOM Europe Zoom R12 - EU Version - ZOOM Europe

In terms of physical controls on the front panel, the approach is very much in keeping with the classic Portastudio/four-track approach pioneered by Tascam back in the 70s; set levels, hit record and track then overdub. Lovely portable device with great features, but with so many years of experience, Zoom should have acknowledged that people need to be able to sync their setup.With the new Sequence Play function, you can create a playlist of your projects to use as a backing track. The R12 isn’t overly complex, prioritising workflow and ease of use over extensive options, but it has some nice features to help streamline your creative process, such as compressors on the two inputs, insert and send effects and a built-in FM synth, which can be played via a MIDI keyboard connected to the USB-C input, or programmed via the touchscreen.

Zoom R12 MultiTrak review | Juno Daily - Juno Records Zoom R12 MultiTrak review | Juno Daily - Juno Records

Then again, I see this more as a tool for live recording, not for capturing tracks from sequencers and drum machines. The R12 offers 150 internal rhythm patterns as well as import functions for audio files from an SD card or USB stick, making it easy to integrate your own backing tracks or samples into your project. And because it is dedicated to a single task, the hardware can reflect that, instead of being a compromise that has to be capable of anything, like a laptop or tablet. These still don’t do MIDI, however, which is frankly essential for a multitrack setup, so you can get all those tracks in sync. The R12 also includes built-in rhythm loops with Intro, Verse, Bridge, Chorus and Outro patterns for 30 different broad-strokes genres, from electro trap to punk rock.

Building on features from the R20 released last year, Zoom have tried to maintain a similar experience with a 2. With two XLR/TRS inputs, and 8 tracks of audio, the R12 is perfect for recording everything from demos to release-ready songs.