Alan Horvath | Roland VS-1880 Digital Studio Workstation

Alan's Roland VS-1880 Digital Studio Workstation
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Alan's Studio - October 2002

Note: I sold my Roland VS-1880 in the Fall of 2008 ... simply because it has become outdated. I'm not sure what I'm going to replace it with ... or if I'll replace it at all. At present, my plans for recording are focused on working with an old friend at his wonderful analog recording studio which is only a few miles away from my house:
RBPaudio.com | Click Here to check it out.

I decided on the Roland VS-1880, rather than using software on my MAC ... mostly, because it looks and acts in ways that are familiar to me; like a tape recorder ... but also because I like to keep my musical stuff separate from my computer stuff. At this writing (June 2002) I'm just beginning my second project with the Roland VS-1880 and it's working out nicely! I feel like I'm working in all the studios I've ever worked in before ... like I'm in totally "familiar surroundings" ... and it's all quite intuitive. I had a "problem" the other day and - without looking at the books - I was able to find the right buttons and screens by simply trying what seemed "logical" ... and it worked. Plus, the 24-bit sound processing is just wonderful! It delivers sound-quality that reminds me of the best studios I've been in ... like recording on 2-inch tape. I'm just ecstatic : having fun, and getting what I want -- without the distractions of someone else telling me it can't happen.

The VS-1880 may be a bit high-priced for some, but to me it was a real deal compared to going into pro studios at $50 and $100 per hour! Also, there are a lot of smaller units coming out all the time ... if you look at the 8-track versions, you'll see some prices that'll definitely make you drool.

I bought this exciting piece of equipment in late 2000 ... but didn't plug it in until early 2001, when I started recording The 'Rings Project. For a "first project," I recorded The Ballad of Tom Bombadil ... a number of times ... as I became familiar with how the Workstation operates. I released two or three different versions/mixes of the song before settling on the final mix, and they're all floating around out there on various Napster-type planets but, trust me, this present version is the best.

Alan's Roland VS-1880