| Author | Message | ||
| slawie
Advanced Member Username: slawie Post Number: 340 Registered: 8-2002 |
Hello Chaps. Does anyone have experience with the Boss RC-50 loop station? Can it be used with Series electronics? Thank you in anticipation of your valued input. slawie | ||
| kimberly
Advanced Member Username: kimberly Post Number: 360 Registered: 1-2007 |
Hi Slawie,  I've been using an RC-50 since they first came out. As for Series electronics, I don't see why you couldn't use them. There are 3 phrases on an RC-50. Each can be configured as a left/right mono or stereo output. There's also a stereo sub-out which can be used as well for routing your signals from the 3 phrases. Anyway, it's pretty flexible for routing. The biggest downside, in my experience, is it will not sync or stay synced when being used as a slave via midi connection. Even when the master is another RC-50! Let me say this again. The RC-50 won't stay in sync with another RC-50, or any other midi master device, when being used as a slave. Crazy... Note: I have two of them and had I known about this issue before purchasing my second one, I wouldn't have gotten the second one. The real bummer is, it's a known issue and there's no fix available now, or likely forever, as they've recently discontinued sales of the RC-50. Also the 'Quantize' feature can be annoying at times, as it can stretch or compress your recorded loop. Not always and not spontaneously though as it's an operator (me) error issue. A split second too long or too short and distressing and/or disturbing things can happen. But, as I say, it's an operator issue as the 'root cause' of this 'feature'. ;D Regardless, when performing live it can be annoying or worse case, having to employ some fancy foot work and overdubbing/replacing on the fly to 'clean things up'. ;) On the same vein, once you record your loop(s) your loops are stuck at the tempo you recorded them at. For example, you record at 120 bpm and decide you want to go to 125 bpm. You change the tempo and it goes to 125 bpm no problem. The problem is you can't slow down or speed up without it changing pitch and I'm not talking about a 1/4 step or 1/2 step or any step. It makes your loop warble and unusable even if changing tempo by only 1 bpm. So, if you want to speed it up or slow it down, you start from scratch and re-record. Big bummer. On a positive, the new RC-3 and RC-30XL are out and they have 99 minutes of record time compared to the RC-50 at only 28 or so minutes in stereo and 40 something minutes in mono mode. While I've not heard anything, since Boss has discontinued the RC-50, I suspect it won't be long until the RC-60 (or some such) comes out. With all that said, I love my looper! It's an awesome rehearsal tool for groove and chops and, you'll get tired of playing long before it will. :D I've used the RC-50 for literally hundreds of gigs over the last 4 1/2 years and it's never let me down. And that's that. Hope this helps. Feel free to contact me via my profile email with any questions and/or feel welcome to continue this discussion via this thread. I'll help as best I can. Best Regards, Kimberly | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1924 Registered: 5-2009 |
Kimberly & Slawie, _____ About 2 years ago I purchased A Boss RC-2 and a few weeks later I picked up a Digitech JamMan w/1GB flash card. I have to admit that I still have not used either one of them enough to get enough practice in into become extremely proficient at becoming a " swell looper " yet, just basic . Have either of you any comments regarding the JamMan ? I have heard some folks don't care for it and some do. Comments ? Anyone . | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1925 Registered: 5-2009 |
Slawie , my RC-2 works OK with the Series Bass . | ||
| slawie
Advanced Member Username: slawie Post Number: 341 Registered: 8-2002 |
Kimberly, Oh how poltically incorrect of me!! I apologise profusely for assuming the whole "Chaps" thing....unless of course you don't mind being one of the chaps. Thanks so much for the advice, insight and serving of humble pie ;) Thanks to both Kimberly and you also Wolf - always an abundance of useful information. slawie | ||
| kimberly
Advanced Member Username: kimberly Post Number: 361 Registered: 1-2007 |
Hey Slawie, No harm, no foul, no apology necessary as I understood your intent. Sometimes this world gets a little too PC IMHO. Anyway, I've been one of the "chaps" in the very much male dominated world of the low end seems like forever. On a positive, it's always fun to 'strut my stuff' *after* being given the "Oh, isn't that cute, she says she plays bass, here you go little lady" and then lay it down and see the looks on their faces!  And honestly speaking, I'll admit to throwing it down hard intentionally especially after being given the "little lady" line. Great fun! Ahem...ummmm...back on topic. ;) You're most welcome Slawie! Sonicus, good to 'see' you again. I have no experience with the JamMan, however I think the flash card is a great feature. Time limitations are also one of the downsides of the older RC series of loopers, though the new RC-3 and RC-30 seem to have improved this weakness with the 99 minute memory. But a removable flash card, that's very cool. You can play as many parts as you like, play entire songs, swap out the card and do it all over again. Mighty fine stuff indeed. I've also heard the JamMan does allow you to change tempos without changing the pitch. That is a tremendous improvement over the RC family's lacking in this area. Ultimately, it's all a matter of does the equipment meet *your* needs. If so, you're home free. If not....so goes the GAS/music game. Best Regards, Kimberly | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1926 Registered: 5-2009 |
Kimberly, thanks for your reply , good to 'see' you too . I will soon try to work at looping again, What you do is most definitely inspirational as to what is possible . Best to you as well . Wolf | ||
| slawie
Advanced Member Username: slawie Post Number: 343 Registered: 8-2002 |
Too true Wolf. Kimberly you are inspirational. I consumed a major portion of my user bandwidth checking out your stuff on youtube. Wonderful, wonderful work! I am going to try the JamMan. Thanks. slawie |
