Boss Loopstation

[Matt the Cat]

Hi

 

Does anyone use a Boss Loopstation (RC 2 or RC 20) in their live setup. Have only ever read reviews by electric players and want to get some thoughts from acoustic users on how it sounds/works etc. Thinking of getting one myself and wanted to ask here first as I reckon you guys are a pretty trustworthy/friendly lot. If I do get one I'll let you know what the first song is that I loop!

 

Cheers, Matt

[rafaelh]

Got an old RC-20...actually got mine when they first started coming out with them.

 

Never used one live though...just a big PITA for that IMO. Unless I guess if it's just you. It wouldn't be bad then....they are real easy to use.

 

When you add other players in the mix and you try to loop your guitar with them while attempting to play something else is where the pain begins.....timing on the play back is always off. Latency I guess is what it's called?

 

Live performers could adjust I guess, or get back in sync, but if you plan on using say an electronic drum machine... forget it. Unless you pre loop it along with what ever else you want looped before hand.

 

As far as looping an acoustic...it's no different than a recorder. You can just about loop anything to one. What you hear going in is what you're going to hear coming out.

 

Some might have had better luck, or suggestions, than me with trying to use one live, but it hit rock bottom with me. Just not worth it for me....great tool for other uses though.

 

Anyhow just my 2 cents worth.

[Lord Summerisle]

I own a Boss RC-2. It is an amazing tool for practicing - it has really helped me in developing further as a guitarist recently. I also use it for recording. It's great because it allows you to basically record three tracks on to one channel from your amp simultaneously. By this, I mean that I can put down a basic track, then add overdubs, and then play on top whilst recording my mic'ed up amp into Audacity on my laptop, via a USB interface.

 

But as a tool for live performance...? In a word, no!

 

It's a bit of a fiddle to set up exactly what you want. It's also easy to get lost in the process of tapping the foot-pedal the requisite number of times to turn the recording / playback / overdub features on and off etc.

 

A lot of the reviews at Harmony-Central will give you an idea about how tricky it can be:

 

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Effects/product/Boss/RC-2+Loop+Station/10/1

 

So, in short, a great device - but not for playing live. You can edit out the blips from your recordings. Playing live, if you reach the end of your performance, you (and and maybe also your band) stop playing, but then your RC-2 helpfully keeps on playing your backing track through your amp...then you might be a bit red-faced...