Tips & TRicks for the BOSS RC-505 Looper
After finding out that the RC-505 can even start/stop recording by MIDI, I just had to get one - so my way to fully automated Looping was open!
Here are some Tips mostly for using the RC-505 with MIDI-Assistant software:
Tip 1: Stopping a Track which is currently recording
A Track does not stop when it receives a PLAY/STOP-MIDI message while it is recording - instead, it switches to PLAY. Another PLAY/STOP message is needed to finally stop the Track.
To immediately stop, define two different assignments with different CC# source but same target PLAY/STOP for the used Track. Place the two corresponding CC# messages one after the other with just one Clock-Tick time distance in the sending table - so the MIDI-Assistant sends them both one after the other, without waiting for the next Clock-Tick (see remarks at MIDI-Assistant page) -> the recording Track stops immediately.
Usually this is done by placing two CC#-ramps - use 100 ms for the first, 150 ms for the second one (see remarks at MiDi-Assistant page).
REMARK: Sending the same CC# twice, one after other, does not work. Each CC# acts like a pedal, and as long as one pedal is pressed, you have to press another pedal to trigger the same pedal action again.
Other solution: if you would have too many messages at the same time, send a REC/PLAY command first, so the Track switches to PLAY. At any later point in time, you can send START/STOP to stop the Track. Meanwhile, you can send a TRACK LEVEL Zero to keep the Track silent (don't forget to send a TRACK LEVEL 100 before you start the Track again).
A currently recording Single-Mode Track of course can be stopped by starting/recording a different Single-Mode Track.
Tip 2: Start Overdub Immediately when starting a Track
A stopped not-empty Track switches to PLAY when it receives a REC/PLAY-MIDI message. Another REC/PLAY message is needed to finally start overdubbing.
To start overdubbing immediately, define two different assignments with different CC# source but same target REC/PLAY for the used Track. Place the two corresponding CC# messages one after the other with just one Clock-Tick time distance in the sending table - so the MIDI-Assistant sends them both one after the other, without waiting for the next Clock-Tick (see remarks at MIDI-Assistant page) -> the Track starts with overdubbing immediately being active.
Usually this is done by placing two CC#-ramps - use 100 ms for the first, 150 ms for the second one (see remarks at MiDi-Assistant page).
REMARK: Sending the same CC# twice, one after other, does not work. Each CC# acts like a pedal, and as long as one pedal is pressed, you have to press another pedal to trigger the same pedal action again.
When using the RC505-Buttons: Just define an assignment with Source: TR1 PLAY/STOP, Target: TR1 REC/PLAY (same for other Tracks)
Tip 3: Use one-shot for long rhythm parts
When you start your loop by recording a long backing rhythm track, this might sound a little boring. If your rhythm is built up like e.g. A-B-A-B-C, you can define One-Shot-On for the track, and just record A-B-C. This is a lot shorter and might not get boring.
During performance, you have to restart the track after the first A-B .
*) Example 1:
Needed: A-B-A-B-C
Recording: A-B-C
Playback: A-B-[Restart] A-B-C- [Restart] A-B-[Restart] A-B-C ...
*) Example 2:
Needed: A-A-A-A-B
Recording: A-B
Playback: A-[Restart] A-[Restart] A-[Restart] A-B- [Restart]A-[Restart] A-[Restart] A-[Restart] A-B ...
To restart the One-Shot Phrase, define an assignment with a certain CC# source and target PLAY/STOP for the used track. Send this certain CC# message as an 100 ms ramp each time a restart is needed. The MIDI-Assistant send-table can be prepared easily for this by checking "send when inserting" and "insert at nearest Quarterbeat". For preparation, record A-B-C (Example1) and start playback - during playback, just click the insert-button for the needed CC# when a restart is necessary. The finished table can be used right away for the performance.
Example: see video of "Gezeichnet fürs Leben" (https://youtu.be/ZrPzgpHL_GU) - the rhythm track during the verse uses this technique.
Tip 4: How to start recording offbeat with Loop-Sync set to on?
When you want to start recording e.g. at beat 3 of a 4/4 measure with Loop-Sync set to on, the red light keeps flashing until you reach beat 1 - recording starts at beat 1 instead of beat 3. How to avoid this? Easy trick heavilily used on the RC-50: Pre-Record a silent track! The track should have the lenght you need for your recording. When starting your perfomance, start your silent track, then start recording at beat 3 - recording starts right away as desired, without waiting.
Tip 5: check out Drum-Solutions to expand the drumming opportunities
Tip 6: How to use a maximum of 10 loops?
Eh, what? Yes, you can use a maximum of 10 independent loops - two with the same length per Track (max. 5 playing at the same time).
The principle is simple: record one track, and replace it (overdub mode REPLACE) with another recording when it's time to do so (best with Track volume set to 0). Then you can use "UNDO/REDO Track" for that Track to switch between the original and the replacement recording at any time.
You can do this independently on each of the 5 Tracks.
Details: you can use a MIDI-pedal or MIDI-Assistant software to switch the Overdub-Mode between OVERDUB and REPLACE (Assign Target OVERDUB MODE). When recording the replacement, make sure the Overdub-Mode is set to REPLACE. Set the Track-Volume to zero while recording the replacement, so you don't hear the original recording while playing. The length of the replacement must exactly match the length of the original recording - recording must be stopped exactly after 1 loop (when stopping too early, parts of the original recording are contained in the replacing loop; when stopping too late, the replacement is replaced again, and the original recording is no more available). Then turn on the Track volume - "UNDO/REDO Track" can be sent by MIDI at any time during playing, switching smoothly between the original recording and its replacement each time (of course you can also use the UNDO/REDO button on the RC505). Once recorded, the switching between the recordings is independent of the Overdub-Mode.
As soon as you do some more recording on that Track, the original recording can no more be accessed - but maybe you can do all other recordings on a different Track, or maybe you need the 2 recordings on one Track just temporarily.
I used this, when I ran out of Tracks for looping a bridge-part, which was just coming up in the song for one time, but some loops long - after that part, I did an "UNDO Track" and continued with the original part.
Switch the Overdub Mode between OVERDUB and REPLACE whenever needed.
Tip 7: How to use Single Mode with Loop-Sync, when the length of the loops is not equal?
The Problem is, that all loops with Loop-Sync set to ON are aligned at the beginning, and if you want to change to a 4-measure loop after a 3-measure loop, the 4-measure loop is already at measure 4 when the change happens.
*) Solution when not using MIDI-Assistant:
Example: Verse Loop is 16 Measures long, Refrain is 12 Measures long
Preparation:
1) Pre-Record a silent loop for verse while Loop-Sync is on (16 Measures in the example; make sure to record the full loop length, until you run into overdubbing)
2) Switch Loop-Sync off for the verse Track
3) for the Refrain Track, set Loop-Sync on, set "Measure" to "FREE"
4) In the Memory settings, select "Play: Single Play Change" to "LOOP END"
5) If you want to immediately start overdubbing your silent Track, select in the Assignments: Source: TR1 PLAY/STOP, Target: TR1 REC/PLAY - so when starting Track1, it will immediately start Overdubbing
Save this as starting point for your performance.
Performance:
a) Start Performance with Recording verse on Track1 (check point 5 above)
b) Switch to Refrain-Track; make sure not to switch too late, or verse-loop will start over because of point 4 above
c) Record the Refrain-Track; switch back to verse after the desired length (12 Measures in the example). Because of the "FREE" measure (point 3 above), there is no danger that the loop starts over when you are too late - just try to change back to verse at the correct time.
d) The duration of the verse loop is exact (the silent loop was recorded with Loop-Sync on), any starting offset will be kept exact over the full looping time. If you are quite in sync, this will be kept (no running out of sync on later repetitions)
e) when switching to Refrain, again make sure not to switch too late (see point b). But because of point 4 above, it is OK to switch early - verse loop will finish (but any Overdubbing will be stopped)
f) Refrain will start from the beginning, perfectly loop-synced. When Switching to verse, make sure not to switch too late, or Refrain-loop will start over (point 4 above). But also here, it is OK to switch early - Refrain loop will finish (but any Overdubbing will be stopped)
d) Next verse will be perfectly synced, because it starts exactly after the Refrain is finished.
*) Solution with MIDI-Assistant:
Switch Loop Sync off for at least one loop. When it's time to start that loop, just send the Track Start Midi-Message-ramp for it. When changing from another Track, you can (should) send the Startmessage-ramp early, if the Memory-setting "Play: Single Play Change" is set to "LOOP END". This even works for One-Shot loops (then send a Track-Start-Message-ramp each time when it should start over).
Non-One-Shot-Loops with Loop-Sync turned off might run out of sync in later repetitions - to avoid this, restart the loop with each repetition: Send a Track-Stop MIDI-Message followed by a Track-Start MIDI-message:
Define two different assignments with different CC# source but same target PLAY/STOP for the used Track. Place the two corresponding CC# messages one after the other with just one Clock-Tick time distance in the sending table - so the MIDI-Assistant sends them both one after the other, without waiting for the next Clock-Tick (see remarks at MIDI-Assistant page) -> the Track restarts immediately.
Usually this is done by placing two CC#-ramps - use 100 ms for the first, 150 ms for the second one (see remarks at MiDi-Assistant page).
REMARK: Sending the same CC# twice, one after other, does not work. Each CC# acts like a pedal, and as long as one pedal is pressed, you have to press another pedal to trigger the same pedal action again.