Hi All!
I am interested in the possibility of BB replacing my Boss DB-90 as my drummer/band’s click track. These questions relate to how it would fit in the picture.
I drive the songs from a Boss ES-8. Each of the 8 patches per bank (song) correspond to song parts. The ES generates clock for all other devices I play, program changes etc. Some songs will have different tempo sections etc and time signatures. We run some short hardware sequences or arpeggios. Tightness is important. We don’t run backing tracks.
Current setup has clock from ES going to the DB. I made a custom send/receive box for the drummer with a start/stop button and audio out from the DB. Works really well but we are stuck in 4/4 unless I painfully switch between songs etc. The DB lives under level on my pedal board. Also the DB does not start/stop on the 1.
The time signatures, MIDI control and absence of other similar devices leads me here, even though metronome alone is possibly a waste of BB’s talents 
But, I choose hardware coz I like it and I refuse to go software right now, or ever.
I have read the manual but a couple of things are unclear.
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I understand I can Program Change to different metronome settings
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What does BB do when sent a PC? Can it start the metronome automatically? The Boss ES unfortunately can’t send MIDI start/stop, so I would like the BB to be ready for drummer
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The unit at drummers foot has a momentary switch. If this is patched into BB footswitch input and programmed correctly - what is the behaviour? Start/stop or only pause/resume?
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If only pause/resume, can it only be started by depressing pedal itself?
What I would like to achieve is full start/stop at drummer press, so they can reset the beat back on one if needed. As stated above, that’s a drawback of the DB, it doesn’t start on the 1 if running from external clock.
Potentially I could use BB as clock source and simply send it PC and tempo per patch, but I would be afraid of it starting/stopping my AFP’s and sequencers.
Any help greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
What I can tell you is, the metronome funtion in the BB is the same as a rithm, it functions the same way, so it can be stopped and started like a normal drum pattern via MIDI and be changed also in tempo and preset. One of the external double footswitches can be programmed as the main switch of the BB, for starting and stopping, the second switch can be set to pause/resume.
Thanks for your reply. If BB is playing and song is changed va PC does it continue or stop and then you need to start it again?
when a song is changed, the BB stops and has to be started again, depending on the drumset used it takes sometime a few seconds to load.
Dang, so that would mean going from a 4/4 to 3/4 metronome would stop.
I did a test to confirm what I said, and the BB stopped when I loaded a different metronome beat. I use setlistmaker to change songs on the BB. So I did some testing by stepping from a 3/4 to a 4/4 beat and I managed to get the BB started on one beat of the metronome and then change to the other preset without stopping the BB and it did play on and pickup the right beat. I could step back and forth without the BB stopping and it did change the beat. So if I can do it in Setlistmaker it should be possible to do it with other software as long as the right midi codes are submitted. Manual swiching between beats on the BB will result in stopping the beat. Hope this helps.
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If the BB doesn’t have to change drum kits, it shouldn’t be a problem. If there is a drumkit change, there will be a reload delay.
Thanks! Do you recall the MIDI messages you sent from Setlist Maker? Standard PC and CC messages? The Boss ES-8 isn’t able to send sysex Start/Stop etc.
Is this the answer?
CC-114, value of >0 = Starts the playback of the current song
On the ES-8, within each of the 8 MIDI control slots of each patch you can send one PC/MSB/LSB message and a maximum of two CC messages - to a specific channel. So in theory I can go from a 4/4 intro to a 3/4 verse and the BB will continue virtually seamlessly as long as I set CC-114 >0 each time.
I apologise if I didn’t read everything clearly. Took a minute for metronomes to register in my mind as “songs”.
So if this is it, I will engage the “intro” patch, which will always have CC-114 >0, drummer will press his ext footswitch programmed as the main BB pedal switch if he wants to stop for a moment or restart, kicking again to start. Irrespective of whether whole song is in a certain time signature, the next song part patch on ES-8 will tell BB to start. If drummer has stopped it in a section, the next will start it automatically. I can live with that.
I hope 
This is what I have sent, the cc114 value1; PC bank (0)/MSB (24)metronome folder/LSB (3) beat . The second beat is the same except for the LSB that will be the number of your other beat.
(In midi the number does not match the right preset it is always one digit off ), you’ll have to experiment with what number it is to get the right songs.
I don’t know if I understand all you mention about your drummer but I think you’re right.
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Not that I’ve ever done it, but parts on the same song can have different time signatures.You don’t need to swap between songs to do this. It’s also possible that I’m misunderstanding your requirement, so apologies if I have.
If I were you, I’d open the beatbuddy manager, create a new song. Then copy the 4/4 metronome from the Metronomes bank into part 1, then copy the 3/4 metronome into part 2. Now you can swap between the two easily.
As for the drummer, run a long TRS cable from the beatbuddy to the footpedal near him .The 2 switch foot pedal can be configured to start/stop/ pause etc. You can transition from the main pedal or use your Boss ES-8 to send tempo or bank/song selection selection via MIDI.
Now why didn’t I think of that, that actually works.