BeatBuddy Midi Sync with Ditto X4 Looper

BeatBuddy Reviews and Feedback
1

So pleased - fun just went to a new level. Replaced my Ditto X2 with Ditto X4 and got the MIDI sync cable and now my loops stay in perfect time! I just plugged it in, powered both up and I was jamming away for hundreds of bars in time! No drifting.

1 Like
2

I am really confused right now on what looper would work best for me. That ditto 4 looks like it would be great to work with. But Iā€™m also looking at the Boomerang III too. Lotā€™s going on with each pedal. Decisions, decisions! I do like your luck with midi sync working so good for you.

3

There are so many choices and at so many price points. I suggest you define your requirements e.g., what does the looper have to do and what do you value? Some potential requirements could be

  • work with midi and interface with BeatBuddy
  • pedal or software format; small or large footprint
  • performance: no drift, no lag
  • ability to save and play back samples; more than 5 presets; ability to record 2-4 loops
  • responsive looper company support; easy to follow user manual; upgradeable firmware
  • under $200 or >$400; remote foot switch under $50
  • other i.e., vocal harmonizer, guitar effects, etc

Hereā€™s a list of looper pedal reviews: http://loopermusic.com/blog/full-list-of-looper-pedal-reviews-so-far
Hereā€™s a list of software loopers: http://www.livelooping.org/tools/software/

Once you narrow down your list, research this forum to see what others have said about your choices.

4

Thanks for that Persist. Much appreciated sir. I will do some homework now. Be back soon.

5

I have an Infinity looper and couldnā€™t be happier. An important benefit of the infinity is that it syncs to the measure, not the best as with the Ditto. Much easier to record/playback loops properly (more $ tho). Since the Boomerang is one of BBā€™s recommended loopers it might do the same, but I donā€™t know.

6

Thanks for the info Spdfrk. Getting closer to a choice.

7

Typo error; supposed to be"beat", not ā€œbestā€. Not so good eyes

8

What would be the difference between it syncing with the measure vs the beat?
For example, with the dittox4, if you play a 4 measure loop, will it stay in time properly? I have the Boss rc2 that has no midi sync and Iā€™m thinking about the dittox4ā€¦ I definitely canā€™t afford the Boomerang right now.

9

The Ditto will stay in time (beat wise), the difference is in making the loops; the infinity looper(and Iā€™m assuming the Boomerang) will ā€œautomaticallyā€ start and stop the loop if you touch it off anytime before the next measure starts. You will have to be right-on with the Ditto to have your loops property timed (measure wise, especially if itā€™s a fast tempo song). Since youā€™ve been using a looper that shouldnā€™t pose much of a problem. The BBā€™s moving beat display will help.

10

I considered the Ditto myself because it is half the price of the infinity ($200 vs $400) but the Infinity won because of that feature AND most importantly, the BB starts and stops the looper. I figure that anything that makes things easier is worth it. So I found a near-new Infinity on eBay for $300. Happy medium.

11

I have the EXH 45000, and it is an excellent unit. One drawback though is it will not quantize when you record with 6/8 time. I spoke with the company rep, he said the unit only seeā€™s 4/4 time. It drives me crazy. You can have up too 100 loops pre-recorded though. Also very easy midi commands to control the unit with OnSong, or other software.
My favorite Looper is the Electrix Repeater, but they are very hard to find, and very limited in space on the Compact Flash Card.

12

I have been Gigging a BeatBuddy with a Boomerang 3 for about a year now.

Even though the Boomerang 3 is more expensive initially, my experience is that it was worth every penny. It syncs perfectly and it works flawlessly every time. I wasted a lot of time auditioning the Ditto X4 to save money and the Infinity Looper to save pedalboard real estate - neither worked for me with my particular work flow and gigging requirements. What is your time worth?

I suggest looking for a used ā€˜Rang 3ā€™ on Reverb or eBayā€¦

13

Are you using the Rang with the Sidecar or is your workflow such that you can get by without it?

14

Do you know that the Boomerang company is for sale? I noticed that on their website the other day. I hope someone buys them.

15

Rang 3, no Boxcar.

Yes, saw the company was for sale. Hopefully Mike would stay on board as a ā€œconsultantā€. The guys was a brilliant visionary and knows the Rang inside and out.

16

8daypsalmist;

Apart from being able to do more than two loops and without going into too much detail, whatā€™s the primary advantage(s) of the Boomerang over the Infinity?

17

Fairly decent discussion comparing the two pedals at http://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/boomerang-iii-vs-pigtronix-infinity-looper.1142384/

18

Spdfrk - the way the buttons on the Infinity worked for starting, recording, stopping and erasing were counterintuitive to me. You had to press the button once to ā€œarmā€ the loop? Most of all I could never get it to sync correctly; it would drift off. Playing live with it was a nightmare. Maybe there were firmware updates after I auditioned it that allow it to sync better with the BB now, I donā€™t know.

For playing live the Rang is simple. Press/record a loop to solo over. Press same button to stop the loop and go back into the song. After the song is over, erase the loop. There are some songs, I want to play a repeating riff (Satisfaction, Born On The Bayou, etc) and later lay down a rhythm guitar part for soloing over. Simple, record on track/button #3, then later record the rhythm track on button 1 or 2 - they can play separate or together. If you want to record 2 diff parts that play one after the other (verse and chorus for example), record the verse on button 1 and the chorus on 2 or 3. Try doing any of that on the Infinity without having to bend over and use your hands.

You can program the buttons to do all kinds of stuff; itā€™s really a deep featured piece of kit. I have mine set up simply for the couple of things I do all the time in a four hour gig. I often play the recorded rhythm guitar loop as an Outro while soloing over the top and when ready to end the song, hit both the BeatBuddy Foot Switch buttons at once to stop everything (the BeatBuddy and the Loop) and add the accent of a crash cymbal.

19

8daypsalmist, thanks for the reply and the info.

I got my infinity about 6 months or so ago . Iā€™ve been very happy with it. Never an issue with syncing, and it does everything you described above plus the BB will start and stop the looper (the main reason I chose it over the Ditto). I would like to have 3 loops, but I like its compact size.

Theyā€™re both very capable machines and like you said, you want whatever feels the most intuitive.

20

Persist,

thanks for the link, Iā€™ll check it out!