Loopers compatible with the BeatBuddy

#1

Here’s a list of loopers that users have shared their BB experiences with. Feel free to post your thoughts and I will update the list so that we have a single reference. Not meant to disparage any of these pedals or products as they all seem to work fine until trying to sync MIDI with the BB. You can probably find used hardware at a decent price.

Non-compatible hardware

  • Boss RC series
  • Ditto X4
  • TC Helicon VL3

Compatible hardware

  • Pigtronix Infinity
  • Boomerang
  • EHX series
  • Roger Linn Adrenalin III
  • Eventide H9

Compatible looper software

  • Mobius (Circular Labs); Mac And PC
  • Quantiloop; iOS only (great when you have an iPad—or want an excuse to buy one ;))

Compatible hardware MIDI controllers

  • Gordius Little Giant 2 (expensive)
  • SoftStep 2 (small foot print, must buy MIDI Expander accessory)
  • G Labs GSC-4 (large foot print)
  • Behringer FCB1010 (very large foot print)

Compatible software that provides MIDI control

  • UNRealBook
  • Set List Maker (works in iOS and Android)
  • OnSong
2 Likes
#2

Persist - we don’t use MIDI live but we have used Aron Nelson’s UNRealBook for iPad on stage for the past 3 years for lyric sheets (pdf) and a wonderful definable ‘transmogrify’ button to trigger audio clips. It might be worth a look. Aron is quite responsive if you do wish to contact him…https://unrealbook.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/294959-how-to-create-midi-strings-to-switch-banks-program

#3

Boss RC-300 is compatible - I use it myself with my BB.

The trick to getting it to work is that you must have the RC-300 drum machine running too, but set volume to 0. This writes the tempo metadata into the loops, which then keeps the BB in sync. If you do not do this then the RC-300 and BB will run at different tempos.

2 Likes
BeatBuddy as MIDI tempo slave?
#4

^
Nice workaround.

#5

VL3 is not compatible … has anyone tried VL3x?

#6

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Yes the VL3 & X can be a slave to a BB - I own BB& VL3X

EZ :
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#7

Hi rDin and all there !
I have a BeatBuddy Pedal and I want to change my current RC-30 to get a RC-300, because RC-30 does not support MIDI sync.
As a lot people I’ve read that RC-300 can’t be a MIDI master sync for the beat buddy, but some other people like you ensure that it can indeed. Your “trick” may be the right solution.
But I have one more question : RC-300 as a MIDI master sync can provide decimal numbers as tempos (like 176.6 for instance), but the BeatBuddy does only manage entire (not decimal) tempo values. What is your workaround concerning this issue ?

#8

Not trying to be a dick and I’m new to the BB family buuuuuuut, ( Hi, names wes, nice to meet you, sooooo happy to be here) the boss rc 1 works perfectly. The most basic ditto will work perfectly. I’d be shocked to discover a looper I couldn’t do exactly what I wanted to do in conjunction with my BB. I just upgraded to the rc 3 and my only reason for abandoning the rc 1 is you can’t store anything. You make something great then you have to get rid of it lol. I’ve made one addition to my BB, that being the John Bonham kit. I know I’m gonna sound like I’m a hundred years old but you guys and and all your midi, this n that… I don’t get it, and I’m totally fine with that. Again, sorry, not trying to be a dick just sharing experience. Looper last in the chain, BB into looper, Bing bang boom Bob’s your uncle now go make some sexy shit

#9

^
Glad you’re happy with what works for ‘ya.

#10

People who refer to me as “ya” are my kind of people :slight_smile:

#11

[FONT=Book Antiqua][SIZE=4]:cool:
Wesley84 :[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][SIZE=4]Different Strokes For Different Folks - It’s all good ain’t it . [/SIZE]Your[SIZE=4] approach is as valid as anyone [/SIZE]else’s[SIZE=4] .A stand alone guitar and vocal with limited FX , yeah , all these loopers work well , it’s just a question of putting in the time to understand how to do it .

I’ve [/SIZE]adapted and[SIZE=4] changed with the gear as it [/SIZE]improved[SIZE=4] . Sometimes the simplest way to go is the best . Loopers in 2006 were OK but still in the developmental stage IMHO . It w[/SIZE]asn’t easy finding what suited your particular needs out there as the brands were few and I was 7 years into guitar at that point . Now with 20 years I know what I want and need as you do :slight_smile: [SIZE=4].

When you add a guitar synth module unit ( Roland GR33 ) and a T.C. Helicon or what ever looper persuasion you are inclined towards , midi sync is not an issue when you have these units sync’d along with a vocal processor ( a MFX unit like mine ) including a BB . It can get really off and out of sync when your working a solo with the above mentioned unit(s) .
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My first looper was a Digitech GNX4 - 8 track looper recorder MFX unit , I got it in 2005/6. It was a beautiful beast with it’s own drum machine , really extensive stuff . As far as studio work at home it excelled - live it was a bit awkward .

My preset T.C.Helicon Voice Live 3 X is a work of art . Much easier to use live compared to the GNX4 . I’m really happy with the BB it made the VL3X complete and much more streamlined than that GNX4 . I got the GNX4 in 2006/7 - it was stolen 3 years ago . It took a few years to review what was available , I was leaning towards the RC300 , but chose the VL3X instead . I’m glad I did too it’s way beyond the GNX4 .

[FONT=Book Antiqua][SIZE=4]EZ :
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#12

Thanks for sharing your knowledge bro!:slight_smile::v:

#13

I may have finally found a looper I am interested in. If I was going to get a looper I only ever wanted a pretty basic (and not to expensive) one but it would need to be able to keep sync with the Beatbuddy (normally via midi).

I have just seen the TC Electronic Ditto Jam X2. It syncs to a drum beat but not via midi but by two internal microphones that can pick up on a beat. Hope to see someone do a demo with a beatbuddy or drum machine. I will be keeping my eye on this one.

1 Like
#14

That Ditto Jam X2 looks quite awesome. It also supports an external mic input via what looks like a 3.5mm jack. At a guess, you could run the headphone out of the BeatBuddy directly into that and sync the two.

#15

You might have an impedance issue with that i.e, mic vs. line level, but it seems that it could be worth a try. I really like the idea that it is NOT midi and instead uses active listening. It would seem like you could just mount the lapel mic near your BB amps and do just as well. And at $199 street price here in the US, this looks like a good possibility for BB users.

#16

Actually the Ditto X4 is compatible with BB, it works perfectly well, the thing you just have to know is that the loops sync with the beats sent by th BB, and not the bars, that means you still have to start/stop record in time !
However, the clock is sent from the midi out of the bb to the midi in of the ditto x4 and the loops are in time !

#17

I had one some time back and returned it the next day. It was a mess. As you say, it syncs to the beat not the bar so there’s no quantizing or time stretching. However, it didn’t even do that well; it just drifted out of time. I wrote about it here at the time: http://forum.mybeatbuddy.com/index.php?threads/is-the-pigtronix-infinity-still-the-best-midi-sync-capable-looper.8750/#post-39209

#18

According to a company representative on a thread on TGP the answer is yes.

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/npd-ditto-jam-x2-looper-live-looping-with-a-band-may-finally-be-viable.1961383/page-4#post-27059084

#19

G’day Hurricane, would it be possible for you to map out your setting you used to get your vl3(x) and bb to time sync for looping please?

Thanks in advance.

#20

:cool:
[FONT=Book Antiqua][SIZE=4]This video shows you :

EZ :
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1 Like