There are no presets in the BB as it is supposed to sync via MIDI with other pedals. You will need the BB MIDI sync adapter as well as a 5-pin MIDI patch cable. You have a very nice pedal but most Boss looper users have had trouble getting the MIDI to sync with the BB. There are a few that report getting it to work. Search for Boss RC 300.
Please post back here to the let other Boss looper users learn what you did to get it to sync.
I read about a work-around that sounded feasible–and I just ordered the midi sync. I have plenty of midi patch cables. Now I wait for the sync cable…
Thanks!
Meanwhile - I’m still not clear on the BB memory. With the RC-300, I scroll (or stomp an up or down toggle pedal) to get from one phrase to another. For those who use (or appear to in videos) the BB by itself, do they program all the combinations they need (beat, time sig, tempo) one at a time with the Manager?
Users can create songs using the BeatBuddy Manager (BBM) MIDI Editor (not recommended as it is really a very tedious process—unless you have time and patience), using a DAW, or importing user-created content. All of the data that the BBM requires to play a song resides in the MIDI file that is imported into the BBM. For example, I find a MIDI source file that I like and transcribe the drums, bass instrument (and others such as piano, string or horns) so that they are mapped to the drum set that I would like to use). I then use the BBM MIDI Editor (mostly out of habit) to confirm that there are no unsupported instrument notes. There are no limit to the number of MIDI notes you can have in a song; each folder may contain no more than 99 songs and each project may contain no more than 99 folders. You may not use tempo or signature changes within a song unless you use some workarounds in your DAW to transform speed within a specified section of a song. A lot of this information is contained in the latest iteration of the BBM guide that Support has posted.
More homework!
It’s a simple workaround - only use whole number tempos on the RC. There is no alternative.
Ok, so… the hardware loopers compatible with the BB are really expensive.
It is cheaper to buy an Ipad and buy a quantiloop than to buy a hardware compatible looper (and quantiloop it is specific for BB).
Is there any advantage to buying one of hardware?
You’ll find BeatBuddy users support both hardware- and software-based loopers. Those that have switched from a pedal looper to something like Quantiloop have been very happy. If you already have an iPad, it may be less expensive to tailor what’s needed to make it work with the BeatBuddy and your particular performance requirements. If you don’t have an iPad, think of it as a startup investment.
There are several threads that you can search for on this forum that will show you the different configurations and peripherals that users have bought to make Quantiloop work. Hint: use the forum search function on the term “quantiloop” or “loopers”.
Either the hardware or software looper will take time to configure and get it working properly with your BeatBuddy. What takes the most time however is learning how to use either looper. Some users said that they wished they had held off on buying a looper until they learned how to use their BB first. Some users have said that having an iPad allowed other options such as OnSong or SetListMaker.
The plus of a hardware looper is that it might be simpler to use because it involves fewer bits 'n pieces to make it work with the BB. This usually means less to go wrong. On the minus side, a hardware looper seems to be a little bit harder to get working properly with a BB.
The plus of a software looper is that it may be simpler to make it work and do what you want with the BB. I don’t think you can say that it’s less expensive than a pedal looper, especially if you need to buy an iPad and then start adding the peripherals to make it it work. On the minus side, more peripherals equals more things that can potentially go wrong.
You can find used Infinity and Boomerang III loopers for as little as $250. You can also find used iPads for a fair price too. What would I do? Continue your research by using the forum to figure out what you need.
Ok, you are in true. I didnt realize that I would need peripherals to make it works with the Ipad (and some configurations)
I will explore alternatives before spending money. In this sense, i could try to use a computer software looper syncronized with the BB. I think I have all the needed peripherals: Computer (obviusly), BB and a Sound interface with Midi connection.
As I am not Mac or Windows user, I cant use the software looper recommended in this thread (Mobius), but I have found a multi-platform looper that seems to works as I needed (sooper looper). Here a demo:
It is avaliable for Linux and Mac, and in the website they say that has midi clock time sync.
http://essej.net/sooperlooper/doc_sync.html
I am going to try to this setup (computer, sooperlooper, audio interface, BB). If it works I’ll let you know here.
You may be able to use Mobius on Linux using WINE.
I have bought an Ditto Jam X2 looper, and I think that is the cheaper solution with a minimal BB system synchronization. I cant start or stop the BB and Looper at same time, but the 2 pedals works synced.
The system is easy. The Ditto jam listen the drum (BB) and detect the tempo. With that, the ditto pedal knows how to sync the start and stop record moments. After record a melody, if the ditto detect a tempo change (from 120 to 110 bpm, for example) automatically adjust the recorded melody tempo… and both pedals continue synced.
I tested it with regular beats, like Rock or Blues ones and works fine.
I have had problems with irregular beats, like Jazz ones, but i find a solution. I have changed the panned options of the wavs drumset. So, all the BB instruments are panned in the left channel. The only one instrument panned to the right channel is the metronome. After that, I had modified a BB song adding a metronome line. I connect the BB left audio output to the Amp and I connect the BB Right audio output to the Mic Input Ditto device (this is an special ditto input to get rhythm, not the record Input). At this point, I listen all the BB song (except metronome) in the Amp and the Ditto only listen the metronome. The syncs works really nice.
I bought the ditto for 129 € new… It is the best cheap solution for the need BB Looper.
pro tip: If the Ditto 2x jam has difficulty getting the tempo of a complex beat, tap the beat on the stop button to hint the timing.
Hi everyone,
I might be missing something, but I have the Ditto x4 and it seems to work fine… well the tempo clock does anyway. It seems to follow the beatbuddy’s tempo, but that’s all I really use it for. Perhaps there are more features that don’t work that people are trying to use? Feel free to let me know… (still learning how to use midi).
Thanks
I recently purchased de ditto Jam looper and I’m very pleased. works perfect with the BB BUT ……
you have to split your signal in 2. I mean i work with a boss LS2 line selector and I return my guitar signal in one canal and the BB in another canal, those two are mixed and send to a PA. In this way the looper is only guided by the BB and not by the guitar signal. when you mix both, the looper will not recognise the beat after a while! If someone is interested , I take a picture of my floorbox.
I use my BB thru a Ditto stereo looper with the BB connected via ‘thru’/‘return’ on a Boss SY-300 guitar synth. The synth is connected directly to some KRK Rokit G3 powered monitors. I use the BB, synth, Ditto and KRK’s in stereo mode. The sound is pretty unbelievable (as in GREAT:).
I can try running the BB directly through the Ditto stereo looper if that would be helpful. Am pretty sure I have in the past.
I know this is going to sound like a dopey question, but having read the following threads (some of them) I just want to clarify something. My ideal vision for using the Beat Buddy was incorporate it into a chain that includes just a Looper (Boss RC series). But, from the discussions below it sounds like most are trying to loop both the drum beat and whatever content another instrument may feed into the Looper (like a guitar). I thought I just need loop my guitar rhythms to play with a drum beat. So, my thought was that I’d set the Beat Buddy to play a piece, I would then play along with it and if I land on a rhythm I like, loop that, and then solo over both. Thus, I’m not interested in necessarily looping both the drum beat and the rhythm guitar together. Does that make sense? And, if so, is that possible. My thought is the chain would go: guitar-Looper-Beat Buddy- Amp.
Your question makes sense; many users probably use some variant of your vision. For example, my signal chain is Guitar > Looper > Amp and my BeatBuddy connected to my looper via MIDI and out to my powered monitors or keyboard amp. I can either use my BB to start and stop a song and a preset on the looper or use a MIDI controller to do so.
Some users record guitar loops on the fly and some use recorded guitar loops as presets.
A couple of thoughts:
Thanks a lot for the input. I’ll make it work. I’m really looking forward to it.
Scott Harmon
Hey ruairiau,
I’m planning on running a looper in my current project, a jazz trio with sax, guitar, and bass. I currently run a beatbuddy by itself and it works outstandingly in this capacity–I use it for all our jobs. In fact, we recently had a couple jobs where we purposely did not use the BB, and we all missed it terribly, especially for odd time sigs. I’d love to be able to have my guitarist loop a section every so often, but not constantly, just to fatten up the background on his solos, as the sax is not playing all the time. My ideas to accomplish this are either an infinity, ditto x2 jam, or quantiloops and a software setup. Cost notwithstanding, any recc’s? It seems like you’ve went the software route with the pro duo/quantiloops setup as well as what seems fairly straightforward with the x2 jam setup.
Your opinion is valued!
Thanks!
Vic
I should probably contribute my experiences. I’ve had both a Pigtronix Infinity but finally ended up with a Ditto X4. Both work great with the BeatBuddy! The Pigtronix has a bit more “magic” in its ability to snap your loop to the beat, but it’s not a problem at all if you’re familiar with looping/have sufficient rhythm.