Boss RC3 looper pedal

Rocker

Frustrating thing to use. The one tap, two taps thing is hard to get into my head. And I find that I have to read the manual to do the simplest things with it. Why oh why does something which could be so simple, have to be so annoyingly tricky to use? I lost count of the number of times I felt like throwing the damn thing into the recycling bin.

markblack

I can't remember exactly but I'm pretty sure if you don't use overdub mode then one press starts record, one press stops it.

No double tap needed.

They talk about it at 1:25.




Personally I think it's a great looper and very easy to use... try the pigtronix infinity if you want a bit of head scratching

Fuengi

I find the rec / stop / overdub / store stuff dead easy on my RC-3, what I can't get right is the timing of the loop.

Seemed far easier on the Ditto, really can't get it right (but on the plus side I can clear and re-rec with a couple of taps. Every single time).

Beexter

The RC3 will also take a small external switch to stop with one press 

m_c

If you want to make your own external switch, have a read of this thread - http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/65549/

It's something I keep meaning to do, but just never got around to it.

Branshen

I had the same problem with the RC-1. From the factory, it is set to play-dub-play mode, so if you only wanted a simple one track loop, you'll need to double tap to stop. Very annoying as double tapping a pedal messes with my timing.

If you want it to stop recording with one click, you want to change the switching order. Instructions are below. 

https://www.boss.info/us/support/knowledge_base/201937089/

From the factory, when you press the RC-3's pedal it switches its operation in this order: REC > DUB > PLAY.

To change the order to REC > PLAY > DUB, follow these steps.

1. Turn off the RC-3's power by disconnecting your cable from the OUTPUT A jack.

2. While pressing the TAP TEMPO button, turn on the power by re-connecting your cable to the OUTPUT A jack—"rd" appears in the display.

3. Release TAP TEMPO, and then use the up or down arrow buttons to select "rP."

4. When you're finished, press TAP TEMPO once to store the new setting and return to Play mode.

hotpickups

Where does one put the RC 3 in the fx chain?

Rocker

Thanks for the replies guys.  It seems that I will need to get a Boss FS 5 or 6....

JezWynd

Make sure you get the unlatching version. It makes operating the RC-3 a lot more intuitive.

Teetonetal

hotpickups said:

Where does one put the RC 3 in the fx chain?

That depends, 

If you want the loop to be "clean" and record all FX then put it at the end. If you want to manipulate the loop with fx pedal then put it at the start or middle of the chain depending.

Voxman

You need unlatching not latching. Buy 2 x Bespeco VM20 non-latching switches and your RC3 will be dead easy to use. Two of these are cheaper than one Boss F5u and they do exactly the same thing - even slot together in the same way.  £11.20 each on Amazon with free delivery if you buy 2:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bespeco-VM20-Drive-Sustain-Pedal/dp/B00M7XNR1M

hotpickups

Voxman said:

You need unlatching not latching. Buy 2 x Bespeco VM20 non-latching switches and your RC3 will be dead easy to use. Two of these are cheaper than one Boss F5u and they do exactly the same thing - even slot together in the same way.  £11.20 each on Amazon with free delivery if you buy 2:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bespeco-VM20-Drive-Sustain-Pedal/dp/B00M7XNR1M

Can I just ask what's the difference between latching and unlatching ?

UnclePsychosis

@hotpickups ;

A latched pedal stays in its current state until you click it (like most switches on pedals).

Unlatched only changes state whilst you keep your foot on it - like a momentary switch. You get "normally open" and "normally closed" ones which define the default state. 

Most tap tempo switches are unlatched. 

Rocker

Voxman said:

You need unlatching not latching. Buy 2 x Bespeco VM20 non-latching switches and your RC3 will be dead easy to use. Two of these are cheaper than one Boss F5u and they do exactly the same thing - even slot together in the same way.  £11.20 each on Amazon with free delivery if you buy 2:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bespeco-VM20-Drive-Sustain-Pedal/dp/B00M7XNR1M

Thanks for the link @Voxman. ; Why would I need two switchboxes?  Apologies if that sounds a stupid question......

Voxman

@Rocker two pedals gives you maximum foot control, see here. You'll also need a Y cable with a TRS (stereo) jack plug on the 'single' end and 2 x mono plugs on the other ends. With this set-up you can stop/start without needing two pedal presses, tap tempo, & scroll up/down the banks:

midlifecrisis

Voxman said:

@Rocker two pedals gives you maximum foot control, see here. You'll also need a Y cable with a TRS (stereo) jack plug on the 'single' end and 2 x mono plugs on the other ends. With this set-up you can stop/start without needing two pedal presses, tap tempo, & scroll up/down the banks:



with that setup, doea it make the RC30 redundant?

Rocker

The Boss RC3 is a bit of kit that could have been made modular. By that I mean using software to select the level of features available. My needs are simple so give me simple. As supplied, the  pedal is not far off being a simple recording system, great if you need that level of complexity, but confusing if you don't. Simply sell the box and the user could buy upgrade patches to release the extra facilities.

hotpickups

Just out of interest does anyone use one of these live? I kind of like the thought of using one for like a chorus or intro etc so would like to switch on a recorded preset at an appropriate place in a song. Sounds risky?

Beexter

hotpickups said:

Just out of interest does anyone use one of these live? I kind of like the thought of using one for like a chorus or intro etc so would like to switch on a recorded preset at an appropriate place in a song. Sounds risky?

I have used one live to trigger pre recorded samples. As an example, when we've only had one vocalist, I recorded the vocal intro for the intro to the Glee version of Don't Stop Believin'. 
Used it to start the track and then killed it when the guitars kick in. It works really well for that sort of thing. 

hotpickups

Beexter said:

hotpickups said:

Just out of interest does anyone use one of these live? I kind of like the thought of using one for like a chorus or intro etc so would like to switch on a recorded preset at an appropriate place in a song. Sounds risky?

I have used one live to trigger pre recorded samples. As an example, when we've only had one vocalist, I recorded the vocal intro for the intro to the Glee version of Don't Stop Believin'. 
Used it to start the track and then killed it when the guitars kick in. It works really well for that sort of thing. 

This is what I'm thinking with a song I have in mind. However I'd need to kick it on again later on in the song. So when you kick on it again it will take it back to the beginning of the loop each time? Still sounds nerve racking in case one doesn't step on it in time but I guess that's just practice

Beexter

hotpickups said:

Beexter said:

hotpickups said:

Just out of interest does anyone use one of these live? I kind of like the thought of using one for like a chorus or intro etc so would like to switch on a recorded preset at an appropriate place in a song. Sounds risky?

I have used one live to trigger pre recorded samples. As an example, when we've only had one vocalist, I recorded the vocal intro for the intro to the Glee version of Don't Stop Believin'. 
Used it to start the track and then killed it when the guitars kick in. It works really well for that sort of thing. 

This is what I'm thinking with a song I have in mind. However I'd need to kick it on again later on in the song. So when you kick on it again it will take it back to the beginning of the loop each time? Still sounds nerve racking in case one doesn't step on it in time but I guess that's just practice

Yep, I have an external switch hooked up to the dedicated input on the rc3 so it makes stopping the sample easier- just one tap on the external switch stops it. Press the rc3 once to start ( it always starts from the start if that makes sense) and the external switch to stop. Without the external switch, you have to double tap the rc3 to stop which I found too hit and miss in the heat of the moment.
You can get a bit more high-tec and set the rc3 to just play the loop once and then stop automatically  (one shot mode) or even rig up another switch to change samples on the fly (it'll store 99) I think it's a very useful little box.