BOSS RC-5 Loop Station — modern, compact looper with first-class sound quality, 99 phrase memories, 57 rhythms and optional MIDI control. Perfect for guitar, bass, electroacoustic

Product Information

I recommend starting with short, simple chord rhythms or a simple arpeggio and getting the hang of timing your footswitches right. You could also hit the footswitch and then count to four afterward.

Pros: The Boss RC-5 Loop Station has excellent sound quality, tons of recording time, plenty of features and a streamlined interface. Even though it's nothing unusual for a device of this size, it might take some time to get used to the fact that this Loop Station turns itself off and on automatically. As the device has no power switch, it starts or shuts down when you plug or unplug something at output A (provided it is powered with electricity ;) ). MIDI ConnectionsWith the awesome BOSS RC-5 Loop Station you can an advanced compact looper with class-leading sound quality. Run a 1/4″ instrument cable from the “output” to the “Return” on the amplifier’s effects loop, then run a 1/4″ instrument cable from the “input” of the pedal to the “Send” on the amplifier’s effects loop. By pressing the knob, you can change the incremental values and use fractions like 100.5 BPM. The LED will blink to reflect your changes. The new tempo will now be applied to all of your loops and samples. 8) How to Change Drum Loops on the Boss RC-5 Accessories: Owner's Manual; Leaflet ("USING THE UNIT SAFELY," "IMPORTANT NOTES," and "Information")

This could be the handiest feature on the RC-5 because it helps people who might be having trouble hitting the record button at the right time. Instead of recording immediately after you press the footswitch, it will only record when sound is detected. A lot of people think the overdubbing feature is one of the cooler things about loop stations. You can layer multiple loops on top of each other to create complex soundscapes and textures. As a matter of fact, I’m still playing around with simple loops at the moment. Overdubs are something I’m not super confident with, even though I use this thing all of the time.

CONS:

They could overheat, stink, or maybe not work at all. In worst-case scenarios, they might even start a fire. BOSS, of course, recommends using their PSA-series adapter to avoid any power issues, however, I haven’t run into any issues yet using one from Dunlop. Like its predecessor, the RC-5 comes with a built-in drum machine offering 57 different patterns; each of which is available as an A and a B version to reduce monotony. You can set the drum kit for each individual pattern yourself and choose from seven different drum kits.

The RC-5 provides players a wealth of sonic possibilities, all without having to take hands off the guitar. Here are five powerful tips. Read more… Next to the display of the RC-5, there is a large knob to change the settings and adjust the volume of the loop. Below that, there are four small, illuminated buttons that you can use to switch the integrated drum machine on or off and manage the memory.These figures will vary depending on the actual conditions of use. Accessories Leaflet ("USING THE UNIT SAFELY,""IMPORTANT NOTES," and "Information") The ‘Beat’ setting lets you choose the time signature, anything from 4/4 to 15/8 (if you’re feeling very progressive). And you can use ‘Var. Change’ to automatically variate the rhythm from A to B based on one measure or one loop.

A cool feature that not a lot of people know about too is that you can tap the tempo button according to the BPM that you want to set it at. For instance, if you tap the button at 120 BPM, the RC-5 Loop station will set the BPM to 120. Here’s what my signal chain currently looks like with the pedals I have now – notice the RC-5 Loop Station on the end BOSS' RC-5has been designed with only the best circuity and components available - meaning virtually zero sonic compromises.Featuring best-in-class 32-bit AD/DA and 32-bit floating-point processing, the RC-5captures your personal sound with full fidelity and keeps loops crystal-clear -even with multiple overdubs. And with 13 hours of stereo recording time, there’s plenty of space for extended and immersive musical journeys! Window to Your World Like its predecessor, the RC-5 has a very compact and lightweight case and a mine design. It has exactly the same dimension as the RC-3 with 7.3 cm width and 12.9 cm depth, but with a height of 5.6 cm, the RC-5 is slightly smaller than the predecessor model. The weight has remained exactly the same at 450 grams and downright invites you to take the device along in your gig bag.With the fourth small (memory) button you can modify the settings for a recorded loop, among other things. As is the custom, you can connect the Loop Station via the USB-B port to a PC or Mac to save or record loops. Otherwise, the RC-5 has only one other port, to which you can connect an unfortunately not included power supply. If you’re planning on using the loop station for live performances, then I also recommend using the power supply. This will ensure that your loop station doesn’t run out of power in the middle of a performance, and is also convenient for powering your other pedals. All of this is great for practicing in addition to creative purposes. I’ve written a guide before on how to play along with drums, and I think that’ll help you with this. The Boss RC-3 was a great pedal for guitarists with a more casual interest in looping. It had plenty of features under the hood, but it was pretty limited when it came to live use. Now I’m not going to say that the RC-5 can compete with the bigger units for live playing, but if you’re looking for a stompbox-sized looper that actually has some potential for live use it’s hard to beat.