Support
Looper's Delight
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Support |
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Here's a quick summary of the text, sans the marketing blurb. The
pictures on the web + just the FAQ section may give a better overview of
the unit's capabilities than the text on the main page.
The unit was shown at Tokyo's NAMM-equivalent show; the website still
doesn't have any pricing or ship date info.
* * *
Main Page:
-Works like 3 RC-20XLs
-Each "Phrase" can be independently recorded/played back/overdubbed
-On/off states of each "Phrase" can be controlled freely
-A "Patch" consists of three "Phrases" (i.e. it's a 3-stereo-track-looper)
-Two "Play Modes";
a. Multi Mode - 3 Phrases in a Patch can be combined freely
b. Single Mode - Switching between 3 Phrases
-Max recording time: 24 min (stereo)/49 min (mono)
-one shot/reverse/fade in "etc." playback modes
-Fade outs and Loop ending settings can be adjusted even when phrases are
not being played back
-Sub Out can be assigned to specific Phrases or the guide tone
-Max. 4 exp.pedals/footswitches
-Playback speed can be altered in realtime, by tap tempo or via expression
pedal.
-Can force Phrases of different tempos to play back in the same tempo
("Tempo Sync" feature)
-Loop Quantize during recording
-MIDI tempo sync
-USB Connectivity
-Settings can be stored on computer
-WAV import/export (16 bit/44.1kHz/Stereo/Mono)
-Comes with a Loop Phrase CD
FAQ:
1.
What features are new on the RC-50 compared to the RC-20XL?
Max. recording time: 49min (mono)
Stereo
3 simultaneous Phrases max.
Storage of 297 Phrases max.
379 rhythm patterns
7 pedals
Connectivity for 4 external footswitches
Expression (?)
USB
Sub Outs
MIDI In/Out
Playback Speed Realtime Control
MIDI tempo sync
2.
What can you control off the expression pedals?
Phrase Level,
Phrase Pan,
Current Level (the level of the "Current Phrase")
Current Pan (panning of the "Current Phrase")
Guide Level
Patch Level
Patch Tempo
note: the "Original Tempo" cannot be controlled from the exp.ped.
Level and Tempo ranges are as follows:
Level: 0 - 200
Tempo: 40-250
3.
So how does the "tempo" feature work in relation to playback speed? Can
Phrases with different tempos be played back at the same tempo, or in
other words, in sync?
"Original Tempo" / "Patch Tempo":
When a Phrase is recorded, its tempo settings are stored as an "Original
Tempo".
Every patch can have a tempo setting independent of the Original Tempos,
and this Patch info is called the "Patch Tempo".
Every Phrase may have a different tempo. Let's take this example --
Phrase 1: 100bpm
Phrase 2: 120bpm
Phrase 3: 80bpm
In such a situation, we don't know what the master tempo is. This is
where the "Patch Tempo" comes in. You can have each Phrase lock to the
Patch Tempo, or not. Elaborating on the above scenario, you can have a
setting like this:
Phrase 1: 100bpm / Tempo Sync: ON
Phrase 2: 120bpm / Tempo Sync: ON
Phrase 3: 80bpm / Tempo Sync: OFF
When you apply a Tempo Sync, Phrases having different Original Tempos will
play in sync, with the same Tempo.
Assuming a Patch Tempo of 120, playback of the above example will be as
follows:
Phrase 1: Playback speed will be faster than the original recording
(100bpm), at 120bpm.
Phrase 2: Playback speed happens to be the same as the original (120bpm).
Phrase 3: Tempo Sync is off, so playback speed will not be altered.
-Expression Pedal Control of Patch Tempo
The Patch Tempo can be altered in realtime from an expression pedal such
as the RC-50.
max. and min. values for the tempo are user-defineable.
4.
When recording on top of a prerecorded Phrase, can I record just the new
stuff onto a different phrase?
Yep.
In Multi Mode, the playback/recording of three different snippets can be
set totally independent of each other.
An example would be to record on Phrase 1, then record something on Phrase
2 while Phrase 1 is playing back.
You can also overdub on the same Phrase, if you so wish.
5.
Can you record simultaneously off the Inst., mic, and Aux inputs?
Yes. All inputs will be mixed and recorded within the same Phrase.
Adjustments can be made from the Input Level section.
It's not possible to record the different input sources on independent
tracks (Phrases) though.
6.
Terminology - What's a "Phrase", "Patch", and "Current Phrase"?
Phrase: Think of it as one loop. A "phrase" is Roland lingo for a loop.
Patch: It's a collection of three loops. RC-50 has 99 Patches.
Current Phrase: To record a loop, you need to specify where you're
recording. The selected Phrase is a "Current Phrase". Rec/Play/Overdub
operations are always applied on the Current Phrase. Likewise, the
indicators show the status for the Current Phrase.
One selects the Current Phrase by stepping on the Phrase 1/2/3 switch.
7.
What controls are available via MIDI?
-External MIDI sync
-Program Change/Control Change transmission: When switching a Patch,
Program Change messages are sent. External footswitch and expression
pedal operations are also sent as Continuous Controller messages.
-Pach Changes from external controllers
-Other operations from external controllers (CC#1/CC#7/CC#80): Via MIDI,
one can adjust parameters that can't be controlled from the RC-50's
footswitches or pedals.
Both Global and Patch settings can be altered via CC's. It's possible to
specify whether every parameter is Global or applied only on a Patch.
8.
So what can you do via USB?
- Backup of user data onto a computer
- Recovery, by sending settings store on a computer back onto an RC-50
- Export of RC-50 phrase data onto a computer (WAV)
- Import of WAV files in a computer, onto an RC-50
RC-50 acts as a USB mass storage class device.
It doesn't act as a USB MIDI device.
9.
Can I punch in sections of Phrase while overdubbing?
Yes.
There are 3 Overdubbing Modes, and one of them is "Momentary Punch-in".
a. Overdub - Records material on top an existing Phrase.
b. Replace - Overwrites material onto a Phrase; acts like a single-tap
delay.
c. Momentary Punch-In - Overwrites material only while the
Rec/Play/Overdub pedal is depressed. Great for correcting parts of a
Phrase.
There's an Overdub Mode switch dedicated to the feature.