Re: Help: RC-20XL or Digitech Jam-Man? Quantize feature?

[kkissinger@kevinkissinger.com]

Quoting Brent Santin <woodenflutes@yahoo.ca>:

> ... the
> QUANTIZE function...

> ...I need my loops (I guess the
> foundation loop, anyway) to be dead on with the
> internal click track of the pedal.  If I need the
> QUANTIZE function for this, I guess I will have to go
> with the BOSS, even though it offers fewer features.

Though I don't have experience with the models of equipment you  
mentioned, I understand your question. Like you, I want to create very  
tight rhythmns that stay in sync.

I own a Boss RC50.  While the RC50 has been (rightfully) criticized  
because it won't sync up with computers and other equipment its  
quantize feature is very useful (I am pleased with the RC50 as a  
stand-alone unit).  That is, I can record a single one-bar loop and  
then, while it plays, record other loops that are longer -- the RC50  
quantizes such that the long loops are always integrally related to  
the short loop.

However, for less than one bar -- the RC50 won't do the deed.  My  
latest experiments are to team up a digital delay (actually, my DSP  
V55 fx unit) so that I can lay down short (one beat) loops and capture  
them with the RC50.  Since the DPS V55 can have up to four independent  
delays of different lengths, it means that I can put together  
syncopated patterns, capture them to the RC50, then superimpose longer  
loops over that pattern.

So, to answer your question, I have found the ability to sync/quantize  
loops very useful and, as you point out, to create correlated loops  
manually means that the loops are subject to sync drift.

Happy looping!

-- Kevin