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I have a question for which I couldn't find an answer here regarding the BOSS RC-300: I want to have free length loops in all tracks. Then I could record in the first track a specific length, and then the other tracks could be also set to free lengths.

Now the question is whether the loops would align (eg., if the first track is a 5-second loop, and the second track is a 11-second loop, will the second track be on hold until the first track finishes its second repetition?). Thanks!

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  • Not sure what kind of alignment you're after, but with multiple MIDI-synced loopers, if all of them could be set to like 1/8 note bar length i.e. very short bars, then you could have all of them be sort of in the same 1/8 pulse ... just at different positions in each of their musical phrases. And then the phrases would form a big poly-meter sort of thing, if that makes sense. One playing, say, 7/8 and another, say, 13/8 and a third one 16/8. No idea if this is possible with the RC-300. But IIRC it was possible with some combination of multiple individual MIDI synced loopers.
    – piiperi Reinstate Monica
    Commented Feb 28, 2022 at 17:35

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Note: I've not worked work that specific looper but that should generic (and works on the 505).

Not if you're in free length mode for each loop: in that case any finished loop will restart when reaching its end and it's fairly impossible to keep two loops synchronized (this is usually the expected effect when not synchronizing loop). If you asked for start synchronisation, it might restart with the first, it really depends on the mode and the looper.

If you want the second loop to wait for the restart of the first one, you need to synchronise them. Actually, the behaviour you describe can be obtained with the second loop quantised on three timrs the length of first one, with the last part being silent. This can be achieved or by quantising the loop length to the first loop, or by linking start and stop. Both ways will allow you to have loops of lengths being a multiple of the initial loop, even if part of them is silent.

Maybe you can explain exactly what you want to achieve, from the question it's not clear (at least for me) if what your describe if a wanted or unwanted behaviour.

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  • Thanks, I think that depending on the mode you use (in RC300 there is a free mode but a "loop end" mode where the track will wait until the longest loop is finished.
    – Emmanuel Goldstein
    Commented Feb 28, 2022 at 17:18
  • Yes, but in that case that's equivalent to record everything at the longest loop length, with silence at the end right? Maybe you should precise exactly the alignment you're after. Everything is more or less possible with these beasts, it's just now always straightforward.
    – Tom
    Commented Feb 28, 2022 at 17:37
  • I see what you mean. In Loop end, the longest loop is the one keeping the rest in hold, right? So the solution is given by you with quantizing the loop lengh of the longer loops, if I understand correctly. I couldn't understand how, but I suppose I can find tutorials online. If you know of a good one, let me know!
    – Emmanuel Goldstein
    Commented Mar 1, 2022 at 8:26
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    @EmmanuelGoldstein Yes, the longest loop (or the first one recorded, depends on the mode) will keep everyone on hold. There are a lot of looping strategy and, for instance I'm usually doing the opposite: I'm starting with the shortest loop, and then looping everything else that needs to be synced to a multiple of the length of this initial loop. It really depends on the way you want to construct your thing, and might sometimes need to be think over beforehand ;).
    – Tom
    Commented Mar 1, 2022 at 9:00
  • Thanks, Tom, for your comment. I can't say I could start always with the shortest loop, it would depend on the music piece. I can't imagine how to set this up in advance for all the music I do! EDIT: unless you meant with "starting with the shortest loop" to organize the settings of all tracks!
    – Emmanuel Goldstein
    Commented Mar 1, 2022 at 14:58
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Absolutely it is easy to do. Only thing you need to do is the tempo (bpm) has to be the same each loop. Different loop lengths are possible. It is in the set up. Boss-RC300 is a great loop pedal if you know what you want. I have two RC-300 connected together and I have 6 loops playing.

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