The RC-500 LoopStation from Boss is a two track looper and the next generation for their popular RC-30. It has a few important new features – a third foot switch, a graphic LCD screen that enables deep customization of the pedal’s behavior, and it also has new MIDI IO and different effects. Here’s an in-depth review:
TIMELINE:
0:00 Intro
1:00 Overview
3:35 Connectivity
4:20 Customization
5:25 Track options
6:45 Time-stretch
7:50 Rhythm options
10:30 Memory options
11:25 Loop FX
12:30 Custom controls
13:20 MIDI & Assign
14:55 Other settings
15:35 Pros & cons
18:05 Outro jam
can you connect to different instruments?
for example a bass and a guitar in the different inputs?
yes
Yes
Hi there,
First of all, what a great youtube channel! Learned a lot already 🙂
Few question:
A. Can I loop free from tempo and BPM assignments, and then playback track 1 and 2 (both with a different duration), so they will shift in place and time relative from each other?
B. Can I loop free from tempo and BPM assignments in track 1, and then record a loop on track 2 (synced to track 1) following the time process of track 1 on the LCD display?
C. If so, can I then freely drop in recording on track 2, or do I have to wait until the loop on track 1 has finished its round?
D. Do you know any alternative looping pedals that fit these requirements?
Kind regards,
Art
thanks for the kind words! those are a lot of things to check and verify, so it’s best you do the research in store to make sure it fits your needs, but overall, you can have two completely independent tracks on this pedal
Alright, yeah I thought you maybe already knew.
Right now deciding between this RC-500, EHX 25000 and Pigtronix Infinity. Think I’m gonna try them all out for a while.
Thanks! 🙂
very good video
one thing i can not find anywhere on RC500 is that if you want to stop a track ( say play a different section live) then swicth track back on it does not say??
as its a two track looper it woul dbe great to leave drums going and just turn say track one or 2 off an dplay say bridge once live whil estill having temp/percussion,, anyone help??
If I understand what you’re saying, what you do is go to the rhythm section and turn the stop mode to off. This will keep the drums playing when you stop the loop. You then can restart the loop, or stop the drums by the start/stop button on the rc500, or you can assign the rhythm start stop to an external foot switch to control the rhythm.
great clip ,, just wish some one could tell me if you can temporary turn off a track an dleave drums going to play a middl epart,,, then turn track back on again ifyou wanat,,,
Yes, turn rhythm stop mode to “off” then the drums are controlled independently from the loop start/stop, but will still stay synchronized in time. So you can stop the loop and the drums will continue until you manually turn them off via button or external foot switch
Hi ! Any chance you made your choice between the three ? I do not know much about the EHX… I can not decide between RC-500 and Pigtronix Infinity !!
keep researching what’s right for you
Good day, the best video review! Very helpful to understand many details, but the question is: in the folder-memory-control, what value is assigned to the pedal 3? For some reason, the track doesn’t switch from 1 to 2.
Hi! I just got a RC500 and I’m kind of in between loving it and thinking it doesn’t fit me. I really want :
– Rythm start/stop
– Rythm volume control knob
– ALL start/stop
If I buy for example a Akai Mpk mini, will I be able to control all this? I’m really new to Midi and a little lost! If not is there any other kind of controller that would allow me to do all 3 of these things? Thanks a lot!!!
Hi, Thanks for the great tutorial. Is it possible to control the rhythm level with the Mic Level nob?
THANKS FOR THE VERY USEFUL TUTORIAL!
In the RC-500, a third output would be useful that could only be dedicated to drum/click. The RC-500 would then serve as a fully stereo playback, and the drummer would only get a click.
Now you can also use it for live-playback, but you only have to sacrifice valuable Output for a few.
Best regards from Poland – Jurek
No one is mentioning this anywhere, and I can’t find the answer in the manual or parameter guide – using the track select stomp, can you assign both tracks to start at the same time upon pressing the play stomp? For example, you have loops recorded into both tracks, and both loops need to start at the same time to begin the song.
The RC30 does this no problem. With loops recorded in both tracks, the track select function (long press on the stop pedal) toggles Track 1 – Track 2 – both tracks – Track 1 – Track 2 – both tracks, etc. The RC500 appears to not be able to do that.
The answer is yes it can
Hello, Thanks for helpfull tutorial and detailed answers to the questions.
I have some questions too it will be big help for me if you can answer 🙂
I’m a guitar player and new to home recording world.
I just got a midi keyboard (Novation Launchkey Mini MK3) and audio interface (Scarlett 2i2) and i’m using Ableton live. Can I use my midi keyboard and sounds from Ableton (plugins etc.) in this looper through midi in connection? Can you describe me how the true connection must be to do some live looping with guitar, vocal and midi keyboard with looper? Is this a true gear for this? I’m looking RC-202 too its has more effects but its 16 bit. Which one do you recommend?
Thank you.
Thanks for the kind words – sorry I can’t help troubleshoot individual setups, but I might make a video about this in the future