In May 2015 there was a discussion by the world's top beatboxing loopers on The Loop Station Facebook page about improvements that could be made to the BOSS RC-505 loopstation. Equally, these improvements apply to any other future looping device for beatboxers. Here are the results. If you have more suggestions please join in the conversation!
FX
The RC-505 has input FX (that can be recorded) and output FX that can be applied to tracks.
- The ability to bounce down the output FX on a track (not just the repeat/shift/scatter/flick)
- More Input and Output FX - e.g. Distortion, Synth, Tracking Octave, Stereo Delay, Subharmonic Synth
- The ability to select more than one input FX simultaneously. e.g. reverb + delay
- To have the FX in alphabetical order
- The addition of a Feedback Destroyer to help combat feedback issues when using a mic
Fabrication/Design/IO
- Stronger faders - better build quality
- Fabricated out of metal and not plastic - better build quality
- Pads closer to each other so the user can hit 5 pads with each finger on one hand
- Separate audio outputs for each track
- Two sets of stereo outputs for extra routing of sub and main (aka RC300)
Core Functionality
- Stereo Mixdown (bouncedown to two tracks)
- The USB output signal should be divided into independent tracks for mastering
- The ability to move or bounce loops from one track to another (with mic on mute to prevent feedback being recorded)
- More loop channels - e.g. 10.
Screen
- Touch screen for the edit and menu options
- Larger menu screen
Menu/Selecting
- When using the track FX, the ability to enter the FX menu without changing/stopping the current FX
- When selecting sys:InputLineOut (off) - the mic should still be audible in the headphones.
- More quick-select FX buttons for input and output FX
- Ability to choose which tracks you want to stop when you press the "all start/stop" button
- Ability to quickly change the track settings - e.g. loops to samples
- Keep FX on-screen when being used.
- When undo or redo loop allow FX to be activated (without having to hit exit)
- Ability to customise and reorder edit menus - e.g. favourite choices could be put in the first menu slot
- Quick deleting of loops
Loop Editing
- Ability to move/trim start and stop of a loop so you can fix errors on stage without unde/re-recording
Bugs
- Sort the bug that stops play when you've recorded a 1 beat bar on the first pad and then recorded 4 bars on the second pad.
Aye to all these improvements! Especially th independent tracks when using USB output. It would be like a super high-tech sound card/mixing table! And also Greg’s idea to have metronome through headphones only. Also it should have USB type-C for faster data transmission.
(I know it’s 2017, but still looking forward to the next model) cheers!
I would like to see unlimited undo & redo, so if I like what i’ve created I can go back to the beginning and record it from scratch
Track decay functionality so that later overdubs gradually replace earlier ones.
You can indeed output the rhythm to the headphones only, and the last 2 rhythm patterns are metronomes.
In the Rhythm Edit menu (button next to the rhythm select knob), change Rhythm:LineOut to Off
I agree. That would be useful.
The ability to play a metronome through headphones only would be good, starting a track with something like a bassline or melodies is tough to keep tight without a beat