About the RC-50 Workshop Series
The BOSS RC-50 Loop Station sets a new standard for performance loopers.
With 49 minutes of mono recording time (or 24 minutes in stereo), onboard
storage for up to 297 phrases, and massive realtime control, the RC-50 is a
powerful realtime performance tool. While looping is its primary function, it
can be used in many other ways as well: as a sampler, a backing track player,
a practice aid, and more.
Each RC-50 Workshop booklet focuses on a specific topic to help you
get the most out of your RC-50 and spark some ideas for its creative use.
RC-50 Workshop booklets are intended as companions to the
RC-50 Owner’s
Manual
.
About This Booklet
The RC-50 has 99 onboard patches, and each contains three phrases into
which you can record or import audio. A patch also contains many settings
that determine how its phrases play. This booklet covers patches in detail,
including how to store your phrase recordings and custom settings in
them.
Understanding the Symbols in This Booklet
Throughout this booklet, you’ll come across information that deserves
special attention—that’s the reason it’s labeled with one of the following
symbols.
A note is something that adds information about the topic at hand.
A tip offers suggestions for using the feature being discussed.
Warnings contain important information that can help you avoid
possible damage to your equipment, your data, or yourself.
Hot Links
Each Workshop booklet is meant to be read in order from
beginning to end. However, if we mention an upcoming
section—and you see this arrow—you can click the arrow to
jump there immediately.
Terminology
On the RC-50, a “phrase” is a container for audio data.
An RC-50 patch contains three phrases, and each can loop indefinitely
or be triggered sampler-style using the “One Shot” function.
When a phrase is empty, capturing audio into it is called “recording.”
While recording a phrase, pressing the REC/PLAY/OVERDUB pedal
stops recording and starts the phrase playing back from the beginning.
This action determines the phrase’s length, and we call it “closing the
phrase.” Alternately, a phrase can be closed by pressing the STOP pedal
during phrase recording.
When a phrase already contains audio and you wish to layer more—or
replace some—you “overdub” audio into the phrase.
What’s in a Patch?
Whenever you play, record, or overdub phrases on the RC-50, you’re working
in a patch. Each patch contains:
three phrases
—into which you can record, overdub, and import audio.
This audio can be saved with the patch, up to the limit of the RC-50’s
memory.
The RC-50’s memory provides 49 minutes of mono recording time, or 24
minutes of stereo. This memory is shared by all 99 patches.
various phrase playback settings
—that determine how the patch’s
phrases behave. They include the Play mode (Single or Multi), loop or
One Shot playback, Tempo Sync, and more.
guide settings
—including on/off status, pattern selection, and time
signature.
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