Hi, this morning I were racking my brain to find a solution to record my own bass loops, with my Boss RC20XL( [url]http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.aspx?ObjectId=477&ParentId=96[/url] ). And I found the soultion (aha..). The problem was that I wanted to be able to edit each layer(adding a flanger to this layer, a reverb to another..) . Then I figured out ableton Live's Clips system could solve my problem: One scene by layer.. In the fact, I first syncronise the tempo between Live and my pedal, then I set the starter of the transport bar on "2 bars". Then I record my first loop on the first scene, then, whitout stoping my pedal, I record the first overdub on the second scene, then the second overdub ect.. and all my composition process displays layered in front of me. Obviously I can switch to the layer I want when I want! Then I create one track by effect I want, then I move each clip to one theses tracks. By doing this I can by exemple, add a flanger to the 3 first scenes, then a reverb to the next 2 clips ect... But the old same problems remains.. Let's say that I've 10 layer(so 10 clips by the way), if I wanna do another take of the third layer, but still keep the next 7. The 7 following layers won't include this new take. I will have to record again the next 7 clips, to make them include the new third layer.. Except this, the combination of the Boss RC20XL loopstation & Ableton Live substitute to the huge footboard RC-50! ( [url]http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.aspx?ObjectId=772[/url] take a look at the first vid, I enjoy what this guy does) To conclude, I simply hope this trick will useful to any musician using any loopstation pedal...

Alex, that's really interesting...the RC50 looks awesome! And it's funny how many bassplayers have moved to the Live/laptop world...but I was wondering: couldn't you do all of this with Live and a MIDI pedalboard, like the Behringer one? I'm not clear why you need a hardware loopstation AND Ableton Live?

First, I think a hardware loopstation is so much more reliable than a midi foot controller. Then you can't use the midi footboard without your computer on, your software launched; with my pedal I don't need to always switch on my computer to record an idea! In addition, I'll say that with my RC20, there's 2 in, 1 mic & 1 instrument, that's not a little thing, I can record any mic part I want without using one more in of my sound card... The bass is such a rich instrument that you just need to take a 5 string bass tuned with a trebble C, to record a bass part, a guitar part, even a percu part... To me that's clear that there's more and more bassists discovering the possibilities of a such software ;and I'm the first one concerned.. :)

Hi Alex Thank you for your post. Yes realtime looping is becoming more and more popular. I have an RC20 which is great as far as it goes. But you are surely still having to use another I/O to get the audio into the mac in the first place. Also how are you syncronising the RC20 with Live? It doesn't have either the midi or usb functionality that the RC50 does. Also you seem to suggest you are moving clips around after you have recorded them, is that right? Personally if I'm performing I'd prefer to have the option not to have to turn my focus to a computer screen. I've been bowled over by what Kid Beyond does - as regards Live looping. Please check out his Ableton demo either at the ableton website or his own http://www.kidbeyond.com/ It should blow you away. Also we have a lovely guy in London who is a brilliant Bass looper called Steve Lawson. He use 2 Gibson echoplexs, and has lots of video clips on his site. V. informative. But bhe is I believe checking out "Live" Hope some of this is helpful. I still haven't worked out how to do what Kid Beyond does on a Mac. And I think Live ought to have a menu dedicated to "Loopers" to make it easier. I bought Live 1 within days of it coming out... mainly because I thought it was a live looper. Best Wishes Rich in London