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Re: Boss DD-20 review
At 09:01 AM 5/18/2005, RobotFan@aol.com wrote:
>If it makes you feel any better, I went through buyer's remorse with my
>DD-20 too. I almost sold it on eBay.
>
>However, after a couple of weeks now, I'm glad I have it and won't part
>with it. It takes some getting used to, no doubt there.
>
>Keep plugging away at it.
Thanks Carl, trying my best here. I think part of my frustration comes
from a bit of the "I want the same thing, only different" syndrome. I'm
used to working with the SOS in products like the Line 6 modelers, and
admittedly the Roland does not have that particular model as one of its
strengths. Rather, I'm trying to get used to setting an interval and then
layering to those time constraints, as opposed to just pressing a switch
at
the end of a phrase and going into "play/overdub" mode. Douglas' tips on
using ping-pong mode have helped quite a bit so far, but it's still rough
going.
I've had one or two tiny revelations over the past few days which have
helped. First, I'm really used to working in BPM, as opposed to straight
milliseconds, so overwriting all the memories with that time measurement
has helped.
Second, I made a little discovery using the optional FS-5U footswitch last
night. There are three modes by which the external footswitch can
operate,
one of which is to duplicate the on/off functionality of the first
built-in
footswitch. For all other modes but this one -- i.e. tap tempo, memory
selection -- the FS-5U (unlatching) is recommended. For external on/off
control, Roland recommends instead the FS-5L (the latching version of the
same footswitch).
Being the mad-scientist-type I am, though, I tried using the unlatched
FS-5U with the on/off mode, and it does indeed work. The advantage here
is
that the DD-20 only accepts input while your foot is on the pedal. Lift
your foot, and it stops. So, you can play a sustained note or chord, then
tap morse-code type rhythms into the delay, much like the trigger-gates
used in a lot of electronica. Neat!
Also, you can reverse the polarity of the pedal with the flick of a
switch. Then, you can have everything you play fed into the delay (don't
worry the normal on/off switch on the pedal still functions normally at
the
same time, so you could turn it off entirely). In that mode, the audio
stream will be *interrupted* any time you press the pedal, so you can clip
out little bits of silence as you record.
I think I saw somebody else post something about creative uses for those
external FS-5x pedals (ted maybe? couldn't find anything in the archives,
grrrr), so perhaps they've done some more work with the external
footswitches than just my little explorations...
--m.
_____
"Now Simulcast on Crazy People's Fillings"